Surf anywhere within an hour or so of Edinburgh – more spots than you can shake a stick at if you go and find them – and windsurfing too, mainly Gullane, but also down the coast in the right direction. I've just worked out I've been windsurfing for twenty years, and surfing for fourteen… and mountain biking two, which explains why I'm Sh@te.

Good combo of weather dependent and non weather dependent sports I reckon. Does mean I have to cancel bike rides with mates if the waves get good though….

SM, Byron has got a lot busier it seems since then. I take it that's Julian Rocks in the first pic and it's a right from The Pass?

Yep – just near The Wreck. There was a bigger peak where locals like Danny Wills were surfing so well, it made my jaw fall off – I'd get a barrel, come out, be very chuffed but also get battered a lot. They'd cruise out of a barrel, bust a big air, cruise back into the barrel, etc – best "live" surfing I have ever seen by miles.

Too Tall – Sam Lamiroy lives in Perranporth now. We are the same age and I competed against him in the semis of a reasonable sized comp when at Uni – funnily enough, he won! He still rips and makes me feel like I should try a bit harder! His backhand is especially strong – proper power surfer.

Sponging Machine – also got a very skinny (18") 6'3" for biggish stuff and a wider (18.5") 6'2" that I should probably sell = both Bunty, both squashtail thrusters. Bunty's been making my boards since I was 15! Really like them.

Great to see a decent number of fellow surfers here!

Creg if you live at Beware falling kooks, then yes there is a right infact two as there is one inbetween us. Sorry for the cloak and dagger talk but its very rear I surf with any one unless I invite them

Yup, Beware Falling Kooks is right on the money. I usually surf a quiet point right hander where the bank is very steep 😉

Didnt realise there was a STW user so close 😆 Ive seen people around on various bikes (Kona Coiler, Spesh Enduro, a Marin) on the country roads near where I live but thats been quite rare.

I've got a 6'0" Bunty fishy thruster, love it.

Bikes take priority but I probably get a surf every coupla months, often brighton way.

lb – nice one! Mine quad is a "bat tail"- the board behind is an old Rod Sumpter longboard that weighs about three tonnes:

oooh, yours look newer than mine!

only pic I can find right now taken at Joss bay in Kent

leggy – assume you are on the left?! That board looks handy for UK conditions!

Yeah, on the left. On the right is my sister, AnaNichoola on here.

The board is great for the SW, but her 21.5" Adams egg is often more fun on south coast wind slop.

Creg if it's the brake I'm thinking of then Ive probably surfed with you! as Ive been surfing there for about 15 years. Before I moved over here I used to spend a lot of time in Sandsend with all the other van dwellers 😆 My bikes are a bit more retro now as I'm getting old, but I often ride the coastal path between were we live as there is some real sweet singletrack 😉 also I normally ride in Guisborough woods on a Thursday evening.
Ps looks like there may have been a small wave at yours this morning as there is a bit of movement over here and its always smaller here 🙄

Used to live in Scarborough and ride a pink longboard with a blue and green paisly deck. Now residing in Cockermouth and the surf is no more 🙁 but the riding is ace 😀

Ps looks like there may have been a small wave at yours this morning as there is a bit of movement over here and its always smaller here

Yep yep. Been looking nice the last couple of days. Was hoping to get in over the weekend as it was firing but had too much on. Really need to start getting back into the water, probably will once Uni has finished.

Yeah we might well have surfed at the same spot. Ive only surfed there a few times with maybe 5 other folks in the water, including Gary from Saltburn. Such a nice break and a really great mellow attitude in the water. Didnt feel bad turning up with a sponge at all 😀

I know Gary, how is he? do you know the Dawn Patrol crew from Flamborough?

I know Gary, how is he? do you know the Dawn Patrol crew from Flamborough?

Havnt seen him for a while but last time I did see him all was good. It was the back end of summer and I think Evan was away in Bali. Nick is now running the surf school and its doing really well. Hes got a couple of instructors working for him and runs a surf club for local kids too. Theyve still got the shop, thats not going anywhere soon (I hope anyway).

