“I can’t believe it?” says King, pointing down the beach, shifting unconsciously from foot to foot. “How can a wave be that long?”
We watch as another trio of tiny waves unfold along the edge of the desert. There are a few other vehicles scattered along the beach, holding surfers who have made their way from around the world, all waiting for the predicted swell to pick up. Just like us. “I hope those boards arrive today,” King says anxiously, then asks, “What is that? A dog?”
A small creature scurries between the ocean and a lagoon that stretches behind us. Sensing our gaze, it stops and stares back, nose twitching in the air. It’s not a dog but a jackal, come to feed on the hapless seal pups and the odd slow seabird.
“Ja, they love it here,” says Loubser. “There’s a colony of seals that live around the lagoon mouth. We often take tourists paddling there so they can play with the seals. But if you’re an animal, the desert is all about survival.”
