Didn't get the chance to update while away, so it'll have to be in this look back mode. I could have nipped into a cyber cafe next door to The Longboard House in Spukey while there, but frankly I was enjoying the time away from a screen!

Broke the journey west up, by stopping over in Bristol on the Friday night [2nd Aug]. Arrived fresh [ish] on the 3rd although the conditions weren't that good. Weather was fine, but a brisk-ish NW breeze was chopping up the 2' wave. Grabbed a couple of hours on the ebb at Widdy [which was to become our main hang out for the fortnight] but felt well out of sorts and rusty. Not the start I'd wanted, but more than half expected nonetheless.

Sun 4th Aug saw a smaller, cleaner wave of sorts which, with the need to get back into a rhythm & restore fitness levels, I opted to get in for. The weather was warm and sunny though, so I went in in boardies and rashie to maximise the freedom of movement. Under the circumstances, a fun session ended around HT [14.50] when it inevitably flattened off. Settled for some rays and a barbie after that.

Mon 5th Aug was marginally better and further excuse to go out in r & b again. But it was still only cause for furthering the 'rehab' and to coach Ben, who's progress becomes more noticeable after each session. He joined me out 'back'; as it was, and caught an ever increasing share of waves himself. The number of jellies around seemed greater than I can recall.

By Tues 6th Aug Suz, Ben & I had established a pattern. A late breakfast was followed by my strolling down to The Manor overlooking Widdy Bay for a surf check; a pleasant way to warm up for the surfing ahead. We then amble down to the beach around low tide. Conditions still weren't mint by a long chalk, but on this day they did inspire the hiring once more of a swell board for Suz to play about on. As before this was done from the Ash's [located in front of the Bay View Inn]. Ended up in for around three hours with the odd reasonable waist high wave making it the most interesting session of the trip so far. Suz enjoyed her time with the swell board, while Ben experienced some new thrills way beyond the usual white water stuff he's used too. The breeze had a bit more W in it today which, although still onshore, did encourage the thought that change was on the way. A thought backed by the clear change in weather to a more cool,cloudy and damp set up later on.

The next day [Wed 7th Aug] dawned as sketchy as ever, although there was a little more size to the swell, probably due to the wind which had swung back to the NW. Hooked up to plenty of rides under the circumstances which tended to be helter skelter in nature. Fun all the same, and boosted by Ben's continuing progress in conditions way more challenging than he's been out in before.

The opportunity to break the mould to our day[s] came on Thurs 8th Aug when we arranged to meet Parky in Newquay. We met up around 11.30 outside The Longboard House, before checking out the town beaches. The decision was taken to return to their 'van for some lunch before heading out to Watergate around 2pm. On previous days he'd observed that it had tended to clean up a bit despite the onshore breezes here, once the tide had moved further in. His youngest, Lewis was also keen to get in another 2 hour lesson fresh from his first stand up successes a few days earlier! Had planned to nip into Snugg and drop the suit off for a minor repair....but completely forgot.

As we returned to Porthcothan we could see from the coastal road that Wgate was looking OK. What we couldn't have predicted was that later as we pulled into the car park at the Bay, the breeze had gone offshore!!! The attendant there was twitching himself as we paid the fee to get in; sadly he missed out as it was only short-lived. We didn't though, and early on enjoyed a pleasant 2-3' clean wave. The urgency to get suited up was palpable and I was positively running to the beach to get in. Caught a handful of enjoyable lefts before the breeze veered cross-shore and messed it up a bit. Thereafter it became trickier to stay on a clearly small peak and so the wave count came down. It mattered not though unless you were the attendant, who'd finally managed to get off and in...just as we were returning to the cars a couple or so hours later. Ben hadn't managed to get out back though which was pity, although if he had, it may have proven difficult for him; particularly later on. Suz's session wasn't that rewarding from a body boarding angle either. However the time spent post-surf with Parky and his family more than made up for their missing out.

