It is the final morning of the trip and with everyone downstairs packing I thought I’d take the opportunity to slip away quickly and write the final blog entry for what has been an amazing 10 weeks. The final day is always a sad occasion as you say goodbye to the 12 new friends you have made. You are never sure when you will see them next but, if previous experience has taught us anything, we will be seeing them all in the sea sometime soon, No doubt sometime this summer down in Cornwall. But watching fins come off boards for the last time, coffin bags packed and trailers loaded, it really hits home that this is the end for now and time to reflect on all the amazing places we have been, waves we have surfed, people we have met and all the adventures that lie ahead for the group as they continue their surfing.

Last night was a lot of fun. After an early start and some good waves in Durban we came back to pack and go through the last bits and pieces before a braii by the pool and some speeches. With the endless summer playing on the big screen the mood was reflective and Ed and George stood up to make a quick speech and present Nico and Myself with a couple of very generous presents – thank you guys when you read this next! –before it was our turn to say a few words. We managed to get through without too much heckling and then it was time to kick back with a few beers and see where the night took us. By the early hours I had been relieved of the large mop of hair I’ve been trying to cultivate thus trip and most of the crew had been in the pool at some point or another. I am sure more will come out in the days to follow but there are some heavy heads this morning!

Other than last night, as you can see from the pictures, we have been enjoying Durban. On Monday we hit the Flowrider with everyone giving it their best go. Tia and Laura got the hang of standing, Will got barreled (at last!) and there was some fearless commitment from everyone as they threw themselves onto the massive man made waves. We spent a bit of time in the mall before the guys came across the arcades and an impromtu bowling match was arranged. Laura and Charlie came out on top and it was a good way to round off the day. Tuesday was spent in town enjoying the glassy surf conditions in the morning and the water park in the afternoon. Whilst we were in town some of the guys donated some surf boards to Tom and Sandile of Umthombo – the foundation we helped out with some coaching earlier in our Durban stay. We gave them a few surfboards as well as a couple of guitars, a bongo and some clothes. It was really satisfying to see the kids accept our boards, share them out amongst themselves, wax up and paddle out. Hopefully we will see them ripping on them next time we are in town.

It’s hard to draw this all to a close and it will seem strange to wake up tomorrow with everyone reading this from wherever they head to next. The guys have been a great group, taking everything in their stride and throwing themselves into each new challenge with enthusiasm. On a trip like this, it’s all you can ask and everyone has come out with some real achievements, both in surfing terms and on more personal levels as well. It was really satisfying to hear everyone talking of their favorite memories last night, of what they’ve learnt and what they hope to go onto next. If they continue to show the same attitude they have shown out here then I am sure we will be hearing of many of them in the future. Hopefully they all stay surfing and keep us informed of their next adventures – I am sure many more lie ahead.
So from Nico and I, thank you to all the crew for your company and energy and we will see you soon. Good luck with what lies ahead and always remember to take a board, no matter where you are off to!

Thanks for reading over the last 10 weeks. Next up Mozambique, Tia and Chris are coming with and news from that will follow in a couple of days when we leave.

All the best

Tim and Nico.