Novelty Options

Swell is thumping in today. It's so big that some reports are struggling to put a size to it. Some are placing it at 8-10ft, others at 10-15ft (to give you some idea on their scale a 2-3ft wave is head high). One thing's for certain, the waves are huge.

No doubt some photos will start trickling in of novelty spots a little later on. Nooks and crannies inside harbours, protected corners and "it's a secret spot even though it actually only breaks once every two years". Will post as and when they arrive. I'm on a plane down South today so will miss the fun. Might have a look tomorrow though the swell will halve in size by then.

[Edit] A picture sent to me by Marcus of our nearest break. It's kind of hard to judge the size, it just looks big. A couple of people were quoted as saying they were staying in doors and cuddling a teddy. Some harder types gave sheltered spots. Although these were a fraction of the size of sheltered beaches they were still pretty large (video below).

Video from Surfboards Direct.

Logarithmic Scale

The swell's so big on Tuesday they've had to change the scale on the forecast graph. I'll be at home cooking rice.

The Sun isn't Always Shining

Fun 2-3 footers today tucked into the South corner to find some protection from the wind. Mostly floaters so got some nice lefts, trading waves with Marcus for a magic hour until the tide dropped too far. Bit of a wait but fast down the line fun.

You'll have to take my word for it though as it was hacking it down and the prospect of soaking up some of that clear rainwater whilst trying to catch a photo record of the moment simply wasn't on the cards.

+600%

From 1ft to 6ft in less than 24 hrs. That's the forecast. Will be watching it tomorrow to find the right time to balance between too small and too big. Don't fancy a run in the washing machine this weekend so will probably err on the side of caution.

History

Someone from the Uni Surf Team we started back in 1991 posted some video of a surf spot in Wales and it bought back some strong memories of surfing the place.

The tamer edge of the wedge

If you surf round that area you'll recognise it straight away. It's a dramatic spot, held between two sets of steep cliffs that concentrate the swell inwards into a wedge that makes something out of nothing. Have a look at the vid - swell's no more than 2ft but it pushes it well beyond that on some sets.

A snipper of sessions at this spot;

• Surfing it in Summer when it'd turn long travelled but fairly small swells into a fun afternoon tucked in under the cliff.
• Creeping past the campsite at dawn to avoid unsettling the slumbering crowd so you'd get it to yourselves for at least an hour or two.
• Watching black spots dance around my head as the second wave of the set on a very solid day rolled decided to hold me as an underwater hostage for a little bit longer.
• Jonny making the mistake of bailing is board rather than duck-diving and watching the lip cut his board up into three pieces. Pete had a similar experience.

Not keen on making it more known than it already is so if you're interested in finding it have an explore around the area.

Long Waits - Part 2

It was definitely worth the paddle out into what looked like a flat ocean for the infrequent sets that rolled through. The lulls were basically no waves, interspersed by 2.5ft sets. Making it a dry hair paddle out and attracting a lot of traffic as the trainee duck divers had no white water to contend with so were easily out the back.

Flying through the close out	Heading towards the rocks	A-frame peaks in the middle
Exactly what you want to see on the paddle out	The odd right pushed 2ft.	Tucking in from the sun
Traffic	Tee-ing up the re-entry	Water is still ridiculously blue and clear

Looking Back

Surfing in the UK is tough. Early starts, long drives, you have to be a bit of a mini-weather expert to find those windows of rideable surf, and a bit of a mini-explorer to find spots. But it's this that makes surfing in the UK so great - forget the cold, forget the dark winter months; surfing in locations where you feel like you're the one who discovered it against a backdrop of rising cliffs and rugged coastlines make it all worthwhile.

This video is a small collection taken from years of material filmed between 2002 and 2007 by Big G and Ben. The surf might not be classic, the quality might not be pin sharp (this is from the days of Standard Definition cameras by the way - remember them?), but it's not about that, it's about what surfing in the UK is.

