Winter waves
WORDS George Shillito
PHOTOS Stu Walker & Alice Callow
For many, the changing of the clocks marks the time for hibernation. Paddlers pack away their gear awaiting the return of warmer conditions or occasional weather windows. The nights draw in and we judge how good the weather has been based on the name of the storm. Storms that whip up swells and carry them across oceans to crash on our shores. Sure, it’s a change of the clocks but more importantly it’s a change of the guard. It’s a time when surfers reclaim beaches, line-ups fill with familiar faces and long periods offer broken conversations with old friends. Dark dawn sessions burst to life with golden sunrises and nature stirs all around us. The cold heightens our senses making everything seem that much sharper, that much more intense. Lines form on the horizon. Frozen breath lingers as we cradle cold fingers waiting for that next wave. This is not the time for hibernation, but the time to feel alive – a chance to experience the elements and the full force of Mother Nature. Those hazy summer days might be far behind us but ahead are the winter waves. When every session is hard earned, but the rewards are that much more special.
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