The one and only day we didn't get in during our stay, was the following one, Fri 9th Aug, which was completely blown out. The break from surfing was a welcome opportunity to let the aches and pains subside a bit though. The next day [Sat 10th Aug] seemed to be heading the same way. I'd wandered down to my viewing point only to find it similar to the day before; maybe marginally less blown out. Just before getting back to our digs, I received a text message totally out of the blue from Brox. He and his family were in town! This was a welcome surprise and the kettle was immediately put on for their arrival. The surprise didn't end there either...they'd only gone and bought a vee dub camper... a bright orange '73 model complete with 'features'. Later we all got in for an hour and a half in onshore white water mush just for the hell of it, although it was warm enough for the shorts n rashie again.

On Sun 11th Aug the prospect of an early clean wave was too much to resist and, with Ben, I was out at Widdy by 8.15 [HT]. We'd quickly checked at Summerleaze beforehand, but this hadn't looked as promising. It was a calm morning for a change and what breeze there was, was offshore, but I didn't [rightly as it transpired] expect this to last. Ben overcame the shore break at his second attempt and equipped himself admirably in a lumpy couple of foot or so. A point noted by another surfer as we were changing after an hour and a half in. True he didn't manage a notable ride but was close on a couple of occasions. The confidence to make that extra stroke or two to get into the wave will no doubt come with experience. For all said and done though, I only managed a couple worth mentioning myself. My take-off/ride ratio is lower than I'd prefer, but it's not unfair to suggest that the wave was more suited to a shorter board; it being steep and shorey at the time. Went back in around 5pm, but the breeze by now had whipped up an awful lot of white water and chop. Never made it fully out back as finding a channel was proving difficult; but did score some banzai rides all the same.

The less than ideal conditions continued into Mon 12th Aug, a fact also compounded by the combination of some large Spring Tides of the last couple of days which were set to recede from hereon in. However the onshore breeze was light, and there was an encouraging 3' swell which looked set to build. The three hour session began promisingly around 4pm just after LT, with Ben and I both getting out back early on. Rides were taken with ease before a mid-session 'blues' struck which was very frustrating. Couldn't get out with an increase in white water, couldn't catch anything, the jellies were starting to hack me off..you name it, it was all going pear shaped. On the verge of getting out though, and as the tide became more established; channels appeared again, and the water calmed. I broke through again and was pleased to see that Ben had too. I suppose it was a case of "if he can I can" at the time, but it did seem to lead to a period where everything I went for paid off. And so I went from a feeling of despair only 30-45 minutes earlier, to getting out well stoked. Brox was finding his long lay off a hindrance though, but Suz had had a memorable session which included moments of human 'skittles' in waves of roller coaster proportions.

Spurred on by the latter period of that session, I was up early again the next day [Tues 13th Aug] for a short hour and a half session around HT [09.45] before the days activities to celebrate Ben's 12th birthday really got under way. The swell had dropped though, and rides were hard once more to get hooked into. When they were, they ended very abruptly in a mean shore dump. After some 10 pin action at the local alley, we all got in at LT and enjoyed some small wave fun [boardies again for me] before going back to the Brokkers digs at Sandymouth to scoff some fish n chips. Apart from the trouncing at bowling, Ben had enjoyed the day immensely.

The pattern of surfing at Widdy was broken again on Wed 14th Aug as we'd arranged to stop over at Gavin's at 'zance following a lunch meeting with an artist friend & colleague of Suz's near to Goonhilly. This was a very pleasant interlude from our usual activities so far, and was added too by a visit to Lizard Point where we got to see some seals. Earlier too, I'd finally dropped in at Snugg and arranged the repairs to my wettie.

We arrived at Gav's around 5.30, and were in the sea at Sennen by 6.30 [Gav, Ben & I]. As Gav had predicted earlier, there was a very pleasant clean 2+' wave courtesy of a light offshore [S] breeze. This was added to by some warm evening sunshine, something that was not expected only a couple of hours earlier when it had been murky and grey. All the same this enhanced what is a much clearer water quality and made those early lefts of mine all the sweeter. The peak shifted as the session progressed, over to a right that was forming more towards the Gwenvor end of the beach. Ben managed to cope with all the paddling and the required 'manners' at any break with ease. His wave count was low as you'd still expect with his level of experience, but this isn't a problem. The effort is there, as is the encouraging sign that there is no obvious down-heartedness if something goes wrong; namely a trashing. Something he got this time and which brought to an end his surf after he was caught inside by a set, following a valiant attempt to get into a wave. Seeing him on the beach looking quite bedraggled, and with the time getting on for 8.15/30 pm I rode in a rare late session wave for me; Gav not far behind.

