The details of my whereabouts are highly sensitive. Fully classified. On a need to know basis. I’m sorry; it’s not you, it’s me. I’d love to tell you more, I really would. I have no ownership rights; you probably deserve it more, but fate would not have it that way. Somehow, I’m in the loop. … Continue reading Secret Spot
Placate my raging fomo
We personify jealousy as the green eyed monster. What beast is gnarly enough to personify an even darker emotion? I am haunted, plagued, tortured, by the beast that is: the fear of missing out. Fomo for short. The acronym slips off the tongue far too easily to portray just how devilish this emotion can be. … Continue reading Placate my raging fomo
Review: Patagonia R4 Yulex wetsuit
The North Sea gets a little chilly, so a good wetsuit is essential to make the most of our beautiful, but freezing, winter swells. Last winter I made the rookie error of trying to scrimp on a wetsuit - I ended up surfing the whole thing in a 5/4 comp suit without an attached hood. … Continue reading Review: Patagonia R4 Yulex wetsuit
Play
One thing I find particularly endearing about children is their lack of tact. I crossed paths with a small boy on my way down to the surf. He stopped and stared in the way that only a very young child can get away with, with a startled, animal-like curiosity. Seeing a woman dressed up like … Continue reading Play
Piss Cutter
‘That was a bloody piss cutter, mate.’ Have you ever heard a more affectionate phrase that so accurately describes the brilliance of a wave? A wave so good that you have no choice but to curtail your own, very literal flow, so that you can synchronise with the flow of that *bloody piss cutter*. Waves … Continue reading Piss Cutter
Confessions of a kook
‘Wow, there’s not much beach today.’ This sentence encapsulates the deep knowledge I had of the ocean until about 3 years ago. The tide continuously rises and falls? Who knew? Rips? They are a mythical legend designed by parents, to scare children into sitting down quietly until their suncream’s sunk in, right? A behaviour management … Continue reading Confessions of a kook
King of the point
Like a dog who’s just done a big poo on the living room carpet, I scurry, tail between my legs, to the appropriate members of staff who might be able to authorise my absence. ‘So, um, like, this is going to sound weird but, I entered this surf competition, and basically, like, you can only … Continue reading King of the point
Live your best life
Joy, strength and inspiration. We may draw these from our surroundings; the music we hear, words we read, beauty we see. They may also come from people, shared stories and smiles. The smallest act of kindness or even an inherently sad situation can empower us with these feelings. During a time of loss and while … Continue reading Live your best life
Compelled to surf
If I had a penny for every time a friendly, old, Geordie stranger commented on my sanity pre or post surf then I’d have at least a couple of quid.