[philo]

chris between two piers today the waves were beauts just after low tide, pumping session - should have wore gloves tho, my fingers felt like they were going to snap when i attempted to take the wetsuit off

[granticus]

This is what we woke up to on Saturday morning BIG old pulse of swell, was gone and much more friendly by the evening though. (A friend got absolutely munched trying to duck dive one of these big sets), Sunday was super fun, nothing left today.  How'd it go JH? 

[john horscroft]

This is what we woke up to on Saturday morning BIG old pulse of swell, was gone and much more friendly by the evening though. (A friend got absolutely munched trying to duck dive one of these big sets), Sunday was super fun, nothing left today.  How'd it go JH? 

Awesome Granticus.    Trouble is, it was WAYYYYY too big for me on Saturday, so I went to the dark side.  Took out the body board and fins and had great fun.  Back on the mini mal on sunday, caught a few, got dumped by a few.  Woolacombe had some excellent peaks, I'm just not good enough to be in the right place at the right time!  Sitting in the cafe on tuesday morning looking at a millpond out there - hey ho 

[Probes]

Is that Croyd Granticus?

[SA Chris]

  Sitting in the cafe on tuesday morning looking at a millpond out there - hey ho 

You got bikes with you? Head to the Quantocks!

Sponging might be seen as a backward step, but at least you got some time in with bigger surf - anything you learn regarding reading and catching bigger waves is good time spent IMO.

[gme]

Nice pics, have not been down to croyde for a while (if thats where it is) and usually have a good time. Cant see any crowds for once.

Your man in the pics needs to be hitting the brakes, for a little bit of heaven, although it does look like it might section well out in front of him. With surfing pics the camera can quite often lie.

[granticus]

Yarp.. It is Croyde absolutely bone crunchingly pumping..

The wave did indeed section and close out way out in front of that goofy footed hero

[fatdoc]

This is what we woke up to on Saturday morning BIG old pulse of swell, was gone and much more friendly by the evening though. (A friend got absolutely munched trying to duck dive one of these big sets), Sunday was super fun, nothing left today.  How'd it go JH? 

Awesome Granticus.    Trouble is, it was WAYYYYY too big for me on Saturday, so I went to the dark side.  Took out the body board and fins and had great fun.  Back on the mini mal on sunday, caught a few, got dumped by a few.  Woolacombe had some excellent peaks, I'm just not good enough to be in the right place at the right time!  Sitting in the cafe on tuesday morning looking at a millpond out there - hey ho 

as a newbie middle aged sponger, of no ability.. that sounds ace.. I'm jealous

[fatdoc]

This is very good

shit, yes...

[SA Chris]

It's brilliant isn't it.

[gme]

If you like it get the "from shadows" dvd. It was free with one of the rags earlier this year but i think you can buy it. One of the best DVDs for a while and the best UK and ireland one yet. ( not as good as litmus though but thats not purely ireland).

They seem a really genuine bunch of lads and i really hope its not all a load of marketing bullshit.

[Baron]

You'll probably like this too:

http://www.relentlessenergy.com/films/view/powers-of-three

[SA Chris]

I got the powers of 3 one as a freebie a while back, not seen from shadows though.

[Idol eyes]

Bored and Drunk again!

[slackline]

The 4OD stream of Powers of Three is slightly better quality than the Relentless version.

[SA Chris]

But the free DVD is better than both!

[slackline]

But the free DVD is better than both!

Quite, where does one obtain this free DVD from these days?

Live streaming of RIP Curl event in Portugal

[SA Chris]

One asks someone who owns it to do them a favour if one is that bothered

[john horscroft]

  Sitting in the cafe on tuesday morning looking at a millpond out there - hey ho 

You got bikes with you? Head to the Quantocks!

Sponging might be seen as a backward step, but at least you got some time in with bigger surf - anything you learn regarding reading and catching bigger waves is good time spent IMO.

Normally Chris, that'd be a given.  Love the biking in the Quantocks but too knackered after the weekend to do it justice!  Next time.  Agree with everything you say about sponging, (hey, new word!) trying to read the waves better.  Thinking of opting for a longer board next time in the hope I can catch waves earlier and stand more chance of staying in green water...

[Jaspersharpe]

Agree with everything you say about sponging

 

[robertostallioni]

Agree with everything you say about NSFW sponging

.

[granticus]

  Sitting in the cafe on tuesday morning looking at a millpond out there - hey ho 

You got bikes with you? Head to the Quantocks!

Sponging might be seen as a backward step, but at least you got some time in with bigger surf - anything you learn regarding reading and catching bigger waves is good time spent IMO.

Normally Chris, that'd be a given.  Love the biking in the Quantocks but too knackered after the weekend to do it justice!  Next time.  Agree with everything you say about sponging, (hey, new word!) trying to read the waves better.  Thinking of opting for a longer board next time in the hope I can catch waves earlier and stand more chance of staying in green water...

I hear the biking on Exmoor is pretty special and for the most part unknown...  So if you are down this way, there maybe little point in heading back so far as Quantocks.. 

Back on topic...  Wave sense and being able to read the waves is crucial to succesful surfing.  Being able to predict where that lump you see out at sea will begin to break and putting yourself in the right spot is the key.  Also being able to recognise when a 'set' is approaching is useful, as is understanding how and when the wave will break.  These are dark arts that can only be aquired through experience.  Some things that might help, learning to bodysurf (no boards, no fins) gives you a real understanding of how waves break and it is also a very useful skill should your leash snap (as a point of safety you should be able to make your way back to shore without a board efficiently anyway).  Bodyboarding can also teach you a lot about timing and positioning on the wave (didn't Slater start out as a booger?).  Most surfers use 'line ups' to maintain a particular position in the ocean, this involves picking out landmarks in the distance and 'lining up' your position (for some reef breaks I have very specific line ups that I use to ensure that I'm in optimum position).  At a lot of breaks, including beachies, there will be indicators (somewhere further out that shows swell) that give away the fact that a set is coming.  Failing all of that just act like a sheep and follow around someone who seems to be a wave magnet, check out what they're looking at, when they start moving and how they seem to be intuitively predicting where the peak is...  Or you can just sit there waiting for the chance event of something coming your way and breaking in exactly the right spot, a friend calls this 'tea-bagging'!

[philo]

anyone of the east coast massive had any luck over the last couple of days?
some disgusting ripples here that have no promise to surf.  Oh well dawn session tomorrow as the tides look right for the "4" foot predictions.  I'll be happy with anything clean.

On a positive note, i need a new shortboard.  I want a fish but im not sure.

[Baron]

I'm about to pick up my first shortboard - Super Evo 6'6''x20''x2 3/4 from Adrian at Fluid Juice; £380!

http://www.fluidjuice.co.uk/pages/boardsbydesign.htm

Great guys. Super helpful and friendly.

[SA Chris]

anyone of the east coast massive had any luck over the last couple of days?

No. Had a look this morning, and a wee pulse, but not enough east in it to do much for Aberdeen. Might be better down the coast.

Next week however (scratch chin).