Of all the corners of our country the South Island's West Coast is one area I haven't really explored a lot for surf. So when the chance came to visit Westport I jumped at it, and tacked on a few extra days. Okay, the forecast was ridiculously good and promised a six-pack of sunshine. We also had a grom comp to attend.
I've heard stories about the Magic 100 between Greymouth and Westport, but mostly it's been shrugged off with tales of the swell being too big and too gnarly to harbour anything decent. I think that notion probably suits the locals, but I'm not going to tell you any different. Just that, with the swell we had running, the drive was a dangerous one.
At each end of the Magic 100, there are dependable spots in Greymouth's and then Westport's clutch of waves. Westport has Tauranga Bay and the Tiphead as the icons and it was T Bay that turned into something of a wave machine for the week. It features a solid peak in the middle of the bay, a conveyor belt rip at either end and all set in a bush and farmland cirque. Its position out on Cape Foulwind means it picks up a lot of swell – more even than the Magic 100.
We first turned up to perfect peaks that didn't really giveaway the fact they were in the 4-6-foot range. The kids got a few sets on the head and scurried in. A lot of adults did the same. We quickly learnt you don't go left at T Bay, unless you're taking it to the beach. And the banks are very tough to paddle across when you get caught inside. But if you get the rights and make it to the rip, you're in for one of those surfs that you'll never forget.
Some of the stars out here are Jai Mautai, Steve Lee, Hema and a bunch of locals who surf the place like they're connected to the T Bay pulse – even as the tide shifts in and out. They're impressive to watch and so too were the groms that worked the T Bay puzzle out over the course of the comp.
Huge congrats to Ava Henderson who won the Under 16 and Under 18s and Reuben Lyons in the Under 16s and Myka Black who took out the Under 18s with some impressive surfing.
The comp was run by the South Island Surfing Association and Buller Boardriders Club and would have to rate as one of the most welcoming and hospitable events in New Zealand. The outpouring of generosity from the locals was second to none – they fed the competitors each day for free, shared their waves and epitomised the essence of what it means to be a surfer in New Zealand. Magic.
See you at the beach ... Derek
PS North swell looming for the rest of the week, time to start planning a sickie and clock up some serious barrel time. Oh, yeah, bring it on.
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