Last week (May 17th), I drove down to stay with a friend in Plymouth. I experienced heavy mist (where I could not see the end of my car), two or three loads of rain (like monsoon season) and even some beautiful sunshine, all in a 3½ hour drive. This also included stopping for 20 minutes just outside Dorchester in a massive tailback while I had the heating on full blast trying to keep the engine cool. Upon entering Plymouth, I did take a wrong turn as you would know if I have ever driven you anywhere.
All in all this was not the ideal start to what I thought would be a week of sunshine, surf, cold beers and no stress.
Monday came and I picked up the ever keen ‘Dange’ (from an exam she finished in ½ an hour!). We then followed John Copley (JC) to have a look around the Xcel warehouse and check out all the latest gear for next year (the drylock looks incredible). We then nipped over to see the busiest boy in the south coast, Luke Young, and met his new sander/photographer Alex (who I must say does awesome art work). We spoke to Luke for a good ½ hour about new models mainly the ‘Dirty Bastard’. Which I managed to convince Luke to let me borrow the following day!
The surf on Monday was completely flat, so we just drove home in anticipation of Tuesday.
Tuesday came and the sun was shining. All the reports were saying small, clean waves. Dange got on the phone and decided we would be surfing Tarbawith Strands which is a low tide spot. When we arrived there were 3 ft clean peaks, after nearly 2 months out of the water I was frothing to get in. It was a bit short lived as the tide came up too quickly but there were some good ones to be had and the sun was shining.
Wednesday morning, we woke up to a bit of misty rain. We checked the surf reports phoned JC, Mr Pointer and the one and only Rob Wilson. We then decided we would hook with them at Polzeath. I went to Luke’s factory/barn and grabbed the ‘dirty bastard’ (which was 5’6”) and then we flew down to Polzeath. We arrived in the car park on the top of the headlands overlooking the whole bay it was 4 ft with bigger sets. We waxed up the new stick and jumped in it was pumping. Rights and lefts coming out of nowhere, slightly fat I may add, but that did not stop the mighty dirty bastard from doing its stuff.
Thursday was the day to end all days! We started off at Widemouth bay, in Bude, which was sunny, clean and 4 ft. This may sound like the perfect surf, but it gets better. After we lay on the beach/slept as the tide dropped to low. We decided to go for a drive and find some low tide surf as it was sunny and we were all so keen. We checked Crockett’s beach, Northcote Mouth and finally Summerleeze. We then decided just to get in. We paddled out unaware. This was the heaviest surf of the holiday so far. As we paddle through the waves we got out back and there was one guy out and the surf was 3 ft and barrelling!! After about an hour the tide turned and the surf jumped up to overhead stopped barrelling but just reeled right and left for miles. We got out 3 hours later, really tired but so stoked.
Friday, I drove to Croyde for would be my last surf. It was sunny, really really hot and about 3 ft+. A perfect end to a week of waves and sunshine!
I learn’t from my travels to the west that I want a new wetsuit and a dirty bastard and that students really can drink!
