Rouge Discovers Lost Wave and Gets Barrelled Over Rock Ledge

(OFS#12, The Dude, chews a post surf, stem ginger biscuit, thinking he's done for the day)

("Hey, lets go find the Lost Wave" suggests OFS#45, Rouge, dunking his stem ginger biscuit in his latte')

How many of you have heard a mate yabba on about a wave they discovered a few decades ago and how good it was but you can never find it again.  After a while you say yeah yeah right and move on.  Well Oldfartsurfer Rouge (OFS#45) has been telling the Mex about this wave he discovered back in about 1975 on remote coastline at the base of 300' cliffs. 

(Exotic rockscape looking for the Lost Wave)

(Exotic sea flora looking for the Lost Wave)

According to the legend, Rouge and OFS#66, the Banjo Player (aka Agent 66), pulled up on the side of the road on a freezing wet winters day and decided to grab their boards, long johns and vests and bash through thick temperate rainforest, in steep terrain and down a cliff and by some magic found this fantastic barrelling left hand reef break and got shacked off their kaftans. 

(Rouge charges a rock ledge)

(Exotic rockpools enroute to the Lost Wave)

Those of you with a skeric of logic might ask "why did they do that?" or "which deity or primal force led them to this break?".  Well, roumour has it that it was Hughey.

(The Dude waits for Rouge's return)

(Rouge pigdogs as he traverses a step with the lip looming over him)

About five years ago Rouge and the Banjo Player tried to lure the Mex, The Dude and the Young Dude  into the bush to search for the lost wave.  Confronted by thick bush, knowing there were good waves a few minutes drive away and perhaps sensing an Ivan Milat moment or just lacking a sense of adventure the boys declined the journey.

(Rouge and The Dude looking for the Lost Wave)

(The Lost Wave is found)

Well a few weeks ago Rouge made a sojourn back to the State for an Oldfartsurfers weekend.  After a good morning surf in warm sparkling water, Rouge, The Mexican and The Dude were drinking latte's at the local cafe' and eating their own packet of traditional gingernut snaps and stem ginger biscuits which they had smuggled in.  Rouge suggested we go look for the lost wave.  It was a hot day so Rouge suggested an alternative route around the coast in the shade of the cliffs.  He promised that we would "walk for half an hour and if we didn't find it we could turn back."  With some trepidation, the boys agreed.

(The Lost Wave showing its potential in a small swell)

After 20 minutes the boys were confronted with a rock ledge that looked a bit slippery and treacherous.  Not that the boys were scared but they were carrying cameras and mobile phones, and if they slipped and ended up in the drink it would be costly.  Undeterred, Rouge took off alone, leaving the Mex and the Dude behind to send for the rescue services.  Halfway along the ledge Rouge had to stop take his shoes off and crawl carefully along the slippery ledge.  Eventually Rouge got through the ledge and he disappeared leaving Mex and the Dude to chew the fat while they waited.  After a while Rouge appeard on the cliff top above yelling for the boys to join him.   A path was found and they joined Rouge on a track along the top of the cliff though dense bush.  A sign on the track said "Private Property Keep Out" but the boys pushed on regardless even after spying a secluded house, which they crept past hoping not to disturb Ivan.

(Horizontal flora near the Lost Wave)

Eventually they came to a clearing in the bush from which they could see the ocean and the coast further to the north.  It was difficult to tell but Rouge was sure that the Lost Wave was in a further up the coast.  Back on the track for a few more minutes they came to a lookout point.  "There is is" cried Rouge bearly containing his excitement.  Mex and Dude looked, it was hard to make out but at the base of a high cliff was a rock shelf showing potential in the small swell running on the day.

(Rouge and The Dude explore access routes)

Finally the boys believed Rouge, it was a pity the Banjo Player wasn't there to share Rouge's joy and validation.  The boys backtracked, snuck past Ivan's house and found a way down to the base of the cliff to look for a way of reaching the Lost Wave.  The break should remain fairly uncroweded as it isn't accessable without a solid bush bash or long paddle around the shore.  We'll leave that for another day.

(The Rouge and OFS#4, The Mexican, looking for the Lost Wave)

After two hours, the boys got back to the car and Rouge had another bright idea, "lets go for a surf" said Rouge, he promptly pulled on boardies and vest and hit the water closely followed by The Dude in full Steamer.  What went down in the next half hour was amazing.  "The boys must have been inspired by thougthts of riding the lost wave" said the Mex, "they just tore the lips off these innocent little beachies."  More of that later so stay tuned.

(The New Wave, The Mexican reckons this spot has potential, if you were 6" tall)

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