The alarm went off at about 4am, I couldn’t sleep well the whole night due to extreme excitement of what the day could bring. Up stairs for a quick bite to eat and amp up off one of my favorite surfing DVD’s. My boards were ready in my car all packed up ready to go. It was a very still morning with the stars still shining in the dark sky, patently waiting for the sun to rise so the stars could disappear. Driving past the cane fields it kind of felt like I was sneaking away form the world, like it was a secret. I hadn’t told anyone of my plans; this was my own little adventure of discovery. As I pull up into the car park I jumped out and had a quick look at the waves breaking about one and a half kilometers out to sea, from then I new it was going to be a magical surf session. I ran down the beach with out a care in the world. I new the dangers of sharks in the area, as half way their id have to pass the shark nets! The paddle was about 15 minutes at a nice pace, felt pretty eerie paddling out as the water drops into a dark blue colour hence the deeper water. I could well have been the only person on the east coast of Australia 1 km out to sea on a surfboard at 4:30 pre-dawn. Good chances to be eaten alive by a few hungry tiger sharks, yum! The morning sun rose with such grace and the sky lit up a fiery red. I stopped for a moment and took a look around, all there was, was me all alone one and a half km out to sea, a small island and with perfect waves wrapping around with not a single soul to be seen. Sessions I live for.

The swell was about solid 3 foot and sets were coming in at 4 to 5 feet. Sheet glass perfection and clear blue water, I couldn’t understand why no one else is out, I guess wasn’t complaining. I surfed the left for about 2 and half hours on my own, riding the most perfect waves solo. The left here at the island is a long left reef/point break, with various sections for turns and barrels, rides there can last for about 200 to 250 metres. I ended up retreating to the island I was so exhausted with the summer heat and severe thirst. I explored the island; it’s always been a fantasy of mine to be on my own little island away from a busy world. It has a little shack where famous surf traveler Peter Troy use to live and look after the island. I ended up seeing a bottle of coke, which was filled with water; in my extreme thirst I had a drink, only to spit the whole lot out. Was the foulest thing I have ever tasted! I sat down and watched the rights, which also were reeling off with know one out. I was frothing, still early in the morning and I have already had and adventure in my own backyard, I could have been back in Indonesia it was that perfect.

No one new where I was, and I’m on this magical island solo, surfing waves that were that good it was hard to believe. I could see a boat coming with one guy in the distance, both of us ended up surfing together sharing waves, hooting and carrying on like little kids. I surfed for another 2 and half hours until it got to the point that I could barely paddle back out to the take off point. I was pretty delusional due to being under the hot sun, dehydrated and physically rooted. I wanted to stay out so bad as the waves were still so good. Took me about 25 minutes to get back in. The beach breaks in front of the island, where you have to head to has a really good A frame peak on the right day due to refraction. I ended up catching a pretty good wave to finish it off. I walked up the stairs to the car park and looked back out, did all that just happen, I said to my self. Id just had the best, most pure experience anyone could have. At one with nature, in its most inspiring state. As I walked to my car a guy asked me how my surf was, I replied with little laugh and said yeah, it was pretty fun. This was the first of many trips like this one to the island. I never pushed it or complained I just waited till it felt right and followed with what nature was telling me, I ended up with the realization that I had used it all up and my time was done, due to some heavy indications form mother nature, as if to say id pushed it. I look back at those solo trips to the island and those were some of best moments of my life. Months later I read collection of surf stories, one quote jumped out “in life we get a calling, how we answer is the adventure”.