22/04/14 | Approaching Lines Festival

The guys over at Approaching Lines have got a three day feast of surf films coming to Newquay & Falmouth this weekend. Looking forward to seeing some surf films on the big screen!

See the full line-up & book tickets on Approaching Lines.



GROOVE MOVE - (surf film trailer) from Jack Coleman on Vimeo.



RUSSIA: The Outpost V1 TRAILER from Chris Burkard on Vimeo.

02/08/12 | Sun at last

For one heavenly week, last week, we finally had some sunshine AND surf, and Cornwall reminded us just how amazing it can be. Chris made this little video before the swell came in - highlighting just how kooky two months of bad surf has made me - and I braved it in a bikini for two waves. If only it was always like this, back to wind and rain now but it was great while it lasted!

01/02/12 | Being warm is cool

A couple of years ago the guys over at korduroy.tv made this excellent little video of tips on staying warm in cold surf. I was stoked they featured my favorite winter surf tip - take a gallon of hot water with you to wrap your suit & towel in, then use as a hot shower afterwards. Toasty!

30/06/11 | OK so I was wrong...

...Sunday's forecast DELIVERED.

18/04/11 | Hello Summer (almost)

Sunshine & waves. What a glorious weekend.

21/11/10 | The Cruel Mistress

Pumping all week while I've been ill / working, nearly flat at the weekend. Sigh. Nearly time to get the boots out too.

11/04/10 | Summer has arrived...

...well nearly anyway.

24/01/10 | oh yes

Just when winter was beginning to get me down, this weekend came along and reminded me how good it can be. Two days of surfing my favorite wave and having dinner with friends later and I've got that post-surf noodle arms satisfied feeling.

Today there was just me, one other guy, and two seals out surfing small peeling perfection, no leash, I didn't even notice the cold; you just don't get days like these in the summer.

03/01/10 | Sliding into 2010

What a great start to the year - bellyboarding with Sally Parkin of Original Surfboards and friends at Porthcothan, followed by her amazing thai soup. Yum.

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Some resolutions for 2010:

Surf more
Take better photographs
Spend less money (much will-power required)
Get to know more people in the water
Eat breakfast every day

Resolutions broken so far = 2.

19/12/09 | I love winter

Even if I have got chilblains...probably time to get the mitts out.

10/12/09 | Yeww!

Ben Skinner at the Cribbar yesterday. Full article here.

Work to live, not live to work.

Office jobs and surfing don't mix particularly well, but for the last four years I have been fortunate enough to work for a company that understands and values a good work-life balance. In the summer I start early and leave early, in the winter I start late and finish late, so I can surf during the week throughout the year. I've never had to pull a sickie when the surf's on - if I mention the surf is going to be good later in the week I get offered some time off, and when I come in late and salty with a wetsuit to dry in my office no-one complains.

All this came to an abrupt end ten days ago when the company went into administration, another victim of the recession. We're still trading for the moment whilst a buyer is sought, but nothing is guaranteed, and my bosses were told to leave immediately.

Whilst I should probably be worrying about my long-term job prospects - as head office staff I'm in a particularly vulnerable position - I've mainly been reflecting on how lucky I've been to work for an employer that truly understands about surfing and is willing to be flexible around it. Tim & Daren: a surfer couldn't ask for more accommodating manager than you two, I don't know how I'm going to get another job that will compare to this one.

So the last ten days have been incredibly busy, stressful, and emotional. Despite this I had a great weekend; I bought a new board at the St Merryn Surf Jumble on Saturday - not particularly sensible give the job situation (photos etc to follow!) - and had a nice little surf on it on Sunday at the spot pictured. For the moment my late starts & finishes are staying, and I've managed to wangle this Friday off too; now it's just a case of waiting to see what the new year brings.

Porthleven

One of the best things about winter is the south coast starts working more often. Took this a few weeks ago, going to reprint and burn the sky in a bit more near the horizon I think.

Last look

Stay stoked...

