[SA Chris]

Shit, ok I'm off from tomorrow night until 16th, will try bring stormriders in to work.

http://www.easyjet.com/en/sports-equipment

Doesn't specify size only weight. From what I've heard they are OK with carriage if you pay, but I would pack boards well, use bubble wrap if you can, and pipe lagging on rails.

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

Hi all, have just booked flights to Lisbon 19th to 26th, looking for ideas about best places to stay? Me and the other half are prob best described as beginner /intermediate level. She's 5'2“ and on a 6'6" fish, I'm 5'9" and on a 6'4" hybrid. Questions: where should we stay for suitable conditions? Should we bother taking the boards, or hire once there? Worth hiring a car? Anyone been and got any recommendations?

Stayed in Praia das Maçãs two years ago. About 1km from Praia Grande, which is the more famous beach and has a board hire place on the beach http://goo.gl/maps/Yv82n . Maçãs was a bit more sheltered and a less powerful wave if Grande was going off. Both beaches were almost deserted in May, so I doubt will be busy now. Several great seafood restaurants, accommodation should be easy enough to find. Quite quiet places, a few bars but not wild nightlife. Easy to get to from Lisbon (~40min) but I'd get a hire car, lots of great places to explore a short drive away. Sintra is amazing and has bouldering if theres no surf (there another thread on here somewhere about it)

We explored up the coast to Ericeira which was nice, although a much bigger, busier place, depends on what you like.

Area:
https://goo.gl/maps/RGxXK

Although I think his small cottage is full for that week, there's plenty of stuff on Ralph's page here to get you excited/make us jealous...
https://www.facebook.com/lisboncoastcottages

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

...quite a few threads on Sintra
https://www.google.com/search?q=sintra+site:http://ukbouldering.com/board

[gme]

The rip curl pro world camps is on at peniche when your out there. Worth a drive up for the day if you have never seen it. Check it's on first in the morning then drive up.

I put some stuff on here about the area a few pages back including a link to a friend of a fronds place out there. Beaches great where you are. Reefs at Ericieria are amazing only just up the road.

Looks like loads of swell on the way for you as well.

No probs with boards as long as you pre book.  Get them both in one bag

Hire a car 100%. Loads to see and do and you need to move about to get the best waves.

[SA Chris]

Sorry, can't find storrider's anywhere

Good luck, hope you score!

[Duma]

No worries Chris, thanks for looking. Think the gf has sourced a copy anyway. Cheers for info all, going to look through it all and book stuff this weekend.

[hongkongstuey]

here you go:

[Duma]

thanks all. ummmmmmm do I need a credit card to hire a car??

[Evil]

thanks all. ummmmmmm do I need a credit card to hire a car??

Though I've not hired a car in a couple of years, when I did, most companies do seem to require a credit card.  It would probably be worth contacting/checking companies' websites to find one which does not before you go. I went on a trip with a lot of students once, and was surprised at how few of them had a credit card (I think my bank just sent me one when I was 18). We had to scrape around to get enough credit cards to cover all the hire vehicles.

[tomtom]

For most hire car companies when you arrive they use it as a deposit - so they 'reserve' (for example) £500 of your credit limit for this purpose when you hire the car... A pre pay credit card might do the job - as long as it already had a fairly hefty balance etc..

[SA Chris]

You back yet?

[Duma]

Got back last night (after 4hour flight delay  )
Ericeira is amazing, when we arrived this was the view:

However those sets were ~11ft and somewhat outside our limited skillset, so we went up the coast to peniche to watch the pros - first ride we saw was this:
those boys aren't bad at what they do.
It was high twenties centigrade, light off or crosshore wind, and 3-6ft all week.
Did have a look at the boulders around Sintra one afternoon, and they look amazing, but the temps and soft skin from the sea were not conducive to getting much done.
If I had to gripe, I'd say we weren't good enough to make the most of it, the smallest days were much more useful to us.
We stayed here: https://www.facebook.com/intothewave.hostel#!/intothewave.hostel/timeline they were lovely, and great location - I took the pic above from the balcony of our room.
Oh yes, hired a car on debit card fine through indigo car hire who were very helpful, would recommend if you have no credit card.

[SA Chris]

Looks and sounds amazing. Bet you wish you'd got in the pool beforehand. Did you hire a car in the end, and think it was necessary / essential? How many beaches would be accessible without one. Likewise did you take boards?

Yeah, surfing and bouldering are not good befellows when it comes to skin.

I had an average session at Belhaven friday before last.

[Duma]

Yes hired car (see last paragraph above) could do without but from our hostel only one, or two at a push walkable with board etc. by hiring bikes with board carrier from hostel you could prob get to 4 breaks without much bother. Reckon much better to have car though, gives you so many more options. Yes took boards, again could hire if you wanted out there, but got both boards plus towels, wetsuits, in one bag, would have had to pay for another hold bag if not, so basically only cost us 20 quid extra.

[SA Chris]

Sounds good, sorry missed the last line off your reply as the text had turned into a scrollable block for some reason?

[Duma]

http://vimeo.com/m/108799588

[Probes]

Nice video of recent French barrels.. 

[Falling Down]

The last three minutes.... Skillz.

[Fultonius]

After pottering around for a cold weekend in Newquay about 8 years ago,  I've always meant to have another go.  What better time than while travelling round Indonesia! Spent 2 days at Batu Karas which lives up to its name as one of the best beginner spots around. Really easy wave. We started off on the inside catching the 2-3 footers.  Later I went out to the point and caught one bigger one right at the Peak and rode it right to the beach. Not much power,  but green water all the way. This morning we went to Gerupuk on Lombok and progressed from the foam "easy surf" boards to a 7'6" minimal and a 1.5m wave. It was busy and much more tiring paddling so didn't ever drop at the right spot,  but got lucky in the white water as it receded and became pretty clean and gave a good long fast ride - the real board was way more agile and fun. The acceleration was way faster today - quite addictive!

[SA Chris]

Ad so it begins....

In the UK it will never be that easy btw.

[Fultonius]

I was worried that might be the case. My better half said the West cost of France is waay harder,  so add the cold,  the wind etc. And I can imagine the UK would be hard work. We should go out in the NE sometime though!

[SA Chris]

My better half said the West cost of France is waay harder,  so add the cold,  the wind etc.

....the heavy wetsuit, the weaker waves, the shorter fetch, the crappy sandbars.... Definitely less crowds though. Sometimes.

But yes, I'm always up for it. Some mutual friends have been making vague threats to get in too. Banff is a good choice.

[Probes]

No time like the present Fultonius... the west coast top to toe is looking good with even some poss good set ups for Wales. Long range could be really good middle next week/weekend.



This is sunday, might even drag my man flued up ass to Wales for this.

[Fultonius]

Still in Asia just now. Went out again yesterday and my beginner's luck ran out. Spent 3 hours getting sunburnt,  swelling seawater and getting pounded by numerous waves and a strong on shore wind. I think overhead waves were maybe a bit if a big jump. Did manage to catch one slightly smaller one but it it closed out on me after one turn. Ho hum.

[gme]

Pipe masters will start tonight. Forecast for 2nd and third reef pipe for the next few days.

For anyone who has never watched this its properly gladiatorial stuff when its this size. The surfers really put the bodies on the line and take a lot of beatings. A much watch if you can and so much better to watch than just the edited highlights, where generally you just see all the glory and a few bad wipeouts.

I for one will be glued.

www.aspworldtour.com for the link. 6pm start  I think