April 24 Surfing

We went to Nahoun beach today with their 1000 year old dunes on a wonderfully warm and sunny day. The boys signed up for sandboading and after their lessons, they were flying (and wiping out) just like on snowboards. The boards are about the same dimensions and style as their snow cousins but the waxing (floorwax) and bindings onto their barefeet (velcro ankle loops) are different. Afterwards, the boys were exhausted. What better time to get into their surfing lessons! Into their rented wetsuits they went and from the dune into the surf they went. After a ground-based lesson on technique, paddling and safety – off they went with their instructor. A few moments later they were surfing! We couldn’t believe it! The photos and video don’t do them justice. They both remarked that the easy part was the surfing. The hard part was the crashing! And then taking off for their boards! Seems that novice surfers ar safer without their boards attached by ankle strap!
After the beach and lunch, the weather quickly turned to rain, so we souht refuge at a local mall where the boys bought a mini rugby ball (to replace the 2 mini soccer balls and mid-size football lost so far on our tavels!) and went to see a movie: 17 Again. Later we went to dinner at the local Spur (ribs and wings – again) and the manager was so enamoured with Canadians as guests, we left with a commemorative sombrero! Wow – only in Africa!