So it’s 2016.
Pretty sure we were supposed to have hoverboards, meals in a pill and endless leisure time by this point. That and a town on Mars. Future looking folk rarely got it right and they’d be shocked if they saw us now.
An interconnected world where you can see a friend’s face on the other side of the world and video chat as easy as you like.
A world where surf comps featuring superhumans paddling into the biggest waves in history can be beamed live into your lounge from far flung tropical reefs. Contests filmed from multiple angles, including by air robots, giving perspectives the poor suckers watching it live with their boring old one pair of eyes can’t see.
The things we can do are amazing. Swells are predicted to the hour and centimetre. Magic boards from any era can be reproduced now the shapers work in the wired world of computer design. Wetsuit tech is so advanced that surfing in the Arctic isn’t just possible it’s encouraged. There’s no end to our inventiveness. Hell we can find food, a taxi, somewhere to stay or a date just with a few prods of the computer in our pocket.
Clever as we are we’re still making a mess of things. The ocean is suffering. Pollution is rife. We are losing the battle against plastic and there’s woeful inaction when it comes to sewage and storm run off.
If that’s not bad enough the global temperature also hit the +1˚C over normal temperatures for the 2015: “2015 was a record-breaking year for our climate. Global mean temperatures reached 1°C above pre-industrial levels for the first time and the year’s average global temperature was the highest ever recorded.”
Climate changes. That’s what it does. It doesn’t matter on the cause.
There’s no excuse for us to treat the planet like it’s disposable.
It’s single use.
We have to look after it in any and every way possible. It’s our responsibility and duty.
Surfing is selfish. The products we use aren’t exactly green. But strides are being made in wetsuit and board tech to escape the oil teat. Because here’s the thing, as tech as we are, as clever and wonderful as we get in our new online narcissism surfing isn’t about any of that. It’s about you and the ocean. Gliding and sliding on pulses of wave energy needs just you and a board. By becoming a surfer you’re now a guardian. The ocean and the beaches are yours to protect and if you’ve not twigged yet, the planet, for you and for the future generations. We never want to get to a point where the ocean is too polluted to play in.
We’ve become so clever and so self-obsessed we forgot to look after the planet. It’s time that changed.
You can do so by getting involved with any of the following worthy endeavours:
Did you hear the one about the Englishmen, Irishman, Spanish and Frenchman? The scene is set with a glorious mid-winter Southern Europe swell chart. Cold morning offshores with sunny T-shirt weather by lunchtime. Shifting sandbanks turned on again and again and the week became non-stop surf after surf after surf. The Land Rover missions scored tube sessions, turn sessions, air sessions. The guys had it all. And in-between the time in the brine this collective of young modern day European surfers chewed the fat over a few surf and non-surf issues. So who are this crew?
Jobe Harriss is Bude born and bred. He learnt to surf at Crooklets and has spent almost as much time there as the sand that makes up the beach. Rumour has it that he was disappointed when he passed his driving test as it meant he might have to surf other places.
Luis Diaz is a real modern day Euro. The kid is from the Canaries but spends a load of time in France and Spain and has high-fiving buddies all over the continent. Growing up with reefs and slabs a plenty has given him a different surfing vibe than many of his peers in Euroland.
Angus Scotney despite being over six-foot tall is still the most frothing grom ever. Pre and post-school surfs at Fistral are his day to day vibe. Down to Newquay boardriders for a quick change and then just surf as much as possible. He’s looks to take his power game into the Euro Pro juniors again this year.
William Aliotti comes from the Caribbean but lives in Hossegor at the Volcom house most of the year. Super skilled in the air and calm, cool and collected in the tube. He represents the upper echelons of European hi-fi surfing right now.
Gearoid McDaid is the lone Irishman making a dent on the Euro performance scene. Aside from the big wave, crazy slab guys G-Man is the one getting attention going toe to toe in heats with Europe’s best.
