Noise

I could barely sleep through the noise, of one of the largest swells I have seen for a while. Anyone brave enough to paddle out, looked so small in comparison to the larger sets. I even had to leave the camera at home on our walk, as the punishment being levied to some of the unluckier surfers looked intense (to say the least).

The gloom descended and I snuck out for a quick soul session on the 7'2 pin tail. This board seems to excel in just about all conditions, no matter how large/small.

The mighty

It was a little tricky for a dawnie this morning, so I agreed to just take the dog for a walk for 20 mins at first light with the camera. This is what I saw, and the pounding that followed. When I did get in for a paddle later it was chunky but a little too fat, and closing out all over the place. Kind of day that whatever board you rode, it still felt wrong.

Yew !

Snuck into the weeniest barrel today and scored a fun little surf. Waves were holding up just perfectly with the strong offshores, what a great day.

Deep Green

Lindsay Lord's classic Hull design reference book was the inspiration for the producers of Deep Green. The Cissoid curve once thought to liken Ivy (shown above) and seems to reference the Hull shape which is actually formed from two other curves. All rather technical, so I guess there attention to detail means that it should ride pretty well too.

The Seedhouse

Checked out the new glassing and shaping rooms at Chateau Seedhouse. Impressive setup and his glassing looks first class.

Windance

After a windy week, a couple days in land didn't seem so bad. That said, I wondered how all the guys were getting on with the action. All I heard is that 'Head-boy' decided getting outback was for real men, and so braved a two mile reach, just to find out how big it really was. Apparently the 20ft buoy reading was fairly accurate !

Out of the groove

More pain, but much fun. Felt so unfit from 4 months of no windsurf. Harness was a bit of a squeeze and looked on as all the other guys seemed pretty dialled. Nice day though and getting out back was never going to be an option for me. Seemed to just go on for miles. Ezzy Wave Panther 2 was perfect on 4.5m, and even managed to huck some back loop hospital airs. Thanks Seasprite.

BST

I have been in the throws of swapping over from PC to Mac and sorting through some old shots. This little beauty is worth a double click, and its kind of why I fell in love with this area. Some of the summer sunsets are just amazing, and the electric flood lights seemed so stark in contrast, to the natural light. No filters or manipulation were used.
Ps - it was super huge and windy again today, but my timing was off and I missed all the action.

South South West

I've always found it difficult to do two things at once, and instinctually this seems to have rubbed off on my ability to read forecasts. I am so obsessed by waiting for good surf, that when a decent windy day arrives, I seem to miss things. So it came as a total shock to be rigging up the windsurf sails today and heading out for a blast. The swell definitely was anything but clean, and outback looked like a looming large mess. It was perfect for practising your chicken gybes and also remembering how to rig your sail right. Casualty of the day was a fearsome Andy hucking backloops and finally coming down on his sail.

Minus one

Forgot to post up this little beauty from Saturday's chilly dip in to waist high glass. Not a soul was out as I fired up the old 10'2 and imagined it was a hot summers day all to myself.

Le Tunnel

I have a confession to make. Whilst I understand the merits of air travel I am somewhat addicted to the road trip.
The Tunnel is the icing on the cake though, no people, no crowds and just 30 mins - the efficiency is so perfect.

Free the Heel....Free the mind.

Telemark

After 14 years of slaving away with my Telemark skis, the burn was almost unbearable by day 5. Besides, teaching two little ones is the best excuse to take your foot off the gas, and give them a chance to catch up. It won't be long, before they are thrashing me, but what a great feeling watching your two children skiing down in front of you.

Shoulder pain

Not quite as tiny as it looks, but I couldn't hang on to get the shot. Just so nice to be in clean surf and blue skies. Another day of perfect clean fun !

Perfect

Another day of seeming perfection, shoulder high walls of glass rolled through and it actually felt warm, with the sun beating down. Andy, helped put some random thoughts in my mind as we waited for each set, and as I scrambled for the Gopro, I recalled how I once intended the blog to be more text based, than photographic. That said, I don't always get the inspiration, so when Andy explained the theory of our reality simply being a hologram of a universe existing on the edge of a blackhole, it did make me chuckle. I can't say I really understood it, but it somehow made a great surf slightly more thought provoking, and a picture a touch more meaningful.

Matt Longboards...

whatever the occasion. Here he is, dialling in on his 9'2.

Making the world a better place

Work shy

Fellow wind heads scored a day of broken masts, cleanish walls of mush and a solid day of windsurfing. Its day four of wind and still an improving wave and wind forecast for the next two days

There's been a lot of change in the weather right now. Temperatures approaching double figures and the wind and waves are on. That said, just can't seem to drag myself away from the camera, and capturing some preferred moments on dry land. Looking forward to getting in for a much needed windsurf and remind myself what used to be the centre of my universe.
Feels great to be back in Devon, and will be posting up some of my trips to the various shapers.

West by North West

Somedays are better served behind the lens.

The beach served up some fun little beauties yesterday, although I managed to miss everyone I planned to meet. Apologies, I just picked off some sweet sets and then came in, hunched in severe back pain and frozen from the icy wind.

Jan 2nd and the swell has improved, however my poor nephew, will make his second trip out on his new board, albeit a little underdressed in a 3/2 mm baggy summer suit.