OCR'd and corrected by explosiveskull
(THEY GASP)
(HE LAUGHS)
MAN: I was an only child.
Sort of solitary by nature.
I learned to swim in the river and that's where I met Loonie,
who began to help me understand fear.
(BIRDSONG)
(MAN SPEAKING ON RADIO)
(WAVES CRASHING IN DISTANCE)
Do you reckon you can row this thing over the bar?
The bar? I don't know.
I guess, on the right day, you probably could.
I don't know if you'd ever get her back again.
Why would you want to do that?
I don't know. It's the sea.
Huh. Righto, drop it.
There's more fish in here, anyway, mate.
But I don't reckon you ought to do it.
- So you reckon I won't? - That's not what I said.
- I just... - Shh. Listen.
(VEHICLE APPROACHING)
Here he comes.
(HAWKS UP PHLEGM)
I don't reckon we should do this.
- "We"? And don't follow me. - I'm not going to.
You'll just get skittled.
Don't follow me.
(BIKE RATTLES)
(BREATHES NERVOUSLY)
(TRUCK TYRES SCREECH)
(AIR BRAKES HISS)
Mm. Mm.
(SNIGGERS SOFTLY)
Lovely meal, Mrs Pike.
I'm sure your mum can cook a corned beef, Ivan.
Mm. Nah.
- How'd you get that eye? - Cricket.
Someone said there were two boys
playing on the highway this morning.
Said the driver nearly lost control of his truck,
he had to brake that fast.
Oh, no. Those idiots.
- Mm. - I know those kids.
- Oh, you do? - Yeah.
MRS PIKE: Who are they?
LOONIE: Oh, just some ning-nongs
from way up, way up from...
...from...
Angelus kids. Yeah, those Angelus kids.
Yeah, they're real... real buggers.
Ohh.
Ooh. So delicious.
(SNIGGERING)
MRS PIKE: I'm hoping you've said your prayers.
'Cause if God doesn't look after you, no-one else will.
Night, Ivan.
- Excuse me, Mrs Pike. - Hm?
Do you reckon I can get one of them?
Thank you.
(DOOR CLOSES)
(BOYS GIGGLE)
I didn't know you played cricket.
I don't. I hate cricket.
Got caught stealing my old man's ciggies.
Night, Pikey.
(ENGINE MUFFLES CHATTER)
LOONIE: Some old guy. They were fishing off the rocks.
- Did he drown? - LOONIE: Yeah.
Fucking sank like a stone.
And your dad had a front-row seat.
So, there you are.
That's why he doesn't want you coming out here.
Hm.
- How far is this? - I don't know.
So, what would you do if she put her hand in your pocket?
Why would she?
I don't know. See what she could find?
I know what she'd find if she put it in my pocket.
A flawlessly well-sized Johnson.
Smooth-touch wonder, that's what she'd find.
DRIVER: Look out. Move aside.
Keep pedalling, boys!
Look at that.
YOUNG MAN: Come on, boys. Not much further to go.
Got it.
Hey, wait!
You're gonna stack it! Let go.
WOMAN: No, seriously, let go.
- (CLATTERING) - Oh, ho-ho-ho! Oh, shit.
It's pretty small.
Oh, but nice and clean.
WOMAN: I'm gonna go for a walk.
MAN: Do you reckon it'll pick up with the tide?
(CHATTER IN BACKGROUND)
ADULT PIKELET: Never had I seen men do
something so beautiful...
...so pointless and elegant.
As if dancing on water
was the best and bravest thing a man could do.
(CHICKENS CLUCKING)
(VEHICLE APPROACHING)
Thanks, guys.
- WOMAN: See you, boys. - See you.
(LOW CHATTER)
(BIKE RATTLES)
LOONIE: See you. WOMAN: See you.
PIKELET: See you!
Hi, Mr Pike!
Afternoon, Ivan.
It's a good one, isn't it? Bloody ripper, Mr Pike.
MR PIKE: Where have you been, mate?
PIKELET: Oh, just for a ride. They gave us a lift back.
- Bloody ripper! - Your mum's been worried sick.
Alright? So, go inside and say you're sorry.
And come back out here and take the chickens in, please.
The first boards we got were Coolites...
short, boxy, Styrofoam things
that squeaked when you touched them.
They weren't much chop
but we thought they were the duck's nuts.
(THEY LAUGH)
(STYROFOAM SQUEAKS)
(LOONIE GRUNTS)
(HE BLOWS)
Yeah, there she goes.
(BLOWS)
What we need, mate, is real boards.
Genuine fibreglass, hard ones.
With big stiff fins.
What do you say, Pikelet?
Yeah. Yeah, okay.
Ripper.
MAN: Look at yous two stupid pricks.
