Monday had a cracking forecast for surf, big swell and winds from the north / north east but there was just one problem for me and that was the tide times. My surf spot is at its best on the lead-up and onto to high water but with high being a couple of hours before I could get there I was kind of stuffed. I had to look though and so, an hour after on my way back from work I stopped for a look to see two boardies riding the last of the decent waves in the most glorious, vivid, wintery sunrise. It looked beautiful and I was envious in the extreme. But I was cold too; a day at home.
Tuesday morning, high water an hour later, if I rushed I could be on the water for the remains…a smaller day than the previous one but what’s an hour of my life wasted if it’s no good? I rushed back from the school run, pulled on thermals and a drysuit – the 1.5 degrees outside scaring me away from my steamer wetsuit even if I could ride better with that – grabbed the headcam, my carbon Mystik and my waiting RRRapido, locked up and walked down to the beach.
I could hear the waves from the beach and I’d already had a quick look. Not big and messier than yesterday - when I'd actually seen a truly beautiful wave run right along with three boardies on it as it started to get dark - but rideable just the same. A surfer I often bump into was then going onto the water too, he'd missed yesterday and hadn't enjoyed pulling himself into his wetsuit that was still damp from last time he'd been out. He made it out back before me and caught the one I had to pull over. Perfect start for him!
I sat around for a bit and chatted when he came back out then, mid-sentences, turned and paddled catching my first wave. It was nice enough but they were running at a pronounced angle and halfway in I ran out of wave and just pulled myself up and paddled back out to catch some more.
The next wave was a balls up, I nose-dived and flipped over from taking the steeper part of the wave from close to the groyne. Ah! Bloody ice cream head! A quick re-mount, paddle out and I picked up another, a bit late but pushed myself onto the top before dropping over the lip and down, turning and running along the face until that, too, disappeared and I went back out.
A couple more surfers arrived and we shared the waves between us all. With the tide rapidly dropping rides became fewer and smaller and what looked to be a good wave coming in would just disappear between the bank and us; I paddled out to try and intercept them at the banks but it just didn't work. I came back in and grabbed another ride.
I gave it a bit longer and then, after spending an hour or so in the water, I decided it was time to ride one in and go home. It took a while to find one and I gave it a go but it was weak now and I only got a short run before turning back for the beach and letting some foam from a follower wash me into the beach. Not a bad little play, maybe not an epic but my drysuit smells a lot better for it.
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