Liam Murray Strout lives in a beautiful spot right by the sea in one of the few places in Cornwall that actually doesn’t really have waves. His mum does a lot of driving and it’s paid off as he’s one of the most respected young surfers in the land. His air pop is next level and his forehand tube riding is right up there too. Liam was the grom on this trip and as such never sat in the front seat.
Without further ado here’s the guys on … well everything.
Who was the best surfer on the trip?
Jobe Harriss:I think everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. William is without doubt the best guy in the air, Luis is super fluid and powerful and G-Man is full of style so it depends what you’re looking at.
William Aliotti: I will say everyone had their good days.
Gearoid McDaid: I think everyone on the trip was killing it everyone had a day where they were on the best waves or doing the biggest things which is sick to see when you go on trip like this.
Luis Diaz:There was not one best surfer, everyone surfed good but I have to say William did the best airs and Jobe got the best barrels.
Angus Scotney: Like any surfer I’d like to say myself haha! But realistically it was William. I’m not trying to suck up to him but he is pretty nuts, he can do literally anything in all different kind of conditions.
Liam Murray Strout: William for sure, some of his barrels were insane and also his backhand full rotation.
Do you think people from different European countries surf differently these days?
Jobe: Yeah of course. I think it’s not even as broad as a country it’s more what town or municipal area they live in. I think your surfing is fine-tuned by the waves you surf most so that they complement each other. I feel like my style has been moulded around the points and beaches here in North Cornwall, I think my surfing looks way better on points and walled up beachbreaks but when fast and steep shore breaks come into the mix I would struggle. Gearoid on the other hand is super smooth and technical, maybe reflecting the quality of waves in Ireland, he doesn’t have to pump loads and be all erratic with his movement because the waves are so powerful and well-shaped where he’s from. So in short, I think the type of waves you surf most mould your style into what it is.
Willy: I think everyone surfs different wherever you come from. This is why you need to keep travelling to surf more waves and make your surfing complete.
Gearoid: I don’t think that there is a way people surf from each country. Everyone has their own style and excel in different types of conditions.
Luis: Some countries have more surf culture and better surfers but I think it’s just because of the time they’ve been surfing and the waves they’ve got.
Angus: Without stereotyping people, as obviously not all surfers are the same, but I think they do. This was my first year competing around Europe and I found that most French surfers were just faster, more lively and very straight down straight up approach. I also thought that a lot of Portuguese surfers had a wider stance and opted for carves.
Liam: Yeah definitely, I personally find that surfers from France surf really fast and top to bottom. I guess that it’s due to them having consistent good waves unlike us in England having to grovel in mush.
Which country in Europe has the best surfers?
Jobe: I think that’s a super hard question to answer, all the major surfing countries have multiple high level guys who rip so I couldn’t pick one specifically.
William: France.
Gearoid: It’s hard to say, all the different countries have people that are the best surfers in different kind of waves .
Luis: Probably France.
Angus: I hate to say it … but France.
Liam: France, it has got to be France, every kid rips there.
Which country in Europe has the best waves?
Jobe: Again a super hard question haha. Portugal is rad, you can almost always guarantee you’ll get at least a few sick days of waves there on a trip. But there’s so many places that I’m yet to explore properly so I can’t really give an accurate answer.
William: Portugal, France and the Canaries.
Gearoid: I think from everywhere I’ve travelled in Europe, although I haven’t scored everywhere good, nowhere comes close to Ireland for the best waves.
Luis: I have to say my home the Canary Islands.
Angus: Portugal.
Liam: Personally I think it’s Portugal, especially down and around Peniche, there are so many world class waves all bunched together in like a 10-mile radius.
Who are the best three surfers in Europe?
Jobe: Joan Duru definitely springs to mind thinking about it. I also really like Frederico Morais raw power. Although I’m not a massive fan of Jeremy Flore’s surfing you can’t argue with his achievements on the World Tour.
Luis: Jonathan Gonzalez, Joan Duru and Jeremy Flores.
Angus: Reubyn Ash, Fredrico Morais and Tim Bisso.
