SURF BOARDING.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 September 1921, Page 3

SURF BOARDING.

CAPKTOWX’S ,)(l;V(IPS SPORT. IBy E. .1. Breli). Willi the iipor,,:i,li o! lie Southern mid-siimmer a gay crowd ot British and Buleli. living from the torrid heals of "up coimuy," pours into the watering places m the Cane Ik niiistila. Of lliese there are many, lml il is >u .Maizenberg, in false Bay, that the devotees of slut bathing mostly repair. There are immense stretches ol gently sloping golden sand, unbroken bv rock or boulder, along which the great waves ol the Indian Ocean c> me lulling in, in long straight lines at almost exactly equal intervals, thus ieudering the condition., ideal lor t.iis sport. Here 100. hundreds of folk ol all ages and both sexes w ill be found at a iiv time nt the season sin l-hourdlltg, for hours on end. The piocodiiic is simple. Armed with your ' sin t board’ a liglil plank nine inches to a loot broad and, say, three feel six inches long von walk 1 out beyond the breaking water until you me about breast deep. This is about as far as it is wise to go, as the great rollers are liable to sweep over voTir head with disconcerting effect.

You then turn round with your back to the sea, and. holding yiiili hmird at arm's length, one end testing against your chest and the other pointing upward at an acute angle. \on wnteli over your shoulder Ur a suit able roller. When a roller lias just reached your hack give a little spring and throw Yourself flat on the water, your board still at arm's length in front of you. When the manoeuvre is perteetly timed and ibis requires a little kiic . vow eonie rushing in on the crest nl te' roller, the water foaming and bubbling around you, and yom cars tilled with the roar of the breaking ..■•ive, to be gently stranded at the end high and dry on the hearli. 7t is a delightful fouling, and to see a |aII South African girl come Hying in through the white foam, one hand resting Hat on her surf hoaid, while with the other she noiielmlainly caresses her hair, is to witness almost the perfection of beauty and grace. .... :j. ■);- -ft ()nt* or two words of wsirning s, i° iifrrssjiry to intruding visitors to tlu* C:ijh» who propose to t:ist<* the joys ol surf-honriling. You must he cJirelul not to lei your honnl s!op<‘ (lowiiwjiid*. If you do ihe foremost, end is linhle to sti.lv ill the sand, with the result that von will tun) a somersault ovei tbc other end with Hie risk ol a broken rib. To obviate this danger there aie boards tor beginners and nervous people- these are curved in front like the runners of a sledge, and with them there is practically no risk. I hey m e imt as a rule miicb Invoitred by - exAlso, when not •'suiting yoursell, it is just as well to keep an eye on thus, who are. There are pleasanter experiences than to he hit in the small o. the hark liv the I'runt end ol a soil 1 mill'd hearing at its other end a stout man. travelling “umpteen” miles m hour. . Are there not places in New /.calami where conditions would hi favourable t<» tiffs truly ideal sunnitet