Summer is here. Three surfs a day, road trips and holidays. Get in!
Here’s a few essentials from our shop thats will are life even better.
Protect your wetty. £25 here
The Bulldog Changing Mat is a lightweight mat that converts to a bag, allowing you to avoid sand, gravel and dirt on your wetsuit and conveniently change on a flat mat. Pullable strings on each side of the mat make it easy for you to wrap things up after a surf no matter what spot you’re surfing.
Wetties aren’t cheap, and he best way to save money and stay eco is to make our suit last. Use a mat!
Ultimate travel hanger
Forget the car mirror, C-Monsta Hangers are the best thing you’ll ever buy for your wetsuit. The unique design has been perfected to dry your gear faster. This updated design has a wider mouth, more accessory hooks, stiffer top hook and a rounder wetsuit rail.
Perfect for van life, road trips or home. Buy yours here
Use this to hang your wetties on the road…
The Bulldog Hang Time Magnetic Kit Hanger is a heavy-duty hanger designed to hold your gear securely. It features a strong magnetic base that can hold up to 20kg of weight. Hang your wetty on your boot, back of your van, anywhere…
Shop here
Best dry bags and organisers out there
The RipCurl organiser is genius…
Boots off, sliders on. Water-friendly soft TPR upper, comfortable microfibre liner and a slip-resistant branded outsole perfect for beach life.
Bulldog Secure Key Lock Box
Our easy to use lock box offers the best way to store your key while surfing. Delivering guaranteed security, so when you’re out in the lineup, all you have to think about is your next wave. – Holds all known car keys and immobilisers
A summer classic, the All Day Men’s Boardshorts are crafted from quick-drying recycled material. These classic boardies are designed in a relaxed fit, with a comfy elasticated waist.
Surfers Against Sewage have written to North Devon Conservative MP Selaine Saxby asking her to retract comment made in the Commons.
The highly respected group which has been campaigning for cleaner seas since 1990 and are seen as experts on the effects of sewage on seas and rivers leading many cutting edge scientific investigations and once called “Britains most sophisticated campaign group’ by the Daily Telegraph have written to the MP saying she made “made misleading claims about the work of Surfers Against Sewage during a parliamentary debate.’
The letter below starts
“in regards to comments you made during your speech on 14th May 2024 proposing the Bathing Waters (Monitoring and Reporting) Bill as well as comments made during a Westminster Hall Debate on 5th March 2024.”
“you took the unusual step of taking aim at us at Surfers Against Sewage. There were many comments you made in your speech which we fundamentally disagree with and some we believe to be simply untrue. We therefore would urge you to set the parliamentary record straight.”
The letter points out that while there have been improvements in sewage treatment (mainly in the 90’s due to pressure from the EU and SAS – Ed) the situation is getting worse re discharges. (Due to lack of investment)
“our campaigning is highlighting ongoing problems so that we can take collective action to solve the issue at source. This should then help to further build economically and socially thriving communities in which surf schools for example do not have to make decisions about whether they should run a class.” say SAS. Which is what all water users want.
The MP apparently has issues with the award winning and cutting edge Safer Seas Service telling the truth about sewage discharges allowing them to make informed opinions.
“Your issue seems to be with the Surfers Against Sewage Safer Seas and Rivers Service app, a free service we provide to help water users stay safe when taking part in activities they love. You previously said we use this app to ‘misrepresent data’ and ‘scare people from entering our beautiful waters’. And in the most recent speech you alluded to us using our app to ‘abuse the data’.
“The Safer Seas and River Service app uses data provided by Water Companies and the Environment Agency.”
“We then keep alerts for a discharge on our app for 48 hours following the end of a discharge event so that water users can easily see when there has been a recent discharge.’
The ’48-hour alerts’ were put forward by the World Health Organisation and have been the globally accepted standard. 12.5-hour timeframe used by South West Water is not the accepted industry standard.
Environment Agency currently do not have policy on this.
SAS say “To allow people to make informed decisions we have therefore taken a precautionary approach and remain committed to our 48-hour alert system initially put forward by the World Health Organisation.”
“On 15th May 2024, we wrote to the Minister for Water in coalition with other water user groups. We proposed the creation of a formal definition of a sewage pollution alert which sets out when and why an alert should be triggered and how long an alert should be in place. We proposed this should be adopted nationally by Water Companies, Regulators and Stakeholders. This would eliminate confusion and enhance public trust.”
The MP apparently claimed the App didn’t provide all data, but all the data comes from the water companies and EA, and the reason the data wasn’t provided was due to failures of he EA system.
