I’ve been paddle boarding (SUP) a lot recently. I had an intro lesson from TribalWave a month or two ago and was daunted by the prospect as I kept falling off.
Luckily the falling off phase in paddleboarding is shorted than in other watersports and I was soon getting to grips with it.
A kind of mad fervour gripped me over the past 14 days and I have been out on my SUP almost as many times.
Unlike surfing it is not tide dependent, nor swell. Strong winds can be a bummer but you learn to cope.
Ive sort of got the hang of paddling on both flat and choppy seas. I have ridden a few decent waves but am a long way from managing a turn on the SUP [I think you need to use the long stick thing.], will persevere though of course.
I feel happier to be able to get in the sea more often and can feel my overall fitness levels on the up.
I strongly recommend that anyone wanting to get into Stand Up Paddleboarding Brighton to check out http://www.tribalwave.org as they run a series of workshops, classes and lessons ( even mobile tuition ) in the Brighton and Sussex area and have the experience and patience to get you riding properly and safely and really digging it.
We are pleased to see the new surf shop opened up by Sharkbait at Sharkbait Shop
Sharkbait has been providing surf reports for the Brighton area since the last century ( Millenium even?) and is the first point of reference for all surfers on the “South Shore”.
Sharkbait forms the focal point for a deidicated ( you have to be in Brighton ) group of surfers who either use the English Channel’s windblown mush to keep up their skills or to learn upon. As we all know, it is the taking part that counts and whether offshore and 6 foot and clean or onshore 2 foot and mushy it is always – always worth it.
The new surf store has an array of surfing goods sure to please the local contingent and, who knows, attract orders from fashion conscious Hawaiians even.
Was looking for a way in which to keep the kids under control on my last surf trip.
There are a few factors you need to take into account when setting off on a surfari :
Transport – nearly a 600 mile round trip to Cornwall
Accommodation – we had booked a caravan in Devon but were going to Cornwall
Swell – we checked the surf reports regularly on MagicSeaweed and Sharkbait, hence the redirection from Devon
Equipment – suitable wetsuits for the water temps, waxed and ready surfboards
Clothing – warm stuff for when you get out of the water ( I love my Quiksilver striders )
Sleepy Stuff – like some blankets or sleeping bags
Money – enough for 3 hot meals a day – or a frikkin picnic if your friends insist
Toys – some gadgets and chargers like ipods and mobile phones – even a portable DVD player
All the above are easy.to sort and come quite easily from experience, but the hardest factor to cover is that of childcare. when you are single, not only do your pockets jingle (with cash), but your freedoms are limited by few ogres.
So – the most pressing problem was how to convince one’s spouse that being a single parent for a few days will bring her closer to the kids and be an enriching experience for all involved (while I catch some waves). This is a hard sell, believe me, they are not easily fooled and as the time for departure approached, and the weather conditions in Cornwall improved, I became more and more aware that something had to be done should I wish to leave with smiles from all and get on and enjoy my holiday.
Luckily I have a friend who runs a childcare agency, I gave her a call and she suggested a childminder for the Saturday and Sunday who was fully CRB checked and had passed her paediatric first aid course. It did not cost the earth and certainly made my (watch free) surf sessions down at Newquay all the more chill.
Tigerlily supplies loads of nanny jobs and nursery jobs for a variety of locations including east Sussex, Herts, Hamps, Surrey and suchlike.
For those going to Newquay the best information can be found here : Fistral Surf report, Town beaches worked well when the swell was high and south westerly, ….
The UK has a varied coastline and, as a result, many excellent surfing locations. Although Newquay is world famous for its surfing beaches its popularity can mean that it gets crowded, particularly during the summer months. There are many great locations for beginners such as Watergate Bay in Cornwall where the surfer will find 2 miles of beach at low tide. Pease Bay is an upcoming surfing location in the Borders region in the south east of Scotland and offers the more experienced surfer a good beach break and challenging reef.