Liam Murray Strout: Willy, Nomme Mignot and Leonardo Fioravanti.
Who’s the best big wave European?
Jobe: Nic Von Rupp is super mad. Some of the clips I’ve seen of him in the big gnarly barrels are ridiculous.
William: Sancho and Conor Maguire.
Gearoid: In my opinion I think Tom Lowe is the best big wave surfer in Europe. He seems like a complete hell man just goes on anything. He also seems so dedicated to it like he always seems to be on the biggest swells in Europe. There are also guys like Conor Maguire who are the biggest chargers out at waves like Mullaghmore.
Luis: Alexander Zirke.
Angus: Lowey
Liam: Tom Butler is real good and pushing his way up in the European scene. Seen lots of clips of him and Lowey getting huge ones over in Ireland.
Do you think the UK should stay in the European Union?
Jobe: Yeah of course. Cornwall is one of the poorest areas in the country and so we get funding from the EU. If we left all of that would be cut and I can’t imagine how bad it would be for Cornwall.
Luis: I’m not from there but they should stay I think.
Angus: Yeah.
Liam: I really have no clue. I’m just going to say yes?
Do you feel like you are a European?
Jobe: I feel like a Cornishman.
William: I’m a Frenchman.
Gearoid: I think everyone thinks of themselves as a person from their country, I definitely think of myself as an Irishman not a European.
Luis: First of all I feel Canarian then I’m European!
Angus: No I do not feel like a European … Just English.
Liam: I would class my self as European, but more English or Cornish.
Who’s you favourite surfer in the world?
Jobe: Ace Buchan … Style master with so much flow it’s unreal.
William: John Florence.
Gearoid: I think Owen Wright is the best surfer, he just seems to be good all round and best of all he’s a goofy.
Luis: Julian Wilson.
Angus: Dusty Payne.
Liam: Mick Fanning.
Who’s going to win the world title this year?
Jobe: Medina, I think he’s the best surfer in the world without a doubt. If he’s on form no one can touch him but it just depends on his headspace as to whether he does well. Being beaten by Adriano would have been a sting though I’m sure so should give him an extra push for this season.
William: Medina.
Gearoid: Well hopefully it comes down to Pipe again and it’d be sick if theres a good few people in the race. It’s pretty hard to call who’ll win though.
Luis: Julian Wilson.
Angus: Filipe Toledo!
Liam: Well after De Souza winning who knows who could win it?
What’s better getting a cover or a video clip with 20,000 views?
Jobe: A cover for sure. A cover has eluded me for so long. I’m still waiting for my first one and it’s so frustrating haha … Hopefully I’ll get one soon (Is that a hint? Ed).
William: For sure a cover … especially in Carve it’s the best mag in Europe (Awwwwww you guys! Ed).
Gearoid: I think a cover would be so sick, it’s a lot harder to get a cover than get 20k views on a clip which makes a cover that much better.
Luis: Print mags aren’t that important nowadays, I think a 20K clip is way better (Booo! Ed).
Angus: A cover for sure.
Liam: Thats a tough one! I would personally go for the video, I mean that’s a lot of people just watching your surfing.
Thought his tale from Boydie’s Instagram was worth sharing as it’s got a serious and useful message for all. Photos by Mal Anderson.
To any of you who know this spot (which won’t be named on here), unless you are extremely familiar with the spot, an expert surfer and very strong paddler please do not EVER surfer here on an OUT-GOING tide and when you surf here don’t sit deep! If you are deeper than the guys who surf here regularly there is something wrong!
