Surf Log Morocco - Tamri

After the initial harmless fun in the house beach breakers, Monday saw us heading out north, towards Tamri. Here, the waves come in bigger sizes when elsewhere it's flat. It's a beach break with lefts and rights, and there is just the tiniest bit of localism.

Riding the wave at Tamri.
No it's not me, but thanks for asking.

Thoroughly respectful of waves and locals alike, this session proved to be one of those learning experiences. Timing, alertness, and physical fitness combine in the experienced surfers, and their way out through the white water seems effortless. While these guys hang out in the line-up and wait for their wave, I am grunting with exhaustion. I feel like the proverbial potato sack, my arms hurt from incessant paddling. And I am always, always those crucial twenty meters away from calm water. Wave upon wave crashes on me, I hardly have time between eskimo rolls to clamber back on my board, my chest heaves, I get sores on thighs, knees and ribs.

The scenery is well on the hippie trail. So are the vehicles.

Tamri has a bad reputation for breaking boards. There are two waves here, an outside break on a shifting sandbank and a hollow inside beach break, which is responsible for most of the damage. It gets big with Northwest swells travelling all the way from Iceland low pressure systems, but there are often unpleasant cross winds, which makes the standing up part difficult. Funnily enough, on certain days when its completely flat elsewhere, this spot offers a friendly chance for practicing take offs and getting into the wave.

But today I need persistance. I think of Alex and his preaching: Paddle, paddle, paddle! That's all I did for one year, with the hotshots zipping around me in Durban. The ocean makes you humble. You cannot fight it. You have to suffer. Then the next time you go in the water with slightly better conditions, you will be surprised at how well things can go.

We had just such session the next day, the waves came in clearly defined sets, breaking nice and slow. With my shoulder still numb from the day before, I could only give it half the bite, but the rides I got were glorious. And after maybe 3 and a half seconds of ultimate joy you fall in the water smiling and think, even for this one wave, this one moment, all the suffering – it was worth it.