So who surfs?

Matteeboy

No not poncing about on the internet - I mean "real" surfing!

Been at it since I was 14 (now 32) and we've just had a rather amazing week of waves.

Here's a pic from a while back -me on the front wave.



Used to compete but a bit old now - the most fun yet most frustrating sport EVER!

GT Destroyer

Me and easyg went to France (with the wives in tow) and tried out bodyboarding. He had done it before in some Malaysian Phillipino location when he was travelling.

It was great fun - We both got some sort of a wave during our time in the soup. I got absolutley creamed by quite a big wave, I was stood up, board in hand, looking towards the beach, easy was too far away and I couldn't hear him shouting and I got absolutley splattered by it!!

We were on the West coast of France, near to Hossegor where they held the world pro tour earlier on this year - Which we stood on the beach and watched!!

Whereabouts do you surf?

dirtbiker100

Done a fair bit of bodyboarding, surf boards more expensive and wouldn't use it enough to be honest. Wearing my surfers against sewage hoody as I type actually. No better feeling in the world than riding a wave. Not even mtbing, and I'm obsessed with bikes! shame waves are inconsistent. some nice waves in that pic, so clean. Was at uni in Bournemouth (another reason for not having enough money for a surfboard!) and it was always so messy down there.

Matteeboy

Oops - Forgot to check this thread again!

I live near Truro so surf Porthtowan a lot but also go further if needed.
Grew up in Polzeath so surfed a lot there, went to Uni in Swansea so know the Gower well and had our honeymoon in Oz ans NZ - five months of surfing.
Surfed France and Portugal a lot too - love both places. France gets REALLY good as does the West coast of Portugal.

Bournemouth can get okay but it's a shame it doesn't get more swell.

Looking okay for Saturday

warm18

i love surfing. been doing it since i was 7ish although i could only do it for about 7 weeks of the year while i grew up. now i am currently living in newquay which is great for it alhtough havent been out recently for a number of reasons. its a great sport but as you say can be frustrating.
surfed a fair bit in france too down near biarritz. its great down there when the surf's good

BlackSpur

I've never surfed proper, but I've done a bit of bodyboarding and had a weeks windsurfing in Cyprus - absolutely loved it! Hoping to do some more next summer, maybe at Rutland Water.

Matteeboy

Hey warm - I remember you posting on the "Cornwall" thread.

You surf too and live in Newquay?

We must meet up at some stage!

Tolcarne been fun recently.

warm18

hey mattee, nice pics. i do indeed, havent been out on tolcarne for a while. lusty glaze is now the local for me so surf there most times. wheres yours?
one question id like to ask you is which one do you put over the other. when the surf is ok but i reckon i could have more fun and get more exercise biking i will always go biking. bit of a shame because i wont be here maybe much longer than a year and feel im missing out.

i was thinking of going to poldice valley this sat and maybe part of the coast to coast trail if you fancy it?

Tim in Yorkshire

I surf too when the weather/my free time/state of hangover allow.

Saltburn is my local spot.

I'm pretty rusty, and haven't been out on my short board for over a year, been taking the easy longboard option recently.

Fab Foodie

I surfed proper from the age of 10 until mid 20's I guess when I moved to London. Been a couple of times since, but was completely unfit. An old surfing pal and I had a "Big Wednesday" style re-union about 8 years ago now at Constantine (we were into our late 30's I guess), it was a pretty big day..nearly killed us, one wave each and we were done-in!

In our heyday we surfed mostly Croyde Puttsborough, Fistral, Perranport, Sennen, Marloes sands/Whitsands( S. Wales), Sidmouth occasionally when desperate and the Crozon peninsular in Brittany.

Loved-it.
Now 3 kids later we head to SW France or N. Spain and we all ride boogie boards and have a whole heap of fun!

It's a great sport, I still have friends from those great days of my youth who still live the life and ride regularly....me I'm fat 45 unfit and a long way from the sea...but surfing is still in my soul.

dirtbiker100

Fab Foodie wrote:

but surfing is still in my soul.

once you've had a proper go it always is and always will be!

Matteeboy

Warm - for me surfing always takes priority.
Much as I love cycling (we do ten miles every morning), surfing is my true passion.
Think I might be surfing Saturday but will let you know.

Used to rep for Rip Curl, used to compete, was sponsored ages ago, founder member of Polzeath SLSC, and am a general lover of the sea.

I tend to surf Porthtowan - it's probably the most powerful, hollow beachbreak in the SW (although Praa gets nice too) but when there's a SWerly blowing, I tend to surf Towan/Great Western/Tolcarne.

If any of you are ever out, look for one of the boards in this pic -the red one is wifes (she now has a more full on board), the other two are mine - a 6'3" and a 6'2"



Cool to hear from fellow MTBing surfers!

