On the second perfect wave of the morning, already been on it for 300 yards or so, the lip is feathering ahead and I am running with the ebb and flow of the wave, top to bottom, cut back and speed up, longboarding like I am out of some Californian road movie. My thighs are burning out with the effort, and I lose self-control and start claiming it, hooting and a-hollering. Then I hear the echo and look round.. Steve is on the one behind, paddle above his head, laughing. A quarter of a mile after we caught our waves we prone out and glide to the sand for the ten minute walk back up the point. What a morning, what a run of waves, including getting swept round a headland. And I thought it had peaked on the glassy quiet perfection we found last night.

Small Sunny Waves

Two Minutes of Trim from Thomas Rootes on Vimeo.

Gullane Goes off

 

What a start to the year, after a terrible Autumn and a land locked Christmas I drove home via a day of great waves in both England and Scotland then this weekend a big swell (13ft@11Sec) trucked up the Firth of Forth and lined up on the most fickle of things, the village’s resident right hand point break. 2 or 3 days of good waves were predicted too. Could it really happen?

This is how it went.

Saturday: Light winds and the very start of the swell gave an excuse to get out on the new SUP. A generally flat water paddle was rounded off with a nice waste high wave to the shore – my first proper SUP wave, something that felt very unnatural.

 Sunday: Get down to the beach early for a sighter and two things had happened:

1) The huge swell had arrived as promised and was wheeling down the point, the waves starting small and increasing in size as they came into the open bay. Huge bomb sets were moving down beyond the bay with clean waves breaking a mile offshore.

2) The Scottish surf circus had arrived. A car park usually occupied by dog walkers was rammed full of vans surrounded by a detritus of boards and bags. No one it seemed had a mind to miss this one. After some negotiation with the Mrs I got in for the drop after lunch. 6.6 fish. What a session, long cruisy rights down the point and finally thirty mins in the middle chasing some bigger set waves. Last wave of the day may hold position for wave of 2016 for some time. Big, chunky and down the line before a clouting from the lip and a dodgy exit through the rocks.

Monday: I have to work so get up early to get that done and make a two hour slot in the day. Decide on late afternoon on the drop. Longboard. The swell had eased back and the wind was still hard offshore but the waves were linking all the way down the point. It never took more than two waves before I had to get out and walk the 500 yards or so back up the beach. Again one of the last waves was the best, all the way down the point, it never sectioned once and stayed chest high till it closed out in the middle of the bay. At speed on the nose for 50-100 yards -  Magic. Got out when the light faded.

Tuesday: Sadly the swell had dropped and the wind had come round but some more waves were had and again the final wave was the best – found a rare set wave which had some shape so rode it through, straightened out and called it day.

And now back to waiting

That Tuesday Before

So that Tuesday before:  Roll up at Saltburn at first light and a clean head high swell is rolling in. Surf good right handers for 3 hours until the wind ruins it then head up the A19 to home. Stop at Pease late afternoon expecting it be blown out and but was greeted by pumping clean overhead waves into a light offshore breeze. Stayed clear of the pack due to the noodled arms but still got into five sizable waves including a couple of standouts before no longer being able to face the paddle out.

Here's a picture of the SUP

 

East Coast Therapy

 After the high expectations and low realisation of the Wavegarden and the subsequent interest in my blog post all I wanted to do was catch some waves this week. In short It kind of felt like my quiet little surf existence had been sold out and normality was required.

So when a low expectation swell popped up on the charts I saw a chance to wipe clear the post Snowdonia comedown and by 5am on Saturday morning I found myself surfing solo on a small but improving swell at my local reef. Feeling decidedly better after a couple of hours I got out and skipped on my original plans to hang around all day. It was going to get crowded and I wasn’t in the mood.

I went home, reequipped with food and headed out to a less surfed beach. I was greeted by chest high lines which where pushing in true beachie style against a direct offshore wind. It looked picture perfect Scottish Borders East Coast. Once out back it was clear that my choice of bank was sound and chasing a feathering lip all the way to the inside on my longboard on the first wave told me all I need to know how good the session was going to be. Turns, trips to the nose and a half decent floater all came and went and three hours later I was sat on the beach having had the one of the standout sessions of the year. It was always around chest high with the occasional head high set, more punch than expected and perfectly well shaped. The surfing gods were smiling again.

