For the past 10 years (post University) I have worked pretty much exclusively in London in the web and advertising industry. The work and people (for the most part) have been pretty cool and I’ve been lucky enough to create a little niche for myself that enables me to earn reasonable money.

For the past few years though, I have become increasingly unsatisfied at times with work and have thought about trying to do something more worthwhile than pushing pixels around a screen.

A few month’s back I signed myself up to do a BSA (level 1) surf instructor and RLSS beach lifeguard course down in Cornwall. I’ve been subsequently training (like an Olympic athlete) over the past few months to ensure I am fit enough for the course. Hopefully all the hard work will pay off, as I am off to Newquay in two days.

I am hoping this qualification will open up some new doors and give me the opportunity to get involved in something fulfilling, rewarding and worthwhile. I am not giving up on my web career (just yet), but I am hoping that I will be able to spend at least a few months each year (starting next year) working as a surf instructor and beach lifeguard and passing on some stoke!

In need of some new surf literature and something to keep me company in the evenings when I am down in Newquay later this week (for my BSA Surf Instructor and Lifeguard course) I invested in a few new books (see below) courtesy of Amazon.

I’ll let you know what they were like when I’ve finished them :)

My mate Richie found this video of a stoked surfer on YouTube today, made me laugh my head off.

Oh brah its just like dude you get the best barrels ever dude its just like you pull in and you just get spit right out of em’ and you just drop in just smack the lip WHOO PAH! drop down an PAAHH then after that? you just drop in ride the barrel and get pitted so pitted like that

Here is one of the first pictures hot of the press from Beej and my recent surf to Praia da Consolacao, near Peniche, Portugal. More pictures and full write up to come soon!

Ben Copping and I are off to Praia da Consolacao this Saturday for a week’s worth of surfing and relaxation. The beach is situated just south of the fishing town of Peniche, about 80km or so north of Lisbon in Portugal.

There area is blessed with quality breaks of all kinds including, reefs, beachies, points and even some big wave spots.

I’ve finally got around to putting up a few pics from our trip to Newquay last month. We had a good time, great weather (as usual) and a few reasonable waves and one defining sunset season at Fistral on the last night. This time around Alan Stokes and Ollie weren’t around, but I still managed to spot another pro, Russell Winter. This pro surfer spotting is becoming something of a habit, haha!

Check out the pics on Flickr.

This is the film that I didn’t end up seeing at the London premiere, instead I downloaded it from the Relentless website (in ipod format).

The short film was moving, poignant and got me inspired for my next surf trip. I won’t be riding anything like the size of the waves in this film, but the sentiment of commitment and searching for new ideas, styles and situations is the same.

Get stoked and check out the trailer above!

On the 27th June, Beej and I will be taking off for Peniche, Portugal for a week’s surf trip. It will be my second time in Portugal (the first being back in August 2007) and I am hoping we will get some good rides.

We are going to stay at Casa D’Arriba near Praia da Consolação, just down the coast from a spot called Supertubos. Those of you who can’t speak Portugese can probably guess what that means? If not there is a little picture below to point you in the general direction. Fingers crossed we’ll get some swell. I think we’ll both be happy to get something resembling at least half the size of this wave!

Photo: Cedric de Barros

Next weekend will be the second trip we’ll make down to Cornwall this year. Hopefully we’ll score some waves and get a little surf stoke going. Living in a landlocked village in the middle of Essex, I don’t get to surf every day, or every weekend for that matter, so to surf once a month is a more attainable goal.

So far this year I’ve surf every month from February until now (May). The next few months will also continue that trend with a trip to Peniche in Portgual booked for the end of June/early July and Devon booked for August, but I digress.

The usual suspects are coming, Ben C and Richie, with the addition of newbie: Lionel (a seasoned snowboarder with an unashamed love for long, phat powder days, but a novice to the ocean sport of surfing). We are travelling down on Thursday night/Friday morning in convoy, to avoid traffic and to hopefully score a quiet morning session before the crowds of surf schools and stag weekenders are unleashed on the beaches.

Lets hope the surf was as good as it was last time, back in Easter, only time will tell!

My friend is Eurico Gonçalves is competing this weekend in the 1ª etapa do Circuito Nacional de Longboard at Praia do Cabedelo, Portugal. Shame I am here in the UK in the cold and wet, so I won’t see it.

Anyway good luck Eurico, boas ondas!