It's raining.
And the water's as cold as a witch's bits
and you're bloody swimming?
We like "bloody swimming", Dad!
Five bucks a load to chop it up.
Are you interested?
And there's four more loads.
If you don't do it, I'll get someone else.
Hm?
- 20 bucks a truckload. - Uh-uh.
- 15? - Oh...
Ten. Fuck it. Ten.
Yeah?
- Each. - Yous can get to buggery.
Ah. Come on.
(LOONIE MUTTERS)
And I want to kill it.
Oh. What are you doing?
(CHAINSAW ROARS TO LIFE)
(CHAINSAW REVS)
I don't want you telling the other guys
- where you got these from. - Why not?
'Cause they're shit boards. That's why.
- Oh. Thanks, Slipper. - Thanks, mate.
LOONIE: Mine's better.
Mine's got wings. It's cooler.
(MR PIKE SIGHS SOFTLY)
(BICYCLES RATTLING)
(BIRD CALLS)
(INSECTS CHIRRUPING)
My first wave that morning.
I leant across the wall of upstanding water,
and the board came with me...
as though it was part of my body and mind.
I still judge every joyous moment
and every victory and revelation
against those first few seconds of riding that wave.
Wouldn't be dead for quids, would you?
Right. Up in the back! Go on!
(ENGINE STARTS)
You boys need a ride?
Our bikes are just at the top of the hill.
Yeah. Get in.
Just here.
Pair of hellmen, you two.
What is that?
Surfing bareback all weather. How old are you?
- 14. - Almost 14.
Bullshit. He's full of shit.
PIKELET: Oh, 13 and a half, then.Jesus.
If you get tired of lugging your boards,
you can leave them at our place.
Jeez, thanks.
First driveway on the left, half a mile onto the bitumen.
- Okay. Thanks for the ride. - See you.
OK, cool. Cheers, mate.
(VEHICLE DRIVES AWAY)
- (LEAVES RUSTLE) - Come on!
(PANTING)
PIKELET: What do you reckon?
LOONIE: Mm.
Hippies. That's what I reckon.
Nah, fuck it.
My arm's rooted.
LOONIE: Hippies, alright.
Hello?
Anyone home?
Oi. Come check this out.
It's a total hippy love nest.
PIKELET: You shouldn't be up there, Loonie.
Loonie, we should probably just get going.
Yeah, yeah, I'm coming.
Don't get all fucking sulky on me.
"Probably should get going, Loonie."
(CHATTER)
Morning.
(HE SNIFFS)
Mm.
Ohh...
A Brewer.
It's bloody paradise.
WOMAN: You boys take a wrong turn?
Just came to get our boards.
They're just in there.
- Are they, now? - Bloke said we could.
Better show me.
PIKELET: This one's mine.
That's his.
Uh-huh.
He's not here.
- Who? - Sando.
- Who? - The bloke.
Oh, right, Sando.
Ah. Where is he, then?
Could be in Indonesia, for all I know.
- Really? - No.
It's not outside the realm of possibility.
So, what's your name, anyway?
Eva.
And where are you from, Eva?
- From the US. - Yeah.
I can hear the accent, but which part?
- Utah. - U-tar!
(THEY GIGGLE)
Alright if we drop 'em back later?
'Cause we didn't ask... your bloke offered.
LOONIE: Uh... see you later, Eva.
- I could tell she liked me. - What?
What? She was looking at me with that special look.
She wasn't looking at anything.
That's what I mean. She cool-looked me.
- She was keen. - I don't know.
Ah, you don't know these things, Pikelet.
You will, one of these days.
She's probably his wife.
Yeah, so? Aren't you into those wives? Eh?
The sea was different that day,
but we went out anyway...
because we didn't know any better.
MAN: How about it, Snowy?
- Are you going? LOONIE: Piss off!
MAN: Here we go.
Into it.
- Take the next one in, kid. - (HE SHIVERS)
Waiting for a little one, eh?
(HE SHIVERS)
Oh, shit.
Listen, numb nut,
if you don't get the next one, I'm taking the one after that.
You'll be out here on your own all bloody night.
Into it, son! Into it!
What about mine?
(LAUGHS) Did you see that?
Oh, you got so skittled.
- That was huge. - Yeah.
My one went all the way in.
(THEY LAUGH)
- He's out there, isn't he? - Course he is.
Fuck him. Jesus.
(ONLOOKERS GASP)
- Whoo-hoo. - Okay, come on, let's go.
Only a bloody idiot would be out there on a day like today.
I'll surf that one day. You dare me?
(TRUCK ENGINE STARTS)
I dare you to dare me.
GIRL: What is that?
These guys built a raft
and sailed all the way across the Pacific on the current.