There is no substitute for the sea.

Surf Snowdonia Wavegarden

This week I had my worst surf for 2 years, one of those depressing surfs where you always feel vaguely out of position and every drop turns into a hassle. To add to that pain I paid over £70 for the pleasure. Ladies and gentleman I was at the Surf Snowdonia Wavegarden. Worse still I had this moment of surfing horror right in front of my family, who when not commenting on the cost of the sandwiches were shouting things like “you’re not meant to fall off daddy”.

 

So was it me, or was it the Wavegarden? I am not really sure. On arrival the whole thing was slightly less than idyllic, rain was hammering down and a strong wind was running down the lake. But we watched a few waves come through and it looked pretty good, easy to surf, with a nice wall on offer. I regularly surf waves of this size and shape no problem at all on a range of boards so my nerves started to ease. I note I don’t recall ever being so nervous pre surf.

 

When I went to get my boards off the car the first worrying doubt appeared, one of the instructors commented that I should ride my board with most float. On the roof I had a 6.3 quad, 6.6 twinny and my 7.0 magic carpet. The plan was to ride the twinny first session and the quad second session. Plans change. So the 7.0 and 6.6 went up to the board rack at the well organised dispersal point. I checked in, got changed inside (a surfing first for me), put on a 3.2 (being a Scottish surfer I had to get it out the loft), told a beginner to put his wetsuit on the other way round, and went for the pre-surf brief.

Here the next doubt appeared. The staff rep was keen to state that you had to stay as close to the pier netting as possible when paddling and be quick on take-off to make a turn and get down the line. It was clear from the tone that people were struggling in the advanced group with these issues. “Don’t hold onto the netting either”, he said. “Why would you need to?” thought I, looking out at the lake?

Hour 1)

My 6.6 is like a cork in the sea so I ignored the floaty warning and jumped in with it and was first up, surfing front side. The sled/wave by the way goes both ways down the lake – i.e. you don’t need to paddle out, just back and forward sharing with two others so every third wave belongs to you and you alternate front and back side – this by the way works really well. Incredibly simple, at any one time there is one on a wave and one waiting at each end.

 

 

 

 

It went downhill from there, I fell on the next couple (too far inside), then missed a couple (too far outside) or couldn’t get over to the open face. Pressure started to build and it started to all feel like hard work, plus I was paying for it. The depression of the fact that it just wasn’t that good started to dawn on me.

Front side I got over to the face a couple more times which was great as it really walls up with a load of push behind it, but I had almost nothing to shout about backhand. By the time I got out after the first hour it felt like a waste of money for a lot of frustration and 2 maybe 3 good waves. And a few people around me were muttering the same thing.

Here are the problems with the wave that I found.

1)      There is a lot of current kicking around between waves. They had to reset the plough at one point and my board got sucked up against the netting from under me – it was mildly disconcerting! I was constantly paddling one way or another just prior to each wave. Tucking a subtle toe into the pier netting helped.

 

 

2)      The wave does not push straight – the waves are created by the sled in the middle but they break from the outside back towards the sled. This makes the dynamics feel very different to the ocean, as the wave pushes you out from the pier as it comes underneath and the take off is sideways but away from the direction you want to go. Get pushed too far and it is just a late drop in the white water and a waveface you are unlikely to recover. The more I think about it the more I think the trick is to stay as close to the pier as possible when paddling and never give up on that. My best waves were when I remembered that. Mentally you push wide though because it feels like it would naturally give yourself an easier take off. It doesn’t. The reverse happens and you look like a kook. It is easier in against the pier, trust me.

 

3)      The inconsistency. All Wavegarden waves are created equal right? Not so, the biggest surprise seemed to be that you didn’t know what you were going to get. I spoke to a few people who felt the same. One moment you were being launched over the falls, the next struggling to get into it, and then if you did, you were missing the section.