Llangennith in Gower, south Wales has beach breaks along its 3 mile stretch of beach and is one of the most popular Welsh surfing locations. When there is a good swell here it can get crowded but it is possible to find patches that are less heavily populated. Rips are quite common along this part of the coast. Saltburn in Cleveland in the north east of England is one of the first surfing beaches in the area. There are excellent beginner waves to be found close to the pier here.
Great beaches for intermediate level surfing include Bantham in south east Devon which boasts more swell and variety of peaks than anywhere else in the area. There are long rides to be had with a long board and rips are common. Sennen Cove in Cornwall has an exposed coastline, giving it good waves when other locations have none. Bournemouth is enjoying its new artificial reef break which has improved the quality of the waves immensely. Other beaches nearby include Branksome, Sandbanks and Canford Cliffs which are guaranteed to be less crowded.
Port Neigwl in Gwynedd is more commonly known as Hell`s Mouth and is the best location for surfing in north Wales. It has a 4 mile long bay with peaks along the whole stretch on a good swell. At the south eastern end of the bay, intermediate surfers can enjoy the best waves beneath the cliffs but it can get crowded during good swells.
Expert level surfing is available at Freshwater West in Pembrokeshire, a large beach with peaks along its entirety. There are powerful and large peaks as well as good breaks in the smaller bays to the south. There is also a heavy reef break within reach of the location. Another location for expert surfing is at Thurso East in Scotland. This is reputed to be one of the best surfing areas in Europe, with a right hand reef break on top of a flat rock shelf. With a big north swell it offers up waves that are larger than triple overhead.
Lessons and gear hire are available at most surfing locations and are essential for beginners. Safety is an important element of learning to surf and beginners are instructed in various techniques in order to stay safe. Surfing in the UK requires that the surfer wears a wetsuit for warmth. Surf boards are available in a variety of sizes including short and long boards, starter and beginner boards and boards for children. Fashion-wise, Volcom UK offers a good selection of gear for boarders.
Last summer I was lucky enough to take my kids down to hove lawns for the paddle round the pier festival on Hove lawns in East Sussex.
The summer sun shone down upon hordes of types, young and old who enjoyed two days of sea, skate, SUP and surf related run – all for charity.
My kids loved the ferris wheel ( below ) and the adults in our party sank down on the grass with beers and listened to the music.
The stalls were wild and varied with everything a wannabee surfer could wish for, food was great also.
This year the 2010 festival kicks off on July the 3rd and rolls on over the weekend with a fun packed and entertaining line up of sea events ( jet ski, paddle races, SUP lessons, kite surfing ) and land events ( skate race, skate and BMX park, music, etc).
For more information visit the paddleroundthepier website, then book the date as the festival grows from strength to strength each year and is a great community event for Brighton.
Surfing is great fun, anyone who has slipped into the sea with a board knows that. It is a spiritual experience, bringing you closer to nature.
But there is a darker side too, nature is savage and anyone who wants to ride the wild sea must pit themselves against brutal and harsh elements on a regular basis.
Now, I am writing this as a warning to those not in the know. You have all read about the precipitous drop in at the Mavericks, we all know about the vicious reef beneath the Pipeline’s azure hues and we have all seen recent footage from Jaws. But for some of us, in our own backyard, there is a break so dangerous, so hostile and so unpredictable that only the foolhardy would paddle out into its apparently benign break.
I am talking about the Hotpipes in Shoreham – UK.
Here nature’s forces are funnelled into a maelstrom which makes the slab at Teahupoo look like a longboarding grom’s wet dream. On the South Coast of sleepy Sussex gargantuan waves break over a reef of razor sharp coral and scrap metal. The prevailing onshore winds lash the surface into a frenzy or churning mush which means that the waves are not only unsurfable but any slight error is generally punished severely.