Autumn

The Autumn bite - in so much as it exists here - has hit. And with it comes big South swells; 2nd one of the season rolling in this weekend.

Even Further East

Had three days almost completely off the map this week - even further East than back home. Spent a bit of time wandering an urban wasteland as part of this. Got throughly lost amongst the labyrinth.

Weather made for an interesting flight on the way in and out. Roller coast ride in to land and enough bounces on the way back to have the toddler sat two seats away projectile vomit on arrival. His Mum did what any parent would do in this tricky situation; caught it in her hands. A pair of cupped adult hands don't really hold that much technicolor yawn though. It was an effective strategy for the briefest of moments.

Grubs

They may not be real but they still taste like crap.

Long Waits

You can tell there's something going on when everyone seems to be sat too far out in a flat ocean. Floating 100m from the shore but without a wave or white water wedge in sight.

Very long period swell today but long waits for 2.5ft sets. Still, sun's shining, what more do you want?

Right on Dark

Not enough time for pics today; swell bumped up right on cue of an orange glow sunset. So just a snap of the wave buoy (again) and the 1:2 gradient that showed the swell arriving. Only 45mins in the water at a South facing spot but got some fun 2ft+ waves before it got too dark and thoughts of what was swimming beneath pushed thoughts back to dry land.

The Community

A beautiful shot from Howard, a good mate who lives in SW UK. The light over there is much warmer - less crisp, bright and contrasty, but with shades and depth you don't really get over here. Have a look.

FV:
Neither wind nor swell seems to be materialising ...: Neither wind nor swell seems to be materialising of late, and despite torrential rain for weeks now, our rain drenched isle is under off...

Back to the South

Been blessed with SE and NE swells recently but this weekend we have the first taste of dead South. A real sign of Winter, courtesy of the heaving mass of the ocean around Antarctica which has woken up again after a few months in a (comparatively) quiet state.

Dead South swells come with their own fun and games as East facing beaches can rack all the way from 6ft at the North end to 2ft at the South. Pick your size.

Wave buoys are already showing a shift round to the South (watch the blue line this time around).

Early Start

Pants were laid out and socks chosen last night along with a new plan to shave seconds off the pre-dawn ritual, tracksuit bottoms. One less thing to worry about (no-one's arguing that an elasticated waistband isn't practical).

Meant getting to the beach just as the sun crested the horizon to reveal 3ft of perfection. Groomed banks for almost a week of swell meant real peaks. South West France type peaks (as Aggro would say, or reckon for that matter). Probably stayed in for far longer than I should have but it was just too good. Head high sets, pitching perfectly. There were people tucking in everywhere. Crawled out and to work (on time, yes) feeling a lot better about the rest of the day.

Sunday Service

You sort of know you're going to have a bit of a battle on your hands (but it'll be worth it) when you walk down the path and the see a "Beach Closed" sign. Caught five waves, two on the head, and dodged several freight train sets. After which I was done so gently floated back in. Or maybe, more accurately, found myself being spun round like a cat in a washing machine until I was rudely deposited on the beach.

Wild up the North end	Solid lefts	The rights were giving it a good go too
Point was making the most of the swell	I wasn't the only one trying out the washing machine	..there's one.
Explosive	Windswept	...and there's another one.

Watching the Green Line

Everyone knew the swell would be coming. Though with no bump in swell size showing on the wave buoys, all eyes were on the peak period.

Swells are short travelled round here so when it hits 10 sec you know it's going to be making itself known. Photos of the surf today to follow.

Left Behind

Lots of people sitting just not quite, a smidgen off, the right spot today as the wind flummoxed everyone into "too late!" take-offs and that ultimately frustrating spot of watching a perfect peak roll away ahead of you.

Mexican Stand Off

Am I the only one who finds this type of behaviour from birds creepy? Zoom in and check how focused those eyes are. It felt like it was dissecting my soul. Hitchcock was right.

