Living in Perth as a kid and having some of the most disappointing waves in the world, heading “down south” was a rite of passage. There was a whole world of waves in that relatively short stretch of coast between cape Naturaliste in the north and Leeuwin to the south. As soon as we finished school and got our drivers licences we were free and Margies was the place to be.
To figure out what waves work on what tides and swell directions has taken a lifetime of learning, with hidden gems still being discovered, sometimes right in front of your face. Not too long ago we surfed a wave I didn’t know existed, and it’s in the most visible part of the coast. It just takes a really west swell for it to work, whereupon it transforms it from a useless piece of white water into a perfect A-frame. After copious day trips and camping in people’s houses and gardens, it was time to bite the bullet, stop avoiding the inevitable and move there. I had no choice.
