Watergate Bay 7am, it’s raining. I never realised how nice it is to sit in the rain.
It’s September, Autumn is in the air. I’m out the back, the waves are small but perfect. A light offshore is blowing, and I can see other surfers at the South end of the beach but at the North end, it’s just me. Epic!!
What a Summer it’s been, one heat wave after another, the UK has recorded some of its hottest temperatures for over a century, we’ve all been baking for weeks.
Boardmasters was super cool this year, one of the best so far. For 5 days in August Newquay welcomed 90,000 frothing festival goers; blazing sunshine, a WQS contest, waves and a sick line up, what else could you ask for?
On the last night we watched Kings of Leon and 12 hours later we were in Nottingham at the LTA National Championships. I’ve only missed this tournament once in 15 years. Last time we were here one of the players I coach won the 18U title whilst still in the 16U age group. So far this year it’s a different story. They say “it’s not the winning that counts, it’s the taking part,” whatever!! Does anyone really believe that? Competing is a much more enjoyable experience for the player and coach if the player is winning.
July we were in Spain, it was rad !! Ripping on the red hot clay everyday in 40 degree heat. The players were warriors, on court at 8.30AM, break for lunch, then striking again all afternoon. One day it was so hot there was a 2ft high heat haze radiating off the courts. We made a film of the trip, follow the link below to see the full edit on YouTube.
June we scored waves in Ireland. It was flat at home, I was checking magic seaweed one morning and could see a swell tracking across the North Sea. I called my mates and we left that afternoon. By 9am the next day we were surfing perfect head high rights on an empty reef break.
For 2 weeks we scored waves, drifting between Sligo and Mayo following the wind and swell. One night we made camp at a secret spot in Mayo and went to the pub. A trad session was on and before we knew it one pint led to a few. I woke at first light, to the sound of waves breaking. My mates were still sleeping. Windguru had forecast light offshores until 9AM and howling onshores by 11AM so I suited up and paddled out. Overhead waves, light offshores and no one around, for 2 hours I scored empty Irish perfection.
My mates appeared at 8.30, I could see them making their way across the reef to the channel. As they paddled out the wind went fully onshore. I caught the first wave of the next set, accelerated off the bottom and raced as fast as I could towards the channel. One minute later I was standing on the reef laughing at them as they tried to find a clean face in a 40mph North Westerly. It’s true, “the early bird catches the worm.”
We’ve got loads of cool stuff coming up; pre-season at the Uni starts next week, then we’re back in Ireland. November we’ve got tournaments in Croatia and December a training camp in Spain.
Even better than all that though, is the endless swell Cornwall always gets in Autumn and Winter. Low pressures, lines stacked to the horizon, and heaps of pumping waves.
Fully amping !!!