4)      Lack of time to size up the incoming wave. You get precious little. If you compare the start point of the sled with a normal wave, the sled starts from about 20-30yards behind you. At this point in the sea, most of the decision making is done, i.e. you can get in the right spot, simple as that. The first measure you get of a Garden wave is when it is right up behind you, therefore to a degree you paddle and hope, rather than line it up.

By way of a measure in the sea I would have pulled back off 50% of the Wavegarden waves to see if there was anything better behind, or I would have been better aligned to the take off – I generally don’t misjudge waves this size and shape. If I look at some of the photos where I fell on take-off I was miles out of position.

5)      The wind – it was blowing pretty hard down the lake which made sitting in the spot pretty tough and the face bumpy. Hard to tell how much of factor this played. All my best waves were downwind oddly enough??

The two other lads in my group seemed to be having a better time than I, one had a board with a load of float and the other was just a very good surfer. My caddie (wife) switched my board at thirty mins down to my 7.0 but I didn’t feel much better. Being brutally honest, it was just totally shit. £45 for 2 or 3 good waves and 10-11 shit ones. There is no denying the good waves were pretty good though.

 

Stopped for the break before my next session and had a hot chocolate and some piss take from the girls. As we sat in the café there were three guys on short boards paddling on our side and in the 20 mins I watched for not one of them got into a wave. This is meant to be fun. On the far side though I could see a guy on a short board ripping it apart. Plus Guts Griffiths was down filming a long boarder (could have been Sam Bleakly?) who was also making it look easy.

Hour 2 (part 1)

We suited up for round two and everyone in my group were opting for as much as float as possible. The two guys surfing on my side had longboards – (it doesn’t look like a logging wave but use a log!) and I stuck with the 7.0. I went in with a different mind-set – stay as close to the pier as possible on take-off (I can’t stress enough how important this is), relax, acknowledge the fact the money is gone and enjoy it for what it is.

First wave I was up easily backhand and I got stuck behind the section and struggled to chase it down. Second wave, again up ok and the wave died under me. The sled had stopped. It stopped for half an hour. I stood on the side in the howling wind talking to my Mrs and bored kids whilst trying not to freeze to death. With twenty minutes to go they got it going again with a rumour we were going to get an hour extension. I started to enjoy myself.

(Part 2)

Back up and running I was backhand again and again I got stuck pushing then for the section and fell – the wave gets flat/fat in the middle and it really is hard to come from behind. Next front side and I was up and in the spot dropping into the meat of the wave and what the fuck, the power seemed to disappear and I bogged and lost the face. Hmmm. Next wave, backhand, along the pier, early drop and straight into the meat of it. Fly down the line, pump, pump, pump and exit before the beginners – perfect wave – finally it is beginning to happen for me. So I get out to wait for my next wave (it’s easier just to get out between waves by the way!) and find out that it is me done for the day, end of session, no extra hour. I had been keeping a tally scratched into my wax and I had had five waves.

 

Got out, got changed and asked for a refund on the second session which turned into a credit for another go on another day. Not a great option if you live in Scotland eh, but I have a contract currently in North Wales so should be ok for a return. The staff were great in this respect, they were good all day in fact. There is no doubt on my second session, longboard.

So Wavegarden Heaven or Hell?

Before arriving I was ready to put aside the many (online) suggestions that it is not real surf, and figured that if the wave was good it would work and who cares about the rest. Now I am not sure. To feel worth it the wave had to be nice to ride and reasonably easy for an average surfer to roll into.

To be clear Inter did not seem worth it, you are paddling into the white water and catching a fat reform or trying to stay out the way of the advanced surfer. I didn’t see an inter who looked like they were having much fun. The couple I spoke to seemed pretty low on it, had gone in for more float and there was mention on someone asking for their money back. A friend suggested the beginner group could be me more interesting.

