Beautiful K

29th September


It's always a risk going to K, there must be very few people who actually live close and with virtually no mobile reception down there, trying to get an accurate on the spot check is almost impossible and there is always the issue of the £5 toll road to put your nose out of joint. I must have turned up to find it flat or blowing a gale on at least 50% of occasions. The wave buoys could be showing 6ft and 12 seconds but if the swell is to much from the west things could be flat, and then there is the issue of the tide! I have lived down here and surfed K for over 10 years and I still couldn't tell you what the best tide is, some say high, some say low, some say high dropping some say low pushing some say mid and the fact is I don't think anyone has it truely nailed, the tides don't even run in a normal way, with double lows, double highs or seemingly mid all day! The description of 'fickle' is never more apt than when describing K. Maybe this adds to the stoke, getting it working well is so rare that when we do maybe it's that little bit more special.  


Surf 48/13


My brother has lived in Bournemouth on and off for the last few years but has only been to K on 2 occasions, I thought surely today before he moves away again at the weekend he can see K working. The buoys were looking good and the weather was exceptional, windless and about 25c. The drive felt long with road works making us divert and was the beginning of rush hour, we eventually got to the top of the hill with the first view of the bay at about 4.30pm. Looking out it was completely flat, super glassy clean but not a ripple. We had some debate about going down the toll road to have a closer look and eventually decided to go for it. Thankfully the person who collects the money had gone for the day woho, although our happiness was soon tainted when we arrived at the car park to find no waves. Several surfers were milling around watching and waiting..... 


A Set with only one wave rolled through, we decided and so did the other 3 surfers that it looked just about surfable and with such amazing weather getting in the water wasn't really a chore. Things could only get better, the tide was due to go from extreme low to extreme high within 3 hours and the swell was due to be increasing into tomorrow. Amazingly things did get better, super clean walled up lefts became longer and more consistent and I found myself on wave after wave, my 5'10 fish was loving it and so was I! We got out when it was dark and my arms were aching, the odd head high although mellow set had been surfed and we both felt seriously stoked!


I got home about 8.20pm and found myself in serious trouble with my (very pregnant) wife. She had planned a romantic dinner and I had forgotten to cancel a squash game with a mate. At 8.45pm I was playing squash and my dinner was in the bin!


Surf 49/14 


Getting to bed (spare room!) about midnight after a long surf, squash game and no dinner, I was seriously tired and sore. The alarm went at 5.30am and I had to remind myself this was meant to be fun! I was meeting my good friend Ben (Spanish teacher from VVF sessions who likes to correct me on my bad English) and I new that first light was going to be best for tides and swell. 


The countryside surrounding K was simply stunning, the valleys beneath the gentle hills had a thin layer of mist set against a dark blue sky and deep red horizon it looked like one of those rare stunning views you may see from an aeroplane or mountain range. Getting to the car park there was already about 10 recognisable vans and battered cars, and an enthusiastic early crew were checking and changing. Ben hadn't arrived yet and I couldn't wait and I was glad I didn't. I was the third guy on the peak and when a set came I got a stunning long overhead ride, my fish felt extremely loose but fun and fast and it wasn't long before I was on another ride. Lefts were definitely best and I found myself speeding away from the lip onto the shoulder then digging my tail in hard trying to cutback and rebound with varying success. Ben soon arrived and would enthusiastically tell me about each great wave he had, I saw him have a great (backhand) left where he managed to get his board fully vertical out the lip and slash it round beautifully. It was a very rare and stunning day had by all who surfed. 


Ben bought me breakfast (did I say my new best friend.... OK I'm cheap what can I say?) and I left him to have a second surf while I went home to grovel!


I managed to make up with my wife and the afternoon was spent at the beach surfing the kids and then Fish and Chips.... Does it get much better?