“Your speech also raised concerns about SAS not providing data when there have been warnings issued by the Environment Agency. We work immensely hard to ensure we receive accurate and up to date data from Water Companies and the Environment Agency to keep water users informed.
When the Environment Agency issues incidents we are informed of them and this information is provided to the public via our app. There have been instances when we haven’t received the information due to technical limitations of the system that the Environment Agency is utilising.”
The EA have declined to help rectify these problems.
“We approached the Environment Agency to work with us to try and rectify these issues but due to lack of capacity they have declined.”
SAS then, again, called for real time transparent monitoring re flows duration and contents and more research.
“Ensure Water Companies provide clear and consistent information to the public about sewage pollution, through the creation of a national standard for the issuing of sewage pollution alerts
Extend the Bathing Water testing regime year-round
End the use of Short-Term Pollution provisions that allows the discounting of testing samples
Extend the parameters of testing to include emerging pollutants e.g. antimicrobial resistant bacteria, microplastics, viruses and the effects pollution is having on the environment.”
SAS had arranged meeting in parliament and Saxbys constituency to discuss
“As you know, we held a parliamentary event on 4th March 2024 to which you were invited and we also attended a North Devon Council Special Development Committee on water quality on 29th February 2024 where we discussed some of these issues around data and the causes of pollution in your constituency.”
And invited Saxby to attend a community event in her constituency which they will set up.
“I would very much welcome the opportunity to meet with you in your constituency alongside members of the local community to clear up any confusion you may have around how our app works. We would also like to discuss how we tackle the root causes of pollution in the UK that is stopping the further improvement of the UK’s beaches and hampering the ability of coastal communities to thrive.”
You can find out more detail about the Safer Seas and River Service by downloading the app.
Selaine Saxby MP
Parliamentary Office
House of Commons
London
SW1A 0AA
Dear Selaine Saxby MP,
I am writing in regards to comments you made during your speech on 14th May 2024 proposing the Bathing Waters (Monitoring and Reporting) Bill as well as comments made during a Westminster Hall Debate on 5th March 2024.
On 14th May 2024 you brought forward a Bill which alludes to some welcome policy changes to data and monitoring that we very much agree with, in particular the extension of the bathing water testing regime year-round and a national standard for a sewage alert to keep water users safe wherever they are.
However, despite the fact we clearly agree on your ambition to keep water users safe you took the unusual step of taking aim at us at Surfers Against Sewage. There were many comments you made in your speech which we fundamentally disagree with and some we believe to be simply untrue. We therefore would urge you to set the parliamentary record straight.
Firstly, we want to make it abundantly clear that Surfers Against Sewage have no intention of scaring people away from using the beaches of North Devon or anywhere else in the UK. We are an organisation of water lovers and water users who are passionate about spending time in and around the ocean. We also recognise progress has indeed been made in North Devon and in other parts of the UK to improve the state of our beaches, and have absolutely no problem in talking about the improvements that have been made over the last 30 years, in part as a result of pressure from local communities demanding further action from their local representatives.
But progress has stalled. So rather than scaring people off, or seeking to damage reputations, our campaigning is highlighting ongoing problems so that we can take collective action to solve the issue at source. This should then help to further build economically and socially thriving communities in which surf schools for example do not have to make decisions about whether they should run a class.
Your issue seems to be with the Surfers Against Sewage Safer Seas and Rivers Service app, a free service we provide to help water users stay safe when taking part in activities they love. You previously said we use this app to ‘misrepresent data’ and ‘scare people from entering our beautiful waters’. And in the most recent speech you alluded to us using our app to ‘abuse the data’.
This is fundamentally untrue. The Safer Seas and River Service app uses data provided by Water Companies and the Environment Agency. We then keep alerts for a discharge on our app for 48 hours following the end of a discharge event so that water users can easily see when there has been a recent discharge, and use this information to make an informed decision. We therefore urge you to use the next opportunity to correct the parliamentary record.
With regards to the use of 48-hour alerts, we are constantly reviewing best practice for how long to leave an alert in place to ensure water users are protected. However, as you alluded to, this is not a simple calculation due to tidal cycles, environmental conditions and the lack of information about the volume and concentration of pollution that is being discharged. We therefore remain in the dark about, for example, whether a sewage discharge contains 95% sewage or 5% sewage. From our extensive research looking at the scientific literature and talking with academics, as well as reviewing Water Companies’ own practices and publicly available regulatory advice in the UK and across the world, we are not aware of any agreed standard for how long to avoid entering the sea after a sewage incident. It is important to note that the 12.5-hour timeframe used by South West Water is not the accepted industry standard, and we are unaware of the Environment Agency publicly recommending ‘waiting one full tidal rotation before going back into the water after an overflow has run’. From our research, recommendations range between 12 and 72 hours and it should be noted that the Environment Agency does not provide a recommendation. To allow people to make informed decisions we have therefore taken a precautionary approach and remain committed to our 48-hour alert system initially put forward by the World Health Organisation.
