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It started out so well...my alarm went at 6:30 and I hit snooze...2 minutes later and a text arrived – Tim wasn’t coming and sent his apologies. Of course I figured this was Steve so decided to change my plans, sling some (more) rods in the van, grab some bait and head for Gorleston to meet up with Jason and Tim once they arrived on the water. First though, I had to defrost my windscreen...yep, it was a snowy weekend again.
I’d got a couple of miles when my phone went – I couldn’t answer as I was all tangled with camera, aquapack etc so pulled in a short while later to see what it was...Steve had left a message as he’d passed me and wondered why I’d changed the plan (he was coming to mine so we could drive the 8 miles back to the start point once we arrived back in Lowestoft). Bugger - Tim’s text had thrown me out.
Belatedly we met up...then went back to Steve’s for hat, PFD etc. Originally the plan had been to launch around 7am...it was about 8:15 when I got on the water, planning to surf a bit while waiting fro Steve to get sorted (back to the plan of paddling south) but although there were some good waves I could never get in the right position to pick them up. By 8:30 Steve was on the water and we paddled down towards Lowestoft, having crossed the frozen and snow-covered sandy beach.
So much for the expected strong spring tide – we’d missed it. Stopping paddling we were drifting so slowly we figured Lowestoft was out – the tide would turn before then. So, Hopton? Seemed good enough plan, Steve’s wife’s car was there...
...by the wreck of the White Swan we decided, bored now, to head in and chat to some beach anglers to see how they were getting on. One of them landed a mighty 4 inch whiting in the half hour we were there but that was it. Nice chaps. The tide slackened off now so we headed back for Gorleston. It was a lovely clear, bright, crisp morning to be out but neither of us could get much enthusiasm together.
...Until, of course, we saw what fun we could have surfing the Scuppers ;D
There were some decent waves here, rebounding all over the place from the pier and breakwater and creating big peaks of water when they crashed into each other, flattening each other out and sneaking the odd good wave through at various angles...I took one at a 45 degree angle to the beach from a couple of hundred yards out, zoomed along the beach and then in towards it, close into the shore and then around, up and over...fantastic! One of my top 3 rides to date and I didn’t fall off ;D It was a fast one and was kind to me.
Steve followed me in and then we played some more. Going out was great and we were leaping over waves like Hawaii-5-0...3ft drops on the other side! It was tricky surfing in though as we kept getting caught in low areas as the waves went through either side of us but we had a good few waves each. I headed right over to the clapotis for a while and tried to surf a couple of peaks in deeper water – these were fun and gave immense acceleration but then disappeared after a short run. I took another rebound parallel to the beach that had some real power behind it – it was a fast run that one. Another memorable run was taking one of these peaks, having it disappear only to be followed a second later by a wave that took me a bit further in before leaving me to yet another that took me straight into the beach...riding three different waves in over a couple of hundred yards.
A fun morning after all.
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