Charlie’s First Day at the Billabong Surfcamp
Finally back in the water
Charlie was super excited that morning. Finally, she would get back in the water again. Her last surf trip hadn’t actually been that long ago as she had been to Cornwall for a weekend of surfing only two months earlier but it felt like an eternity. The start time was 10 a.m. that morning. Charlie was in the group of Trystan, a surf instructor whom Charlie hadn’t met yet. The other two instructors Giulio and Fede had already been there the last time Charlie stayed at the best surfcamp in Fuerteventura.
Everything went a lot quicker and in a more organized way in Trystan’s group than what Charlie had been used to. She arrived at the van a few minutes before 10 with a surfboard under her arm only to find out that all the boards had already been secured to the roof of the van. It certainly was an efficient warm-up to carry the board to the van and back to the camp. At 10 o’clock sharp, they were ready to start – that had never happened before. It came very close to German punctuality – something Charlie doesn’t encounter very often on her travels.
Jeep Safari in a Surf Van
The surf spot that had been chosen for the day was equally unknown to Charlie as the instructor. They drove through Corralejo towards North. Charlie didn’t even know that there was a road in that direction either. Well, there’s a lot of room for definition in that case about what a road really is. It felt more like an off-road trip through dusty and rocky moon-like landscapes. But they always stayed close to the coast with the best views of the waves. They got a pretty good idea of how the conditions in the water would be that day. They got a good shake in the van until they reached the perfect spot in what seemed like the middle of nowhere and they had it all for themselves; at least it looked like in the beginning.
First things first: They had to squeeze themselves into the wetsuits which was the part about surfing Charlie liked the least. But there’s no way around it if you don’t want to freeze in the water and it has the advantage to keep the bruises to a minimum. When they were all ready, lots of other vans loaded with surfboards suddenly arrived at the spot. Yes, there was more than one surf school in the area. Trystan spontaneously changed the plan and they got back in the van to go to another spot as this one had become too crowded.
Giulio’s Secret Spot
The place Trystan had in mind now was called “Giulio’s secret spot”. Giulio was one of the other surf instructors who seemingly had found a special place for surfing that Charlie hadn’t been to yet either. They got back on the road – if you want to call it as such – and returned the way they had come. One thing they hadn’t thought about though was that it was the first time for Trystan to approach the spot from that direction and there wasn’t really a road that would indicate where to turn. There were only bushes, rocks, dust, and tire tracks.
You guessed that right – they didn’t take the right turn and soon came to a dead end. It took another good shake in the van and some maneuvering before they reached the “road” again. The second try was successful, and they reached the intended place.
As they were already in their wetsuits, all they had to do was get the boards from the roof of the van and in the water. Well, it wasn’t that easy as they had to walk quite a bit over the reef. Their feet weren’t too happy about it, but those are things you put up with if you get the best waves in return.
And they were perfect that day. Charlie was still struggling a bit to get to an appropriate speed whilst paddling, but with a bit of help from Trystan, she caught the waves easily and for the first time, it really felt like surfing. Finally, all the practice in the white water and the workouts to build up strength in arms and legs paid off. Charlie was surprised at how easy that suddenly was. She was extremely proud of her progress that day.
Beer and Games at Lunchtime
After surfing, they all had lunch together at the camp. As usual, there were a few Tropical, the beer of the Canary Islands, involved. The Swiss couple, Mark and Daniela, who were staying at the Billabong Surf camp for two months, had put a deck of cards on the table and were in the process of explaining to the three Austrians how the game shithead worked when Charlie joined them on one of the picnic tables.
Charlie had met the three Austrians – Daniel, Patrick, and Matthias – and the (a bit crazy) Italian guy Simone already in the morning when she was sifting through the radio app in search of a local radio station that was at least a bit authentic. After listening to German, Italian, and French music she had finally discovered a programme from Tenerife that would play some Spanish music.
Well, they now sat all in front of the surf house and played shithead. It was Daniel who ended up winning that sought-after title. They were planning to play another round later that day but never actually got around to doing that. Therefore, Daniel will now take this royal title to his grave.
A Gracious Arrival
There was another guest arriving that afternoon at the Billabong Surf camp: Grace was also from London and she and Charlie got on very well from the first moment on. They enjoyed another Tropical together and got comfy in the hammocks in front of the house before they went to the supermarket. Charlie showed Grace where to find the most important things in Corralejo.
It turned out to be a proper shopping tour as there were just way too many shops with tempting offers along the way to the supermarket. They allowed themselves a scoop (or maybe two) of ice cream in the afternoon sun. They needed that to get on with the actual mission: grocery shopping…and Tropical.
Tapas Oscar
The Austrians were planning to go for Tapas that evening. In case you don’t know what Tapas are: Those are small rations of Spanish specialties that are shared across the table and get delivered throughout the evening. There are many bars in Spain where you even get those for free if you order a drink and they serve very well as a starter. The food selection is similar to what you’d expect in Italy under the term “Antipasti”: salami, ham, cheese, olives, anchovies, pepperoni, and everything else you’d find in Mediterranean cuisine. There is another specialty that is typical for the Canary Islands which you should definitely try if you get the chance: papas arrugadas con mojo. “Papas” are small potatoes boiled in a lot of salt and in their peel. Therefore, they look extremely wrinkled which is the exact meaning of “arrugada”. “Mojo” [ˈmoxo] is a sauce that you put on top and that comes in either green or red. It’s nothing more than oil, vinegar, garlic, and salt, but so incredibly tasty. For the green mojo, they add coriander to the mix, or red pepper for the red mojo. Charlie prefers the red one. When she visits the Canary Islands, a glass of mojo rojo must fit in her luggage on the return flight.
Two years earlier, Charlie and some fellow surfers had been to the probably best Tapas restaurant in Corralejo called “Pincha Cabra”. Even David, the owner of the surf camp, had joined them back then. Unfortunately, it was closed over the winter and they went to Tapas Oscar that evening. It’s equally good when it comes to the quality of the food, but it is a bit more touristic and less authentic than the Pincha Cabra. What they hadn’t anticipated was that it might be busy and that they should have made a reservation for a group of 7 people that night. They were put off until an hour later and decided to go for a beer at one of the restaurants with an outside seating area next to the harbour. After two rounds of cañas (that’s the Spanish equivalent of a half pint) and some good conversations, it was time to return to Tapas Oscar. Now there was a table waiting for them.
Following the Sushi dinner the previous day, Charlie now finally got a traditional, Spanish feast: The starter was a sumptuous mix of Tapas, and the main was a huge pan of Paella to share, accompanied by a good Spanish wine, of course.
When they got the bill, the effects of the Tropical, the cañas, the wine, and the Ron Miel (that’s a honey rum from the Canary Islands which comes highly recommended!) clearly showed. Who would have thought how complicated maths could be? It was on that occasion that Grace gained her title for the rest of the week: “Amazing Grace”. It was given to her by the bearer of another title: The “Shithead” Daniel.
The second day of surfing turned into a dangerous adventure. Read here why you should never underestimate the water.