Yesterday, despite warnings from myself and Dave (on different instances) two guys who were very intermediate surfers (and should have never been out there in those conditions anyway) and also one more advanced surfer- were caught in what is renowned as being a very strong current- this happens all too often at this spot due to peoples lack of knowledge and/or not listening to advice from locals and usually people realise quick enough and paddle their hearts out to get out of it. Fortunately one of the intermediate guys struggled his way our of the rip and the more advanced surfer did too (he was caught in it earlier in the day and confessed not to having listened to my advice and was exhausted and scared after a half an hour gruelling paddle to safety). This left one of the intermediate surfers caught in the rip. I had kept an eye on him while I surfed to see his progress getting back and it was ruining my surf a little bit as I started to get concerned. I said to myself I’ll get a couple more waves then walk round to check on him. I estimate by the time I had walked round the guy may have been paddling hard out for around 40mins. On my way walking round I said to Mal to keep an eye on him (most people hadn’t noticed him) and to keep his phone handy in case the guy’s situation got worse. When I got there it looked like he was beginning to give up and was even sitting on his board waving for help- he was definitely panicking. The guy has been paddling AGAINST the rip the whole time (never paddle against a current) and was being dragged further and further out exhausted. I was really concerned at this point and I couldn’t go after him (then two of us would be in trouble). I started screaming and waving my board to get his attention- it took some time. When I finally got his attention…
I directed him in with my board and hand signals. He seemed to kind of listen and I felt relief. But then he changed his mind and continued again against the current and I could see him moving backwards again ???? [[ Further out to sea at this particular spot is one of the most dangerous stretches of water imaginable- the strength of the tide combined with the huge swell travelling against them causes standing waves the size of small houses – I don’t even know if a lifeboat could rescue you or even find you in amongst that (if you would even last long enough in that turbulence to be worth rescuing). ]] I screamed and screamed until I was losing my voice to make him listen to me ????. This was the point I almost ran back round the corner to ask a friend to call the lifeboat- I tried to weigh it up, as I didn’t want a false alarm for the lifeboats but yet had the situation worsened rapidly how could I live with myself being so close to making that decision but deciding to wait- I opted to give him literally 30 seconds more to listen to my instruction.
Finally again he was taking my instruction, at this point I was exhausted from the screaming and waving! But he was listening and making slow progress… I knew he was almost giving up so I was shouting and air paddling with him, trying to motivate him and give him rhythm to follow praying he wouldn’t give up or stop for even a second.
Then our prayers were answered! A medium set wave was approaching! (Some of the bomb set waves this day were 3x the size of me) ????????. This was a good thing! The wave would help push him onto the rocks and at this point ROCKS are you friend! Dry land! I was elated with relief????. I shouted and screamed and directed by waving and pointing my board for him to continue and catch the wave… But he ignored my instruction…turned around…scared of the wave…paddled back out to sea…back into the current…and back into danger! ????. Demonstrating his complete lack of knowledge of the sea. I was about in tears at this point screaming so hard hardly a sound was coming out sometimes ????????. I resumed directing and shouting, I think he realised my dismay at the decision he had made and resumed following my rhythm paddling. Again, he was making slow progress thankfully. He must have been knackered! He finally made it into shallow water, and eventually up onto the rocks between set waves.
I ran down to greet him, well, actually express my anger at him. Maybe I shouldn’t have been angry at him, he was probably in shock having been through that ordeal but my adrenaline was up high having felt responsible for his outcome and I although he had been panicked I’m not sure if he quite appreciated just how much danger he was in and how close he came to being lost at sea (or his fate being in the hands of the lifeboat crew in those waters). I was angry at him because a) he had ignored our warnings before had even went surfing b) he had ruined my surf being stressed out about the safety of these guys c) he ignored the instruction of someone more experienced than him repeatedly d) i don’t even think by his reaction on land he quite understood the severity of his situation, maybe he did, he said he appreciated my concern.
I hope he reads this… Stay safe guys, know your limits, listen to advice of those more experienced than you, learn about the sea if you intend to spend time in it.
I hope this post gets the message out about the dangers of this spot- otherwise it will only be a matter of time before a life is lost here.
This surfing lark is sold with rose tinted glasses. Learn to surf they say. Become a better person because you’re at one with the ocean. You too can achieve a Bodhi like Zen-calm and otherworldly placid nature just by riding the pulsing bands of energy we call waves.
