Escape from Alcatraz

SWELL MANUFACTURING FACILITY: This dik storm last Thursday made the swell. Pic: Windy

Spike’s swell report started off sanely enough. But soon the demons grabbed him. He started twitching his head, rolling his eyes and speaking in tongues as the purple blobs grew larger and larger. And I knew immediately where to go.

Heading over the genteel climes of Ocean View and down through the lentil curtain, I could immediately see what the fuss was about. Gluten intolerant peaks fought each other to claim the shoreline and “the Heading over the genteel climes of Ocean View and down through the lentil curtain, I could immediately see what the fuss was about.spot” was cooking.

When I say “the spot” I supposed I could say “The Sea Cockroach Manufacturing and Processing Unit” but then again someone might crack the code. I mean we can’t have the entire flotilla from Muizenberg paddling around Cape Point to hog the backline here, huge submarine white sharks, wheel spinning parking lot burners and spine-cracking waves aside.

The crumbling remains of a sinister Alcatraz-esque structure signals the start of the paddle out and serves as a shaky foothold to grab some pics. It's a difficult place to surf and even more difficult to photograph as you teeter atop a crumbling wall while zillions of kelp bugs surge and surf around the cracked innards of an old swimming pool.

There were hot and cold running well-overhead sets banging through all day with arguably the best waves caught by a 17-year-old youngster called Sam Warren, and a 59-year-old ballie called Mickey Duffus.

We even had a family meeting (not you Cyril) as father and son team Ian and Max Armstrong arrived and immediately flew down the tracks of two sizzling steam trains. Dan Lock charged anything that moved.

A fantastic day, with plenty broken boards and the charge of the new Lighty Brigade! @neilbradfield

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