Wow.
- It's incredible. - Mm.
Uh... Are we um...?
- You and... You and me? - Yeah.
(ELECTRIC SANDER WHIRRING)
Ah! Here they are. Heckle and Jeckle.
- Looking for trouble. - Look at this.
Oh, mate.
Heard you boys got a bit of swell the other day.
LOONIE: Yeah. We um... It was about seven or eight foot.
Yeah. There was a couple of nine-footers as well.
- Yeah, it was massive. - Seven or eight foot, huh?
- Mm. - Yeah.
Well...
...I'm gonna take this for a spin.
You got yourselves a lift if you're looking to get wet.
- PIKELET: Really? - Yes. Get wet. For sure.
Put your boards in the back.
Rooster! In the back!
Good boy.
SANDO: See you later.
(ROOSTER BARKS)
LOONIE: I caught one at least that.
He was shitting himself.
He'd never been out in anything that big.
Oh! Neither have you.
I rode one the whole way in
and then kicked down on the sand.
Well, that's impressive. How about you, Pikelet?
- Did you get any? - Yeah, I got one.
- Got skittled on the inside. - Then later,
the Angelus crew came and took us to the top of that ridge,
- to that bommie. SANDO: Oh, yeah? Old Smoky.
Yeah, that was going off.
Yeah, there was someone out there trying to surf it.
Yeah, who is that guy?
- Does someone surf that? - Oh, on occasion.
How would they get out there?
Oh, that would be telling, wouldn't it?
Yeah, right, Old Smoky, it was going off.
It must have been twenty-something foot easy.
SANDO: That's a big, wild coast out that way.
Full of surprises.
- Hi, Dad. - Hey, mate.
How are you?
Mm. Delicious chops, Mum.
You love your chops.
Love, try and keep your nose out of the sun.
You know that hat that Dad got you?
- The fishing one? - Yeah.
- I reckon it's somewhere. - Mm-hm.
Tops day, Mum.
(FATHER SNORES)
Once we were accepted, allowed in,
if we weren't with Sando, we were just marking time.
All up through here, waves all through that region.
Have you been up there before?
Yeah, in this region, several times down here,
but never that far north or west.
LOONIE: So, how do you get there?
(SANDO SPEAKING IN BACKGROUND)
We didn't know it yet, but we'd already
imagined ourselves into a different life.
- See you, mate. - See you.
(BIRDSONG)
Oi!
Look at this.
"Sanderson: Styling at perfect Rincon."
He's on the front cover of this one too.
Look at him. Shit.
This is Morocco in 1968.
This is Hawaii in '71.
- What? - Yeah, what else is there?
He's been all over the place. Hollister Ranch. Where's that?
- Look at him. - Oh...
Let's put 'em in order.
'73.
'71.
(VEHICLE APPROACHING)
Oi! (LAUGHS) Nice haircut, man.
- (TRUCK DOOR SLAMS) - What are you doing?
Where the fuck did you find those?
Just um... They were just there in the boxes.
Alright, that's cool.
Stack 'em up and put 'em away.
I want you to stay here and wait for me, okay?
Stay here and wait.
- Eva! - Quick, quick.
Do you know how those boxes got there?
SANDO: Hey!
I'm talking to you.
- EVA: What? - What the fuck are you doing?
(THEY ARGUE IN BACKGROUND)
EVA: Why do you keep them if you hate them so much?
I said, why do you keep them if you hate them so much?
(MUFFLED ARGUING)
- EVA: Liar! - Don't take it out on me!
(RAISED VOICES ARGUING)
EVA: Kids, Billy.
Hanging out with kids.
They're gonna kiss and make up. Let's go.
He said wait.
Can I play?
Piss off.
(DOOR CLOSES)
Didn't mean to piss anyone off.
Ah, it's just a bunch of old crap.
Don't worry about it.
Get your bikes in the back. I'll give yous a ride home.
(LIVELY CHATTER)
(POOL BALLS CLACK)
Oh, listen, there's a little spurt
of swell coming day after tomorrow.
It should be offshore, so get up early.
- Early? - Sparrow's fart.
I'll pick yous both up. We'll go somewhere discreet.
Secret.
Yeah. I think you're ready.
(TRUCK DOOR SLAMS)
Thinking of taking the dory out fishing on Saturday,
if you want to come, mate.
Um... I'm probably gonna go out to the beach with Loonie.
Oh.
Alright.
Can I please leave the table?
(BIRD CALLS)
Oh!
LOONIE: Where we going?
SANDO: Let's just say we have an appointment
with the undisclosed.
They're yours.
Oh, fuck! That's yours.
- Look at that. - Smell it. Go on, smell it.
(CHUCKLING)
Oh, my God.
