Surf boat races

 

So as luck would have it, I decided to take Dog to the beach this morning while Steve went to golf. I went back to the beach we found a while back, but today it was far far busier.

 

There was a big carnival set up on the beach a bit further south, but it still seemed ok to take Dog and have a play. As time ran away, I became the filling in a surfboard riding lesson and the surf boat races sandwich. This was not an unpleasant place to be!

 

For the uninitiated, let me explain how the races work. 5 teams of 5 blokes or girls start on the beach and at the hooter they all jump in and start rowing like maniacs except for the steerer who is responsible for directing the boat into the right part of the wave and towards the buoy about 500 metres out, where they do a Uie and hurry back hoping to be lucky enough to catch a wave.

 

The travel out is seriously hard work, pulling hard on the oars and tugging on the tiller, and the way back in is fraught as the crews try to catch a wave in and hope that the wave is a help not a dumper. The waves today were pretty angry and were thumping in and all too often boats were being pushed in sidewards. Crew went flying and the little rubber inflatables were used to collect these folk. It was all very exciting.

 

I didn't care who was winning. It was a wonderful spectacle. 

 

 

 I reckon you can tell how experienced a crew member is by the fit of their togs. The looser the togs the longer they have been boating. I am not sure why they stick their knickers up their cracks, maybe because their bum cheeks stick better or maybe its because they slip better. I thought it a little rude to ask.

 

Anyway it was a pleasant way to spend the morning. I was there longer than I expected to be so I am a little sunburnt... That is my penance, for perving.