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Surfer
who came in from the cold It's 17 years
since I first paddled out into the Sri Lankan surf, and I've yet
to find a more mellow place to ride the waves. And for the enthusiastic
beginner it would be hard to find a better place to improve your
surfing, especially since two weeks of warm waves and surf instruction
here will cost you little more than two weeks on the cold, grey
British coast. Add to that the chance to take day trips to elephant
sanctuaries, national parks where leopards, monkeys, crocodiles
and other exotic creatures roam free, and spectacular cultural sites
such as Sigiriya rock fortress, and it all rather leaves Newquay
out in the cold. From December
through to April, Sri Lanka's south-west coast is the base for surfers
from all parts of the globe who come here not so much for the challenge
of huge, ferocious waves but for the chance to surf easy, user-friendly
breaks that seldom get big enough to be scary. And that's what makes
it so good for beginners. While most of the waves break on reefs
rather than beaches, they lack the raw power of more established
surf destinations such as Hawaii and Indonesia and are far less
likely to bounce you across the reef when you wipeout. Even better,
the main surf spot in the town of Hikkaduwa also has the equivalent
of a skier's nursery slope. Inshore of the main break here is a
reef that gradually becomes buried beneath sand deposited by the
waves over the winter (the sand is washed away again later in the
year), and the broken waves that roll ashore over the sandy banks
make for an ideal place to take your first steps at wave riding.
This, along with the fact that the hassle of inserting yourself
into a tight, smelly wetsuit la UK is replaced by the minor inconvenience
of slipping on boardshorts and smearing yourself in sun cream, make
for the nearest thing to surf paradise that any beginner is likely
to find. Mark Griffiths
from Kent certainly thought so after his first session in Hikkaduwa's
waves. "First and foremost, as a novice, you want to feel safe
in the surf, and even on the reef I wasn't too worried about wiping
out," he said. Mark was also enthusiastic about the place as
a family surf destination, and plenty of surf dads - and the occasional
surf mum - are happy to leave their kids splashing about on body
boards in the shallows while they tackle the more challenging reef
breaks offshore. Nick Ulczak of Sunset Surf Shop in Newquay is a
regular visitor to Sri Lanka and has seen both his children learn
to surf here - indeed, his daughter Jo is now one of the top female
surfers in Cornwall and visits the island with her boyfriend Alan
Stokes, one of Europe's best young professional surfers. Beginners can
also get reasonably decent lessons from local instructors, although
admittedly they aren't up to the level of qualified surf coaches
in the UK. But surfing is as much about practice as theory, and
the best way to learn is to get out there and do it. This mix of
absolute beginners through to seasoned professionals and hard-core
surf travellers is one of the best things about Hikkaduwa. Everyone
tends to rub along well in the surf and in the beachfront bars and
cafes, and when you're new to the sport it's both encouraging and
inspiring to watch good surfers in action, and then chat to them
over a beer and even pick up a few tips. Unlike many other surf
spots around the world, there are few airs and graces among the
surfers here. However, it
can get busy out on the main break (known as the "A-Frame"
for the consistent apex-like peak that forms here), especially in
February and March, and less experienced surfers may find it hard
to get a wave to themselves. But if it does get too crowded, the
smaller waves on the beach to the south are usually quieter and
can be as much fun, and once you get confident surfing over reefs
there are plenty of waves to be found down the coast at spots such
as Unawatuna, Mitigama, and Mirissa when there's a good swell running.
The Sinhalese
people are among the friendliest you're ever likely to meet - even
the street and beach hawkers walk away with a smile if you tell
them you've bought 25 souvenir wooden elephants already. But despite
the laid-back nature of the place you can't relax too much since
the best time to take on the "A-Frame" is just after dawn,
when fewer surfers are out and before the sun gets too intense and
the wind turns onshore and messes up the waves. Just sitting astride
your board waiting for a wave is a real pleasure - hot sunshine
warms your back while on the reef below brightly coloured fish can
be seen darting through the clear, glassy water. Occasionally a
sea turtle may pop up to check out the action, and when you eventually
take off on one of the clear blue walls of water that rise up from
the horizon with surprising speed, the surfing is about as relaxed
and fun as it gets. You may get
the chance to catch a few more waves before the onshore wind kicks
in around midday, after which most people sit in the shade of the
palms and read a book or take a siesta until late afternoon when
the wind generally drops off again, the waves take on a good shape
once more and you can get in one more session before the tropical
night falls like a shutter. Compare this
to fighting with wetsuits, cold winds and frigid waters in Britain
and - well, I know which of the two I'd go for every time. Alf Alderson is the editor of Surf magazine Laugh
Zone Betty, a blonde,
is a bit apprehensive as she asks if she must cook a meal for them
all. Bob explains that there will actually be eight coming, as each
has a spouse or date. Since this is her first party, he consoles
her by saying that all she has to do is order in some Chinese food
and perhaps she can bake a cake. This sounds like a good idea and
they sit down and decide what Chinese food to get. Friday morning,
Betty calls Bob's office in tears. She explains that the only cake
recipe she has will only feed six. Her hubby says,
"Why don't you just double the recipe?" She decides
that is a good idea. At four, hubby
gets another phone call - this time quite frantic. "I just
can't do it," his wife weeps. "It's impossible." "Now,
now, what's the matter?" "Well,
the recipe calls for two eggs." "So, you
use FOUR eggs. Don't you have them?" "Yes -
then it needs 4 cups of flour." "Well,"
Bob says rather testily, "You will have to use 8 cups of flour
- what is the problem?" "It isn't
the ingredients," Betty cries, "It says that the cake
must be baked at 350 degrees and I have checked the oven and I can't
turn the heat up to 700 degrees!" Spelling
test 'Yes', the lad agreed. 'It was the hardest spelling test I've ever had!' |
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Copyright © 2001 Wijeya Newspapers
Ltd. All rights reserved. |
home
from work saying he'd invited four friends from the office home
for dinner on Friday.
'You're
looking well, young Hubert', said the visitor heartily. 'Yes, I
am, aren't I?' agreed the boy.' Especially as I've just had angina,
arteriosclerosis, tuberculosis, pneumonia arthritis, aphasia, cirrhosis,
and eczema!' 'That's terrible!' exclaimed the visitor in concern,
'to have had all those things at your tender age.'