Oi! Guide me in!
- Yeah, keep coming. - You're there.
Oi, get my back.
Do this. Quick.
(MOTOR PUTTING)
Where the fuck are we?
This is Barney's.
Drag her in.
PIKELET: How come the name?
SANDO: Well, because Barney lives here.
Only fair to tell you.
LOONIE: Wow!
Whoo-hoo.
Oh...
- Oh... - Oh. (CHUCKLES)
- Do it. - Let's go.
And what about this guy Barney?
Oh, Barney.
Well, he's not hungry all the time, which improves the odds.
Fuck. Tell me it's not a shark.
- Okay. It's not a shark. - (BOYS LAUGH)
Well, it's not your average shark, let's put it that way.
- What? - What?
I've been coming for years. Still got my fingers and toes.
You've seen him?
Yeah, five, maybe... six times.
What kind of shark is this?
Like I said, not your average Noah.
Stop pissing about and fucking say it.
It's a white pointer, mate. The great white hunter.
Fucking fuck fuck.
- How big is this thing? - Oh, 14 foot.
I don't know. It's hard to say, Pikelet.
It's got a big old head, though,
and a grin like Richard fucking Nixon.
Why the fuck did you bring us here?
I thought you had the nads for it.
You're not scared, are you, Loonie?
He's bullshitting. He's shitting us.
PIKELET: Maybe.
He's calling us fucking sooks.
(BREATHES RAPIDLY)
He thinks we're just gonna sit here
like a couple of fucking girls.
Mm.
(LOONIE MUTTERS) Fuck.
It's some fucking good idea.
Fucking... Fuck. Fuck.
(BREATHES RAPIDLY)
Ah, bugger the bloody biggest shark!
(WAVES ROARING)
(WAVES MUFFLE HIS VOICE)
LOONIE: Come on!
Come on!
SANDO: Oh, credit where credit's due.
You got the wave of the day, mate. That was a smoker.
LOONIE: Oh! I wish we had a camera.
It was too good. We should have got a photo.
- Ah, you don't need no photo. - Just to show and prove it.
You don't need to prove anything. You were there.
- At least you blokes saw it. - My oath.
It's not about us, it's about you.
Your moment with the sea.
- That's hippy shit, man. - What's that?
It's fucking hippy shit.
- Oh, is that so? - Yeah.
Alright for you. You've got plenty of shots
to prove what you done.
Honolua Bay, man. Morocco.
It's all horseshit. It's wallpaper.
LOONIE: It's easy for you to say.
SANDO: Son, eventually it's just you and it.
You'll be out there, thinking, "Do I know what I'm doing?
Am I solid?
Or am I just ordinary?"
- How does it feel? - How does what feel, mate?
When it's that serious.
Ah.
You boys will find out.
Like, I mean... 20 feet.
I'll tell you something, mate.
You're glad there's no bloody photo.
But when you're still alive
and you're standing there at the end,
and you've just made it...
...it's not... You can't...
You're completely alive, completely in your body.
You just get this rush. It's...
Ah, it's just like you've felt the hand of God.
The rest of it is just sport and recreation.
(SNORING)
(HE EXHALES)
(SNORING IN ANOTHER ROOM)
Can I have the flippers, please?
(LOONIE IMITATES TARZAN'S CALL)
The waves that we're after come ahead of the storm.
Clean and powerful.
Here's Old Smoky.
It's about half a mile off the coast.
And this is the continental shelf, right?
So, when the wave hits here,
the water rises up on the shoal
and turns itself inside-out.
It's not so much about the height and size,
it's about the volume,
the girth.
That's where the power is.
We'll paddle out here, we wait in the channel.
We check our position here,
the limestone streak, the line of trees,
find the perfect take-off spot.
I mean, it's simple, really.
You choose the right wave, you're half way home.
But if you judge wrong
and you take off too far across the reef,
then you're in more trouble than the early settlers.
(BUBBLING)
It's not about what's up here.
Nothing to do with the thoughts in your head.
It's about the work you've done.
That and surrender.
Surrender is what frees you up
to be completely in the moment.
To commit with your body and your soul.
With complete certainty.
Not a shred of doubt.
Not a shred.
(BAMBOO WIND CHIMES CLINK)
(HE WHISPERS) Hey, Rooster.
Hi. Where are they?
What are you doing? What are you doing?
Where is everyone?
(BAMBOO WIND CHIMES CLINK)
EVA: What do you want?
Sorry, I thought...
I thought I heard a noise and just...
came up to have a look.
You missed him. He's gone off somewhere for a paddle.
Breeze is all onshore, anyway.
Yeah.
What happened... to your knee?
Skiing accident.
Do you ever ski?
