Report: O'Neill Close Encounter @ BoardXHouse Day 2 & 320/01/2011 |  |
The calm before the storm…
Faced with a calm sea on Tuesday, two jetskis are brought into the beautiful bay of Imsouane. For some it is the first time they have had jet power under their boards. German surfer Paul Grey is loving the experience: "It's great to get so much speed on these tiny waves. It went surprisingly well and I could even finish some airs."
Towards the end of the day the guys with the leading roles came on to the set. Shaun Cansdell is towed in by big barrel charger Mark Mathews who, demonstrating his experience, does the job perfectly. "It's good fun but it's been a long time since I did it and the waves are a bit too mellow," says Shaun. He might not list this in his top ten surf sessions, but every single person in the village is impressed by his enormous pop and the stylish way he lands huge airs to reverse.
On Wednesday the caravan goes on the move. Local surf guide Azhar takes everybody closer to the city of Essaouira. The swell is midget size and nobody is expecting much. But the local eads the pack to a shifting A-frame peak that delivers fun rides for all of the riders. After the "Cherki" starts blowing it's time for lunch in port town Essaouira. Fresh fish is on the menu, what else? The boys rummage around the marvelous city and the chats continue over a dinner, where everybody is amazed by the tricks of the Moroccan magician.
Thursday is looking to be the end of play and into a day of serious action with the swell forecast to arrive. When you read this, the boys are probably barreling
