Decent Summer Swell

Managed to get into the latest swell that has been pushing through this week - first session was Sunday morning half decent swell but a bit bumpy due to the onshore wind that has been blowing all week. The forecasts have put the wind strength at 12mph - I'm not one to argue with the experts but it felt more like 20mph. Perhaps because it was so steady with no let up who knows? all I can say is that it was on the limit of my comfort zone.

Monday's forecasts had the wind going round cross/off shore - 12mph - still no let up - I trogged down to Gwithian hoping to find some decent peaks. They were there but so were a billion other surfers!! Very hard to find a space it was pretty much rammed right along the beach - a few really good shortboarders were ripping it up just about everybody else was struggling - me included not least because everytime I paddled into a set wave all I could see was endless faces staring back at me - with a glazed look of fear in their eyes - can't blame them really. I tried to paddle down the beach but it was not much better there. In the end I took my last decent wave, rode it to the beach and went back up the cliff. Holding onto my board walking across the beach was not easy in the wind - 12mph Nah!!

Tonight Shane and myself got in part way down the beach - no crowds and the wind - still offshore - had dropped (a bit). The tide was dropping off a 4pm high and the swell lines were stacking up nice - huge in fact. We paddled into clean overhead sets many of which for me were, Paddle in - bottom turn - close out - get nailed. Then wait for the rest of the set to to decide that the best place for the lip to be was on my head. It was great fun if a bit marginal having said that I did fluke a bizare sort of airiel kick out that left me feeling just a little bit smug - you know the sort of move that gets you looking around to check out who saw it. Generally it was a case of drop in late and take the beating.

Wouldn't have missed it for the world. More tomorrow.

For the guys and gals that do actually read this I thought it might be interesting for you to see where you all come from - Last months figures split as follows -


Pos. Country Views % of total

1. United Kingdom 140 55.78%
2. United States 57 22.71%
3. France 16 6.37%
4. Netherlands 13 5.18%
5. Australia 6 2.39%
6. Ireland 6 2.39%
7. Spain 3 1.20%
8. Maldives 2 0.80%
9. South Korea 1 0.40%
10. Sweden 1 0.40%

So there you go - not quite sure what to say about that other than many thanks to you all - please add some comment - even if it's just to say wrap up!