And the advanced waves, the only short boarders I saw catching waves were as good as the best surfers in my area and anyone else was on longboards or oversized boards. For someone like me who regularly surfs waves of this size it was just not user friendly enough, especially on the take off. It could be just me having a bad day, but I surfed a better sized Pease comfortably less than 10days previously and took far more waves off a busy pack. I have not had a surf like the Garden for a long long time, additionally the vibe was not great in the water or the changing room. I heard it said a few times that “it would get better as they refined it” and I hope this to be true.

 

Dynamically I don’t think they will be able to lose the odd sideways push from the sled and the factor of the curl coming the other way. Bearing in mind you start paddling down the pier you end up taking off about 15 feet across from it. I don’t also think the current and wash can be removed either which to be fair I started to get used to and it’s not exactly Thorntonloch on a big day.

 

But they can work on consistency and calculate the speed that gives the best wave given the wind and bottom contours and also offer better advice for paddling. They could also screen the open end off from the wind which was a pain all day. That could really bring it on.

 

It has no soul…

I wasn’t going get involved in the arty-souly-surfy bit as my friends will rip the shit but the reality is that waiting for a sled to push a wave towards you has absolutely no soul whatsoever. Being timed into a wave has no soul. Or being in a changing room with people with back to front wetsuits, or pulling out before entering the beginner zone when the wave is still running nicely, or being told to get out after an hour. “fuck you” I wanted to shout at the end of hour 2, “I am just getting into this”.

 

The issue can’t be overlooked; surfing in a lake highlights everything that is great about surfing in the sea. Watching sets roll towards you and choosing the waves, the ebb and flow of a session, taking turns and sharing with people enjoying that same mind-set.

 

Watching surfing or being watched surfing from the window of a coffee shop somehow doesn’t quite sit right with me either. I may be taking a moral high ground due to having a bad day, but ultimately it is not how I want my surfing served up. I am of an age where that shit counts.

 

But surf Snowdonia are not trying to create that, they are putting on an attraction (like a snow dome) and it I love them for that. Business like this deserves to work because there is passion behind it – and the wave will get better, I loved the madness of it only being open for a couple of weeks and being rammed, the staff running round in a mild state of panic and apology. They were great btw but don’t expect them to answer the phone in a hurry. They do care, they are just busy. If you think Surf Snowdonia is the end of surfing as we know it then you are probably taking yourself too seriously – I’d be more worried about powered water craft.

 

Is it a great day out with the kids? Yes I bet it is fun as a beginner and my kids want a go (so I guess we will be back for that next summer).

Is it value for money? Again for the kids maybe compared to the competition for days out, (btw I went on to pay £34 (family of 4) for the Welsh Mountain Zoo which we all thoroughly enjoyed).

Should an average surfer go? – for sure, just don’t expect too much, take float, stay close to the pier on take-off, and don’t let your head go down if it’s not all roses and if all you can hear is “you’re not meant to fall off daddy”. I am already talking myself into another trip but that is surfing for you.

 

Would I go back? Well currently it is 1-0 to the Wavegarden, I have a free credit, and my surf ego is fit to burst and driving me back. I am already looking forward to surfing it on my log, and I may change my opinion after that. Would I however continue pay £45 an hour to dial in a wave that is always going to be £45 an hour? No that would be financial madness. The kicker is that for whatever reasons conditions were decidedly worse than an average day down my local – and that is the simple yardstick.

 

Given another hour or two I think I would dial in the take off and start to really enjoy the inside section – don’t get me wrong it is superb when you are on it. But I don’t have the money or desire to throw at it when the local is as local as mine.

 

So after a run of thinking about the Wavegarden it feels nice just to be looking at the local forecast again. There is a bump coming Saturday/Sunday morning so I am happily thinking about how ridiculously early I can get up in order to change in the rain and snag a few before the rush. My surfing life is back to normal, hell I might stay in more than an hour

First Wave

Llandegla and some surf

Nice run of summer treats, two days of solid surf followed by some good riding, including two trips up to landegla. To tired to write some witty prose, but feel required to mark the occasion.

