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One for the surfers (Read 715746 times)

BrutusTheBear

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#3175 Re: One for the surfers
September 03, 2022, 11:36:20 am
https://magicseaweed.com/North-Atlantic-Surf-Chart/2/?type=swell
Well this certainly looks more promising for out west.  Swell coming Monday offshores for N facing/ sheltered bays.  2nd storm system in particular could send a fun size groundswell with calm winds locally.  And there's a 3rd one developing behind that!

SA Chris

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#3176 Re: One for the surfers
September 05, 2022, 07:34:46 am
Tis a great board though, I've never felt the need for anything else.

Glad it still gets the love. Regret parting with it some days, but longboard most of the time now though, as I am so rarely in the water.

Liamhutch89

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#3177 Re: One for the surfers
October 10, 2022, 09:58:56 am
I've had the 13th - 17th October penciled in for ages for a 5 day surf trip (and maybe a bit of climbing) while the wife is away at her parents with the kids.

My mate and I had decided to leave it until last minute and go by conditions. The UK and Ireland are blowing a gale, and Lisbon is looking pretty expensive for direct flights (£400+ from Manchester). Flights to Biarritz from London for £31 looks like a good option, although the times would require an overnight stay in London and probably quadruple the flight cost for the train.

Any other ideas? 

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#3178 Re: One for the surfers
October 10, 2022, 10:08:09 am
Not a surfer however I know mates that have been to Faro recently instead of Lisbon for surfing, think this was because flights were cheaper. Might be worth looking at?

SA Chris

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#3179 Re: One for the surfers
October 10, 2022, 01:07:23 pm
Flying to Faro is a cheaper option, but conditions in the immediate area are not that reliable, ideally need to be nearer the Sagres Peninsula (Faro and westwards) to capitalise on swell from all directions. Are you planning hiring a car?

Also lots of Northern Spain options. Or if you don't mind a longer flight (but might be cheaper) there's the Canaries.

BrutusTheBear

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#3180 Re: One for the surfers
October 10, 2022, 05:00:12 pm
Looking at forecast there seems to be lots of unhelpful wind but plenty of swell.
 Portugal looks like a banging forecast around Sagres which helpfully has beaches facing west, south and east with loads of spots with varying degrees of shelter/exposure to swells nearby too.  The only winds that would scupper you are southerlies which aren't forecast. I know nothing about bouldering opportunities nearby.
Lanza looks good too with the options around the island for shelter from wind and swells.  You'd be mainly looking at reef/point breaks over rocks and urchins though.  There is good bouldering on the island.
I hear Indo is nice at any time of year if you have the time and budget. ;)

SA Chris

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#3181 Re: One for the surfers
October 10, 2022, 05:06:07 pm
Famara area on Lanza has a range from nice sandy bottom beachies to sketchy reefs, and actually covers quite a wide range of options wrt shelter / wind if you don't mind a walk.

Liamhutch89

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#3182 Re: One for the surfers
October 10, 2022, 09:05:16 pm
Flights to Faro are booked, we'll be hiring a car and aiming straight for Sagres! Looks like there's some DWS there too. I'll take lots of photos  ;D

SA Chris

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#3183 Re: One for the surfers
October 11, 2022, 08:42:37 am
Just looked at the forecast. Jammy twat :). Hope those guns hold up to all that paddling.

BrutusTheBear

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#3184 Re: One for the surfers
October 11, 2022, 10:19:40 am
Have a good one LH! 
Be good to hear how it goes and about the DWS out there too, wondering whether too much swell affects it or whether there are sheltered areas..

SA Chris

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#3185 Re: One for the surfers
October 11, 2022, 10:49:24 am
IIRC there is an exposed spot and a slightly more sheltered friendlier spot. It's on my wishlist along with an Ericeira / Sintra trip.

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#3186 Re: One for the surfers
October 11, 2022, 11:55:19 pm
I went recently and thought the dws was great fun on big jugs but a touch chossy in places. Ingrina is great and perfectly safe, Be careful at garcia walls, the water isnt as deep as the dws guide by mike robertson makes out. I made the mistake of going at low tide and i could stand up in places! Definitely go at high tide! Have a good trip im off surfing in whitby tomorrow and friday, the forecast isnt looking quite as fantastic as around sagres but hopefully there will be a bit about!