We would very much welcome the creation of a new national standard that all sectors can support to keep water users safe. In fact, on 15th May 2024, we wrote to the Minister for Water in coalition with other water user groups. We proposed the creation of a formal definition of a sewage pollution alert which sets out when and why an alert should be triggered and how long an alert should be in place. We proposed this should be adopted nationally by Water Companies, Regulators and Stakeholders. This would eliminate confusion and enhance public trust. The definition should be informed by the most up to date scientific evidence on the risks posed by pollution to human health, independently verified and adopt the precautionary approach.
Your speech also raised concerns about SAS not providing data when there have been warnings issued by the Environment Agency. We work immensely hard to ensure we receive accurate and up to date data from Water Companies and the Environment Agency to keep water users informed. When the Environment Agency issues incidents we are informed of them and this information is provided to the public via our app. There have been instances when we haven’t received the information due to technical limitations of the system that the Environment Agency is utilising. If this data has not been provided to us in the format agreed with the Environment Agency, we are unable to include automatic alerts. We approached the Environment Agency to work with us to try and rectify these issues but due to lack of capacity they have declined. This leaves us scrambling to try and monitor the Environment Agency’s data manually or rely on the public to notify us that an incident has taken place. Where we are made aware of pollution alerts by the public or others, we investigate and talk to Water Companies and Environment Agencies to provide the correct information the public needs to stay safe.
In conclusion, we agree with your ultimate desire to provide accurate real-time information about sewage pollution and that is why we have been pressuring Government, Water Companies and Regulators to provide real-time data on sewage discharges around the UK all year round. It is therefore a welcome step forward that this is now happening and the Government have made this a legal requirement. However, we need further action. We are calling on this Government and the next to:
Ensure Water Companies provide clear and consistent information to the public about sewage pollution, through the creation of a national standard for the issuing of sewage pollution alerts
Extend the Bathing Water testing regime year-round
End the use of Short-Term Pollution provisions that allows the discounting of testing samples
Extend the parameters of testing to include emerging pollutants e.g. antimicrobial resistant bacteria, microplastics, viruses and the effects pollution is having on the environment.
As we clearly agree on the outcomes we want to achieve, we therefore suggest using limited parliamentary time to push forward action to improve the provision of data from Water Companies and Regulators to the public, rather than taking aim at charities working to protect public health.
Finally, we apologise that we had to cancel our scheduled meeting on 1st March 2024 to discuss some of the above. As you know, we held a parliamentary event on 4th March 2024 to which you were invited and we also attended a North Devon Council Special Development Committee on water quality on 29th February 2024 where we discussed some of these issues around data and the causes of pollution in your constituency.
I would very much welcome the opportunity to meet with you in your constituency alongside members of the local community to clear up any confusion you may have around how our app works. We would also like to discuss how we tackle the root causes of pollution in the UK that is stopping the further improvement of the UK’s beaches and hampering the ability of coastal communities to thrive.
Yours sincerely
Dani Jordan,
Director of Campaigns and Communities
P.S. In order to ensure the public understands the reliability and integrity of our Safer Seas and Rivers Service app, we will be publishing this letter publicly. This will hopefully clear up any concerns caused by your statements and ensure people, including your constituents, continue to feel comfortable using our free information app, which supports water users enjoying the water safely. I hope you will understand why this is important to us and we look forward to meeting
Part 2 of the Nationals will now be held as a One-day event on Saturday 18th May – Part 2 of the 2024 Caravan and Motorhome Club English National Surfing Championships will go ahead! After the initial date of 4th-6th May was postponed due to poor surf conditions, the anticipation has been building for the second instalment of the 2024 Caravan and Motorhome Club English National Surfing Championships.
We are thrilled to be able to call the event ON… With a new one-day event of Saturday 18th May at Watergate Bay in Newquay!
Due to small surf over the 3 days of the event, we have made the decision to cut down to a one-day event on Saturday 18th. We extend a warm welcome to the nation’s finest Under 12 and Under 14 Shortboarders and SUP surfers as they come together for the prestigious 2024 Caravan and Motorhome Club English National Surfing Championships.