This is of course bullshit. The ocean is not your friend. It tolerates your half-assed aquatic shenanigans. Learning to surf is a faff. This we know. There are no shortcuts or cheat sheets to sliding genius. The salt will slap you silly given half a chance. Neptune or whoever controls the deep is a malevolent spirit with no time for the uncommitted.
No matter how far your surfer’s path takes you there are always annoyances and issues, sometimes literally, involved with our little subculture. Our intersection of art, sport, pastime and religion is a hard taskmaster. This is why the truly committed feel that special sense of being a surfer. They masochistically cope with pain that in any other world would be considered a bit odd. Here are a few things you might have to deal with:
Nose Drain
Behind your face are sinuses. A space it seems designed specifically to painfully trap sea water for release at an inopportune time later. Generally when you have your hands full and are trying to impress a member of the opposite sex. Forget your toned shoulders and surfer’s tan. It’s having a public nose drain incident that really marks you as a surfer.
Ice Cream Headache
Two of these three words are good. Especially if it’s Ben & Jerry’s Phish Food. Unfortunately the ice cream headache in the ocean is no fun. It feels like some clown has put your head in a medieval torture device and cranked up to eleven. The only solution is to grin and bear it or rub your head. Which does sod all as the pain is deep within your skull. Modern built-in hooded wetsuits certainly help but any big wipeout or brutal duckdive will get you cursing through gritted teeth.
Surfer’s Ear
As detailed in far too much graphic detail (I mean, seriously, ewwwwww) yesterday, surfer’s ear is an avoidable but somehow inevitable result of being a British surfer. In short you ear pipe narrows to protect your inner ear plumbing from the cold. The remedy ain’t pretty. Suffice to say it involves rusty power tools and surgeons.
Grit in Orifices
Any whomping wave will let you know who’s boss. You’ll find gravel in places you didn’t know you could get gravel. Especially if you’re surfing one of them French shore breaks. Fun fact. I had a pea-sized bit of grit more than second-finger knuckle-deep up my nose for a few days once. At least we wear wetsuits. So don’t run the orifice breach risk those board short wearing softies do.
Chesticle Bumps
Surfing obviously involves a lot of time on your ribs. Especially in the UK battling walls of whitewater on channel free beach breaks. This can lead to weird growths. A kind of spongey sac thing that are your body trying to protect itself. Or if you’re somewhere warm the skin just wears off and you end up with weeping sores and if you’re really lucky sea ulcers. Hmmmmm … drippy.
Wetsuit Rubs
As much as neoprene tech is veering towards actual magic these days with its scientific boffinery long hours in the water will inevitably end up with a chafe. Sure you lot these days don’t know you’re born, go back to the eighties and you’d get rubs behind the knees, under your armpits and a neck ring of scabs that looked like you’d been to a love bite convention. Modern suits are vastly better and rubs are basically a sign you’re surfing more than most. So, consider them a badge of honour. Just remember not to wince too much when you move and the scabs crack.
So. That’s some of the fun you have to look forward to. Still want to be a surfer? Course you do… Because even as a deformed, deaf, scabby, drippy version of yourself you’re still doing the funnest thing in the world … 😉
There are endless life hack lists online about how to be a better person. The key to a more successful, happier you is out there. 50 Steps To A Better You. How To Win Your Day. Essential Things To Do Before 8am. Self-help marketing is a huge industry. As to whether anyone ever puts them into action or wastes their valuable time reading self-help lists remains to be seen.
Here’s a sampler of what the winners in life are doing all before 8am:
•Sleep
•Meditate
•Work out
•Eat protein
•Cold shower
•Listen or read to inspiring content
•Answer emails
•Set goals
•Review goals
•Achieve goals
That’s all while juggling a family, relationship and high flying job. These people are masochists. To fit all that in before 8am, especially with half an hour of meditation, a half hour workout and half an hour consumption of that awful phrase ‘inspirational content’, and everything else means you’ll be getting up middle of the night. Which is daft. I could not be arsed. How are you supposed to binge watch Daredevil in to the early hours if you’re getting up at 4am? Especially when you’re giving up caffeine, alcohol, sugar, gluten and all the other things winners do. Like reading a book a week while making time to write your journal about fasting one day a week.
