https://youtu.be/kQh6xo0dQds
Been a wild winter, a bit too wild in some respects, how many decent days have their been at Mully etc?
A few early season when I arrived, some paddle days as shown in Ep 3 of Big Wave Tom. I stayed for a month after these first few surfs and it rained straight for so long. At the end just before I went to Spain we all got some fun surfs in smaller Mully and at the local reefs for turns and barrels.
What’s the deal with the Surfing GB ambassador role?
I was stoked when they emailed me to say about picking me for this award. I’m the fourth person to win the trophy, past winners were Cotty, Skindog and Luke Dillon. Cotty got his for performances in big waves free surfing. Ben for placing second in the longboarding ISA World Games and Luke for winning the Pro Junior in Lanzarote in 2014.
Placing second in the La Vaca comp (BWT Ep4) would have been one of the reasons they choose me this year and some free surfs sessions I guess.
Got your face on the TV from the Cribber session then? How did the groms cope?
It was good to meet the BBC journalist and try explain best how big wave surfing works. We then watched the life boat scramble to go fetch the windsurfers after an epic session! I was saying make sure they separate up the water users who just got rescued! On my getting my mug on TV, it was great to get some mainstream attention for surfing in this country.
The groms are men! Yeah those boys all survived the session. I was really proud watching them take some beatings and get some good rights! I just snapped my leash and board after the first wave so didn’t really get a proper run out the blocks! The grom’s parents who stood watching their sons taking on a debut big wave session, got a first hand experience of what can go wrong and how fast everything turns to carnage.
Did they poop themselves when your leash snapped and you had to swim in?
It didn’t look like it as I gazed out to sea everyone was really aware of the best positioning. And I said to them all it’s a really challenging wave to surf. The rip’s always hectic. You have all the rip pulling out of Little Fistral and then pushing out along the headland and sucking out to sea and to the north. Then all the ocean to the north as you sit out the back is pretty exposed your view to the right is the Quies rocks off Trevose lighthouse. It’s an epic challenging spot and it works a lot more than people have been surfing it! It’s epic the groms and everyone else do have a challenging scary out to sea A-frame peak to get a taste on.
This said everything can go wrong like what happened to me and it was a scary five minutes so it’s not for everyone to jump out on and try. Just like any big wave spot you must want it deep down!
Which excites you more Nazare or Mully?
I’m never going to answer that one. Them two places are too special. I’m not cheating on one of them! It’s just epic they are a day’s plane ride away from Newquay and or a few days in a car then you have all your kit in tow.
Keen for some Jaws and Mavericks next winter if the supports there?
Without a doubt. Hungrier now than ever after watching everything. I’m going to go when the times right both financially and logistically. For sure I need to hit the Pacific next winter for some swells. I’m like all the big wave guy’s everyone wants to be on every swell. But last minute travel with 9 foot+ boards is incredibly expensive.
Found the GoPro you lost at Cribbar yet?
Get hunting people it’s still there!
https://youtu.be/S0n3dpsiZ9E
