North Westerly

Some poeople like to sail on there own, and others like a crowd. I think I am somewhere in between, but definitely always like sailing with as many friends as possible. Great 4.0 conditions today, and really fun bump and jump.

Daymer Bay...

went all time yesterday. This was the only snap I took as I was too obssessed with heading out to Doom Bar and sampling the cross off wave. It was absolutely amazing and if I could have changed something it would have been to have had the Westward crew shredding it too.

Skateistan

I found this on the blogosphere and really do owe someone recognition for posting this. Unfortunately I saw it last night and after sleeping on it, have forgotten who and where posted it, nevertheless its too important not to share. Go and buy a t-shirt and support a good cause !



www.skateistan.org

PS - before the cynics right this off as a further US offensive to homogenise the world, note this is a charity also sponsored by Denmark, Norway, Germany and Canada.

Tonight

Despite the often continual rain of North Devon, I can never get enough of the sunset at Hartland. In fact its this westerly aspect which makes me cherish every single day.

The March Swell

In and Out

Beach was ok but didn't have the energy or the inclination to sit out for longer than a half an hour. Nice to see Matt pulling into some stuff on his performance long board, and then cruising past him on the same wave with 3 ft less of board. My Cake Boy fish is rapidly becoming a staple for all conditions.

Just one fin

Boardseeker has fast become the definitive site for board reviews, so I was eager to see what they made out of the top 10 wave boards. To my surprise it wasn't the latest and greatest thruster/quad or twin fin, it was the plane and simple single fin that scored the most consecutive 10 out of 10's.
Nice job RRD and needless to say I love my Wave Cult - click here to read more.

Southerly

The truth is, that Southerly is always a gusty wind, and I think that's what kept me firmly planted on the ridge; sheltering from the rain. Meanwhile Andy and Paul clung on trying to make it out back, and this is Andy getting some form of pay-off for his tenacity.

Monstered

Friday saw some of the biggest surf I have paddled out in this year, and it felt great. Although before I sound too heroic, I might add that never before have I paddled so far for so few waves and felt so scared !

It all started with a quick scan of the locale and a decision based on wave height, interval and projected forecast for the next couple of hours. Magic seaweed seemed to be pretty accurate, although by the time we did actually paddle out, solid 5-6 ft sets were pushing through.
After about twenty minutes of paddling through the mush, we were finally sitting out back and Mat, Andy and myself just looked on in amazement at the sets looming on the horizon. For the next hour we managed to talk about everything other than wave height in the water, amd it wasn't until we reached dry land that we collectively bleeted about the sheer size (forecast to 7.5ft). Its not often that after paddling out so far, and finally reaching the rolling swell, that the relief quickly turns to panic, and you are scanning the horizon for something more palatable.

In the end, it was great just to confine yourself to the fact you were going to get monstered, and so we did. By the time we individually strolled back up to the cars, each one of us had a different tale of how we finally got back in and confronted the pounding.

Restraint

I awoke to this perfection, but can't sample it till after 3pm.

Almost forgot..

to pick up the Biofoam promo board today, so despite racing against the clock to a late appoinment, I delayed and popped back into the office. The twin fin is pure retro with glass on ply fins and a beige tint due to the soya in the blank. So by the time I finally got home, there was just enough light to paddle out in the shoulder high swell. Fortunately there was some wax knocking around in the back of the car, but no leash, which kept me a little subdued and like glue to the board. Many thanks Tris for a winning shape, and hopefully anyone interested in Biofoam come and take a look and take it for a surf.

Baby Momma Day

Thanks to my wonderful wife for being such a ray of light to our children. Your positivity shines through to all of us, oh, and of course Happy Mothers day to my mum too!

Decreasing

Just eyeballed the swell and it looks to have dropped a little, so I will just have to revel in yesterday's small clean stuff. Thanks John for being patient on the shoreline and taking this shot of me.

Cake Boy

Small and clean and really a long boarders wave, however my new board was burning a whole in its bag and it needed getting wet. So was really pleased to see what Cake Boy had made for me. The 6'2 Fish worked really well considering the strong offshore and a weak little wave. Thank you Justin - your shapes are fantastic !

Fox 7 Chickens 0

Sadly all the clear blue sky nights and cold air has made Mr Fox very hungry, or just very bad tempered. Either way the result has meant that our once fully stocked hen house now lies empty and when I strolled out to take this shot, the chicken coop looked more like a murder scene.

Surf is back on tomorrow, although further down the coast the boys were scoring some perfect 3-4ft conditions.

Panther 2 Review

Its been almost three months since buying the 2010 Ezzy Wave Panther 2, and I feel a little more positive than after my first couple of sails.This isn't so much reflective on the sails but more what happened to me on the water.

On my very first session, I managed to break my nose, as the board connected with me during a routine harness line adjustment. What made it slightly more bearable was that the blood poured in sub zero temps, and my nose was so numb that the pain didn't really hit to later.

Second run with the same sail; then saw me take a massive catapult which would have ripped any normal sail, and leave a significant shoulder depression as my shoulder compressed into the sail. It was actually so hard that I had to stop sailing that day, and it seems to have only settled down in the last couple weeks.

So after this last little bout of wind, I can honestly say the Ezzy 5.2 & 4.5 were amazing. They felt so light yet there was still plenty of power/depower depending on how you rigged. As a result, when I let a friend demo them on the weekend, his rig (Naish Boxxer) felt so heavy and really not at all conducive to early planing, or throw around in the light wind. I don't know how he managed to sail it. So, I guess I have to rate the Ezzy Panther 2 as a solid 9 out of 10. I can't give it 10, because I still have more to learn with regards getting the best out of the sail.

The Bore !

When they aren't cheese rolling, folk from Gloucester also like to ride the wild bore. Amazing to see a 'wave' so far inland, when the sea is so flat today.

Light Wind

Sunday saw none of the carnage we expected, instead a smallish wave and more blasting for those with big enough sails. Suffered on and off the plane in c.5 degrees North North Westerly. Still nice to get out though and watch Paul having the time of his life on the old trusty Screamer.