(click image to see clearer)

A tragedy befell Mark's lovely Wegener alaia this afternoon.
He took it remarkably well considering, and apparently it will be 'even better' once it has been glued back together. Either that or he'll have a nice pair of skis plus a spare...


Happier times:

Forecast w/c 9th November

Got in before work this morning just in case it was the only chance we'll get this week. Hardly any wind and a nice misty sunrise.

It was only 4 degrees at the beach; I saw three people in boots, gloves and hoods - what do they do in February?! I'm still stringing out my summer suit and it was quite warm in the water, but my hands and feet had completely gone in the very short walk between the water and my car.

Sigh.

It's hard to maintain enthusiasm when the forecast looks like this for the final few weeks of being able to wear a summer wetsuit. There might be a short break in the wind on Friday afternoon, but I'm having a wisdom tooth removed in the morning (oh joy) so will have to see how things pan out.

I don't mind the cold of winter so much, in fact I love clear frosty winter mornings, but I hate the endless drizzly onshores. Bring on the proper cold & glassy days!

Onshore stoke

For one moment paddling out yesterday I didn't think I was going to make it. I almost hadn't gone in, the grey day and onshore surf wasn't exactly inviting. 8 feet at 12 seconds with a stiff onshore breeze coupled with two weeks of either being too busy to get in or the wrong tides in the limited pre-work daylight meant the whitewater seemed to go on forever. I don't know how many rolls later, but suddenly I was out there. Just being in the water clears your head and makes everything seem better. A righthander appeared and I was in the perfect position, nice steep takeoff and down the line, Chris hooting and shouting me to cut back, then a long noseride as it walled up on the inside. I was almost all the way back to the beach, but it's amazing how much energy a great wave gives you. I got paddling, a few rolls later and I was back in the lineup with a big smile on my face.

Drooling

Now that we're back on GMT it really feels like winter; 5:45PM and it's already been dark for nearly an hour. So here are some sick waves to drool over from the first round of the WLT event that has just kicked off in the Maldives. How perfect are those waves - most definitely a case of wish I was there!

Sam Bleakley and Ben Skinner are both through to round 2, which starts at 8AM tomorrow. Ben's drawn Bonga Perkins and Sam has Eduardo Bage; I don't think there's such a thing as an easy heat in this contest...Duane DeSoto's out already. Looks like the Maldives are GMT+5 so that's 3AM here; Sam's in heat 2 and Ben's in heat 4 so doubt I'll be watching live but fingers crossed for both of them.

Grey days

I'm feeling a bit down at the moment; we seem to have crossed the border between the end of summer and the beginning of winter. Last week was one of those rare classic autumn weeks, swell sunshine and light winds; this week the tides and wind have been against me so I haven't been able to get in before work and it's been colder and wet.

I felt cold for the first time in the water on Sunday, my 3/2 is getting pretty thin and holey and I just couldn't seem to stay warm no matter how much I paddled around, only a month ago I was still wearing my shorty. The prospect of getting my Snugg out and having to wear it for the next six months is not helping - I'm going to try and squeeze a few more weeks out of the 3/2, but the walk back to the car is starting to get unpleasant. It's funny how you forget about how much more effort surfing in the winter is during the summer, how much more stones and gravel hurt your feet when they're cold (why is that?), the struggle to pull off the last bit of your wetsuit when your fingers are stiff, not to mention the almost-overwhelming desire for a nice bacon sandwich and a cup of tea when you're huddled up against the wind out back.

With all this in mind I'm thinking about doing a photography project looking for the joy in winter surfing. Because despite what I've said above I do love surfing in winter. There's nothing like a good clean groundswell on a clear winter's day; yes it's cold, yes getting caught inside and taking the whole set on the head is enough to make you want to turn around and paddle in, but the waves are quiet, the winter scenery is every bit as beautiful as summer, and most of all every session is a small triumph over adversity. Surfing in summer is easy, surfing in winter takes dedication. Now how to capture that on film?