6 degrees of separation?

I was down at OB checking out the conditions this morning hiding out from the freezing wind in front of the clubhouse. There was a 6 metre westerly swell running which I knew would not being getting straight in so there might be a chance of a wave at the point. Unfortunately, the peaks were just too shifty and all over the place which was a shame as the sets were not too outrageous. Anyway, I heard this loud "Caw!" from around the corner, involuntarily made I imagine, at the sight of the huge rollers moving across the bay. Naturally, I poked my head around the corner to see who it was and buggar me it was 2012 Tube of the Year entrant Eric Bridges all the way from Nowra on the east coast of Oz. I knew that he was due on the south coast today but had not expected him to turn up at OB when I happened to be there. Eric was visiting with longtime mate, and former south coast resident Pete Didntcatchhislastname. We stood around for awhile chatting as more locals turned up for a look and went a way again having come to the same conclusion as I. We decided it was time for a coffee and headed off to my favourite coffee shop Ravens who roast their own beans and consequently know about making good coffee. Turns out Eric is a real character with an entertaining 40 years of surfing stories to tell with quite a few of those emanating from our west coast as he lived over here for some years. Incredibly, it turned out that we had lived mere metres a way from each other in the now very upmarket oceanside suburb of Cottesloe in the 80's. It is a slightly eerie feeling when these realisations occur and you wonder at the course of life had one's paths had actually crossed. I might have started my surfing career many years earlier as a kneeboarder! Eric and Pete are off to my old home town of fifteen years Albany tomorrow, but if the conditions are suitable Eric seems keen to make the 40 minute drive back on Thursday for a mini mat meet. Fingers crossed!