[Falling Down]

The last two days were windy, wild and adventurous.

Wednesday was spent at a beautiful secluded left hand point in North Yorkshire.  The swell was a bit raggedy but we were out of the wind.  Just two of us, a big seal and overhead sets.  A snapped leash ended our fun a bit too early and a battering over the boulders to get out.

Thursday we were out on the Northumberland search just before first light. The combination of a massive North swell and Southerly winds really limited options as most of the spots that hold a big Northerly are South facing so these were all blown out.  We ended up at one of the small seaside towns eyeing up a reef that was rideable but might not have been surfed before.  The rip caused by the southerlies meant a constant paddle to stay in position but some good hairy rides were had before the tide dropped out and the reef was sucking dry.

The wind thankfully backed off and swung west so we finished the day at a beach/reef in overhead clean waves. After an hour of great waves I came the closest I have to drowning for 15 years when I duck dived a hollow wave that detonated on my neck, ripped my suit/zip wide open and flushed my entire suit with gallons of freezing water which caused me to sink. I was able to get onto my board and get close to shore but then got caught in the rip and taken out to the line up again where I duck dived another set which flushed my suit again. I was really quite worried at a couple of points that I wasn't going to make it out.  Scary mary...

[SA Chris]

Yikes. Wouldn't want to get that happen ever, let alone in my current state of unfitness.

[SA Chris]

There's a book out now, as per FDs post about the interview with Bunker Spreckels.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51ofcyom%2BNL._AA240_.jpg

On the subject, are there any other good books about surfers out there? Is Stealing the Wave any good?

[Idol eyes]

Surfers stories, found it a bit Phsicophantic, but the Occy section was inspiring.
Surfed La Saladita today, its going tropo 2moro, overhead 500mt rides, big sections, take off, make the wall, small cover ups, thats the first 100 mts then nose to tail all the way, its on the low so gotta watch the cobble stone reef, my first point break since Rio Nexpa, one board left (9,6 stewart hydrohull) going to tear it apart ( broken finger, damn those mexican hung hamocks) peace...

[Falling Down]

Chris - I got Stealing the Wave for Christmas but haven't read it yet.  Andy Martin has always been obsessed by Foo and Bradshaw and he's a pretty good writer so it could be worthwhile.

There's a new book out this month that looks really good. A bunch of essays on modern surfing (crowds, internet, travel, neo-soul surfing, etc.) that looks really good but the name escapes me. There's a review on the Mag Seaweed news section.

Nic bought me a copy of Ether for Chrimbo that arrived late. Its a beautiful hardbound, screen printed 15" x 12" 200 page limited edition of photo's and essays by Andrew Kidman (Litmus and Glass love) - have a look at litmus.com.au .

Idol - I'm very jealous... (particularly as its also 5am and I'm up and jetlagged in DC).

 

[Adam Lincoln]

Chris - I got Stealing the Wave for Christmas but haven't read it yet.  Andy Martin has always been obsessed by Foo and Bradshaw and he's a pretty good writer so it could be worthwhile.

Not a great great book, but certainly readable. I read it on a recent trip to the Grampians, and took me a couple of days. If a  dont read a book in a few days, i get bored. So its not that bad. Just goes on a bit. Plus the section with Foo, i knew the story already, so that dragged a bit.

Be interesting to know what you think about it. I have yet to find an outstanding surfing book. Pipedreams, the Slater Bio was dull. Hell, i read the stormrider most nights!

[Falling Down]

>I have yet to find an outstanding surfing book

Caught Inside by Dan Duane - the best by a mile and then some.

[Idol eyes]

Weird, surfed Salita today with Allan Wisenbeck, my chick knows him well from Tobago where he wrote his new book, 'Can't get along with anybody'. if you want agood book, the two previous numbers i found excellent.
still trying to find Caught Inside.
Totally killed it today, overhead sets, 350 mts rides (the take off point walled out, so the shoulder was the easy option.
nearly did my first helicopter, but wobbled...
out at dawn, with a full orange moon watching us,,,
wow...

[Idol eyes]

Far Out, today, I surfed with Gidget, for real....

[granticus]

Idol...  Spare a thought.......  Whilst you are having what appears to be an epic trip with epic waves..  I have just spent the morning grovelling in cold brown slop at Lynmouth..  No sign of Gidget here.... and to add insult to injury.. I managed to sheer off a fin on a shallow rock!! Good times!!

[Houdini]

Gidget


You surfed w/a girl midget?

I'd pay money to see smurfing gidgets - oh - I mean surfing midgets.

[slackline]

I'd pay money to see smurfing gidgets - oh - I mean surfing midgets.

How much for kick-boxing midgets?



Apologies for being 

[Houdini]

(W O W - that chap in blue trunks has one slammin' R hook!)

[SA Chris]

Gidget


You surfed w/a girl midget?

Noooo!

[slackline]

Stumbled across some rather nice pics on flickr...



More in the guys stream

[Dangereux]

East Coast this weekend was truly awesome. Low tide was unfavourably early but my mate and me had one of the points to ourselves for a few hours. 8-10 ft beasts rolling in  :jaw:and a backdrop of snow covered fields made for a great mornings surf, if a little terrifying. The afternoon was a slightly more friendly 3-5ft at south bay.
Was surprised at how few people there were for a great swell.

[curly ben]

Hello.. bit of a newbie. got back from 2 months in costa rica and got withdrawl symptoms from surfing... thinking of braving the ocean over here. living in sheff for most of march.. any you guys got any advice. guess east coast is the way forward. ?? 

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

Here's one that could be in non-climbing vids/this thread/the wonders of HiDef video/Deaf fit birds who go surfing or a unique thread all of it's own...

http://www.adobe.com/products/hdvideo/hdgallery/ ...and click on 'Surfing in slow motion'. The big ones (720/1080) need a good video card to play smoothly, but BOY do they look good. I particularly appreciate the quality of the HD video roughly halfway through the film. 

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

We'll she may be deaf, I couldn't tell from the film... however many times I watched it . 

[Dangereux]

I took this just before getting in on sat morn.

Curly Ben - from sheffield east coast is where it's at. Cold but tres bien.

[Dangereux]

http://magicseaweed.com/photoLab/viewPhoto.php?photoId=46307
Didn't work so here is link.

[slackline]

http://magicseaweed.com/photoLab/viewPhoto.php?photoId=46307
Didn't work so here is link.

That's cause you tried to embed the URL for the web-page as opposed to the URL for the image itself...

[Dangereux]

thanks
When you get the webpage up, do you then right click the image to do that. I am a computer retard-o.

[slackline]

thanks
When you get the webpage up, do you then right click the image to do that. I am a computer retard-o.

Right-click on the image and select "Open in new [tab/window]" (depends on what browser your using.  That'll open the picture with its own URL in the NavBar, copy and paste that in using the image tags (the third button from the left on the second row). 

[Dangereux]

sweet