agree with all of previous surfing great but unless on doorstep sort of fighting losing battle with travel etc. nearest decent surf for me north devon so from london 4 hours in van realistically and costs money prefer cornwall but another 50 miles on top. tried bournemouth once was very underwhelmed but when heard about reef was over the moon to think could have good surf 2 hours away and then oh dear what a disaster the reef dont work or if it does you have to be a lot better then me to use it and now they might get rid of it. so riding it is 30 min to north downs or out of front door on road bike no brainer really but still go to south west for a week a year in autumn or spring to get wet
Be careful though, saw some guy who's sail seemed to have snapped off, it was about 50 feet in the air on a big lanyard dragging him along at a hell of a rate!
You mean a Kitesurfer?
Off to Croyde this weekend, which is the next bay down from Woolacombe. I agree about checking out second hand kit, I try and go about 8-10 weekends a year, started with just another family, this weekend there will be 12 of us messing in 2-3 feet swells 😉
I'd seriously recommend to anyone buying a board, even if only planning 2-3 trips per year. I spent years messing around on crummy hire boards and never really progressing. Last year took the plunge and spent £600 on a custom Magic Carpet from these guys:
[url= http://www.gulfstreamsurfboards.co.uk/surfboards.html ]Gulfstream[/url]
What a difference it's made to my surfing - like night and day compared to the inconsistency of heavy and battered hire boards. Yes £600 is a lot of money, but I'll probably keep the board for the next 10-15 years so it will more than pay for itself in the long run.
It also means that I'm not limited to beaches or hours when the hire shops are operating opening up a wealth of possibility - as proved at Whitesands last year when the waves were ridiculously clean, but my mate had to wait a whole frustrating hour on the beach watching everyone else until a hire board became available.
Could have spent half of that and gone for a generic moulded board from the Far East, but I like the idea of having something unique, hand shaped and personal, plus supporting the British shapers and local surf industry.
Do it - it will make a huge difference to the way you ride and progress.
As someone i know said - 'the most frustrating, poorest return for limited time thing i have ever done'. I totally agree. I have surfed for over 12 years and live 15 mins from the nearest beach, but have only been in once this year. I have lost the bug because the waves and conditions are just so inconsistant in the UK, and i want to make the most of my free time.
Last year took the plunge and spent £600 on a custom Magic Carpet from these guys:
Do it - it will make a huge difference to the way you ride and progress.
or you could buy one s/h. my magic carpet is great and cost £100 from gumtree...
I have been into surfing on and off for a while, have a couple of boards a 7'2" mini-mal and a 6'7" shortboard. Never been able to use the shortboard successfully in the UK! I bought it back from NZ where I spent several months doing nothing much else other than surfing. It was great out there but after returning to the UK and surfing much much less, the mini-mal is my preferred choice.
I'm looking at getting into kite-surfing, due to UK conditions seeming to favour it more than surfing.
Still, nothing beats dropping into a sweet wave
I have lost the bug because the waves and conditions are just so inconsistant in the UK, and i want to make the most of my free time.
Can understand where you are coming from on that, last year we had two weeks in Cornwall, most of it was horrible westerly windslop, the one morning when it was off-shore was more than worth it though. 😀
I'm looking at getting into kite-surfing, due to UK conditions seeming to favour it more than surfing.
Can't be doing with all the faff of pumping the kite up, sorting ropes out etc etc - may as well go sailing.
Can't be doing with all the faff of pumping the kite up, sorting ropes out etc etc - may as well go sailing.
But that's all the faff there is, pump up kite, unwind lines and off you go. With sailing the faff never stops, but that's the point isn't it?
One the great things about living in Brissle and having both bikes and a board.
Check eyeball and magic seaweed on a Friday. Looks good, load up the board, looks flat get the bike over to the Brecons/quantocks/ fod etc ... Or just mince round Ashton court, coffee in Clifton and watch the girls go by.
It's a simple life really!
Another one of the 'love surfing but not really a surfer' gang. It's bloody difficult... but that's part of the appeal.
Off to see if anything is brewing for this weekend.. .
Still, nothing beats dropping into a sweet wave
yeah it does..
dropping into a warping, pitching beast of wave and making it out in one piece...
I'm looking at getting into kite-surfing, due to UK conditions seeming to favour it more than surfing.
Go for it - kitesurfing is easily as much fun as surfing, probably more fun and less frustrating 90% of the time (I do both). Plus you can kitesurf in waves - the best of both worlds. Not too much faff either - arrive at beach, choose kite size, pump up, unwind and attach lines and then out, 10-15mins maximum. What's not to like?
Mal = 29er
mini-mal = 26er
shortboard = BMX
SUP = CX bikes (rubbish if it's lumpy )
😯
ditto the comment on your first green face - beat my first barrel for me, if I'm honest.
Some of the best experiences of my life so far have been down to surfing, the travelling and the people you meet through it...
Living in swindon needn't stop you if you choose the right kit and have the time - enjoy!! Its worth looking into South Wales, Porthcawl area, as that's probably easier to get to and even doable in the evenings after work.
My parents live near Saunton and the kite surfers look like they get a lot more action.
I'm there quite a bit and I can't say I've seen waves that look like the ones in Byron Bay.
I will add that I know nothing about surfing except that the waves that curl over look good.
I have lost the bug because the waves and conditions are just so inconsistant in the UK, and i want to make the most of my free time.
