Archive for: UK Surf Trips

I am sitting in the back of my car trying to occupy myself whilst Beej drives us back from Cornwall. We have spent the past 4 days surfing in Newquay and have had a mixed bag of both weather and waves: a few sunny days, some rain, plenty of wind and varying degrees of small, fun summer waves.

We surfed Great Western (one of the town beaches in Newquay) due to there being too much of an onshore wind at our usual sport over at Fistral. This time we controversially left the 8’2 mal (a.k.a Mitch) at home and packed a 3 board quiver: 6’8, 6’4 and 6’0. The idea was that it would force us to step up our game a little (the longer your board the easier it is to paddle and catch waves). There was swell predicted for the entire week, so we felt reasonably confident that we were making the right decision.

On arrival on Friday morning, we we rewarded for our efforts with a nice clean, fun wave over at Newquay Bay. For some reason I surfed very poorly, I just couldn’t find my flow, and had a rather crap session despite the good conditions. Beej on the other hand was all over it, like a hoover sucking up every possible wave coming within earshot of him. End of day 1, 1:0 to Beej.

That evening a celebratory trip to the Indian summer was the order of the day after 4 hours in the water and the 6 hour drive. We supped on a few pints and then relaxed with a post-meal DVD.

We awoke the next morning to Malcom’s bell ringing and a quality breakfast. Day 2 was characterised by more of the same, although this time I found my flow and grabbed a load of waves, forehand and backhand on the 6’4. Beej bought a new board but managed to put the leash through the tail after about an hour (what a shredder), so that had to go back to the shop. I think it must have been the busted board, but Beej didn’t really get his groove on after returning from the shop, so the score at the end of day 2 was 1:1. That evening we settled for a couple of Strongbows, some fish and chips and another DVD.

The 3rd day, still with new board at the shop, Beej and I hit up a mid-to-full tide Great Western. The waves were a bit thick and dumped a little bit on the beach. The latter half of the day the wind got up and things got pretty choppy. We ended up surfing for 4 hours and called it a head to head heat. Later in the evening we stopped off at the Fort Inn for a massive platter of Surf and Turf and a couple of Guinness’. Bon!

The morning we left, Beej was still without a board after the shop not being able to get it fixed in time for our departure. So after a little stressing and some careful negotiation with the owner, Beej managed to wangle a deal that meant he could swap the broken board for a new one: a rather nice 6’4 Lost short board (that I had my eye on).

Following the “upgrade” we had to test out the new board, so we headed over to Fistral for a “quick” surf before we returned to Essex. The waves were a little bigger that morning, maybe 4ft and a lot thicker. We both got a couple of good rides before the conditions turned to slop.

We left Newquay having had a good time, but as always for me (am not sure about Beej) I wanted more: cleaner, longer and bigger waves. So although my appetite was satisfied for a few days, I am still as hungry as ever to get out there and continue to explore new places, feelings and styles. But there is no rush, as Gerry says “there is always another wave around the corner”.

Beej and I are off to surf Newquay (and the surrounding area tomorrow). We are going for 4 days (taking Friday and Monday off work). The forecast (see below) looks reasonable, plenty of swell, hopefully the wind won’t blow it out.

We just need to decide which boards to take (the age old dilema), hopefully there will be enough swell to merit using my shortboard. As much as I love using the 8’2 Mitch, I really fancy getting a little more technical and speedy, rather than using the usual cruiser, we’ll see!

Watch this space for some nice lomo-style photos (and maybe even some video).

Beej and I had a great time down in Newquay for a few days surf. The weather on Tuesday was amazing: sunny skies, light offshore breezes and a decent 3 ft wave to glide along.

I spent 3 hours solid in the water (overdoing it as usual) and then got out absolutely exhausted (I had got up at 4.45a.m and driven 6 hours to Cornwall). In the evening we chilled with a few bows and some fish and chips and then checked out the sun setting over Fistral beach.

The next day started off sunny, but then progressively clouded over. We hit the water in the morning and although the swell had dropped off and the water was a little cooler we still got a few rides. We then chilled out on the beach for a while and then hit the water again in the evening for another couple of hours. By this time the swell had dropped off again, but we still had a good time.

That evening we hit up the Indian Summer and got stuck into a hearty meal and a few beers to reward ourselves for our efforts. The rest of the evening was spent watching about 10 minutes of Raiders of the Lost Ark, before passing out for a well-earned rest.