Liamhutch89

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#3187 Re: One for the surfers
October 18, 2022, 10:53:35 am
Sagres.

Well that was pretty great! We didn't stop for the whole trip, ate like kings (and still lost weight) and now I'm tired and very sore!

Starting on the Thursday, we hired our kit and surfed for a few hours at Tonel beach until after dark, then walked a whole 5 minutes up to our apartment. A nice introduction with 2-3 foot waves, an epic purple sunset sky and mirror gold water.

On Friday, the surf was small so we did the DWS at Ingrina getting mega pumped on everything 6b and above like true boulderers. I came very close to onsighting the 7c superbock, which included a 20 minute sit down rest in the half-way cave, an attempt at the boulder problem exiting the cave, getting stuck and somehow managing to reverse it back to the rest, then getting through the boulder problem before hitting terminal pump on easy ground above. There was no jumping off in a controlled way at 95% pump, this was a violent uncontrollable splashdown down whilst 110% committed - great fun! I could barely manage to ascend the grade 3 scramble back out after drying off, so we did a bit of cliff jumping to finish off. After a progressive build-up, I was psyched to send a gainer flip from 15m! Such a great feeling.

Saturday, the surf was back on. Swell periods were up to 12s and we spent the whole day at Castelejo, in the water for 10 hours! In the morning it was really misty which gave it a nice feel. I got a bit better at reading the waves and reduced the number of closeouts I paddled into throughout the day. Great spot and a stunning beach. Made a few Portuguese friends.

On Sunday, the swell increased through the day up to a 7 foot swell and 15s period, with almost no wind. This was a different beast entirely. After feeling comfortable the previous day surfing and getting wiped out on waves around 4-5 foot, that did absolutely nothing to prepare for this. I got lucky with the timing paddling out and reached the line up with no drama, but quickly realised I was in well over my head when the waves that were rolling in seemed as big and as thick as houses. I've not experienced anything close to that before and it was very intimidating. I sat it out for 15 minutes, but knew there was only one way back in, paddled for one and popped up, but I was way too heavy on the front of the board and wiped out immediately. Stupidly, I must have breathed out before I went down, but did all the right things afterwards - protected my head, stayed relaxed while getting tossed around, but I began panicking as I really needed air but still couldn't get back up. Eventually I surfaced, not sure how far I was from drowning but it wasn't a million miles away! Obviously I was still in the impact zone and got smashed again but this time took a deep breath. I spent the rest of the session in the whitewash. Big waves are scary. I felt like a new gym climber attempting to onsight E3 in rental shoes.

Monday morning, we got up at sunrise to get a few hours in before heading back to the airport. The waves were still big so it was another session just chilling in the foam.

Great place, brilliant food and a really cool vibe. I'd recommend it to anyone and will certainly be visiting again. Favourite places to eat were Three Little Birds, Laundry Lounge and Mare Cheia. Dori is a good bar for evenings with regular live music.
« Last Edit: October 18, 2022, 10:59:56 am by Liamhutch89 »

Liamhutch89

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#3188 Re: One for the surfers
October 19, 2022, 09:14:00 am
Had chance to upload a few photos from the trip last night. Link to photo album:  https://adobe.ly/3yQwUdE

edit: and a gainer  ;D  https://youtube.com/shorts/kWW0o5lCsQs?feature=share
« Last Edit: October 19, 2022, 09:21:53 am by Liamhutch89 »

Duncan Disorderly

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#3189 Re: One for the surfers
October 19, 2022, 12:32:10 pm
Ace report - Sagres is right up on the hit list now! Looks mint!

Falling Down

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#3190 Re: One for the surfers
October 20, 2022, 10:15:27 pm
Liam, here’s some nice footage of that Sunday swell hitting Ericeria

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cj3S7bXoFhP/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Liamhutch89

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#3191 Re: One for the surfers
October 21, 2022, 10:04:50 am
It looked pretty similar in Sagres on the Sunday!