The welcome hospitality and bed for the night, couldn't deter a restless night though. I'd woken early on Thurs 15th Aug to a chorus of seagulls; after which the brain kicked in as I worked on a way to improve my own wave count. Around mid morning we said our cheerio's to Tams & Millie; Gav' already having left for work, and began the journey back to Bude. Gav had suggested having a look at Godrevy on the way, and the temptation to have a look proved too much. As he'd suggested, there was a small [1-2'] and clean wave and so we headed to the cafe at the NT car park to decide what to do. I was keen to go in for half an hour so, although Suz didn't and Ben was in two minds. [He'd declined to have look earlier at the Towans] After a quick drink and snack he and I had another final look and he cracked too. We were in by 12.20, the tide now turning to ebb. The sun was now well out and the conditions were as mellow as you could want. I was straight into a rhythm, catching waves almost at will. Ben too, was getting into a stride which saw him make it into a wave much more often that he had of late. Suz had the waterproof camera with her, and after a while I came in for it, to finally put it to use. As the session progressed, a nice left peak had formed, although it was technically in the bathing area. A lifeguard did come over but was reassured that we'd got it taped pretty much not to make it an issue. Later though he returned as the guys in the tower were still twitchy about our being there. [Not just Ben and I, I hasten to add] Well into our session, we were joined by Andy Oldfield from the Off The Lip email list, which added to the whole ambience of this surf.

Remember how this was only meant to be a half hour so in the water? Well add another two hours to this and you get an idea as to how pleasurable this had been. Bear in mind too, I was quite fatigued before going in...now I had to drive back to base camp, and I was intending to go in again with Brox and co later at Widdy. We got back to Poundstock around 4.30 which gave a short time to snack, rest [but not snooze] before finding myself back in the water around 6 for another two hour surf. The waves were that bit bigger too [2-3'] and cleanish even with a light onshore. I was surprised at how I [& Ben for that matter!] found a second wind as I surfed with plenty of energy, getting into more than a few nice waves into the bargain. It started to catch me up though as I made my way back in and changed out of my wettie. Boy did I sleep well that night!

Not unsurprisingly the following day Fri 16th Aug I felt absolutely drained. I did go in though, but not for long. The shore break was heavy and knocked me about as I attempted to get out. I persevered for a while, even managing to break through part way and score some sound rides. But...I called it day, deciding instead to try and save some energy for a final surf after we'd checked out of the Old School House the following morning [Sat 17th Aug].

Turned out to be a reasonable move. Around 9am as we packing and loading the car for the trek back east planned for later that day [mid pm]; Parky texted and then rang me. He was at Widdy and it was a couple of foot and clean!! We hauled our butts there as sharpish as we could and were parked up just before 10. Ben was the first suited up and in, paddling out to say Hi to Parky which impressed him greatly. Andy O had commented too on Ben's obvious progress a couple of days earlier. I was out with the camera soon after and early on at least we each enjoyed some nice rights in particular. The conditions did detioriate some though as a cross-shore breeze [SW] began to develop, and a constant need to paddle back into a lifeguard friendly area was required. There were still some waves to be had though and special attention needs to be given to a couple that Ben caught in particular. One took him into edge of the bathing area and did cause a stir which seemed to result in a bit of verbal which he appeared to handle with dignity. He paddled back out and later caught another from a similar take off point. This time, he got to his feet [eventually] and turned the board sharply right, something which was clear from my vantage point as I could see his head above the top of the wave....as he rode along it. That's my Boy!! Not long after we got out and said our farewells to Parky, who set off home. bear in mind that he'd set off that morning intending to check out Bantham on the south coast !!! Soon after his departure, Brox and family arrived. Conditions by then deterred further wave action by ourselves, although we did enjoy a barbie together before we finally ended our sourjourn around 4pm. As ever, it was a silent journey back to where we live. We do though as you can see, have plenty of memories to savour, and inspire future visits and dreams to finally get down there permanently..........
posted by wollocks at 6:59 PM