Last year the fishermen fought with the surfers. Angry fists and shouting words. “Whaaat? Whaaat? Whaaat?” cried the gulls. “There’s enough sea for everybody,” said Yusuf ’s father. He showed them the fishing licence that had been Oupa Salie’s. “Waves for all. Water for free.”
Ouma Safiya watches through her binoculars, her fingers curled in curiosity. The shark siren sounds. Swimmers run back to the sand and grab their towels. Surfers rush to the shore, carrying their boards under their arms. Under the showers they strip off their wetsuits. “Whaaat? Whaaat? Whaaat?” cry the gulls. “What will Yusuf ’s father bring from the ocean?”