Love/Hate Croyde

September 27th


A Day trip to Croyde, After some debate Dan And I decided to go on Monday rather than Sunday, the thinking was less people in the water and much better wind conditions and there was even talk that the sun may come out!


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6am text came through... "on my way" 10 minutes later Dan and I were putting the 'world to rights' on religion, psychology and the fact too many people had too much money and didn't know what to do with it. We concluded that If they surfed they may have a better idea!
  
We decided to head straight for Woolacombe thinking the drive past Sauntan and Croyde would only lead to indecision. ( Indecision .. A trait bestowed to most surfers when searching for waves because of the belief that somewhere else maybe better). Luckily Woolacombe looked crap! sloppy unshapely small waves were making there way slowly to the shore, after 3 hours driving we didn't exactly feel inspired. Croyde was the ONLY option!


How different things can be on adjacent beaches, we parked in the National trust car park towards Baggy Point, looking out across Croyde Bay we could see glassy 3/4ft barrels. The tide was low and still dropping for the next hour or so. I grabbed my 6'2 quad and Dan spent about a minute deciding between his Bonzer short board or his Mini Mal, it wasn't the hardest decision as these waves looked tricky enough on a short board a Mini Mal could have been very hard work. 


As we paddled out we saw a guy pig dogging one of the deepest left hand barrels I've seen in years, he must have been 2-3 metres behind the lip and fully dry in an airy chasm, as I paddled over the shoulder I looked back and it seemed quite a wile and looked a long way down the line before the guy re-appeared, "surely he didn't get out of that" I thought, but speaking to Dan a few minutes later he confirmed the guy did get out! Dan had said something to the guy in passing congratulating him on a great wave.... you know sharing the stoke, being friendly, all out here in glassy amazing waves, nobody actually working like most other (normal) people.... Only to get a sneered response turned back and paddled back out!


Now I am, on most occasions, pretty happy go lucky and accepting of other surfers, I've been known to talk to Boogie Boarders, Goat Boaters, I can even accept Wave Hogs and Long Boarders (SUP boarders on anything other than small waves do worry me) and I actually have a good friend who rides a Wave Ski...... But.... attitude, unfriendliness, and generally being a bit 'too cool for school' really gets me annoyed, I think these guys (and girls) are seriously missing the point! It wasn't as if the Twat in question was a stand out surfer either, granted he got in and out of a better, deeper and suckier barrel than I have ever managed, but I saw him on another wave where he was flaring his arms all over the place, standing way to straight legged and about as stylish as... umm... err.... some one not that stylish. So Mister Cool next time you get a great wave or even a not so great one, a laugh, a grin, a smile, a joke, a  hand wave or even a nod of the head will go a long way to sharing the stoke and spreading a little happiness in this crazily addictive, beautiful, extremely fun and possible completely pointless sport well call surfing.


OK rant over... back to the the trip..


So the waves were good, steep heavy fast and barrelling, if it wasn't for the brown cold water and surrounding scenery I could have mistaken this place for France! The first part of this session was intense, it reminded me of some of the session I had in the summer at Bunkers. There were 2 distinct yet shifty peaks breaking slightly unpredictably coming from deep water and hitting a very shallow sand bar, I managed a couple of 'warm me up' waves to build some confidence then I found my self in the perfect position to take one of the bigger set waves, jumping to my feet the wave sucked steeper and steeper almost appearing to grow in size as I shot down the line, I could see sand and seaweed sucking up the wall and my thoughts were just gun for the shoulder, I went for a turn off the top as the wave seemed to slow, although this was a bad idea as the wave wrapped round the shoulder and quickly steepened up again and I found my self being catapulted forward into the pit. 


I paddled back to Dan and we decided to try the left hand end of the beach where there seemed to be less people. It was a very intense situation on the right hand part of the beach and Dan was yet to catch a wave, feeling uncomfortable on a board he hadn't ridden for a wile in a very crowded line up with heavy waves we thought the other side of the bay looked a little more mellow. This was a massive understatement the waves I would say were under half the size and I found myself hampering after my 5'10. We surfed here for the rest of the session mostly alone and eventually Dan started to catch some waves, he looked quality on a short board and I suggested to him that he should never really take a bigger board out, but his reply was "wave count" and he would often moan when a fatter wave went under him un-ridden saying "I would have got that on my Mini Mal".


I had some nice rights where I felt I really turned well off the top in a way I was unable to do on my front side, later Dan suggested this maybe because I was quite front footed on my forehand which wasn't so conducive to a quad set up but on my back side I was more back footed and pushed much harder through the heal. So maybe a thruster set up would work better for me.                                     


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A large batch of sandwiches and home made flapjacks were consumed before a half an hour chill out and phone calls were made. Looking out, the waves seemed to have mellowed and dropped in size, it was mid tide and pushing, I suggested to Dan he took his Mini Mal and he took my advice, quite frankly I couldn't face the "I would have got that on my Mini Mal" moan and with tired arms and mellower looking waves it seemed the obvious choice. I took my 5'10 fish. As we entered the water the scene of of 3 or 4 rows of white water filled us both with dread of a hard paddle out and we weren't wrong, for some reason I was wearing my 5/3 wetsuit and by the time I eventually got out back I felt extremely hot. The waves were a lot bigger and more powerful than they looked from land and I quickly assessed I was on the wrong board. A lovely looking wave came through and I called Dan on. He took it, dropped in, top turn and then popped off, paddled back to me and complained he was "mid wee!" Haha... Why is it when somebody calls you into a wave you feel strangely compelled to go, forgetting all your own judgement? We surfed for over two and half hours I didn't have any outstanding moments, I found I was hanging on a bit on the bigger drops, early on in the session the waves were showing and then backing off before doubling up or suddenly steepening up and then often closing out, This made it hard to know where to sit, sitting deep and you couldn't get on the waves, sitting inside and the waves jacked up quickly which made me feel uncomfortable taking late big drops on my 5'10.  As the tide moved on this stopped happening but by this point my arms and shoulders were shot to pieces. I saw Dan get plenty of waves, pumping his 8ft Mini Mal extremely well making lots of sections and producing a surprising amount of speed. 


The drive home seemed long and we broke my most basic rule by stopping at McDonalds... but hey after 5 hours of surfing and feeling extremely hungry and fatigued, surely a moment of weakness can be forgiven?      


Croyde Love/Hate?


There is no doubting the quality of Croyde, especially at low tide. I don't know many places in the UK where you truly get that 'French Beach Break' experience (without the warmth, blue water and boobs! Actually I could go on but I wont...). Croyde is one of the best beach breaks in the country but coupled with this is dirty/smelly water, crowds and attitude. Also the waves can be short and sometimes a bit closey. But I will be back and hopefully next time that left hand Barrel can be mine, When it is, I will definitely be sharing the stoke! :-) 

iphone pic not the best but you get the idea

Van with a View!