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One for the surfers (Read 715429 times)

slackline

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#2775 Re: One for the surfers
April 16, 2014, 09:58:04 am

casa

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#2776 Re: One for the surfers
April 16, 2014, 10:38:36 am
 :clap2:
good on him

ben

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#2777 Re: One for the surfers
April 16, 2014, 10:43:21 am
:clap2:
good on him
seen it before but it's pretty inspiring eh

bit like the Thurso forecast for this weekend
http://magicseaweed.com/Thurso-East-Surf-Report/47/

here's hoping it's worth the 14h drive from Cornwall   :o

gme

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#2778 Re: One for the surfers
April 16, 2014, 12:04:11 pm
Ben- Dont believe the MSW hype too much there is a lot of west in the swell so wont be as big as they are suggesting. Looks good though and other spots will be firing as well.


ben

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#2779 Re: One for the surfers
April 16, 2014, 12:12:02 pm
thanks gme and yep fair enough.  Not as big as they're suggesting is no bad thing when the water's cold and I'm really unfit..    any recommendations for alternative breaks/wild camping gratefully received  (ChrisF has already given me some beta)

gme

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#2780 Re: One for the surfers
April 16, 2014, 02:47:15 pm
Torrisdale is my favorite spot up there, best beach and my favorite place in the UK for camping. This is properly the BIG country.

The wave is the longest right hander in UK but its fickle only works as the tide drops towards low, as soon as the tide pushes the rip ruins it. Not heavy or hollow but long fast walls. I have surfed it well overhead and got 400+m rides. Amazing camping spot on the shore above the wave, mussels in the rocks and a river full of sea trout and salmon, free fishing below the bridge. The forecast looks really good for it.

Bear in mind its pretty wild up there, heavy waves and lots of rips. Jump off the rocks to get in and prepare to paddle a lot. If you get in trouble your on your own.

At the main breaks you can camp at Thurso east but its a shit hole better spot is at Point of Ness harbor, only 15 mins drive away and has a nice mellow right hander that will be working.

Loads of spots all along the coast and you can see a lot of them from the road. Seek and you shall find. Its easter weekend so TE will be rammed.

I am jealous, not been up there for a while and its only 5 hours drive for me.

ben

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#2781 Re: One for the surfers
April 16, 2014, 02:51:16 pm
many thanks gme - plus it seems to have a large bloc sat out the back in the dunes, bonus

ben

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#2782 Re: One for the surfers
April 22, 2014, 12:11:17 pm
Thanks gme & Chris for some top beta, had the most amazing weekend of waves and weather on the North coast  ;D  A quick summary below:
Arrived at 8am Fri morning (having left West Cornwall at 5pm Thurs night) and Thurso East was about 4-5ft and firing but with loads of people out. So went and checked further east to no avail, came back to TE and there were only 2 in so we got in and had an great session.  What an amazing wave.. it wasn't particularly barrelly I guess as the swell was a bit northerly but just such a good shape.
Camped at Torrisdale every night, what an amazing spot. 
Saturday - TE was double overhead on the sets with a big crowd all over it, bit too much for us so we went east and surfed Point of Ness, awesome fun - about 5ft and reeling (mellowly) down the point, bit ruffled by the wind but hey.  Exhausted after 2.5hrs of paddling back up but don't think I duckdived once in that time
Sunday - TE was again pretty full on with big sets and guys out pulling 360 airs etc. so went exploring again.  Ended up surfing Murkle Point on our own which was really fun, if a little shallow and gnarly.  In the evening we surfed small sh*tpipes which was again really fun with long long rights
Monday - should really have headed straight home but checked TE and it was about 4ft with 2 guys on it.. so apologising profusely for zooing their wave with 4 of us we got it and I had another amazing session.  The drive home was pretty epic due to the A9 being closed but got in at 330am knackered but happy!

in conclusion - I wish Cornwall had more points and reefs, northern scotland is amazing and can't wait to go back sometime.  The locals were complaining that TE was busy on the Sunday when there were probably 15 people out - if that wave was in cornwall and working like it was there would have been 50+ people on it!

