Two Chance Meetings

The weekend before last was a really, really good one. At last some surf but also due to the love of surfing had two new meetings:

1. A guy called Dave all the way from Australia. We'd communicated via our blogs and then - due to a bit of work in Coventry - Dave popped up right here in Devon! We went out at Combesgate for a fun surf (we took out my Hydrodynamica Simster and Bing Dharma and did a bit of a swap around). Dave enjoyed it (even though his local break is Bells). Followed by a lovely beer at The Thatch. We had a fair deal in common - being just about the same age, same (short) time surfing and we've both obviously developed a similar degree of obsession with the way of watery slide. Dave has, I admit with jealousy and lazy shame, already achieved my two great surfy goals: shaping his own board and getting barrelled!

2. A seal (who remained nameless) popped up at Combesgate. He/she swam around us for fifteen minutes or so and at one point stuck its head up right next to me - almost in touching distance. I've met lots of surfers who've seen seals in the water here but this was the first time for me. It was amazing - the seal's big wet loveable glassy eyes just stared at me, before it lurched backwards and swam away. I wonder what they make of us neoprene clad oddities? I remember being really excited the first time I saw a 'wild' seal off Morte Point - this was better!