Wetsuit; The First Time

This is probably mostly for my benefit but in case you've got a touch of the geek in you or just like following a trail to eventually destruction......the gradual, and inevitable deterioration of the new O'Neil wetsuit will be occasionally documented. Will be keeping it infrequent as it doesn't matter how much scientific fascination you have, too many posts on this topic will soon become dull.

First session; so this is what it feels like to be warm and comfortable. Super easy to get into. Warm as toast. (I did provide ample warning of excitement levels).

Note to Self; I am not surfing in a pool

Sometimes it's easy to lose track of the fact that you're floating around in a whole lot of nature when you go surfing. Especially around here where the water is crystal clear. "It's like surfing in Evian" as one visitor from the UK once put it.

Though every so often you do get reminded that you're not totally alone out there. A few years back had the good fortune to be in the water as a pod of dolphins swam straight through the line up. One of them stopping directly underneath then turning on it's side so that it could get a better look. There have been sightings of sharks, plenty of large fish (the more the better so that we don't become #1 menu option), and lots of both familiar and odd birds.

Today was a first though as a giant (and I mean almost 1.5m across giant) ray swam through the line up. It looked like a large patch of seaweed until I paddled over and it decided to move. Being low tide and a shoulder high swell it was shallow and so pretty close. Another timely reminder that I am not actually floating in the local Lido.

Dawn Patrol Prep

Make sure everything's lined up. Socks out, underpants chosen (this is not a decision you want to be grappling with before the dawn light breaks), boards by the front door, wetsuit and towel ready to go. This is the pre-dawn, pre-surf ritual that buys you valuable minutes in the water - all the more valuable given that you have to hit the eject button well before you are done as work is calling - and means you can relegate the waking up time to the walk to the car.

Forecast looks great. 3ft. Offshore. Low tide. Bliss.

Tenuous

So it is a little bit of a weak link to the sea but was lucky enough to go around a submarine this weekend and get a sense of what it's like to be under the ocean (sort of). To be clear this was not your average nuclear submarine but a decommissioned diesel engined beast. Three stories high but still really cramped.

 

The Sweet Smell of New Rubber

After a bit of a trawl bagged a 2011 O'Neil Psycho 2, 3/2mm for $380. Absolute bargain and this ridiculously cheap price neatly provides a ready made counter for any of the unhealthily fashion conscious that attempt to ridicule me for wearing last season's look.

Swell is around pretty much all week so plenty of opportunities to test out exactly how toasty it is. Whatever happens it's going to be better than Sponge Bob.

Sponge Bob

The wetsuit has had it. After being utterly freezing (and it really wasn't that cold) on Wednesday it's time to drop the old wetsuit. It's only function now seems to be to soak up water and leech heat out of my body. It's currently sat in the wetsuit box smelling like an unwashed cat.

Have an eye on a West Lotus 3/2mm (yes we are spoilt that this is my winter suit), though since Marcus has one of these already I might have to switch to an alternate to avoid the Single White Female look.

Small but Perfectly Formed

A little on the small and uber crowded side this morning. Most waves were being molested by floaters but it was perfectly formed.

The Hanging Man

The wetsuit is back to its usual drying spot in the spare bathroom ready to freak out guests.

Not Everyone Was Having Fun

Captured this one a little bit last second and almost missed it so it's a bit of a blurred shot of a late drop that quickly became a head first, backward dive / slide down the face. Not necessarily the most enjoyable of rides.

Cadbury's Cream Eggs

Met this guy on the beach. Had his aggressive face in place on approach but dropped the Cujo look once I said hello.

Corners

[edit; added a couple of shots taken on the long lens on Saturday]
The swell has dropped since yesterday though opted to give it a miss Friday. After the heavy rain the water quality looked pretty average and I didn't want a repeat of the last three weeks.

Corner end of the beach continues its magic run. I don't think I've seen the point work quite so consistently for a long time.

Bit of a rushed picture taken on the phone.

  

Contemplating; crowd vs. quality

Hefty bottom turn

The two modes of the point; from barrel to mush burger