I don’t know about you lot but my pre-8am routine if there’s no surf and I’ve not got to work is:
•Sleep
•Maybe scratch arse if I’m feeling the need
This seems to be the best way to use my time. Especially in winter when it’s still dark before 8am.
My pre-work routine on a weekday is:
•Sleep
•Wake up at 8am and give alarm clock evil stare that could melt granite
•Hit snooze
•Wake up confused
•Wipe drool
•Hit snooze again
•Wake up, calculate maximum time needed to shower, eat breakfast and make work on time
•Look at Twitter
•Swear
•Swear again more profusely
•Stumble out of bed grudgingly
•Meditate on the throne
•Shower
•Set goal of washing self with foamy chemicals
•Review goal
•Achieve goal
•Dry self
•Eat protein (Yay! Look at me being all successful. Or maybe I just like bacon and eggs)
•Remember to put on clothes as frying bacon and nudity don’t mix
•Ensure smell test of clothes before putting on
•Quick step to work
Life is so much simpler when there are waves. The only essential habit you need to develop to be a winner in life is:
•Surf
That’s it. Makes you happier, fitter, more attractive, and hell, more productive even. You can swan about with the Zen calm of a start-up bazillionaire because you’re a surfer. Doesn’t matter if you’re skint, you are life rich and communing with nature intimately. It’s the ultimate life hack.
All these lists seem to miss the one key pointer: stop reading lists and faffing about online … go surf.
Adam Griffiths is an affable gent. He’s one of the leading lights in the ferociously strong British longboard scene and just an all round bloody good bloke. It was a pleasure to share the Indonesian trip (featured in issue 165) with him. Longboarders and barrels aren’t that common a combo so it was fascinating to watch him park his nine-footer in some tropical caverns. Seeing as he scored so many epic photos which we couldn’t fit in that issue we caught up with him for a chat about where he’s at and where he’s going…
How did you start surfing?
I grew up in Devon but not that close to the sea. I’m from Totnes so about an hour from Bantham. My parents took me to France a fair bit when I was a nipper so I did a lot of bodyboarding and I dabbled in whitewater kayaking. So I’ve always loved being in the water and doing any water activity. I jumped on my mum’s longboard in France when I was twelve and that was it, I was hooked. Didn’t want to get back in a kayak or on a bodyboard after that. However you start you’re getting ocean knowledge no matter what the craft. A lot of the greats started out on lids, even Slater. You just transfer that knowledge when you start standing up.
Been a longboarder from the start?
I took a shortboard on my first big trip, that was a 6’10”! That was when I was 17. Went away with Butler, Boydell and crew. I’ve come down to 5’8”s and 6’2”s shortboards now depending on conditions. But yeah always loved the bigger boards.
Where did the Bearman nickname come from? It’s not like you can ever pick your own.
It was from that first trip, Jim Bergin, Timmy Boydell and Tom. It started as, ‘Bear likes juice!’ and evolved into Bearman. Mainly because I was a big, hairy teenager. It’s definitely better than my secondary school one: Shrek! (laughs) It works. I’ll take it. It could be worse.
How did you end up in Newquay?
I started competing doing the BLUs with Minnow so was down here a lot. My Dad used to live here when he was in his twenties and my parents were up for moving so it just made sense. When I finished my GCSEs we all came down to be by the sea and been here ever since.
The British longboard scene seems really strong?
It’s really strong. You’ve obviously got Skindog leading the charge for years: eleven times European champion. When I started there was Lee Ryan and Chris ‘Guts’ Griffiths, they were a big influence. Elliot Dudley, Sam Bleakley we’ve got some amazing surfers and longboarders. It’s in a really good place right now.
How do we compare to Europe?
