Really nice to dust off the kit and just get out for a good hack around. Smallish swell, but super fun at the river mouth on a 5.2; great to be so windy (despite onshore) on such a sunny day.

Last 24 hours saw a range of conditions, from clean to down right blown out, and bright sun to foreboding darkness. The shot above is the brief interlude where Dan and Andy sneaked out to score literally a few waves. I like this photo, because it was the one exception to what looked like a fairly poor session. After I shot this, we went up to the corner and the wind seemed to back off long enough to deliver some perfect overhead sets. Definitely an improvement from my session moments earlier in the wind blown slop, and my walk of shame past the life guard hut.

Nothing better than a shared wave with a friend or two. Great to see the full crew this morning, and Dan was heavy on the style today pulling off the longest ride complete with 360 pirouettes. Meanwhile the new board flew pretty good, tough to be too objective as it was such a nice morning. Wind goes fully offshore tomorrow with an improving swell.

In between grouting the new floors, sealing, sanding countertops, painting and generally sorting out a long list of chores, I snuck out to sand and finish this. Cherry resin tint 6'0 mini simmons all ready for its inaugural surf probably for tomorrow am. Results to follow, although I am hoping its possibly going to be bigger than predicted so I can score another session on the 6'1 Seedhouse.

Update - added the wonky chevrons for a bit of variance.

I love this little vid, for the beard action from Chris Del Moro and the offbeat look at design. Find your next board here - courtesy of Tom

I set the alarm a little too early for a 5.30 am session, hoping that I would see a little sunshine this morning. But by the time I got down, there was just one other, and no sign of Team Xcel. For half an hour the waves were clean and fun, and the sunrise was stunning, making the solitary surf all the more worth while. Shortly after it all clouded over and I think it was the gloom that helped produce this picture (its raw from the camera), with the camera overcompensating with a slower shutter speed to allow for poor light. Clouds are good, but whatever happened to August sun ?

Scored a great little session this morning on the latest Seedhouse, it is a hark back to the 80's but has some clear similarities to some of the JS-Blak Box and Al Merrick Motor boat shapes. It just flew and I couldn't believe the speed, on what was clearly a fairly limp swell. Going back in later for another session.

It was clearly time to return, when Hector exclaimed - "not another castle !"

Ten days of rural France, escaping the masses and whiling away the days thinking how much wind and swell there is going on in on our angry part of the North Atlantic. As becoming more of the norm for August, wind and swell and lots of rain forecast for the next 24hours, and it feels like a welcome return.

Just getting the itch to climb again. No signs of any real swell and its hot, albeit a little cloudy. Perfect conditions for a little dabble on Blackchurch (I wondered if they ever appreciated its satanic connotation).

Sharing the mini simmons stoke today in the small stuff. Just good fun, and great to watch your friends ride and hear the feedback.

Josh Kerr in J'Bay ep.3 from rustyintl on Vimeo.

Single fin fun, stolen, err borrowed from Stab.

Sometimes I haul myself off the sofa and make it out for last light. It's not usually quite so bright, this was a special one.

WNW

Where the sea meets the river,
and the sand turns to grey,
When the wind backs to Westerly
and the blue sky brightens day.
Theres a small group of friends
who travel for the wind.
They journey for the storms,
and seek adventure from within.

Rain squalls, and cross on for a little while, forecast looks set to howl tomorrow from the North West.

What an amazing day ! No idea of the temperature but it was hot, and great to be in a shorty in a clean and fun little swell. Thanks guys for helping with the digging today, looks like its the last of the blue skies as the wind is set to blow for the weekend.

Its always worth doing your own homework, as if you copy others you just don't get the real reward (at least thats what I tell Hector). Of course not following my own advise I lazily asked at the beach, how the forecast was looking. I rarely bother with the forecasts, and just usually wing it, based on the general synopsis from around the LG hut. Also, I have been so preoccupied with running, that swell forecasting has also really slipped from my list of priorities. So, after a chorus of 'its flat', I wrote off the week as a good chance to catch up on all my outstanding work. Early this morning, as I just started to build my list for the week, I clicked on Eyeball and HEH - there is a small swell around, early morning off shores and a very good chance of wind for the end of the week. Not sure if its just mid summer complacency on their part, but come on guys ! Blue skies, off shore and albeit small swell, is ok in my book. If that makes me a kook, so be it. But a happy kook at that : )

Upate - Its flat(nothing till Thursday)

So, the run went surprisingly well. Left at 6am and had made Clovelly by 8am and felt pretty energised. But as the hours marched on the pace slowed, and I knew if I stopped to rest, I wouldn't want to continue. My legs definitely were seizing up as we turned the final corner and made the descent (40.23 km in 7hrs 19 - wish I knew the vertical cause that was the killer !). Special thanks to Henry and Carl who joined me on the last leg of the trip.



PS - found this little patch of graffiti as I jogged by some dilapidated buildings near Mouth Mill. It seemed so out of place in such a rural spot, and hard to imagine many folk would even find the place.

Tomorrow is a fairly big deal for me. I agreed a short while ago to raise money for the local pre school, and after much thought I decided to run from Westward to Welcombe (the point in far distance is just beyond halfway). I am not exactly sure how long it is (c. 24-36 miles trail run), or how long it will take, but I have given myself twelve hours of continuous running/hobbling to try to get there. The scenery will be stunning as I have been running a fair bit of this coastline for a while, so am hoping it will be a great excuse to just get out and run. However I have to admit, I can't help but feel 'what on earth I have agreed to do'. The last few days I have been trying to rest, but still couldn't resist the DIY, Surf and even scored a cheeky windsurf in the blue skies and summer breeze this afternoon. So to all of you, who have agreed to sponsor me, thank you so much, its really really appreciated, and should anyone still want to, it would be GREATLY received by a struggling Community School (Just email me and I will give you details). Many thanks.

Thanks

I love the style and quality from these guys, not to mention where and how its manufactured. To date, all the clothes have worn and lasted well, hence I reckon the price is actually amazing value for money. Check them out.

If you can't buy it, make it.
So its a Single fin 5'10 rounded pin tail; pinched rails and somewhere around 2 1/2" thickness. Its my first foray into mowing foam, and it was an awful lot of fun. Very therapeutic to put my own ideas into a board, with only ones hands to shape and deliver the outcome.

More early morning glass, that helped wash the sleep from my eyes at 6 am. The Mini Simmons was still loads of fun with the wave having enough shape to keep the long board in semi retirement. Great to see Dan & Jo, so early to. We had the beach all to ourselves.

From 6 am onwards it was just about perfect; with just one other, and the cleanest right hander. The nice thing was, I couldn't really tell a thing from the webcam, so it was all the better to see it as I pulled up to an empty parking lot. Seems like England does have a summer, and a wave !