“If I don’t paddle out now, I’m never going to,” says King.
He suits up, grabs his board and starts trudging up the point.
“Are you really going to paddle out on that?” asks Shaun Payne, a pro surfer from South Africa as King walks past. It’s not intended as an insult. There is a genuine sense of camaraderie on the shoreline, an unspoken understanding that anyone who is willing to put themselves on these waves is worthy of respect, no matter what craft they ride. King smiles nervously and nods. “I’m going to try.”
The water is cold and heavy but King times the paddle out perfectly, slipping into the lineup with a handful of bodyboarders. Fighting the current is pointless and the small pack drifts down the bay, cautiously picking off waves as they go. Then King is stroking hard, moving himself into position for a medium-sized set. He gets in early, makes the drop and sets his line but gets swallowed by the wave, which speeds past him. By the time he washes up on the beach his paddle is already a few hundred yards further down the point.