+1
Been surfing for years but recently the inconsistent conditions here in the North East have resulted in virtually no water time for me over the last couple of years. Even when there is swell it hasn't been anything spectacular. Shame really as I have a super heavy reefbreak 30 seconds from my front door.
I have lost the bug because the waves and conditions are just so inconsistant in the UK, and i want to make the most of my free time.
+2
I'm finding that good conditions on the sarf coast are pretty infrequent, certainly over the summer.
I knew that anyway when we moved here, but it still hurts when I'm away and it's 4ft and clean. 🙁
Had all sorts of boards over the last 20 years but the one Ive had the best times with is this hybrid (I have the 7'6" tufflite version).
Goes alright in small sloppy waves but comes alive at waist to shoulder height, awesome when its pumping and can be used in quite big waves. Paddles well for if there are strong currents.. duck dives no problem... under 8' so most airlines take it and easy to travel with...
With one of these, a MTB and a road bike there's never a dull day 💡
ditto the comment on your first green face
My first green face was in Scarborough, in December, when it was snowing. Also our car got nicked while we were in the water (driver fail on hiding keys). Still couldn't wipe the smile from my face!
Go for it - kitesurfing is easily as much fun as surfing, probably more fun and less frustrating 90% of the time (I do both). Plus you can kitesurf in waves - the best of both worlds. Not too much faff either - arrive at beach, choose kite size, pump up, unwind and attach lines and then out, 10-15mins maximum. What's not to like?
I'm wondering if I'll get good enough to use my shortboard with a kite... definitely best of both then!
Kite surf and surf here. A great surf session wins hands down to a great kitesurf session.
Its just a great surf session is rarer than a good kitesurf session.
By a great surf session I mean a decent reef with just a couple of mates out - doesn't happen many times a year.....
There are NO utterly magnificent, draw droppingly beautiful, soul purifyingly spectacular surf spots anywhere near south west/west Wales.
Don't bother looking.
Nothing to see here.
Go home and ride your bike.
Honestly.
Mal = 29er
mini-mal = 26er
shortboard = BMX
SUP = CX bikes (rubbish if it's lumpy )
So what do my 2 ten foot 25lb 1960's Bilbo's equal?
Anyone want to buy?
mattsccm - MemberSo what do my 2 ten foot 25lb 1960's Bilbo's equal?
Anyone want to buy?
Are they original 60's or repros? Condition? Price? Location? Might be interested, I NEED a bigger board. 😉
With weather forecasts and surf forecasts you can head up to Thurso (2hrs 20 mins) and have amazing waves. Only problem is.. I'm too scared to go out in Thurso East when it's going off so I take pics of the waves and head around to Melvich or Strathy as it's just too good/dangerous when I get there!
If it's crap you can always drive back home and stop off at Golspie at the half way point.
I'm too scared to go out in Thurso East when it's going off...
I can appreciate that. 😯
'I understood how it worked'
well done, bet you bought a t-shirt too!
i've been surfing for over 30 years, my whole life has been shaped by surfing, and i still don't get the entirety of it. on my best day i maybe just glimpse it.
lets face it, you can either ride a board or surf a wave. 99% of the idiots these days who litter the line ups are the former.
Get orf my waves!
Locals rule right?
lets face it, you can either ride a board or surf a wave. 99% of the idiots these days who litter the line ups are the former.
That's a bit like
lets face it, you can either ride a bike or flow down a trail. 99% of the idiots these days who litter the car parks at trail centers are the former.
Obviously everyone thinks they're just good enough to avoid bing in the below average category.
lets face it, you can either ride a board or surf a wave. 99% of the idiots these days who litter the line ups are the former.
Been doing it on and off for 20 years. And that's me in the 99% above.
The difference between bellyboarding and bodyboarding: great advice from Bodyboard HQ.
http://www.bodyboardhq.co.uk/buyingadvice/advicebodyboards.html
your only in that 1% if you can 'reo til your hips ache'
Wondering which part of the SSB jam bo is 😕
A not very active one but who could forget a phrase like that...
Whatever happened to the SSB?
I am thinking Jacques La Cointe??? We are still there compact and bijou.
The originator of the phrase has left but still lurks.
Sounds lame but I actually can't remember. I stopped visiting about the time of that delusional nutter. Ed?
Oh ok well Ed eventually took it down, it was resurrected by two members and now lurks in the world that cant be found on search engines.
Started surfing 10 years ago, usually every other month but haven't been in now since march last year! Pretty shocking! ...Just live too far inland (wilts)
Normally stick the board in the van when biking near surf (wales)but that hardly ever works out.
Tempted to bring my board to mondraker enduro next week and take monday off to surf ...guaranteed to be flat! 🙂
Will be frustrating after not doing it for so long, but still worth it!
Yey!
Managed to get in the surf fri before enduro ...got up after a few attempts ...felt soooo good! 😀
Got to try do this more often (and I was thinking of selling my board? ...crazy!)
Great start to a great weekend.
Damn you all, my nice quiet relaxing family holiday to Newquay has now been ruined. I'm booking a board and suit for the week and going to be getting up at stupid o'clock to go for a paddle 😡
Haven't been surfing for about 18 years and then it was mainly bodyboarding. Seems a shame to waste the chance to have another go, I always miss it when I'm down there, just can't go in when the kids are awake.
In Cornwall next week, bike and boards are coming with me 😀
