Perfect Secrets and Billy is 5!!

10^th August

Surf 22

Ben arrived today with his dry wit and expected pisstake out of this blog! He was bouncing and desperate to check the surf wile Andy and I were unusually slow getting changed. Climbing to the top of the dune we were greeted with beautiful firing barrels at our secret spot, 3/4ft glassy and enough power to push a train over. ‘Frenchie’ was out showing us all how to surf the place, we all managed a few fantastic waves and Ben commented on the quality of this amazing find. Surfed my Bonzer I think it needs waves of this quality to really get it going.

11^th August

Surf 23

The morning was slightly onshore and the swell had dropped although our secret spot (needs a name) was as powerful as ever but today was hard to surf, Frenchie made it look possible, but my wave count was low.

12^th August

Surf 24

Ben turned up again this morning with 2 Spanish (sorry Basque!) friends. The surf at VVF was super clean although closing out so we all headed up to Les Bourdaines  in separate vehicles and didn’t manage to meet again! The swell looked great but was very rippy and very hard work. Couldn’t get near the waves at times, I had a couple of good rides but massive amount of paddling for very little joy. I felt sluggish heavy and old in these waves and my bonzer would have happily been replaced with a long board. My frustration was compounded by a young thin bikini clad girl paddling right past me and proceeding to rip up the next perfect long left as if she was Kelly Slater’s daughter! I got out after that!

13^th August,

Surf 25 Perfecto… Barrels Galore!!!!

Ben Joined the show again and I did feel slightly embarrassed turning up at the secret spot with me, Andy, Ben and 3 Spanish (sorry Basque!) mates. Frenchie and his mate were out and he didn’t look too pleased to see us. The waves were truly pumping perfect heavy heavy barrels, swell in the 4/5ft range, I don’t think it is possible to get a heavier wave on such a small swell. I ate sand a few times and got plenty of views from inside and out! I actually suffered one of my heaviest wipe outs of the trip so far, with the waves so perfect and a bunch of mates watching, backing out of a steep drop would have been greeted with justified ridicule. As I free-fell from an enormous drop I new before I hit the water/sand this could hurt, kicking the board away just before impact I soon felt myself being sucked back round into the lip and then being pummelled into the sand again, I tried frantically to cover my head with my arms but the wave ripped my arms in different directions and I was lucky not to hit my board. Gasping for breath and seriously disorientated I got to my feet in thigh deep water, I stared at the land for a second or two wile I came to my senses and realised which way I was facing! I turned to see my crew only about 5 metres away looking out to sea and completely unaware of my near death experience. As I paddled back my arms were shaking but it wasn't long before I was attempting another top to bottom beauty. At the end of the 3.5 hour session Ben called it an SF (Stoke Factor) 8. I was inclined to agree. Thinking back maybe an 8.5 could have been given.

14^th August

surf 26

A bit slack and week light onshore in the 3ft range and Ben was wise not to travel up.

Surf 27

Quality offshore glass off at secret spot. Had some lovely 3/4ft waves and surfed until it was impossible to see. A dude who looked like a mini Jimmy Hendrix and surfed like Kelly Slater left me gulping in awe and respect at his talents, he gave me a friendly wave as we paddled over making me like him even more. The best surfer I have seen this year and the most friendly surfing a little known quality spot which he obviously had nailed. Big respect all round. Andy suffered another nasty wipe out and injured his leg badly. That’s 2 bad injuries in the same spot, it is definitely a wave of consequence when you screw up! 

15^th August

surf 28

On my own as Andy I surfed the secret spot alone for an hour before Frenchy Joined me I foolishly took my fish out and this wave is so not a fish wave! Had lots of fun but got out when the tide got too low and the place turned into Pipeline. Slight onshore but the waves were clean.

surf 29

Swell increased massively and I went out on a hoigh tide VVF in the 5/6ft range and probably some of the biggest waves I have seen all trip. Reminded me of some February sessions at Yellows. Slight onshore but clean. I took my 6’2 quad, probably should have been on my Lynch but I wasn’t expecting such size. Alone again as Andy was still out 

16^th August

Billy Birthday 5 today

Surf 30

Birthday surfs are always good and having my new favourite wave all to my self for over an hour with quality 3/4ft glassy waves was a joy, if not a little scary at times (Andy’s injuries played on my mind!). ‘Jimi’ joined me and was even more friendly than the other night, towards the end of my session Ben arrived with ‘Basque’ Jon, around this time a couple of boogie boarders turned up and soon another couple of surfers arrived! My secret spot all of a sudden wasn’t looking all that secret! And the waves started to seem a lot less consistent. It didn’t matter as I had my fill and I had to get off and buy cakes and treats for my boy.

Sole surfing on my sons Birthday

Andy Still Out!

Took the kids to the water park where we all enjoyed death slides galore. Had a little party in the evening. Billly was very Happy

Run Sun and Surf!