It’s us and the French. We’re the two major forces. The Spanish and Portuguese are playing catch up. On the world tour last year Europe had the biggest majority of surfers on the tour.
What’s the deal with the longboard world title?
It’s all about the China event. We compete in Europe to get to it. The top two from Europe qualify for the world longboard tour. There’s 19 that qualify from the previous years ranking and the other 19 qualify from the regions. Then some wildcards.
Is everyone happy with it being in China?
It’s been fun, but it’s the fourth year we’ve done it so a bit of variety would be good. It’s quite a small place with only two restaurants so the foods not all that … It’s better here!
Going back to the Indo trip: getting barrelled on a longboard doesn’t seem like the easiest thing in the world to do?
Sometimes I shy away from it and jump on my shortboard as it’s way easier and I know I’m not going to snap my board. But I set myself some goals this year and got a specific barrel board made for riding tubes. Real strong epoxy quad and a 2+1. When I took it out in Indo it was actually easier than my shortboard. I could get into the waves earlier, I was up and setting my line, as opposed to a shortboard where you’ve got to drop, get to the bottom and pull up into it. If you’ve got the right board and are willing to go it’s not so bad! Once you get past the thought of it.
Where do you stand on the trad/progressive thing when it comes to boards?
I like riding everything really. Pick the right board for the conditions. If it’s one-foot nice peelers or a point break then a log all the way. If it’s bigger or windy the traditional log doesn’t work so well at which point I’d rather be on my performance board.
Do you think there’s any solution to the competitive split between the two cultures?
There was a King of the Longboard event last year over a weekend. Two heats on a log, two heats on a performance board and they added it together for an overall winner. Longboarders can ride both they just have a preference. That worked quite well. The dream would be a proper tour with two or three stops so there’s events that suit certain boards and it doesn’t all come down to one event at one spot that favours certain riders. It seems like the WSL is moving forward, I think we’ve got a webcast this year which we’ve not had before and Jeep/GoPro are sponsoring it. Which is a step in the right direction.
People can relate to longboarding, very few people surf a 6’0” by 18” at eight-foot Pipeline, what we do is achievable which is why the clips of us seem so popular. (A one-wave clip of Bearman at Fistral shot by Sharpy has been seen 274,000 times on the Carve Facebook page for instance.Ed) It’s like big wave surfing it’s more apparent what’s going on to the mainstream viewer. It’s relatable.
What you doing this winter?
Buying a house. Boring! So Ikea time for me. Getting a mortgage and all that. Going to Portugal tomorrow for the Europeans then China for the Worlds after that. When I get back I’ll try and go hang with Tom Butler in Ireland for a month if the surfs looking good. First year in forever I’m not going tropical for the winter.
Going to take your longboard out at Mullaghmore?
Not sure about Mully! My goal is to surf some heavier waves on the longboard and do a film series over the next year if I can get the budget in place. I was in Ireland last week and the boys there want it so much, they live for it, when it’s super clean, paddleable and eight to ten foot it’s a beautiful wave. When it’s twenty-five foot, raining and gale force offshore it’s a different world.
The longboard tandem thing you’ve pioneered going to be a new movement?
Not sure how it’s going to go down but it was fun with Buttsy going tandem in Indo. I look super serious and Tom looks like he’s having the time of his life. They’re funny photos. Thankfully there were no groin strains involved.
One big question for longboarders: how the hell do you get your board-bag on a plane?
They take up to 277cm. Most boards are 270cm. You need a close tolerance bag and fly with the right airlines. Always check before you fly. Touch wood I’ve never had any problems yet.
Any shout outs?
Thanks to Fourth Surfboards for everything, in particular the Mentawai trip was awesome. Skindog for making me the longboarder I am. That said it’s nice when you beat him, doesn’t happen very often, he’s the ultimate competitor, but it’s sweet when it happens. Holly my wife: can’t beat having a surfing wife. Just need to convince her surfing through winter is a good idea. Then of course my parents for always supporting me.
