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Cape St Francis

Back in 1966 Bruce Brown’s cult surfing healed up and I get my surfing kicks Francis is now a populated surf resort.
film The Endless Summer took two on the TV following the world tour or One one hand it’s great that many can
surfers around the world following the playing those classic Surf guitar tunes on now experience this iconic wave but on
summer in search of the perfect wave. my Strat. You never know, I may get my the other hand, human progression has
The two surfers were Mike Hynson and feet wet once more before I’m through. yet again altered nature in an irrepairable
Robert August, both seasoned American But back to Cape St Francis, the perfect way. The perfect wave of Cape St Francis
surfers. wave. now only exists in the wonderful film left
to us by the late Bruce Brown.
Although they visited many beaches Following the success of Endless
and breaks, one stood out as the perfect Summer, Bruce Brown revisited the As an old surfer who wished that natures
wave. Cape St Francis on the East Cape breaks in 1994. with Endless Summer 2. gifts were left unaltered by the destructive
of South Africa. The waves were not I think anybody watching the film was forces of Homosapiens, this particular
too big, around 4 feet but perfectly just dying to see how CSF was doing. story is heartbreaking. Indeed, my own
formed and constant. Each one the same Like in the first film, the two surfers, this surf break in the South of England has
looking wave but these things just went time Pat O’Connell and Robert Weaver, also changed because of man’s alterations.
on forever. If you haven’t watched this walked across the sand dunes to get their What was once a classic beach break,
film, take a look when you can. It’s easily first glimpse. The once empty sand dunes is now adorned with rock groynes and
found on Youtube right here were now populated with houses, condo’s, miles of shingle. Highcliffe on Sea’s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=- hotels, you name it. The waves were still wonderful sandbar has now completely
3hIYkalIS4. there but because the sand was no longer disappeared and the wave is now a
It’s well worth the watch. blowing into the sea and forming the choppy, shorter ride.
smooth sea floor, the crucial factor, the
Being the old English Surf bum, I can shape of the waves were now nothing like South Africa remains as one of the great
only dream of waves like this. the UK, that of 30 years prior. It was still a great surfing nations. Much of the coastline
although it has some great breaks, there wave but not the perfect wave. still remains untouched and one wonders
is nothing that compares to this. These if another perfect wave exists. If it does,
days, my webbed feet and gills have Reeling on another 25 years and Cape St and if you know of one, keep it a secret.

Riding the ‘Perfect Wave’ back in 1966

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