7^th August

The rest of yesterday was spent in Hoss Park with the kids. Andy and I had a jolly around the most expensive surf shops in the world looking for a surf ‘Gaf Helmet’ to protect the gash in Andy’s head. I do find the super branded mass corporate, commercial side of Hossegor quite nauseating. We managed to find a pair of board shorts for 175 euros!!!! Only the most desperate of very rich or stupid surfers should ever buy anything from these shops and on this day Andy was falling into the desperate category. A very pretty girl with a surprisingly harsh voice, typically un-knowledgeable about anything surf related, spent some time going back and forth to a store room and coming back with different sized helmets. Half an hour later Andy was 110 euros worse off and I was feeling weirdly sick, dirty and slightly embarrassed as if I’d just stepped out of a porn shop with a brown paper bag!           

Surf 19 

Magic Seaweed was calling 5.5ft 8 sec west swell with off shore wind. So turning up at VVF I was definitely disappointed to see a big, angry and disorganised swell. The tide was mid and pushing so we checked out Sports nobody in and nasty close outs and  at Bunkers we were part of a crowd watching some fool hardy soles dropping into very large impossible barrels. We headed for north Hossegor, we didn’t fancy fighting Graviere and the 3 surfers who did were exceptionally talented and they didn’t make it look easy. The waves at the breakwater which were usually more mellow but today was just a surging shore break. So we went back to Capbreton checked Sports again, only 3 in and they weren’t able to get rides and 2 of them were on boogie boards! We eventually found some super fast mainly rights off the inside of the breakwater at Towns beach, we only managed an hour before a just about make-able wave became impossible. I did managed to get a barrel which I came out of and a few more visions but all in all it was a very disappointing session which was compounded when we again cycled past Sports to see perfect 5/6ft A frame barrels rolling in, although the 50 or so other surfers made it look pretty intense!

We were now late back after spending 2 hours checking and an hour surfing and the talk in camp was for a day trip to La Rhune, The mountain clearly visible from Biarritz, last year I cycled up and down it and this year I ran it with Tam, Andys wife. The rest of the crew sensibly got the train! That evening we went to Acotz area (near Lafitania) and ate Pizza wile watching the sunset from a little café, after tea the kids ran into the shore break and I watched my naked son getting hammered by well over head waves (over head for him!) only to run back in for more beatings, I decided to end proceedings before broken bones occurred!

My legs were seizing up and I went to bed praying for wind and rain, an early was looking almost impossible for my fragile stiff body.

1 hour 2 minutes up

57 minutes down.     

Photos from one very full day!!

Me and Tam on the final sprint to the top 

Imogen enjoying the ponies on La Rhune

A well earned meal coming, Billy was very happy with the days events

Me and Char, Sunset in Acotz (nice right hander in back ground!)

 View from train on way up La Rhune

And finally Billy and Imogen about to taste the sand!

    

8^th August…Sore legs

Walking hurt, actually existing wasn’t too comfortable, I wasn’t able to moan in Andy’s direction as any complaints would only be met with disapproving looks suggesting that doing anything which would or could jeopardise surfing in France was frankly irresponsible and blatantly stupid! So I suffered in silence and walked slowly!     

Surf 20

The swell was huge and the wind was blowing strong onshore, It was almost like I had planned the run knowing the early wouldn’t be on! At around 7pm Andy some how managed to persuade me to drive south and check the Acotz breaks and maybe head for the dreaded Hendaye! Some lame excuses about family members using his Van to sleep in meant me driving was the only option! We arrived at Lafitania to see double over head waves providing long rights around the point, I was about to wax my Lynch up but after further discussion the 100 or so other surfers in the water and my general fatigue a foolish decision was made to go to Hendaye, due to the time and quickly dropping Sun this was do or bust!

We arrived to see what looked to be a quality swell a solid 4/5ft with regular waves pumping through. It must have been some strange illusion as what we actually surfed were the most frustrating waves planet earth has to offer and lets remember I live in Bournemouth! The wave would go then back off then go again hit some inside bank suck up and close out, I managed to eek out the odd ride on my fish but it wasn’t pretty…..

The best way to describe Hendaye maybe ‘flatter to deceive’. What looks from the shore as not bad get in quick, almost always is a let down. I’m not sure what Andy and I thought we were seeing when we first pulled up, maybe it was my general fatigue, maybe Andy was reminiscing back to a swell 8 years ago when we spent a 5 day trip surfing Hendaye every day (November and a 20ft swell) but this was pants and in future will be left to the surf schools and serious desperados! 

9^th August

Surf 21

We went early to Lafitania to try and rectify the mistakes from the night before, we turned up and already about 40 people were surfing clean 4/5ft waves. A frustrating surf some good waves but too many people on them!

Day spent at Lac St Pee. Kids loving it!!!

Billy practising his jump up on Lac Pee and Imogen swimming close by.