We are now on the equinox and autumn is officially upon us. A passing cold front has brought 6m swells to the coastline, which have reached massive proportions as they have thundered ashore here off the little village of Kommetjie. We are fortunate to be protected by a natural barrier of jumbled rocks along this section of the Peninsula which has kept the shoreline intact over millenia, unlike the constantly shifting sands of the long white beaches of the area. The roaring of the surf as it folds over, expelling trapped air before crashing into the boulders, makes the very air vibrate and is truly deafening, as it can keep you awake at night.
The abruptness of the rise of the seabed from sand to rocky ledges brings waves that are world famous, and anyone who can conquer the Outer Kom has earned their surfing stripes (sorry if that is not the right word!) There are some incredibly young boys who I see out there among the surfers at the Inner Kom, which on a big day can be intimidating enough and if they are so skilled at the age of 8 or 10, then they will surely be giving their counterparts in Hawaii a run for their money one day.
I have a cousin who made a name for himself in big wave surfing, something that requires you to have no fear, I would imagine, and his children are following in his wake and gaining international recognition in the sport. Unfortunately, the sporting world doesn't place the same value on the talent and bravery of those who play out their passion in sometimes dangerous and life-threatening conditions, and so the financial rewards are not really there, which makes it all the more admirable that the world's professional surfers let nothing hold them back when they are chasing their dream.
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