SA Chris

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#2783 Re: One for the surfers
April 22, 2014, 12:37:01 pm
Sounds like a good trip. Plus aurora! Did you go up and back on the east side? Too knackered for bouldering?

Try outer hebs next time. Best wave quality / crowd ratio in Europe I reckon.

ben

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#2784 Re: One for the surfers
April 22, 2014, 12:49:00 pm
Sounds like a good trip. Plus aurora! Did you go up and back on the east side? Too knackered for bouldering?

Try outer hebs next time. Best wave quality / crowd ratio in Europe I reckon.
Yeah up/back on the east side, after surf Mon morning just wanted to take quickest route back (still 16hrs!).  Had a play on the bloc at Torrisdale (had to paddle across the river to get there) but wasn't anything special.  Also checked Farr bouldering but the swell was so macking there that the 'non-tidal' ledge was being washed so no go.
Ok outer hebs next time, although it was a enough of a mission to get to thurso to be honest!

SA Chris

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#2785 Re: One for the surfers
April 22, 2014, 01:33:01 pm
outer hebs actually easier to get to, ferry from Oban to S Uist (or even Barra) and then you are on island time!

gme

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#2786 Re: One for the surfers
April 22, 2014, 02:23:26 pm
I had a sickening weekend being bombarded by tweets and texts about how good it was. Glad you scored it and got a few waves. TE is a special wave if you get it good.

Murkle is a good wave too but the left a bit further east (nothing lefts?) is better. So many waves when you get a swell like that.

A couple of mates from SA Chris home town surfed Torrisdale on Monday and said it was good.

Your last comment about crowds is probably the reason why us northerners get pissed off with groups coming up from Cornwall. 15 people IS busy, especially on the reefs and they wont handle many more people. When pasties turn up they just think is quite so all paddle straight in.

If you remember its not Cornwall and that 15 is a crowd you will get on fine up here and Scotland.

And re the Hebs i disagree with Chris about the surf, its much better on the north coast, more consistent and with better options for the wind. I have been to the Hebs a few times and its never lived up to the hype yet. Too wild and windy. Amazing place though but if your wanting to surf hit the North.


ben

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#2787 Re: One for the surfers
April 22, 2014, 02:41:42 pm
Your last comment about crowds is probably the reason why us northerners get pissed off with groups coming up from Cornwall. 15 people IS busy, especially on the reefs and they wont handle many more people. When pasties turn up they just think is quite so all paddle straight in.

If you remember its not Cornwall and that 15 is a crowd you will get on fine up here and Scotland.

Yes fair point but to be fair whenever there were more than 6-7 people on a break we left it and moved on, plus when we did go in we made sure we didn't all paddle out at once and always gave way to folk already on it. 

My point was more an observation of how quiet these waves are, we never surfed with more than 2-3 other people in the water even on a sunny easter weekend with pumping waves

SA Chris

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#2788 Re: One for the surfers
April 22, 2014, 02:48:29 pm
And re the Hebs i disagree with Chris about the surf, its much better on the north coast, more consistent and with better options for the wind. I have been to the Hebs a few times and its never lived up to the hype yet. Too wild and windy. Amazing place though but if your wanting to surf hit the North.

N Coast is better overall no doubt, but point I was trying to make was when you (well I) factor in the crowds I think Outer hebs sneaks it - plus the climbing is better when surf is off.

gme

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#2789 Re: One for the surfers
April 22, 2014, 02:52:28 pm
Your last comment about crowds is probably the reason why us northerners get pissed off with groups coming up from Cornwall. 15 people IS busy, especially on the reefs and they wont handle many more people. When pasties turn up they just think is quite so all paddle straight in.

If you remember its not Cornwall and that 15 is a crowd you will get on fine up here and Scotland.

Yes fair point but to be fair whenever there were more than 6-7 people on a break we left it and moved on, plus when we did go in we made sure we didn't all paddle out at once and always gave way to folk already on it. 