Anyone have any thoughts on what thickness to go for on boots/gloves for east coast surfing this winter?

SA Chris

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#3192 Re: One for the surfers
October 24, 2022, 09:23:04 am
Depends on your resilience! I decided after a few winters that I would would spend the cash and lose some dexterity and rather be warm, got the XCEL Lobster Mitts. I can surf mid winter with them on, and still have warm hands, rather than the hot aches and not being able to unlock car I used to have to deal with. I've got Alder Plasma 7mm boots which are ace too the ones with the red stripe in pic, might be a newer model.http://www.surfadviser.com/product/Shoes,61/Alder/Plasma-Boots-7mm,101 Also got an XCEL hooded Polypro rash vest which is great if you have a suit without a hood.

Sounds like a great trip, nothing like the humbling experience of getting owned. I had it a few times in the Hebrides.

SA Chris

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#3193 Re: One for the surfers
November 03, 2022, 12:05:39 pm
Go West! crazy swell forecast (might need shelter from wind though).

Duncan Disorderly

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#3194 Re: One for the surfers
December 19, 2022, 03:16:34 pm
Been waiting for this to land for a while - gonna curl up with a brew and watch this over the holidays... Or maybe in the van @ Cayton around New Years  :dance1:


Andy W

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#3195 Re: One for the surfers
June 26, 2023, 09:51:43 am
 SW France...can anyone recommend any spots that are not mega busy, maybe with somewhere to camp or park up, between Bordeaux and Biarritz?

Duncan Disorderly

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#3196 Re: One for the surfers
November 15, 2023, 09:56:34 am
Planning a trip to Tenerife in January for a bit of mid-winter surfing and sport climbing action (probably a just have couple of surf days, the rest climbing) - pretty much know what's going on re. climbing out there but have no real idea what the surfing is like - from the limited bit I've read there's a lot of reefs, rocks and angry locals - sounds err... Mint.

Thought I'd see if anyone here's been and has any recomendations for a surf punter? CBA to lug a board for just a couple of days but happy to sling a suit and boots in the bag - staying Arico way but will have a car.

Cheers...

SA Chris

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#3197 Re: One for the surfers
November 15, 2023, 11:33:24 am
We stayed in Costa Adeje in the summer, so I think vibe very different. I was getting up early and running the 5km to the beach (electric scooters available) hiring a board from Surf Point (only shop open all daylight hours) and getting in at Playa de Americas and surfing for a few hours until i was knackered and surf schools descended about 9:15, when I got out and had a sweaty tired jog back. It was usually locals in the water at that time, but very chilled out waves and very chilled out vibe, and I was obviously not local, being the only one in rash vest and shorts when they are all in wetsuits. I expect in winter it's very different, with PdA being a hotly contested spot on a good day, but I expect with a bit more swell there are more options available up and down the coast, I think El Medano is closer to Arico and is a well known surf / windsurf / kite surf spot, with surf school etc. Lots of info on google, and if you send me a number i can send you the info in Stormrider's Europe if you don't have a copy.

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#3198 Re: One for the surfers
November 16, 2023, 08:49:36 am
What do folk make of this prone foiling lark (ie surfing with a foil). I believe the new record is over 3 hours 'surfing' constantly. Check out youtube if you have not seen it before (here for example ). It looks amazing I reckon, it seems like a real evolution. Instead of 5 second rides, suddenly you can talk about minutes or hours, obviously not on the same wave of course. It will also spread out the crowds cos you dont need to be in the pocket at all. Downside is that you dont need to be in the pocket I suppose?

SA Chris

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#3199 Re: One for the surfers
November 16, 2023, 09:23:15 am
Looks fun, but I think you would lose the "feel", and basically being able to go anywhere makes it all a bit too easy? Also incredibly dangerous with some toolers using them in busy line ups.

https://www.theinertia.com/surf/heres-what-happens-when-a-foil-board-hits-you-in-the-face/

 

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