Moreover the break is patrolled ( I can not say surfed as these locals know the stupidity of entering the Shoreham waters ) by a gang of out of work welders with severe personality disorders. Not having the politeness of Sir Ken Bradshaw these types will bite a chunk from your board while it is still on the roof of your car. Needless to say car crime is rife in this area and it is a designated police ‘no go zone‘.
mean local surf dude at the hotpipes
As if things could not conspire more to make this place a spot to bookmark under the heading : do not surf here; there is more. It has recently been discovered that Shoreham Port Authority has been laundering Russian Uranium at the Power Station and the Geiger Counters go off the scale down at ‘the Pipes’. This radiation in the water has led to severe mutations amongst the indigenous shark population.
So, please take it from me. Do not venture down to, perhaps, the nastiest break on the planet. This is really a place to avoid.
Barack Obama , the newly appointed PResident of the USA yesterday was quizzed on CNN regarding the proposed development at the Brighton Marina and its predicted detrimental affect on the waves at ‘Custard Point’.
Obama commented :
“I am completely against any construction in this important surf spot.”
and signing to reporters he gave a ‘hangloose’ hand signal in support of the opposition to the scheme, before adding :
“Change does not mean ruining cool waves man”
More information of the scheme’s ( Run by Mat Hammond ) opposition can be found at Save Brighton Marina Surf.
In an update to this thread I have been warned by many people tha buying off plan is a very risky business. In noway referring to ready2invest, but in general off plan property overseas investments can lead to tears, financial loss and heartache.
In this world of such financial uncertainty there are no safe bets and certainly the acronym TNSTAAFL ( there’s no such thing as a free lunch ) has stood the test of time.
However, a certain amount of money kind of fell on me and my normal consumer urges had been subjugated by a Christmas frenzy of purchasing. I now had finally gotten hold of a mini laptop, am Advent of sorts, which, via its 8.9inch screen, afforded me just the sort of mobile computing I had always dreamed of. This, coupled with the gorgeous Samsung Omnia ( now not sending emails again ), made my digital life complete. I own a decent bicycle and car. Come to think of it I don’t really need anything. Well, I am in dire need of a nice and cheap NSD or epoxy longboard for my surfing, but I am on the case for that as it happens… suffice it to say I don’t really lust after anything at the moment so rather than looking for things to turn me on I looked for investment…
Well, stock markets are kind of in the crumble so investing in a portfolio base on the FTSE is not something to consider. Similarly House prices in the UK are still heading for further devaluations so the traditional – no lose – option of bricks and mortar is no longer the solid banker as it has always been seen as.
A friend suggested that it may suit my lifestyle to invest in a property abroad so I started looking into it. I had a fair few grand left me by an deceased relative which needed to be put down somewhere before I succumbed to the constant entreaties in my ears to buy a plasma TV with bluray and freeview and millions of MHz refresh rates and all that. I like to travel, I love the sea more than anything, I love to get away and I had some cash calling to my baser instincts,.
So I started looking into the reality of owning a property abroad, and the more I thought about it the more excited I became. Not only at the financial prospect but the idea of having to go out and buy, again, all the lovely things to go in the new place. My main criteria would be, sun, beach, cheap food and good local music. I am a great lover of the Middle East and Arab cultures it must be said, I have enjoyed their history, their food, their sun and their company to a great extent so I was easily swayed by ready2invest into considering some off plan investment in one of these countries.
Morocco looked perfect, it is a beautiful country, I have travelled extensively there and even came closer to death there than any other country previous or since ( it must be good then!). It is an Arabic culture infused with French influences, they have a superior cuisine as a consequence and french is widely spoken. What is more, Morocco has a flourishing surf culture and hashish is cheap.
So I started looking and was amazed at what could be found. The first place ready2invest offered me up was not far from Agadir, on the best surf coast in Morocco. The Gardens of Falafel or something they are called and the deal was superb. An impulse purchaser always I jumped at the opportunity and have not looked back since, it is a pity that the Euro is creaming the Pound Sterling at the moment, but it still represents a good spend of money.
There you go, money invested rather than blown….now the Moroccan surf pad needs a TV, Stereo, ………..
If you want to find information on ready2invest, Google them
Surfing is great fun, anyone who has slipped into the sea with a board knows that. It is a spiritual experience, bringing you closer to nature.
