Happy Xmas

Report to follow - report is as follows - the swell below never delivered on the promise and despite getting in a few times it never really turned on

Snow on the Devils beeftub.

Dinky Car Quiz

Answers Posted After Christmas. Name all the dinky cars.

Aaahh the B6357 finds fame at last

Noticed Evo mag used the Scottish boarders for their car if the year piece and curiosity got the better of me. Turns out they stayed in our wedding venue (The Roxburghe) and used my favourite two roads the 6357 and the St Mary's loch road, not to mention a photo that looks like the beeftub (Moffat - Romano bridge).

So just to remind myself I had a run in the Mini over the best road in the borders if not the country.

The B6357

Same stretch in Evo

Hauling arse

Evo gang going the other way

Hairpin at the top

St Mary's loch road eastbound just before the county line and just after the great mares tail.

One of the best left handers in the country, can take a crazy fast line.

First go at a bit of downhill mountain biking

So was staying in Mac Forrest so thought I would try one of the beginners runs. My strata rankings were pathetic and I was nearly sick riding up but good fun all the same.

At the top

One for the pros

Scary drop

At the bottom

Safely back to base

Forgotten how to surf! ... And now remembered.

Nice wee swell at a mildly punchy beach break but when my appendix was taken I also seem to have lost my fitness, wave awareness and balance. Good to be back in the sea properly though. Business as usual on the east coast - waiting for the next swell.....edit which was 7am the following morning as this swell lingered. Perfect small wave logging on the reef at Pease. Solo after an hour, I say solo however there was a seal lurking on the inside. Seem to have rediscovered my surf mojo!

First ride on Dad's old bike

First ride on dad's old bike having swapped onto some off road tyres and removed a ton of accesories. Good run round aberlady bay, only fell of once, now  need to research some decent local off road routes.

One wheel finished!

Restoring/tidying up a 23year old specialized. The front wheel is ready to go. Apologies to the anal types that the wording is not aligned to the valve.

Another good swell comes and goes

Another day, another two good sessions. Nice swell if a little lumpy, difficult to find the right spot but if in position there were some head high open faces to play with.

First session at pease, second at Bellhaven. Both good with some excellent rights on offer and a couple of lefts.

Got the single fin up to warp speed chasing some sections, with a few cutbacks. Aaahh good surfing. Nice to be on the water after a couple of crazy weeks.

In other news I am doing up this old specialized hardrock tha I have been reunited with having ridden it on the London to Brighton 22 years ago.

Crazy Swell Hits the East Coast

This week saw a massive forecast and it was really quite hard to believe it was coming the day before. But sure enough the day dawned and it was huge.

The wind was all wrong for the inside of the Forth so one of the open beaches was the only option.

Bellhaven seemed the call as it is possible to paddle out in the corner in the shade of the headland. Well that paddle out in the corner was ok at low but as soon as you paddled over it was big.

I caught six bombs all in. Took the single fin in for the extra volume to get into them but getting caught inside was a whole world of hurt, I walked back to the corner after each wave! I danced on the outside for a while then grew in confidence and moved over. The last two I caught were big and heavy, the first was larger maybe, I was going faster than Roy the worlds fastest surfer when I got to the bottom and still not sure how I got a bottom turn.

The second, f@ck I was in the spot for a monster rifling left, angled take off as it pitched and I just went. I was never not going to make it, that wave started to head towards me sometime on Saturday afternoon. I held the line till it exploded, pulling into the close out looked like death. I had a little cry after that walking up the beach - but its been an emotional week.

Went for another and went further over towards the middle. Tried a big right and pulled back but the board took the falls and put me into the impact zone - came up and there was the first of a big set coming down on my head. Took a brave pill and sat it out and let me get taken to the beach. Called it a day. Stoked.

It is what it is and a suprising surf at North Bay Scabs

Had look on the way south... Onshore but strangely inviting. Got in with a handful of others but surfed alone, was fun in its own way, recently repaired single fin taking the mush at speed, maybe more in Yorkshire this eve.

Part two, drove up from Hull to North Bay after work to be greeted by some nice sets rolling in. Quick change and into the line up, few ok waves then a snapped leash so back to the car for a spare.

Back in, good waves coming through at a nice enough size, small crowd and no wind. Took a wee while to get in rhythm with the waves as some where a bit fat and once I started to surf it in the pocket it all came together and made sense. Good rides and with a final ride all the way to the beach in near darkness.

Finished up with a great drive - Scabs - Whitby - Teeside.

Moon

From our front window.

Decent day at the beach on the big tides, one when it was all about it being a mega low tide day but turned into a best at high tide moment. Far end of pease was never that good and after a couple of sessions I paddle the longboard up to the reef, which looked poor at best. 

Well it was messy but the swell battled the wind and a few came through. Was joined by a couple more and we traded waves for an hour before it got really really fat at high.

Couple of excellent fast fast waves mid sesh took it from gash to not bad, not bad.

Fishing Rods

I have bought one - old age alert.

Tackle!

Kirsty having a go

Food from the Loch

Big summer swell

Late August saw a big summer swell rolling in and the whole east coast sat up in anticipation, holidays to Cornwall where cancelled and indeed the stench of pasty drifted north.. And it was scheduled to be in and around my birthday - oh happy days.

 

Starter

Started out with two excellent logging sessions over the weekend, at last light and the following morning at first light. Just about warmed me up for the real thing. Logging highlight was being alone in the line up having nearly dismissed it for looking rubbish. So sat in the line up and someone stretching on the beach starts whistling a set. Heads up and I charge out back and turn and go on perhaps the best wave of the weekend, pull out on the inside just in time to thank the chap getting in and continue to share some very pleasant waves with him and another. Part one is all good..

 

Main Course

So (as academics like to say) a business trip came and went and I got to coldy early for a day working on Steves wifi with some surf thrown in. A thumping session followed with some crazy drops and some batterings on the inside. Not great, not bad, just heavy.

 

Got the single fin out for a second session and whist getting it out was hairy at times, it got me into the wave early enough to beat the drop and score some juice.

 

Some great drops were had but mainly close outs then one big one moved in from the back of the bay at the south end. I lined it up to perfection, didn't murder the mental angled take off and then it was full throttle right across the bay - get in my f*cking son.

Got out, walked round to the paddle out channel and round into the same spot and the same wave came through and I was in again, however this time there was warble at the bottom and I went down hard on my back, water squeezed into all orifices - time to call it a day.

 

Quick walk with the family and took the pics below of attfm eating it on inside.

 

Following morning had a long walk in to a spot I like but it was gash, got in for while then gave up and headed to pease, which was really pumping, had some great waves then home for a birthday dinner :)

Friday was utter gash, only stayed in for 20mins then got out to so some work.

Sunday better but the past glories of the week were gone.

 

Once again waiting in anticipation.

Mini Campervan

Converted the mini to a campervan last week after I got cold in my tent - had picked up the wrong sleeping bag :(