There's Been a Real Drought

It has been ages since I was last in the sea. Well, at least it feels like it. I think it was July. But the drought is soon to be over :)

We tend not to go places too frequently during the summer school holidays - too busy and too expensive.

We'd had a really nice session in June. The surf was really small, but the big banana and I loved it. Nic took her new (my old) board out the back for the first time. It was a nice easy paddle.

Roll on Septmeber and the schools going back!!

Nightsurfing

A buddy of mine sent me this (@tingy - nice one!) and what I fine spot it was. Some stunning footage...

@tingy found it on superpunch

Mickey Smith on BBC 2 - Springwatch 2011

I didn't get to see this on TV the other night, but Springwatch 2011 on BBC 2 had an extract on Mickey Smith.

Once again, some really nice footage!

How to Transport a Surfboard on a Motorbike

So you're a motorcycle fan and need to transport your precious surfboard around with you? Well, this guy has the perfect idea...

Genius!

The Complete Opposite

As I look out the window, my environment couldn't more the complete opposite of this...

New Addition to the Family

I am pleased to announce the latest addition to the family :) A 9'6" Gulf Stream Saunton Foil. Firstly sorry for the really rubbish pictures! It's so cold outside, there's just no way I was taking it out there to photo it. I will have to do some more when I take it out for a sesh.

This is the best one and this is the one I took in the shop with my phone. It's a mustard yellow with black and white pin stripes. Here's a another couple..

And if you look closely (again - rubbish pic sorry!), it says "For Rob by Jools" - sweet :)

This is hopefully going to be a life long relationship and I'm sure we will have our ups and downs. But right now, I need some nice small to medium clean waves so we can get to know each other a little better...

Big thanks to Skelly at Gulf Stream for being a great help in helping get what I wanted and helping Nic work out what design to have on it and a big thumbs to Jools for the shaping magic :)

Once we've settled in, I'll give Finshack a shout to line up some alternative fin action as well :)

Quiksiler Pro - Portugal 2010

So there I was quietly finishing up a nice cup of tea and turned on the live web coverage of the Quiksilver Pro in Portugal (this link may not be available if you read this once the event is over).

Anyway...
I had to take a double look when there are two dudes out surfing with their dogs! The dogs were proper loving it :) I did my best to get some screenshots - which aren't too great, but worthy none the less!

I'm guessing one of the dogs was a seasoned pro - he grabbed the leash as he jumped off after making it all the way to the shore on a super clean wave!

Move over Kelly Slater - make room for Rex!

Goof Board

So I came across this Goof Board action the other day. It's a twist (quite literally!) on the Indo Board that has been around for quite sometime. But the twist on this one is that the board goes from side to side rather end to end. So you get a sideways motion - similar to surfing.

Now given I have a carpenter in the family, I'm sure he could knock me something up as although I am sure it's worth it, $139 is a bit too spenny for me...

Retro Board Challenge - East Wittering

The Retro Board Challenge is on again this year. We went last year and spent some good time with Danny. It's a fancy dress surf comp - what more could you ask for!!

Sebastian Williams - March 2010

This dude is 10! Not 23 but 10!

Fathers & Sons

Just came across this nice little vid on Drift Surf. What a nice idea :)

Gallagher Surfboards

Corduroy Lines posted this sweet little video about Gallagher Surfboards - what a gem!

Beware the Great White

Jesus! Watch out for those Great Whites...

Shaping Tools

I came across the BoardRoom - Legends of surfboard shaping facebook page (via the Finshack facebook page) and saw this great photo of a planer.

Picture courtesy of BoardRoom - Legends of surfboard shaping

That's it really, just thought it was a really nice picture :)

Update: Here's a trailer to the movie...

Pororoca - Surfing the Amazon

I've been planning on riding the Seven bore now for years, but never got round to it. I really should do it - it just seems so busy...

While I was at Danny's in Brighton this weekend we watched this little puppy on TV...

Pretty rubbish quality on here, but worth a watch. If you can't be bothered, cut to 20:40 and see the magic happening.

Don't forget, no diddling in the water!

Paddle Round the Pier - Part 2

So Saturday and Sunday saw our first visit to paddle round the pier in Brighton. We had a great weekend with our friends Danny and Sheri (who have a wicked Type 3 Fastback!).

