An Epic Weekend!

Yesterday afternoon, Puts, surfed the biggest waves I've surfed. Dropped into one had a good ride right in the pocket until I didn't make it under the lip of a section curling over in front of me. A surfy friend said it was, and I quote: "fekkin' huge" and "you could've got barreled if you'd stalled it". Not only that: I got a good bit ahead of the foamball on a left and managed my first proper fully planing roundhouse. It's really odd as you properly turn and fly back towards the whitewater and it's kind of liberating as you finally crack the just-follow-the-shoulder barrier.

I had nearly got straight out too. When I paddled out at Puts it was sooooooo busy! Couldn't get a wave for fear of carnage. I thought it was no good. Nearly gave up. Until I paddled over a bit and also the increasing wave size flushed a few people in. It got to a good head-and-a-half at least, maybe more, with some of the rogue sets coming through. I was a bit scared. So glad I stayed out. Pushed on with my surfing and reduced the wave size fear-factor. What was really odd was that my 6'0 Simster was flying, holding well, felt good and the day before I'd been enjoying little 2ft knee-high's on it. It is an incredibly versatile board. I was shocked today though, when I took my 7'0 Diplock thruster out at Lynmouth today to discover how much more buoyant than the Diplock the 6'0 Simster is. It's a lot of floaty EPS foam.

And then today. Surfed Lynmouth for the first time. Something I'd wanted to do for ages and I'm only just at the stage where I feel confident to go and surf a less local, more tricky break and one you just shouldn't go and get in the way at. It wasn't at it's best but still working 4-6ft just as the tide started pushing. I held off, further down away from the crowd and still got my longest ever rides. Managing some turns now, some pigdogging and generally attempting to make friends with going left. It was so odd to have such long paddles back - and with pretty much no duckdiving! So much time on the wave. Christ I want to surf a right point now. So jealous of the goofys today.

So all in all I'm so pumped full of stoke that I'm willing to post such a childish self-centred little bit of over-excited boasting and surf-fever-drivel. When I got off that big wave at Puts I couldn't say anything but "F•••ing Hell" to myself in my head, over and over again, for about two hours.

This is what surfing's all about. Finding new, exciting and curious positions to be in.

By the way, in the photo, that's me on the right hand wave. My wife stood as far away as possible and took a photo on her mobile. Bless...