dry

Well, it's been just over two weeks out of the water and I'm SO DRY. I miss being in the ocean…but once this mad swell has died down I'll get in just for a paddle. No surfing for about another month though. I am worried that my fitness will vanish (especially with all the summer partying going on) so I have to get back on it after Glasto.

A cool thing:

Your Vitality type is... Your dominant Vitality type is Roots “Some see me as shy but I have hidden depths.” Roots people are: Artistic * sensitive * practical * idealistic * patient * structured * tenacious * profound thinkers * persistent * good at detail Element: Earth. You’re a Roots type… thoughtful Roots people are often creative and artistic. Think of the roots of a tree, how far they spread and how they provide strong foundations, structure and stability. You share many of those characteristics; you’re full of profound and far reaching thoughts. Capable of seeing through superficial reasons for things, you seek out the true cause and connections instead. You love silence and solitude and your interior world is of tremendous importance as you find great pleasure in reflection. You’re not a socialite but you are extremely loyal to the friends you do have. However, too much reflection can make others see you as daydreamer, your strong connection to the interior world can leave you easily hurt by others. You have a tendency towards stubbornness and you can become pessimistic which leads to worry. You may often experience insomnia as you lie awake brooding on the day and you can be inclined to depression. Roots people rebalance with uplifting herbs and by indulging their creative side. Life Coaching or counselling can help you focus on the positive. They optimise their Vitality by creating a peaceful environment where their efforts are appreciated and they are free to reflect and create.

out of the water

Had a good surf last Thursday with a couple of colleagues at Whoopsadasies…low tide, quite heavy, sand dredging three footers. Some barrels even (not with me in them). Took the 6'1" out and had a few steep drops but only found one wall really. Still, it was nice to be out in something more challenging than tiny. It dropped for the weekend and I had a small frustrating one on the fat fish, lots of people out at Godrevy and very small waves. Last surf for a couple of months…

Saving grace for that last surf was a cheeky baby seal who popped up to take a look at me then swam under my board and did a little belly roll out the other side. He then popped up to see if I was still watching, blew some spray and swam off. Lovely! Here's a cute one.

Let's hope there are no more strandings of our wonderful marine life :-(

Surfstock!!!

Tickets are now on sale for Surfstock, 29-30 August at St Agnes. The lineup includes The Gossip, Supergrass, the Go! Team and The Likes with 60+ acts on four stages. There’s also the Cult Energy Drink Tag Team Surf Challenge and Tow-At Challenge with a £10,000 prize purse (the largest in the UK). This year’s festival also includes the first annual Surfstock H30 British Big Wave Awards in association with CARVE magazine, with six categories and £3500 prize money. Surfstock ticket holders will vote for the Surfer Of The Year and Photo Of The Year. Tickets and more info available from www.surfstock.co.uk at £80 (including two nights camping). Kids under 14 go free! To enter the Tag Team Challenge, register your team of four as soon as possible: crewchallenge@surfstock.co.uk.

fat fish

The SurfGirl board test was no fun for me, didn't even get in the water! But we got good stuff. Then I tried out an Escape 6'3" quad fish, and oh my. I did fall in love properly in tiny Fistral waves traded with the editor. Then I took it to perfect Penhale - quite small and high tide and a few too many hassling, but the board flew and I flew where others were struggling. One perfect wave where I went miles at speed and felt so in tune. A deal was struck and the little fatty is mine! Overdraft what?

Since then I've been out on it once and I hate hate hate summertime Fistral. Do NOT just sit there in my way like the lump of clueless girl on pink board that you are! Move when someone's on a wave and you're in the way! It makes me ashamed of girl surfers. Grr.

Nice waves yesterday and blew the deadlines to surf Whoopsadasies at about 3ft and quite heavy actually…had three steep drop to closeout waves, ah well…it was just nice to get back into it. Possibly the last surf for a couple of months now…

flatness

God, has it seriously been two weeks since I rambled on? Yup. Well, the main reason is that there's been hardly any surf, and the two or three small sessions I've had have been so, SO small! Tested a balsa board out on day at Fistral, it was too small and thin for me but I had a few and wouldn't have minded buying it for £100…damn the overdraft limit.

Since then, a few surfs at Penhale with Abby, small clean sunset surfs in water that is definitely warmer now. I'm getting frustrated wanting the speed and potential of something bigger than two foot, but am getting loads of rides and fitting in more turns. Practicing popups when doing morning yoga is helping, as is swimming a few miles a week.

Flat today but set to pick up a little bit. Hope so, as I've got four brand spanking new boards in the van, all set for a SurfGirl board test. One of them is a quad fish which I think I am already in love with. I need a summer small wave board!

Cornish parties…love summer!

The Masked Ball 2008 returns due to popular demand on 20 June in Porthleven. Shit Disco and Friendly Fires (amongst others) will whip up a strictly limited crowd of 500 from six ’til six. Champagne, strawberries and cream and a hog roast will be served, there’s free camping and Mickey Smith will snap you an exclusive free photo on entry. Glamour and masks the order of the day. Tickets are £35 (to include a donation to Love Music Hate Racism) from the usual outlets; check out www.getmaskedup.com.
Also, if you want to enter the Surfstock Challenge (29-31 August) tag team surf event, you need to register your team of four (all from the same beach, please) as soon as possible. With £10k prize money on offer, you best get those entries in to crewchallenge@surfstock.co.uk; there are only 24 team places available. See www.surfstock.co.uk for more info on this premium Cornish festival.

Gay Bay

Had one session last week at 2-3ft Fistral, really peaky and quite clean but shifting all over the place. Two good rights, tore them apart (haha). Then today (two foot closeout Gay Bay) I couldn't catch anything and couldn't be bothered, especially with evils off some weirdo for (I presume) being 'in the way' of another guy when I wasn't.

It's supposed to go nice tomorrow i.e. offshore, clean, three feet and sunny, so I guess I'll try again then. People are abandoning the hoods and gloves, and some even the boots. I was still cold though. I dream of Australia, or Costa Rica (reading Captain Zero again).

Like a lion

Here's the bay this morning…not much going on surf wise (a few out) but I think I will go for a paddle anyway, just for the exercise. Those rowers made me feel lazy!

It's been absolutely dire this past week. Last Thursday's lovely morning surf, where I stayed in far too long and had the best left in a long time (several good strong turns and cutting back) is but a lovely memory. April really has come in like a lion, so much wind and rain, but there's not much swell on the horizon. I need some waves!