Well, I've gone and done it again: missed an update. Though I must profess that this time it wasn't entirely my fault. The internet in our dorm was out for a few days, so that's part of my excuse. I hate doing these lengthy updates. There's so much to try and remember.
I'll start with the weekend after we went to Sydney (my previous post), which was our surf trip with MojoSurf to Crescent Head. You may find that I often use the world "we" instead of "I." This is mainly because I travel with a group of buddies on most adventures I undertake. Towards the end of my trip, I'll probably be doing some solo traveling, but that's later!
This trip was one that a bunch of us Australearn students scheduled back in Cairns during our first week in Australia. It seemed like it would be a good way to reconnect with others after the first few weeks of school. After class on Friday, about five of us met up and headed down to the train station and found the rest of the group already there. We took the train a short two stops up and got off to find Ian, the guy we had signed up with, waiting for us with a big ol' bus. The drive to Crescent Head was about three or four hours, so it was dark by the time we got there. We got off the bus and met some of the other staff members and surf instructors. They showed us around a bit and we got our beds set up. Then we headed up to the firepit and they got a nice blaze going for us to warm up (it was really cold there at night). We sat by the fire for a few hours chatting and relaxing while music was playing. We turned in a bit early because we got up early the next morning to make the most of our time.
Part of the camp.
The weather all weekend was beautiful. We had clear skies and it was pretty warm, though the wind did make it a bit chilly at times. Saturday morning we had a nice breakfast of cereal, fresh fruit, and toast. While we ate, one of the guys in charge gave us the rundown on the beach and what we would be doing for the next two days. The guy's name was Kimbo, and he was one of the funniest blokes I've come across. If you picture the Dude from The Big Lebowski, you can get an idea of his general demeanor. He pretty much wore a bathrobe and slippers around the entire time. Anyway, after the speech he gave, we all got kitted out with wetsuits, each one having a unique name on it. Mine was Lycra Man.
The superhero called Lycra Man.
The wetsuits were pretty worn and didn't exactly fit, but they kept us warm. The water actually wasn't too cold. The locals here think the water is freezing; I tell them to check out the Puget Sound. We headed down to the beach, and after a brief lesson of the basics, jumped into the water. Most people progressed at the same rate. It took awhile to actually stand up on the board, but a lot of people were starting to get it down. We went at it for a few hours, having fun and occasionally getting crushed under a wave. After a delicious lunch break consisting of grilled cheese sandwiches, we hit the surf again. If I had to guess, I would say we spent about five or six hours surfing that day.
Woohoo, totally gnarly dewd.
That night we had a great BBQ dinner (did I mention that all the meals there were amazing?) and another night at the firepit. One of the best parts of being down on the beach and away from the cities was the lack of light pollution. If you got away from the fire and down to the beach, the stars were absolutely awesome. And it's weird because none of the stars are familiar. You wouldn't expect to notice the difference, but it's there.
A moment of quiet contemplation by the fire.
The next morning we headed back out for a few more hours. Putting the wetsuits back on after they had been sitting out all night in the freezing cold was not too fun. Once we got back into the water though, it was no problem. The last few hours were pretty good. Consistent and good size waves. The instructors said that the conditions were perfect for learning. By the end, we were all pretty tired, cold, and a little sore. After lunch, we rounded up all our stuff and hopped back on the bus for the long haul home.
Just a short video of the beach so you can get an idea of the location. Beauty.
Jungle Crusin!
16 years ago
2 comments:
We're so used to this poop water that anything over there is an improvement. Sounds like you're having a time over there, lots of. Have you had a chance to ride any kangaroos yet?
Dude check out Two-Blegs. I'm trying to re-tool it; it's version 1.2 right now.
Also, you should post some more short videos n stuff.
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