Dont know the Dawn Patrol lot. Scarborough way I know Grom and Steve from Fluid Concept, Greg and some of the boys from Secret Spot.

Yeah Mark and Steve are friends of mine and Chris who shapes under Ghost. Tommo, Digga and Ian from Secret Spot and Scotty from Sublime. The Dawn Patrol keep are a great bunch and have taken me to some great secret spots down Flamborough way. Ben from the Surf shop in Whitby was is a good mate and a real good laugh. Every time I am back over that way it is flat 🙁 have you swam through the caves at Flamborough?

Harry who owned Zero G has sold up to some one from Scarborough I think and Ben doesn't work there any more, Garry was well and still picking up road kill the last time I saw him 😆

Mat, when were you at Swansea ? I was there until 97 and still live in South Wales. Evening surfs round Porthcawl are the order the day soon….

Good memories of the Wreck from about 12 years ago – perfect peaks, super easy to surf and nice and hollow. Scared myself thinking the big grey suits out at Tallows though!

Didnt realise Ben had stopped working at Zero G. Nice guy, always had a chat with him whenever I went in.

I was in there a couple of weeks ago and it doesnt seem like a surf shop anymore. A lot more focused on Fashion and less on surfing I feel.

Never swam through the caves at Flamborough. Will have to head down there sometime. Im wanting to get into Cayton for a surf (just to see what its like). When I lived in Scarborough I surfed South Bay a lot. Bought a board from Mark and got to know him and Steve quite well, top guys the pair of them. I think Crawfee is still around and shaping the occasional board. Saw him down at Saltburn a couple of years ago but dont see him too regularly. Sound bloke.

I think one of the S-Spot guys has left and is now running a skateshop on Huntriss Row…cant remember what its called though. Seems like a decent shop though, friendly bunch that are in there (too many annoying teenagers last few times Ive been in though 😆 )

A crowd at my local break is having two in the water! Wouldn't fancy having 200+

Cayton is good but can be great and crowded. Works on different swell directions and tides. I will have to catch up with Ben and his brother, we used to knock around when i lived in Scaborough, I remember 2 A&E trips with him in the same number of nights. My kids live in Scarborough so I am over there quite a lot, last time I was there it was about 2 foot and messy in south bay and I counted 60+ people out, and that was in winter. Its going to be crazy come summer.

STW is all silver surfers surely? 😉

Mat, when were you at Swansea ? I was there until 97 and still live in South Wales. Evening surfs round Porthcawl are the order the day soon….

Good memories of the Wreck from about 12 years ago – perfect peaks, super easy to surf and nice and hollow. Scared myself thinking the big grey suits out at Tallows though!

Same here! Did Materials Engineering for three years. Where did you tend to surf?

Yeah South Bay can get pretty busy and seems to be getting even more popular. I had some busy-ish sessions but the crowds werent nearly as bad as I have seen them recently.

Had some good sessions down there though, including one great swell in late summer where the galleon boat ride came in too close to the beach and nearly got taken out by a set and all the tourists started screaming 😆

Ive got family down in Scarborough so head down there quite frequently. Must take board and suit and go in for a session sometime, maybe at North.

hey mat, I surfed all over really – gennith, the reefs, langland (when there were no other options!), fall bay quite a bit. Been surfing a reef round there recently that picks up tonnes more than Gennith and have had other surfers out at the same time just once! Porthcawl is closer now, so mainly round by Porthcawl more often than the Gower. Still surf with guys from there, most of who did engineering…. (Nick Lavery, Adam Bere, graham Foster, Dooma…). Am sure we will have met before but those years were a bit of a drunken haze of Bentleys and Divas!

btm – aka Pedro

and forgot to mention the Gustaffssons, who are from Falmouth and surf PT, and did engineering

