MorRoc-n-Roll

La Source, though Mysteries then Anchor Point.

My return to the land of the right point break for the first time in a couple of years was definitely worth it. I hated to do it, but sacked off a snowboarding trip in favour of some waves and sunshine. I met some rad people, got a bit skunked and then got a vicious cold.

I did however manage to get pretty relaxed and find some good waves. First turned up and surfed Devils Rock on my 9'0 longboard, then Mysteries. I love Mysteries. even at its low tide dumpiest, I just love being there with Anchors to my right and La Source and Killers to my left. Its a beautiful place, but barren.

After that we took long road trips up to Immesouanne and surfed the Cathedrals a couple of times. Day one I just got worked by the currents. Then I watched others get lost the same way and realized how to surf it. out in the channel along the point, only take lefts, get caught inside, then walk back to the rip!

The swell had to dropped to nothing after a couple of days, and I awoke at 5am with aching muscles shivering with a horror cold that swept the suf camp. Nasty.

So as much as I hated to, the others went South to Tiznit and I crashed pretty hard at the camp.

The next day the swell came, a northerly one with a vengeance. I was feeling a lot better. But not exactly amping for it. With the angle the only place firing was boilers:  not a particularly forgiving place. Rocks, check. Crowds, check. Ships boiler in the lineup, check.

I was a bit out of sorts, I should've been frothing, the sets were coming through at a solid 2metres with big periods and they were reeling down the line perfectly at times, but man I had lost my nerve, or should I say hadn't found it yet on this trip.

You see to me surfing isn't a sport like skating or snowboarding - where you can build up to a moment. A mountain or a hill are essentially non changing entities. You can repeat the action/trick/feat ad-nauseum (for want of a better word) until you get it right (or you die). Surfing isn't like that. You've got one moment, one chance, then it's gone, you don't really get to climb back up and try again. Those particular conditions can be gone in 2 minutes. That wave may never break like that again. The swell rises, the wind comes up, the tides changes. That is precisely what happened that morning. 15 minutes later the inside section was smashing fools left right and centre. I was watching, taking horrifically overexposed photos. Gaa!

Boilers: little black object is a ships boiler.

More boilers

That morning was crowded, the waves big. I was very disappointed in myself. For not battling. The punishment I now face is the torture of replaying those snapshots of that day in my mind. No matter what came afterwards for me, that day I didn't show up, and those are the days we live for. That was rare but the older I get the more it will happen if im not finding ways to keep myself sharp enough for that.

Im getting older, but not too old for this.

The next day, still bummed after the previous days lack of showing we went to Killers. (Killer point named after the Orca whales that hang out there) half hour walk over moss carpeted smooth rocks, with local strays accompanying us through secret caves and out into glorious sunshine at another spectacular Northern African surf arena.

Killer Point

Than 2 minutes of paddling through a waste deep choppy channel and boom! We're in the lineup. Myself,  a Moroccan,  an American and a Japanese fella. We were an odd bunch to say the least. Surrounded by magnificent cliffs and feeling detached and alone we watch Takash catch one outside one and ride and ride....and ride. I got one and started to relax, and then I dropped into a big one, bottom turned and drove down the line. It was perfect, and the wall just stood up overhead to what seemed like infinity. The sun shone off it like gold, and the light was blinding in the morning sunrise. I was fully focussed but subliminally my mind was blown. Kicked out of that and realised there was a growing crowd of 30+ on the inside. I don't enjoy crowds.

Anyways, wave of the year for sho! But it's still early. I got a few more that day, but didn't really have too many more great sessions after that. I know now that I gotta go on surf trips for 2 weeks minimum from now on!

Morocco you're getting busier and in 10 years from now it looks like your charms may be overrun with tourism, hotels and golf but for now you're just fine.

Shukran.

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