No. I've never seen snow.
Yeah, well...
white and cold.
How long till it's better?
How long is a piece of string?
What piece of string?
It doesn't matter.
Yeah.
I'm sorry.
See you.
(BOAT MOTOR PUTTING)
(MOTOR OFF)
Old Smoky's right about here. Let it go.
It's deep.
Well, it won't seem so deep on the top of a ten-footer.
Let's have a look, shall we?
PIKELET: Wait.
Loonie, wait!
SANDO: Like chilli? PIKELET: No.
Well, you're gonna learn to.
This is new.
That, Pikelet, is my wife.
- You're shitting me. - I shit you not.
PIKELET: Far out.
SANDO: Yeah, pretty much covers it, doesn't it?
How does she do it?
Big downhill run off a jump.
She just soars through the air while doing a flip.
And lands on her feet.
- Well, that's the plan. - Jeez.
Yeah, she's erm.. Mate, she's pretty well known.
And that's Utah in '71.
And she's been out now three, maybe... four...
More.
She's over there right now.
- Skiing? - Jesus, no.
Not with that knee. She's erm...
They're trying another operation.
- And they're gonna fix it? - That's the hope.
How can she stand it here? There's no snow.
I think she prefers it.
I mean, if you couldn't surf,
could you stand living right next to the ocean?
The ocean's beautiful. That'd be enough for me.
Bullshit.
No, really. You know, just to see it.
Yeah, well, I'd rather be dead.
(WAVES CRASHING)
Keep the chicken wire for me.
(CLATTERING)
They're okay.
I don't want them here.
Jesus Christ. Billy, grow up.
Hey, Rooster. There you go, mate.
You boys need to make yourselves scarce.
No worries.
Keep your eyes open. There's something brewing down south.
- Could be good for Old Smoky. - Really?
Welcome back, Eva.
LOONIE: Let's just go to your place.
LOONIE: There's no way I'd let my wife run the show.
No way!
He lets her get away with so much shit.
Reckon your mum's done scones.
I love your mum!
There was nothing else to do but wait.
- Then we got the word. - Good night.
Old Smoky was on.
God bless. (KISSES)
Unfortunately for Loonie, two days earlier,
he'd tripped down the stairs at the pub...
with a little help from his old man, no doubt.
(DOOR CLOSES GENTLY)
(CRICKETS CHIRPING)
(WAVES CRASHING)
(VEHICLE APPROACHING)
(ENGINE IDLING)
That's him.
Come on, let's go.
Are you shitting yourself?
SANDO: What's he up to?
Hey, Loonie... He doesn't want to watch?
I don't think so.
Hey, come and watch out for your mate.
Oh, and spoil your secret hippy moment?
- Watch and learn. - Ah, no fucking worries.
- I'd love that. - Show a bit of support.
What for? He's chicken.
- You're a coward. - Jesus, son.
- Don't be an arsehole. - Fuck off, coach!
You're definitely getting wet this morning.
(WAX SCRAPING ON SURFBOARD)
(WAXING CONTINUES)
(PIKELET WAXING HIS SURFBOARD)
(WAVES CRASHING NEARBY)
Feels onshore in here,
but round there it'll be clean.
Getting out's the easy part.
Coming in is when you have to concentrate.
You've got to be patient, okay?
(WAVES CRASHING)
Wouldn't be dead for quids, would you?
I wonder what the ordinary people
are doing today.
What are you doing?
- You ride the Brewer. - Oh, are you sure?
Yeah, yeah, just take it before I change my mind.
- Thanks. - Now, watch what I do...
and you follow.
(WAVES THUNDERING)
You've got to get into some of that.
You know what's what, mate.
You'll never forgive yourself.
(PIKELET BREATHES DEEPLY)
Pikelet.
Pikelet!
Go out wide! In the channel!
Deep water. Safe.
Come on, mate.
(NERVOUS BREATHING)
We'll do something else.
Look at me.
Let's just do something different, alright?
- We're gonna play a little game. - Okay.
We're gonna see who can touch the bottom first.
Ready? One, two, three.
(BUBBLES FIZZING)
You're right here, Pikelet.
You're right here right now, okay?
You just panicked, that's all. We all do that.
You've got this, mate. You've got this, okay?
Yeah? Let's do it.
- Yeah. - Let's have a go.
- Okay. - Come on.
Alright, mate. You're gonna let the first one go,
let it draw some water.
And then the second one's got your name on it, okay?
Paddle to it, turn and commit.
Not a shred of doubt.
Got me?
(PIKELET EXHALES)
SANDO: Here we go.
Go, Pikelet.
Go, Pikelet!
(WAVE CRASHES)
Pikelet!
Yeah, mate. Good work.
Good work.
