Boring surf thread

Surf-Matt

Just been for a surf at my local break - nothing unusual in that.

However it was OUTSTANDINGLY good. Anyone that could take a decent drop and bottom turn was getting fully slotted (barrelled) - constant perfect waves and not even crowded.

That and my new bling saddle arriving today (bling seatpost arrived yesterday) and all is FINE!!

MissBint37

Doesn't sound boring to me Sounds like you've had a good day....we could all do with more good days!

Sadly my surfing skills are non existant, I tried it many moons back and almost knocked myself out and gave myself a massive nose bleed oops!

Enjoy though

junglist_matty

Awesome dude...

I used to bodyboard (your probably gonna slate me now lol) - did it for about 7 years, used to go down to Croyde a lot, but then thanks to the little pink shop website and they're daily surf photo's along with features in just about every UK bodyboard/surf mag it got very crowded very quick and not so great anymore!

Been all over the world....

- France (4 weeks in Hossegor 2001)
- Canary Islands (2 weeks in Gran Canaria in 2002)
- Costa Rica (4 weeks 2003)
- Scotland (4 weeks in Thurso 2004)
- Indonesia (Bali, Lombok & Sumbawa for 6 weeks in 2005)

My friend has a second house in Marazion near Penzance that we used to go down a lot, we found most of the secret spots down there from biking along the costal path when the surf was firing just to find them rather than go out surfing which sucked at the time, but when you find an empty peak its worth it!)

Where do you surf?

blister pus

I'm a reasonable wakeboarder and took to it instantly but found surfing hard to get into in comparison, many wasted but enjoyable hours trying though. I can stand up and catch a wave, that's about it though and I live nowhere near enough to the sea to get any practice in.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcaZarxilJQ

^ Laird's wave at Teahupoo - never get sick of watching it. And Riding Giants is one of my favourite films, I reckon. 8)

Surf-Matt

Matty - nice one! No harm in sponging either.

I live nr Truro but grew up nr Polzeath. Tend to surf Porthtowan a lot (where I went today), Perranporth, south end of Gwithian and then a few semi secret South coast spots.

Recently stayed in Porthleven for a week and scored the reef head high and perfect!

Our honeymoon was travelling in OZ and NZ for 5 months - scored amazing waves all over, especially South NZ.

My avatar pic (full one below) was taken at Godrevy a couple of years ago - have a fair few shots but this is probably the best one:



Have surfed:

SW France - many times
Lanzarote
Portugal (Ericeira) many times
NZ - all over
NSW in Oz - all over
Most of the UK

Used to rep for Rip Curl, used to be a surf judge, used to compete, have minor sponsorship, blah, blah blah but also used to be a bit of an academic achiever until I took up surfing - been at it 20 years now!

Miss Bint:

Sliced top lip in half with fin (Mrs Matt fainted when she saw it)
Dislocated shoulder in the sea about 10 times.
Bust nose.
Sliced open hand several times (on reefs)
Broken ribs
Nearly drowned (black out stage) twice
Cracked my nads a few times
Caught a few nasty illnesses from the water

And a few others.

But it's all brillant fun!

Now if you're both still awake, I'm impressed!!!

junglist_matty

Quality, only reason I quit really was because I moved to Cambridge and its pretty far from anywhere with decent surf, did check out a few spots on the east coast, but they're pretty crap and work about once a year!

I've never actually surfed Porthleven, seen it firing a few times, but the crowds put us off paddling out.... my favourite spot in the UK has to be Porthcurno (used to be empty all the time, but its probably a bit more well known now), the wedge there is so much fun, probably not so great for you stand up's, although there's a nice peak in the next bay where the nudist beach is and I think that place is secret.

Also there's a place called Cabbage Patch, don't know if you know it or not, but that can fire pretty well, its right next to my mates house thats how we found it!

But yeah, know a few secret places, but guessing thanks to wannasurf they're not so secret anymore! Anywhere in the UK is not really secret anymore!!!! One place I did wanna surf was Ireland but never got out there!

I've had a few hairy moments, went on a boat trip in indo, went to Desert point and it was HUGE, like seriously huge, the waves were 2.5m at the face, we were on the boat with a few pro french spongers, a couple of the better ones got in the water but none took off, it was seriously massive - the swell was so big that a little wave appeared in the Gili Islands which we were able to surf, the locals said they'd only seen a wave there about 10 years ago, so that was a really cool moment of the trip (even though the waves were small - about 3ft at the face, but about 1ft deep lol!)

Scariest moment probably of my life was at Scar Reef, went surfing there, and the waves were a solid 6ft (so about 8-10ft faces), I tried catching the last wave of the set which was slightly smaller, maybe about 7 ft face, but just missed it, ended up about 20m inshore then paddling back out the guy in the boat was shouting at me and my mate loudly to swim for our lives, got over the back of the wave and saw a monster, it was at least double overhead, a solid 15ft face and I knew it was going to break right on my head! my heart stopped and I had about 3ft water before the reef!!!! - I just thought to myself I have to try and duck dive it knowing it would rip me to shreds and drag me on the reef, somehow god was on my side, did the most perfect duck dive ever and came out the back, only to find there was another one a few feet bigger than the previous, to which I thought it wouldn't happen again, and I'd been dragged back a bit by the first wave so got off my board, sunk like a stone and grabbed a rock on the reef hoping I'd be able to stay there, ended up slicing a nice gash down one of my fingers and a nice hole on the top of my foot, a few scratches here and there but I survived and got out shaking like a leaf! Was the scariest moment of my life by far!!!!

But yeah, had loads of hold downs, especially at France, the currents are pretty strong thanks to the nice shorebreaks and they can be super scary!!!! I'll see if I can find a pic from the Scar Reef day, I did take a couple after I got out so they must be somewhere!

Zeroman_IR

Only just getting into it myself. At the standing up and going in a straight line stage Great complementary sport to MTBing though, very good for the upper body. Generally go to either Inch or Dumps here in Kerry. Was at Castlegregory (Dumps) on Tuesday, it was BIG. 2.7m waves according to windguru. Had water coming outta my nose whenever I bent over for about a day after :oops:

Surf-Matt

Inch can get VERY good indeed

Matty - interesting reading! Scared myself silly a number of times too!

.blitz

Obv. Staffordshire is not the greatest place to live for surf action but I like to get down to Polzeath/Holywell when I can esp later in the year. I am fundamentally crap at surfing and need 4ft-and-clean minimum before I can do anything

Surf-Matt

Blitz - it's all good though.

This was my local on Saturday - check the lines of swell (meaning a very good quality groundswell) and the left hand barrel - it was firing!!

2tired2ride

Damn man I wish I lived closer to the surf. Plus I can't drive

I longboard and am trying to get my cross overs dialed. I can cross over to the front but then my legs get confused on the way back and get tangled (and I then fall off). Also trying to hang five with out slowing down too much befor then running to the nose and running out of board speed as I slowed down too much.

But love surfing and practice on my longboard skateboard.

fred1star

Managed to go for a surf sunday at croyde, swell had dropped a bit by then and only had my sponge with me.... still fun in the water is what its about..

I have tried to surf a few places (ever learning it appears) Margarat River, Albany (Mainly western Oz), Bali & Lombok

Surf-Matt

My local on Saturday...