With the surf forecast showing a fun 2 foot of surf on Saturday 18th May, the stage is set for a competitive showdown. A total of 84 surfers have entered across 6 divisions, ensuring over 15 hours of gripping competition heats, split across two wave peaks. The event kicks off bright and early on Saturday, with thrilling action carrying through to late afternoon when the event’s top surfers will be crowned with National titles. Ensuring the safety of all participants in the water, trained beach lifeguards from CG Safety Cover will be present throughout the weekend. Adding to the excitement, spectators are invited to indulge in our beach games zone, made possible by our generous sponsor, Decathlon, promising enjoyment for the whole family. For real-time updates, please join our WhatsApp group HERE.
Live scoring of the event will be available via LiveHeats. The heat draw has been published HERE in advance of the weekend, although it remains subject to change.
Following the ISA’s heat formats, heats with two participants will be bypassed, automatically advancing contestants to the next round.
We are proud to announce Caravan and Motorhome Club as the event’s headline sponsor for their remarkable 10th consecutive year. Join their friendly crew onsite for beach cleaning
As you gear up for the English National Surfing Championships in Watergate Bay, Cornwall, why not make your experience even more exhilarating. The Caravan and Motorhome Club , partnered with Experience Freedom , offer a range of accommodation options, from cozy cabins to luxury yurts, set in some of the most picturesque locations in the UK. Treamble Valley Club Campsite , Merrose farm and Trewethett Farm are all a short drive away from the contest site. With stays from as little as £16.70 per night, why wait to book?
Picture yourself riding the waves by day and unwinding in the comfort of your own tranquil accommodation by night.
As a Surfing England Member, Caravan and Motorhome Club offer 10% off their yearly Membership and 8% off Experience Freedom (glamping/camping). With The Caravan and Motorhome Club and Experience Freedom, you’re not just securing accommodation – you’re embarking on an unforgettable journey filled with freedom, flexibility, and endless possibilities. Start planning your surf getaway today and dive headfirst into the excitement of life on the open road.
Amazing prizes and giveaways are on offer this weekend, with headline sponsors Caravan and Motorhome Club awarding champions a Dover-Calais ferry crossing for 4 people and a 1 year membership for 2nd, 3rd and 4th finishers. Our friends at dryrobe have product for all podium finishers, as do korev lager for over 18s, and some really handy prizes from Decathlon UK.
Stay tuned on social media for updates, follow @SurfingEngland on Instagram, Facebook & Twitter.
Mason Ho heads back to Scotland and brings his mate Sheldon Paishon.. A full movie is coming apparently, bu the trailer is worth view in itself! You’re supposed to cook them mussels before you chew them mate!
Over 30 locations across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will be host to protesters calling for an end to sewage pollution.
Saturday 18 May. Thousands of protesters will take to coasts and rivers across the UK today to protest against the state of the nation’s waterways. The protests have been coordinated by Surfers Against Sewage (SAS), who are calling for an end to the sewage discharges plaguing the UK’s rivers and seas, as sewage overflows continue to have a devastating impact on ecological and human health.
Over 30 protests are set to take place at local beaches and rivers, spanning locations from Cornwall to Edinburgh. Flagship protests are taking place at West Pier in Brighton and at Gyllyngvase Beach in Falmouth, with Olympian and keen paddle-boarder Dame Kelly Holmes set to join protesters on the south coast.
Giles Bristow, CEO of Surfers Against Sewage, said: “Once again, the public face a grim choice this summer – risk swallowing shit or forgo a dip in the water.
“This year offers an opportunity to turn our collective anger into action and end the sewage scandal, with panicked politicians in listening mode, desperate to ride the waves of popular sentiment. A general election is imminent, and the public are out on the beachfronts and riverbanks making it clear that the issue of sewage pollution is at the top of the agenda. Ahead of the election, all parties need to show people genuine and quantifiable commitments to eliminate sewage pollution, or suffer the consequences.”
This year is a huge opportunity for action on sewage pollution. Water quality is predicted to be a core issue influencing voters in the next general election, which must happen before January 2025. Meanwhile, in June, regulator Ofwat – whose role is to challenge and scrutinise water companies to ensure they deliver safe and reliable water to people and protect the environment – will deliver recommendations on water companies’ investment plans for the next five years (2025 – 2030).
Water companies have proposed plans for £11 billion in investment for reducing sewage discharges for this period, with customer bills increasing in tandem – a move that has sparked outrage among the public, particularly in the context of the profits paid out to water company bosses and shareholders year on year. According to analysis by the Financial Times, water companies in England and Wales paid out £2.5bn in dividends in the two financial years since 2021 and a total of more than £78bn in dividends in the 33 years since privatisation.