The next one's gonna be fun, alright?
Hold off with your bottom turn, drop a bit of speed...
(WATER TRICKLING)
(ROOSTER YELPS)
(BARKING)
How big?
Big enough to get the Boy Wonder's heart started.
LOONIE: How big...
- ...Boy Wonder? - PIKELET: I don't know.
Ten? 15?
Yeah. Ten, maybe.
Yeah. Surfed it at about ten. Solid.
So he got waves?
Yeah, yeah, he did good.
PIKELET: I took the worst flogging ever.
But you did the deed.
Made himself a bit of history.
He'd never be the first or the youngest
out at Old Smoky,
but he'd seen what he had to do,
and by mid-winter he'd finally got his chance.
Whatever we did that day, or any day,
Loonie did it harder.
He went later and deeper than either of us.
He hadn't simply taken Old Smoky on.
He'd taken it over.
He surfed like someone who didn't believe in death.
Yeah, killed it, Loonie! Killed it, mate!
- Ripper! - Owned it, mate.
- That's the way. - Fuck, yeah.
(BRAKES SQUEAK)
(CHATTER)
(CATTLE MOOING)
(CHATTER)
Hey, hey! No, wait in the bus!
(CATTLE LOWING)
(MAN SHOUTS)
(DISTRESSED LOWING)
The truckie! The truckie's stuck!
(MUFFLED) Unlock it! Unlock it!
(GROANS)
- (GROANS) - Unlock it.
(DRIVER GROANS)
(GUNSHOT)
SANDO: Three miles offshore,
a bommie off a granite island... seal colony...
holds a shit-load of swell and gets very square.
You launch from the old whaling cove.
- You've done it? - I've scoped it a few times.
- Buzzed out in the tinny. - But you haven't surfed it?
EVA: You don't know when to stop.
No, actually, I think you do know when you should stop,
but you won't.
No, Pikelet, I haven't surfed it yet.
There's a wave inside the wave.
That's right, the Nautilus.
The reef must be right underneath the surface.
Low tide, it's above the surface.
You can only surf it mid to high.
The next frontier.
PIKELET: You think that's possible? Really, honestly?
Honestly, Pikelet?
I need to take a shit just looking at it.
You scared, are you?
I'm scared.
Yeah, well, fear's only natural, mate.
There's no shame in it.
Whatever you reckon.
People face down fears every day.
They make bargains with God.
They make a decision, they put their mind to it,
then they're half way there.
Daring to try, that's mankind for you.
I'm sure you mean humankind.
SANDO: Yeah, thanks.
We can always go back to surfing the point
at two foot and sunny.
(SIGHS)
Piece of piss!
You're a turkey, Loonie.
- I didn't say I was scared. - You are a turkey.
- He said he was scared. - Turkey! Turkey!
(GIGGLING)
We started our research on the Nautilus.
Homework, Sando called it.
But that winter didn't amount to much.
And without swell, we became bored...
...and restless.
See you.
(BARKING)
QUEENIE: Bruce Pike,
you are moody, selfish and very inattentive.
Therefore, I hereby notify you
that you are, from this point forward,
relieved of any further duties as my boyfriend.
Yours sincerely, Queenie Cookson.
(SHE SOBS)
TV: If Ahab has his way, thee nor me nor any member
of this ship's company will ever see home again.
I hear Loonie's left school.
Come now, Mr Starbuck, you're just plain gloomy.
Dad said he's working down the mill.
- He ain't that big. - I do not fear Moby Dick...
Hm.
- I fear the wrath of God. - The wrath of God?
STARBUCK: It is our task in life to kill whales,
and furnish up their oil for the lamps of the world.
ADULT PIKELET: A monster storm showed up.
On the weather map, it looked like a tumour on the sea.
Sando was fired up.
He was determined we'd go for it this time.
(BOAT MOTOR OFF)
When you go, go early and go wide.
I don't know if I'm feeling it.
Come on, you know what's what.
PIKELET: I think I'm just gonna watch for a bit.
Didn't bring you out here to watch, mate.
- Come on! Fuck, let's go! - SANDO: Just wait!
Stuff this. I'm out of here.
Look, I thought I'd brought surfers with me,
men above the ordinary.
(SPLASH)
(BREATHES NERVOUSLY)
SANDO: I said wait!
(TENSE BREATHING)
(CALLS)
Man, you gotta taste some of that!
(SOUNDTRACK FADES)
(MUSIC PLAYS OVER DIALOGUE)
(BIRD SHRIEKS IN DISTANCE)
Hey...
(DISTANT CHATTER)
Hey, Rooster, boy. Hey...
Come on.
There you go.
(RAIN PATTERING ON TIN ROOF)
EVA: What are you doing sneaking around?