Oh and spending Xmas day out at sea on the inlaws new Yacht - A Fisher 46 motorsailor: (terrible mobile phone pic!)



Bit ugly but built for heavy seas.

Matteeboy

Wife got a pro photographer to take a pic of me (in secret) then gave me a framed version for Christmas - Cool!

Me, Godrevy, November this year:

ginger spazz

i have been surfing for 2 years now...half of my family live on the gold coast in australia...i have been told i have a natural ability..i could stand up straight away...scince starting i have surfed competativly and been offerd sponsorship...surfing or mtb?

i have a 6"1 boared by rusty..haven seen her in a while though..:( no swelll were i am

Matteeboy

You surfed for two years and got offered sponsorship?! :shock: :shock:

I used to get "free" wetsuits and half price boards many years ago but that was after five years of non stop surfing.

Good on you if that'a true (I admit to some scepticism...
)

patchb

Ive been bodyboarding pretty seriously for the last year and a half. Spent some stupid amount like £800 on it but its worth it. Tbh i enjoy it a lot more than cycling but the waves are too inconsistent. Surfed porthtowan a couple of times in the summer and it was amazing and i also surfed fistral but it wasnt so good. I skimboard a lot when theres no waves at my local beach and ive also skimmed sennen cove and penzance which were good.

ginger spazz

Matteeboy wrote:

You surfed for two years and got offered sponsorship?! :shock: :shock:

I used to get "free" wetsuits and half price boards many years ago but that was after five years of non stop surfing.

Good on you if that'a true (I admit to some scepticism...
)

lol i see where your coming from but yes its true..it wasnt a big sponsorship just enough for discount and odd free leash or fins etc....u seriously should think about going to australia if surfing is your thing..its mental..you imprve soo much! great weather and hot chicks too

Matteeboy

ginger spazz wrote:

Matteeboy wrote:

You surfed for two years and got offered sponsorship?! :shock: :shock:

I used to get "free" wetsuits and half price boards many years ago but that was after five years of non stop surfing.

Good on you if that'a true (I admit to some scepticism...
)

lol i see where your coming from but yes its true..it wasnt a big sponsorship just enough for discount and odd free leash or fins etc....u seriously should think about going to australia if surfing is your thing..its mental..you imprve soo much! great weather and hot chicks too

We spent our honeymoon in Oz and NZ - six months of constant surfing
Barrels galore at Byron

allthegearnoidea

i used ot bodyboard a lot in my teens but sort of gave up in the late teens early 20's, spend a lot more time sailing then, have revived my urge to get back out but as yet only got as far as getting my old (now close to Vintage!!) body board out and getting it ready, although need a new leash and a wetsuit lol so may be some time!
spend a lot of time down at portreath mainly watching and occasionally over at porthtowan, (unicorn was one of my favorite chilled out pubs)
may be this year i'll pluck up the courage to get back out!!

Matteeboy

Shout when you are next about - I surf Porthtowan a lot.
Lovely surf at Godrevy on New Years day

varno

Just got bacv from 3 weeks in Byron Bay mate.....now thats surfing!!

Matteeboy

Varno - Spent a week there as part of our honeymoon.
Pants for a few days then total barrelling perfection at the wreck

Pre digi camera though so all barrel pics wife took are only prints.

allthegearnoidea

am down godrevy quite a bit in the summer with my Daughter (now 17 months!) cracking beach! will keep an eye out for the boards!!
was down at porthtowan towards the end of the summer when it was a good solid 4-5ft and clean sunshine and blue skies! some cracking waves both body and stand up ers, kind of what spurred me onto to trying to get back out!!
its been that long that i dont even know if my old Bz board still floats hahahah!

Matteeboy

Reckon PT is one of the best beachbreaks in the UK

Which is handy as its my closest beach
You live nearby?

allthegearnoidea

yeah, up in illogan (the nicer end! hahah!) takes me just over 7 minutes to get from my house down to portreath through Illogan woods! slightly quicker than if in the car!!

Matteeboy

Wife rides (a horse) just nr Pulla Cross (nr Frogpool) so I often drive to Bissoe and either run a 4.5 mile route or take the bike and cycle a 10ish mile route with our dog.

Like that route because it's usually not too muddy.

I'm in Malpas, two miles outside Truro - love it here.

allthegearnoidea

i tend to go from illogoan out through norhtcountry through radnor to Scorrier and onto the mineral Tramway to portreath and back up through Illogan woods - 10 mile or out to tehidy round the woods and then across the top and down to portreath through gwel an more site, about n 8 mile run, both quite nice rides! either one lets me rest at Portreath to nosey at the surf!!!