Giles Bristow added: “Thousands are protesting on the water this weekend to let politicians, regulators and water companies know that the public aren’t going to let them wriggle out of demands for clean seas and rivers. We’re calling for plans that are ambitious enough to end sewage pollution in high-priority nature sites and the waters we surf, swim and paddle in by 2030, putting people and nature before profit. We won’t tolerate this broken system any longer.”
Double Gold medal-winning Olympian Dame Kelly Holmes, who will be paddling out with protesters in Brighton, said: “I love nothing more than getting out into the open water on my paddle-board – it does wonders for my mental health, and there’s such a sense of community amongst those who use our wild waterways for sport and recreation.”
“But this incredibly special pastime has been tainted for all of us by the persistent risk of getting sick from pollution. The poor state of our rivers and seas is shocking and infuriating. Whole generations are being deprived of the right to safely enjoy the benefits that blue spaces offer. Our waterways are for us and should be here to enjoy as they are so important for our collective health and wellbeing. Events costing thousands are getting cancelled. To see our rivers and seas being treated so appallingly by those responsible for looking after them is nothing short of a national scandal.”
“I’m paddling out with Surfers Against Sewage and thousands of water-lovers across the country because I’m passionate about our waterways, I’m angry about what’s being done to them, and I want the polluters and those in power to hear our demands to end sewage pollution now.”
In 2023, there were 584,001 recorded discharges across England, Scotland and Wales – a 51% increase on the previous year – with sewage released into waterways for a total of 12,966,322 hours. Of the 11 water companies with monitoring in place, United Utilities was the worst offender, reporting 97,537 discharges in 2023. Yorkshire Water and Severn Trent Water were hot on its heels, reporting 77,761 and 60,253 discharges respectively. SAS analysis has found that Welsh Water had a total of 108,860 discharges, although this is not directly comparable to England due to differing methods of reporting.
Paddle-outs will be taking place in the majority of water company catchments this weekend – including Scottish Water, where there were 15,289 spills last year, and Northern Ireland Water, where discharge figures are unavailable due to a lack of monitoring.
The Environment Agency boasts that 100% of storm overflows in England are now fitted with monitoring devices. However, analysis of this year’s Event Duration Monitoring (EDM) data by SAS has revealed that EDM monitors at 1,930 storm overflows, 13.3% of the total monitored overflows, are operating at less than 90% capacity – which means the discharge figures for England in 2023 are an underestimate.
Sally McGee, Tynemouth protest organiser and SAS supporter, said: “Every surfer across the UK knows that they run the risk of getting sick if they surf. Many beaches on the beautiful coast around Tynemouth are subject to the discharge of raw sewage immediately after or during storms. You can smell and taste the difference in the water. It’s really upsetting and feels like we are going backwards in time.”
“As a surfer, I believe we have a beautiful relationship with the ocean – we see it in all its glory, and we see it suffer. Up here, we share the ocean with bottlenose dolphins and common seals, whilst fulmar birds fly above us. When I surf and the water is brown from pollution as untreated sewage leaves the Tyne, I can only imagine how marine life endures it. We can choose if we surf, but it’s their everyday habitat.”
“We are protesting in Tynemouth because we are outraged that water companies and our politicians have allowed this to happen. They have a vital role in society and are abusing their position. They must stop the greed, invest and do better. We demand an end to sewage discharges in our bathing waters by 2030.”
SAS is calling for an end to sewage discharges into all bathing waters and high-priority nature sites by 2030.
Key SAS paddle-out protests are taking place at the following locations and times:
Falmouth – Gyllyngvase Beach 10:00 Brighton – West Pier 11:00 Bedford – Castle Mound 14:00 Scarborough – South Bay 12:00 Marine Lake, Clevedon 10:00 Hythe – Hythe Beach 10:30 Plymouth – Plymouth Hoe East 11:00 Saltburn – Saltburn Pier 10:00 Shepperton Lake 10:00 Edinburgh – Portobello Beach 10:30 Caswell – Caswell Bay 09:00 River Severn – Frankwell Slipway 10:30 Wallasey – Wallasey Beach 18:30 Portrush – West Strand Beach 09:30
Dead Famous Liquor Lounge, Newquay.
Sunday 19th May
7PM – 9PM
Free entry
Come and meet one of the greatest surfers of all time. 4 X World Title Runner – Up, 14 Championship Tour events wins, Winner of the Quiksilver World Masters Title. Shaper, Surfboard Innovator.