Oh, I just came to, you know, see Sando.
- What? - Just came to see Sando.
Was that you the other night?
What? No.
Doesn't matter.
Can you help me with this stuff, please?
Pardon?
Can you help me with this fucking stuff, please?
Fuckin' rain.
Do you want coffee?
(RECORD PLAYER STUCK ON GROOVE)
Oh, I can do that. I'll make the coffee.
You sit down.
Thanks.
How's your knee?
EVA: Here we are, Pikelet.
All on our lonesome.
What do you mean?
- He didn't tell you either? - Tell me what?
He's gone.
Indonesia would be my guess.
Took your little pal with him.
- What? - Yeah.
Took Loonie to Indo-fucking-nesia.
EVA: You're the lone musketeer.
You couldn't have gone anyway. You've got school and stuff.
- Yeah, but... - Bad manners.
Guru shit and bad manners pretty much go hand in hand.
(DOOR CLOSES)
(HEAVY RAIN CONTINUES)
Do you want coffee?
I don't even drink bloody coffee.
Come on in and get dry.
You'll catch your death out here.
I'm getting you a towel and a dry shirt.
Thank you.
- I can do it. - It's alright.
Hold me.
♪ FLEETWOOD MAC: The Chain
(HEAVY BREATHING)
Be nice to me, okay, Pikelet?
I will.
Don't brag about me.
Not to Loonie, not to anyone.
Okay.
I won't.
No-one.
(PANTING)
♪ FLEETWOOD MAC: The Chain
♪ And if you don't love me now
♪ You will never love me again
♪ I can still hear you saying
♪ You would never break the chain
♪ Never break the chain ♪ And if you don't love me now
♪ You don't love me now
♪ You will never love me again
♪ I can still hear you saying
♪ You would never break the chain
♪ Never break the chain...
(PANTING)
EVA: I had a postcard from Thailand.
PIKELET: There's waves in Thailand.
- He's been in Bangkok. - Aren't they in Java?
Something about supplies. Who knows?
Now he's talking about the eastern islands.
Why do you let him go?
He needs it.
What about what you need?
He knows what I need.
It's getting cold. You should go.
I can make a fire.
(CHATTER IN BACKGROUND)
God, you're getting weirder.
- What's been happening? - Nothing. Nothing much.
It's like you're off the air.
Just got lots going on, that's all.
So, lots or nothing much? Which one is it?
I still want you to take me to the social, okay?
Will you?
(BIRDSONG)
Those last few moments in the air...
...they were the last happy moments of my life.
I miss being afraid.
PIKELET: Maybe it'll get better this time.
I love you.
You love getting laid.
No. I mean it.
You don't know what you mean.
Don't say shit you don't understand. Just don't.
(LIVELY CHATTER)
Alright.
Pick you up at 11:30.
Thanks, Dad.
(GENTLE SOUNDTRACK MUSIC)
(CRICKETS CHIRPING)
I can't.
It's nothing.
Whatever you reckon.
(VEHICLE APPROACHES)
(AXE THUDS)
(PLASTIC RUSTLING)
(DRAWER SHUTS)
Want to play a game?
(BAG RUSTLES)
(HE SCOFFS)
I don't get it.
I'll show you.
What if I don't want to?
I'll be disappointed, I guess.
Alright. Show me.
You know how to hyperventilate, right?
- It's kind of like that. - You choke yourself?
Sort of, yeah.
- Fuck, why? - (CHUCKLES)
Because, little man,
makes me come like a freight train.
What? You want me to...
...choke myself too?
No, of course not.
I just want you to watch.
Jeez, I... I don't know.
It feels better, I can't tell you.
And it's safer, like having a dive buddy.
PIKELET: I don't want you to hurt yourself.
I won't.
Not if you don't let me.
I love you.
We'll see.
(RUSTLING)
(RUSTLING CONTINUES)
(INSECTS CHIRRUPING)
(RUSTLING)
Pikelet, it's okay, I'm fine.
Look at me. I'm fine.
Being scared's half the fun.
You should know that by now.
Does Sando do that to you?
I don't have to answer that.
I don't like it.
I understand you, Pikelet.
You're different.
You've got this look...
...like you're expecting to lose something.
And you're right.
You're right to expect it to be snatched away.
EVA: 'Cause it can be.
PIKELET: I don't know. It doesn't feel right.
I just don't think you should ask me to do certain stuff.
Yeah, I'll be here.
(CHATTER)
(ENGINE REVVING)
(MOANING)
(LIGHT FOOTSTEPS)
Are you pregnant?
Go home. Fun's over.
(BREATHES DEEPLY)
(HE EXHALES)
- Is it mine? - Don't be absurd.
Well... I can...