We returned on Thursday and faced a mammoth 6 hour drive, which went relatively smoothly, until we hit the M25 and got stuck as per usual.

All in all, it was a good mini break, although I would have liked the waves to be a little bigger and more consistent, but good times all the same. There are a couple of snaps below from the trip.

 

Last weekend Ben C and I took off to the South West of England to (try) and enjoy some wave action down in Devon. We’d booked in at the Chapel Farm in Croyde a few weeks previously and were hoping for some warm spring conditions with some decent, uncrowded waves. What we got instead was freezing temperatures, howling onshore winds and shitty weather.

We made the call to go anyway, regardless of the conditions, as we had paid for the accomodation already, so had nothing to lose. As it turned out, we had a cool time, eat some nice breakfasts, took in the beautiful Devonshire countryside, had a few ales, games of cards and a load of laughs.

We eventually got into the surf on the Saturday, having found a slightly more managable and less messy wave at Saunton Sands. So fully kitted up: winter suits, gloves, boots and surf bonnets we hit the waves. Surprisingly we were quite warm and last 2 hours. BJC said, and I quote, “those are some of the best rides I’ve gotten on the UB”. I was stoked that he was stoked, and moreso as now he has surfed in cold water he is a.) not phased by surfing in the cold and b.) more likely to want to go again now he has got some decent rides.

Here are a couple of shot of team “surf bonnet”.

After a week’s worth of debating over whether we could handle the cold, and carefully watching the charts, Deano and I decided we’d make the trip up to Norfolk for what will probably be the last surf of the year.

We set the alarm for 6am and got the quiver ready and then packed up the car and hit the road for East Runton. We were treated to an amazing sunrise, which the photos don’t really do justice to, but anyway. We reached Runton about 9.15 and we treated with a brisk offshore breeze and an air temperature of about 4 degrees. Yep, we were venturing into new territory, the coldest surf of our lives.

Runton had quite a bit of form to it today, but due to the high tide being at 5.30am, and it not getting light until 7.30, we reached the beach at mid-tide, so the waves probably had dropped off a little. As the tide went out, the swell would drop off again.

We suited up, me wearing a rash vest, a 2/2, a 3/2, gloves and booties, Deano in his 5/3 and booties (but no gloves). There were a few other guys around, all fully suited with hoods, gloves and booties. I am not that keen on a hood, as 1. they look a bit gay and 2. they impair your peripheral vision, so we went in without them. Mistake! After getting a few on the head, the pain from the cold was so intense that you felt as if you brain was actually aching, this is probably a little dangerous, but whatever.

We surfed for about an hour, then Deano had to get out due to the fact that his hands were completely numb (they must have been numb when he entered the water, so god knows how they felt after). I proceeded to get a few waves on the 6’4 and then a couple of nice ones on the 8’2.

Afterwards we cruised up to Cromer and had a little fish and chips to stoke up the boiler and then made the drive back to Essex. All in all a cold but rewarding morning.

Are we mad, I’d like to think so. When you look at it, everyone else was probably tucked up in bed, all cozy and warm and relaxed on a Saturday morning. Us two, we left perfectly warm beds and then scraped the ice off my car, and then plunged our bodies into water that can give you hypothermia if you don’t have enough neoprene around your body!

As they say, to get the ultimate thrill you gotta pay the ultimate price! Come on…

It certainly has been a wet and windy past few weeks here in Blighty/Ireland. With record waves reaching in the region of 57ft (yep someone did have the balls to ride it – no not me), the UK/Ireland has been getting a battering.

Below are a few pictures that were taken by folks on the Magicseaweed website that illustrate just how serious the situation has been over the past few weeks.

This weekend looks to be another pumping weekend, although the wind might be a bit of a problem, so find a sheltered spot and get yourself some time in the green room! And who says Christmas can’t come early huh!

Photo source: Magicseaweed

There is a major low pressure storm coming in this weekend, unfortunately the winds look to be completely in the wrong direction, but the swell looks to be crazy, check the charts below for Newquay for example. If you can find shelter from the wind, then you should get some pretty large rides I would have thought!

So me and The Deano are hopefully heading off to Newquay to surf this weekend. The charts are predicting a solid 7ft swell @ 12 seconds for Saturday, with the winds coming from the right direction, so hopefully we’ll be getting wet round about Saturday lunchtime. Hoping to take a few snaps and will report back next week on how it goes.