Sorry Ben i didnt intend to come over critical of you. I was more commenting on how its easy for people from the SW to think its quiet up north as you are all used to the zoo like waves in the SW.
My point was more an observation of how quiet these waves are, we never surfed with more than 2-3 other people in the water even on a sunny easter weekend with pumping waves

Probes

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#2790 Re: One for the surfers
April 22, 2014, 10:11:11 pm
Sounds like a good trip. Plus aurora! Did you go up and back on the east side? Too knackered for bouldering?

Try outer hebs next time. Best wave quality / crowd ratio in Europe I reckon.

I second that Chris... our little trip last week, only 3 surfers on the island I reckon and 2 were us :) fantastic waves once we found/sussed them with the winds.. surfed cliff twice on a mill pond in solid 4-6 foot with enough period to brew up between sets, one of my best sessions Ive had. So psyched to go back up there again. Plus some quality boulders found on Harris. Can highly recommend it.

SA Chris

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#2791 Re: One for the surfers
April 22, 2014, 11:50:28 pm
Only person we met surfing on N Uist was the local plod on his bodyboard (i kid you not) I was temped to drop in on him but didn't!

Johnny Brown

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#2792 Re: One for the surfers
April 23, 2014, 08:51:27 am
Orkney might offer the best of both worlds...

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#2793 Re: One for the surfers
April 24, 2014, 11:58:40 am
many thanks gme - plus it seems to have a large bloc sat out the back in the dunes, bonus

Far far too long since I made that trip. Fangs for the memory jog. Some snaps:
Early (this was big)…

Second low, dropping swell…

Camp…
 

Next day. Other folk turned up...


I was clearly too knackered to hold a camera, that or he's surfing uphill…

« Last Edit: April 24, 2014, 12:04:48 pm by johnx2 »

rich d

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#2794 Re: One for the surfers
April 24, 2014, 04:57:25 pm
Sorry to highjack the thread with a newbie question. I've got 3 days coming up at the end of Sept and am getting to the age where I need to try surfing. Any recommendations for a warm(ish) place I can have a few beginner lessons and combine it with some beer etc. Cheap flights from the UK would be a bonus as well.
Cheers Rich

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#2795 Re: One for the surfers
April 24, 2014, 05:10:42 pm
Good post that Rich (its on some vague list of things I want to try)- something I've always wondered is whether its worth having 'lessons' per se, or just doing what I usually do and blag some equipment and have a bash?

(I imagine I would be shit at it to be honest, no skill at skateboarding and moderate/low ability on a snowboard..)

SA Chris

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#2796 Re: One for the surfers
April 24, 2014, 10:55:11 pm
Assume you don't want to stay in the UK? Somewhere around Algarve / Peniche / Lisbon?

I only ever had any tuition once i had progressed to riding unbroken waves, and don't regret just hiring some kit, getting in with some mates, having a laugh and a go at it you can't come to much harm if you are aware of the hazards. Expect the flattest learning curve (of anything I've ever tried) but every little bit of progress feels fantastic.

rich d

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#2797 Re: One for the surfers
April 24, 2014, 11:33:33 pm
Thanks Chris. Portugal sounds good, but uk could be a possibility. Didn't really want to end up in Newquay though.

SA Chris

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#2798 Re: One for the surfers
April 25, 2014, 08:23:11 am
Newquay is easily avoided, plenty of other beaches get good surf and have hire stuff available; Croyde, Bude, Sennen, etc etc etc. In fact hard to throw a stick in the SW and not hit a surf school. Can combine it wit h a bit of climbing too, just bear in mind skin gets soft in the sea, and "gritrash" stings like buggery in salt water. Septemeber is a good time too, the mob has gone home after summer, but often good waves, and water not yet too cold.

rich d

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#2799 Re: One for the surfers
April 25, 2014, 08:51:41 am
Newquay is easily avoided, plenty of other beaches get good surf and have hire stuff available; Croyde, Bude, Sennen, etc etc etc. In fact hard to throw a stick in the SW and not hit a surf school. Can combine it wit h a bit of climbing too, just bear in mind skin gets soft in the sea, and "gritrash" stings like buggery in salt water. Septemeber is a good time too, the mob has gone home after summer, but often good waves, and water not yet too cold.
cheers, out of those (as I said I'm a complete novice) which would you recommend for an intro, would prefer it to be not too busy too.

 

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