Page 163 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL FALL 2020 South Africa

ing a chat at Devil’s Rock. “I think it’s the same [for One afternoon during my visit, El Gardoum
surfers] all over the world. I’m just lucky that I dropped by Safir's shack to grab her short board,
grew up here and had the support of my family. slip on her wetsuit and head for the surf.
“Not all girls here are so fortunate.” Soon - as I watched in envy - she was catching
El Gardoum said she never dreamed she’d be- long rides and snapping sharp turns. Later, she re-
come the Moroccan women’s national surfing turned to the beach to tutor a skateboarding
champion when she was a little girl accompanying youngster named Chamae - whom she called a
her mother to gather oysters. surfing protege - with her schoolwork.
“But when I saw people surfing and my brothers “She has potential,” El Gardoum said of her pupil.
took it up, I knew I had to try it,” she said. “I like “And I’d love to see more girls out there on the
challenges and experimenting with different surf- waves. I know for me, it just makes me feel so
ing techniques. It just makes me forget anything alive.”
that might be bothering me.”

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