Bintang – now way! I used to know Nick L quite well back in the Uni days. He was very good then (ex Billabong Pro). Surfed Porthcawl a few times (got a pic of it firing a while back) but mostly stuck to north end of Gennith, Crab Island and the Reefs too. I bet we know each other…!

aye, is a small world! did you do the Newquay nationals? I was in the B team a couple of years (towards the bottom of it). Nick is still surfing well, putting most people to shame on his longboard! North end of Gennith is still good, but super busy now when its decent, with most of the Langland boys going there. Probably not a patch on Cornwall in summer though.
I lived on Mumbles Road when I was there (556 and 324) and was there over the weekend for an Afan weekend, where its now full of fancy cafes, wine bars and restaurants with rooms. Not a patch on Bentleys, Neptunes and Cinders! I'm reminising now…

Bintang – did the Nationals one year (2nd) but after Nick stopped running it, the club became run by kooks and so I surfed for the Institute instead! We won that year but much more thanks to people like Rhino Thomas and a couple of others. Also did the SW champs which was just the top 5 Unis – again did okay but nothing all that special.

Got to know quite a few Langland boys which helped when surfing Crab.

I was at Hendrefoilan, then Uplands then Brynmill – had a cracking time!

ha ha, – know what you mean on the club – the beer bong defintely went a bit underground when the club went a bit image conscious!

Hey Mat,

Would you be the same Mat I went to school with at Wadebridge (finished 91) followed by A-level Design at St Awful Sixth Form?

Rob

Rob – indeed! Did you work at the bike hire place for a while (in Wadebridge)?

Spent many a year at the mighty Bridge Bike Hire between Uni etc. now living in Exeter, working for Devon CC for economic migration reasons. Doing lots of riding when I can (18 month baby) but not much surfing. After years of sponging got the 9' 2" Local Hero I'd always wanted. Generally take my board home when visiting Wadebridge.

Where do you ride down west?

Hey Rob – good to hear from you! My sister lives in Exeter (the younger of two sisters). We have also got a baby (19 months old) boy too!

Got a set morning ride around the countryside in Truro but also do lots around Bissoe and surrounding area as well as the odd race – okay that's one race so far…!

Small World innit?!

Charity video of local scene HERE

Not a big fan of longboarding TBH but I realise they are all good (I know Greg too) at their chosen sport 😉 Prefer to smack the cr4p out of hollow waves, get barrelled and get vertical. Maaaan.

SM your not allowed to mention the quad..!!!!

am hoping to get out a bit more(read every monday) once little un has been packed off to skool.
plymuff based so bantham river mouth best break near here.

if anyone is close to me i'd be interested in meeting up/shared driving maybe more 😉

I know a fair few Plymouth and South Devon area surfers. Shout if you want contact details – some are seriously good!

whereas i am quite sh*t due to the fact ive not surfed for yonks!!!
you know martin conelly and ratman etc i guess?

I know ratman and his bro but only know of MC.

Know a lot more good people down this way though!

Seen Mothecombe (where I did a tri last year!) working reasonably well – bit near than Bantham.

ye mothercombe is good on a big sw swell in big winds, never crowded either and only 20mins from my house in plympton.
a few secret spots just the other side of bantham too away from the crowds.
grew up surfing with ratty and coon and mc, nice chaps..
those endurance life events are bluddy exensive arent they? do you do the wadebridge tri? some of my old climbing buddies used to do that most years..they reckoned it was one of the best/easiest/funnerest for sprint distance.
oh i found a nice nreak the other week, never ever seen anyone on it, but can you guess where it is?
full on makeable barrels and it was huge!!!
i'll see if i canm find the pics

The tri was pricey but I won the Sprint category so I got most of the money back 😉

Not done the Wadebridge one (despite my folks living there) as I wasn't keen on the road section but might check it out again now we have an Allez.

I know one or two spots near Bantham. Not sure where you saw waves but having run on the coast path in that area many times, I can probably make an educated guess! Seen some pics of the boys on some mad reef that are very impressive.

Do you do the Soggy Bottoms?