Do you want me to chop some wood?
No, I don't. Just go.
(PANTING)
(HE GASPS)
(EXHALES)
(GASPS)
(SCRAPING)
(CROCKERY CLINKS)
(DOORBELL RINGS)
(DOORBELL RINGS AGAIN)
Hey. How's it goin'?
When did you get back?
Last night.
- So, how was it over there? - Fuckin' unbelievable.
We got everything. We got shot at, seen off,
spider-bitten, deported.
And honkin' waves.
I copped this.
What happened?
Oh, just the reef. Rips the shit out of you.
Uluwatu. It's...
It's insane.
You would've loved it. Just big, smooth,
green walls that just reel off for days.
- Yeah. - Wow!
It was fuckin' amazing, man. You really missed out.
I brought you something.
Here.
- What is it? - Close your eyes.
Hold out your hand.
Don't look. Just smell it.
(SNIFFS) It smells like shit.
Had to get it through the airport somehow!
It's hash, mate.
Had it up my date. Johnny Cash.
Put it in your pocket. You'll thank me later.
Lookin' tall and stassy, Pikelet. Manly.
Hm. I like it.
But, um, heard you went out Old Smoky and lost his Brewer.
- Yeah. - Gonna be dirty about that.
Could be dirty about something else too.
What are you talking about?
Oh, nothing. Just gossip.
Filthy gossip. The old man, you know?
Hm... Nautilus is gonna break this weekend.
- Yeah? - Mm.
Sunday morning, Sando reckons.
He said he wanted to catch up with you.
- I haven't seen him. - He's scared of Nautilus.
Shit-scared of it.
He's getting old, but...
MRS PIKE: Oh. Hello, Ivan. Back, I see.
Yeah, back in little old Sawyer.
Oh.
See you Sunday. Dawn's crack.
Sando'll talk to you.
Pssht.
(SIGHS)
(MOTORBIKE ENGINE STARTS)
(SCHOOL BELL)
(CHATTER)
- How've you been? - Yeah, good.
Yeah?
Chopped a lot of wood out at my place, Pikelet.
- Bloody lot. - Yeah.
Don't want you to think I don't notice these things.
Eva was glad for the company. So she says.
- Yeah? - Mm.
Got the board back. The Brewer.
- Really? - Yeah.
Tuna fisherman found it 25Ks out to sea.
Yeah. Sorry about that.
No worries, mate. Don't need to be sorry.
You took on Old Smoky by yourself.
That's up there, Pikelet. Hats off, mate.
That is up there.
In my books, you earned that board.
It's yours, mate. Yours.
- Oh, thanks, but... - No, no, it's yours.
Okay?
Thanks.
It's alright.
Your mate Loonie...
Jesus!
Well, you know what he's like.
Long story. Can't be trusted.
Wilful little bastard.
He's fuckin' nuts, actually.
You know what else?
What?
Well, I think you know what I'm talking about.
No.
I'm gonna be a father.
Yeah. I thought you looked different.
Did you?
Well, are you gonna congratulate me or what?
Yeah! Course.
- Congratulations. - Yeah, thanks, man.
So, listen, there's...
There's a front coming in from down south.
Should be breaking at Nautilus this Sunday morning.
Good clean swell.
Perfect angle. You're gonna want to be there
with that Brewer under your feet.
- Yeah. Okay. - Okay.
Alright, mate. Well, I'll pick you up Sunday at dawn.
(VEHICLE ARRIVES)
(ENGINE IDLING)
So, erm, yeah...
Yeah, what?
I'm not coming.
Fuck.
- You're kidding! - No.
It's not for me.
It's an ugly wave, and I don't like it.
Bullshit.
Get in.
It doesn't make me ordinary...
or a coward.
It's just not for me.
Okay, mate.
Maybe you should get your board out of the back.
No, it's fine. It's not even my board.
I said you earned that board. So it's yours, okay?
Now get your fucking board out of the back.
Pikelet, come here!
You've got your own thing, Pikelet.
Don't lose that, okay?
Now piss off.
- Ah, ta. - There you go.
ADULT PIKELET: There's fear in all of us.
I know that now.
It's how you live with it that makes you who you are.
Years later, when I got the news about Loonie,
I can't say I was surprised.
But it hit me... hard.
A single gunshot to the back of the head.
Some kind of drug deal gone bad.
He always lived like he had nothing to lose.
'Cause he thought he didn't matter.
Well, he mattered to me.
I miss the mad bastard.
I still paddle out whenever I can.
Not to prove anything. Just... to feel it.
That sweet momentum.
The turning force under foot.
And in those brief, rare moments of grace...
...I'm dancing.
(INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC)
OCR'd and corrected by explosiveskull