Crowded Waves and Quiet Trails

Friday off in May and a lucky swell. Surf 1 on the twinny was good but marred when I dropped it. Hung around for the push and surfed a very crowded reef on my log. Got the lions share with on of the c2c guys and later a couple of the other regulars that showed up. Most were just floating but it did make getting down the line without running people over interesting at times. And you don't want to be hit by a 9.2.

Later in week ride Cannock and it was nice and quiet, met a group on the trail and ended up riding the second half with them. We pushed each other onto some of the black sections and I was pleased to complete then all - shows how far you can progress in a couple of months riding.

Nasty little step up

Agent Orange

Goes like shit of a shovel. Two of the best surfs of the year, nice evening surf then the following morning

got up 4:30 to hit the beach at first light and it was pumping. The first half hour solo was just about as good as I have surfed and the new board the best board I have ridden - and I do love my single fin.

Wave number two was the money as they say, easy roll in then it walled up all the way to the inside allowing my average ability to draw the kind of lines that my  mind often plans but rarely delivers. Speed up for the last section then up and over the shoulder, paddle out and repeat. Someone later paddled up and said they had been watching from the road, "looked great first thing, you were all over it eh" oh aye my ego will take that all day long, at least till the next missed wave.

And more on the way for next week.

Wetsuit warming, wrap it round a bottle of boiling water.

New Rocket

Super clean logging

Perfect clean little pease on the push after low tide. Surfed it till the swell said goodbye to the bank.

Nice Drops

Report from 19a Ryanair, Beziers to Edinburgh. So after a long run of flatness the East Coast suddenly woke up and things got interesting again. A decent long range swell showed up and for a couple of hours at least the wind came good, a bank held some shape and it went real glassy. Once again a small few were getting our fill.

As is often the case there was a short period of twenty mins when things were just so and the drops got steep and the shoulder real pretty.

More of the same due tomorrow and a new board has been bought on a whim on Scottish second hand surfboards Facebook page.

No surf pics but how about this 2cv6 I saw in Meze this week.

Overhead stuff

Five surfs in a row in overhead waves spread over a week or so, a definite novelty in this part of the world. Mud in the car, cold wet wetsuits, painfull ears.. Ahh life on the east coast.

Fair to say the wind never made things perfect put whose worrying when there is finally some nice faces to play with. 

Surfed the single fin and the quad in equal measure, last surf on the quad and it felt like I was finally at home on it. Last wave at pease on the wrong tide at the far end, I took one of those rare rights and luckily had the speed to get round the first section, a head high face opened up the option for a nice cutback followed by a series of simple turns off the top, finally punching through the wave as it stood up on the beach. Happyness.

Prior to that had the single out at the reef on a busy (by our standards) day, battled with the better surfers and got my share -  highlight being a nicely shaped left followed up instantly by a large set right from the outside, twi longggg cutties before I got out of position due to avoiding someone and came out the back, but who is complaining when the faces look like that.

Two week break now due to half term so hopefully a flat period before it all kicks off again.

14 Second Period Swell

not everyday a 14second swell comes to our part of the world so first checked a spot that didn't look 14seconds but it sure looked overhead and clean, got in and some nice waves were coming through, second wave was wave of the winter - nicely overhead for the first 75 yards then it ran all the way to the inside, it just walled and walled and carried that perfect shape that good waves have. Backed that up with a left that was almost as good but directly into the sun. Caught a few more but the rip was a killer and I had as it turned out peaked for the day.

Went down to Coldy and had a bacon sarnie in the cafe, it looked nice and sizable from the window and after a dry hair paddle I discovered it was just that and seemed to be getting on for the period advertised. We scratched over one and I recall seeing the guy in front almost upright inside the face as he duck dived..and thinking there was room for someone else below him. Caught a couple but nowt special, lots of close outs and I ate shit a few times, one full out leap from the pitching lip - seemed to take a while to get to the water.

Made my way home and stopped to check our some reefs, which weirdly didn't look as sizable (and neither did Pease) - then ran into Danny, had a chat and watched him surf one of our waves for a while before calling it a day.

 

 

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

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!

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.

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.