It's the cruellest irony that the UK's best surf comes in the coldest months. Although some would say it's a blessing, thinning out the crowds in the lineup, saving the best for the truly dedicated.
Usually I love winter, to start with anyway, crisp offshore mornings, all the empty beaches; but this winter has got me down. I've felt almost oppressed by it, so ground down by the cold that it's left me with no energy for doing anything other than coming home from work in the dark exhausted to eat and go to bed. It's been hard to summon up the motivation to get in the water when it's freezing outside and the promised winter swells are few and far between, or to go take photos when the weather makes mittens essential and my shutter finger is covered in chilblains.
So I've been hibernating, of sorts. I haven't got in the water nearly enough, or taken enough photos, or kept up with the blogs I enjoy. But I have moved house (and god knows that's a mission enough even when you're not feeling run down), back to the coast in a lovely farm cottage behind the dunes of one of my favorite beaches. I get to see the sea every morning, and gradually I'm feeling myself again, even if this winter does seem to be hanging around forever.
So in the very belated tradition (see 2010, 2011, 2012) here are my resolutions / aspirations for 2013:
Surf more and push myself to progress
Remember to take an instant photo after every surf (forgotten this twice already)
Worry less about what other people think
Keep up with this blog (see above)
Fix my broken cameras and starting taking pictures again
Go to California in the Autumn
Remember that material things don't bring happiness (ie spend less, experience more!)
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