Birth Death and Jelly

What a crazy life changing few weeks I've had, I have so much I want to say but I think I'll keep it concise.


Sadly my Grandfather died on Saturday 29th November, after looking like he was pulling through a nasty illness, suddenly his body started to give up. At 83 he was young in mind and full of life, who lived life to the full. 


My Grandfather was an amazing person, I would be best describe him as full of love and energy. He was a Ships Captain and sailed every sea and to every country that had a port. He was an Author and a Painter but most importantly of all he was a Family man who cared for everyone in his large and extended family. He showed an interest in all of us and would always help any of us out where he could. And there is a lot of us! He will be greatly missed.


As a 37 year old bloke, I have always considered myself extremely fortunate to have all of my Grandparents still alive, in some ways I imagined they would all go on forever, as we know nothing last forever. It's a bugger we have to die!  


Cody is 2 weeks old today and I am getting used to living with broken sleep. Babies don't give much back, kinda like feeding-pooing machines. Cody is putting on weight and all appears healthy and well. Half-term week was a little tricky, having our other 2 kids off school, with me still ill and Charlotte with a nasty breast infection, I have to say it wasn't the easiest week of our lives but we got though it with a surprising amount of humour, as yet Charlotte's hormones seem to be reasonably balanced!! 


and onto the surf..


I felt slightly frustrated missing 6 days of waves during half-term but I was still ill and under the circumstances I think it would have been pushing my luck with Char! With the famously big swell predicted for Sunday the 30th I saw that as my chance to get back on the board.


Sunday 30th October


Surf 52/17
18 seconds and 2.6 metres was probably the best biggest buoy reeding I saw. But as we all know long range ground swell and the Bournemouth Pier don't usually sit well together (apart from the super bank which appeared for a few weeks 2 years ago). As I expected long waits between big close out sets greeted us on a crossshore windy Sunday morning. As well as about 100 surfers on the east side of the pier. I started my surf off on the west side with about 6 surfers out and Gary, after faffing for 20 minutes and no waves caught I went to the east side faffed a lot more, caught 1 wave, got dropped in on, some how avoided being killed by lots of out of control surfers and went back to the west side where for most of the rest of the session I had it to myself, actually got a few ok-ish waves in the head high range although a bit closey, sometimes the wave would reform on the inside to give a punchy fast ride. I was riding my 6'2 fluid juice shortboard (test board) and it felt really good and especially nice to be on a thruster again (it's been a while). Chatted to some dude about being a sheep and today it felt good not to be one! 

surf 53 18
The wind suddenly dropped off in the afternoon, some how I persuaded Char to let me go for a second surf! Sadly the swell had dropped off as well and the west side of the pier was now the place to be (according to about 30 other surfers), so after catching a couple of small waves there I went east and surfed a very week super low tide small wave with a few others. Not exactly inspiring but there we go, I was at least back in the water. 


1st November


surf 54/19
A bit of KY but no Jelly, I had a lot of fun first at K with some dude I got chatting to on a fish and then for 2 hours on my own at Y, I got some lovely long rides and the crossshore wind wasn't really effecting the wave much (good for your front side airs... I dream :-0) I saw Kim briefly who said "I'm surprised you've been aloud out here" possibly in reference to the lynch mob on my back. I was surprised not to see a few more of the usual suspects. I heard later on that the wind messed things up a bit. I think I got lucky! Surfed for 3 hours and was completely shattered. It made last night even harder work with Cody waking every hour. Oh Joy!


And finally it has been rumoured that Dan Magee has been seen riding and enjoying himself on a "proper" shortboard! I just thought I'd let you know, if you see him on a minimal tell him to get off.