It all started off for real on Friday when we headed down to The Witterings in what turned out to be an ambitious desire to get in the sea. After a pleasant few hours on the beach, laughing at a chav on a body board, we headed back to Brighton and took a look at the Hot Pipe for a surf. Although small, it was consistent and there were a fair few locals in. Danny hadn't surfed there before even though he has lived in the area for years. So boardies and vest were adourned and we had a great hour or so in the water :) Pizzas and a couple of brewskis in the evening almost instantly made me sleep (which seemed to be a theme for me for the whole weekend - falling asleep that is!).

We headed down to the festival on Saturday after a nice lazy morning. What a cracking event and all for free! There were quite a few exhibitors there, bands playing all day until 10 at night and a fair few things you could have a go at yourself - again free (albeit for a small donation to charity). There were a few guys from a parkour club called Urban Athletics. They were good :)

I think this bad boy belonged to Ocean Sports...

The RNLI did a demo rescue later in the day. It was slightly delayed as they had to go out with the helicopter to perform a real rescue - eek!

The weather was superb as well. The sea was rough and although Brighton Watersports were offering free (small charity donation) use of SUPs and kayaks, they had to stop as the surf was pounding the beach and was pretty difficult to get in and out of the sea. Quite amusing to watch though :)

The evening required a quick trip to a supermarket to get some bangers and burgers as the Brighton Watersports crew and the Brighton Surf Lifesaving Club were throwing a "B" and as Danny and Sheri knew them we tagged along ;)

Sunday saw us heading down to the festival again and there was an Animal Relentless bike tour show on. Pretty impressive stuff! We ate jerk chicken and watched the world go by...

Obviously, in the evening, there was a major requirement to have a quick tasting at the Harveys pub :)

An excellent weekend!

ooh! Forgot to mention these guys at Balsa Surfers. Makers of fine balsa surfboards and fins. Truly gorgeous boards and their fins are an inspiration to me! 

Is Small Always Best?

Had another evening session down at Godrevy tonight. What a great time :) Didn't get down there until half seven, but being summer, the sun was still shining and there were some nice small waves.

Two nights on the trot is has been like this and two nights on the trot I have had a great time. Easy to get out and with a good paddle, the waves caught have been slowly peeling and holding me in nicely.

I've had so many nice sessions when the conditions have been like that - it's becoming my preference. A Californian experience in Cornwall!

Surfplug Day - 1st August 2010

Finshack and Surfplugs are putting on a surfplug day in Polzeath on 1st August 2010 :) I'm hoping to get down there for it. Will be able thank Gavin in person then for helping me out with the templates!!

Picture courtesy of http://finshack.blogspot.com/

I've been thinking about getting some of these as they seem to be the best around. I have been trying out with a set of cheapo ones and they are good, but leak :( Once they leak I have to take them out. So fingers crossed I can get down there and do the biz. I'm thinking all black with a skull and cross bones on - obviously ;)

Might investigate a new fin as well!!

Gwithian A Go-Go

We're back from a few days in Cornwall and my first kite session in ages. This wasn't a proper holiday as Nic has had an operation on her shoulder and it was in Exeter. So after a few days there (of me rocking it up in a nice hotel - St.Andrews - Exeter - which by-the by was good value and very nice) we decided to head to our friends in Cornwall. It was closer then going all the way home and nicer! :) Nic mostly slept and I mostly worked.

What a wally! I forgot to take my camera and we spent one night from about 9 til midnight, just sat in Gwithian car park watching the sun go down - it was stunning - as always.

I managed a couple of sessions in the sea. I can't remember what days, but the first session was pumping! Too big for me ;) I stuck at it though with my shorter board and although I was getting tired from the constant bashings, I managed to get some nice waves.

The second and third sessions were back on the log again. I've got to be honest, I always like to think I like the shorter board, but my heart is with the plank. Got a few sweet ones and I was happy.

I used my summer suit for the first time this year - all good! No boots and gloves and the feeling of being almost nude - hehehe! It's such a difference. I dropped of my winter suit off with Adam at Overhead in Newquay (sorry - Newquoi!) to be fixed - the damned thing is falling to bits :( Maybe line a new one up next summer...

We should be heading back down to Exeter again in 5 to 6 weeks for a follow-up for Nic. Fingers crossed we can land it near a weekend to get another sneaky one in ;)

Made Another Fin

Having had a reasonably good success with Fin 1, I thought I would give another shape a go. We had a piece Alaia wood leftover from a table we made for the hallway so I used that - thanks to he guys at Loose Fit in Braunton.

I'm pretty happy with the way this came out. It was a much nicer wood to work with than the ply. In hind site, I think I would have preferred to have done the other shape with this wood, but it might be a nice addition to the underside of the table ;)