HELLO!
Sorry it has been some time. Lockdown, Brexit and a landslide of photos from all corners of Britain and Ireland have caused some disruption of late. But here we are, kicking off 2021 with a new issue, new features, but the same stoke. I think this was an exceptional winter. Heaven or hell depending on how close to the beach you live or how stringently you kept lockdown travel rules. Personally, I took to the spirit and didn’t travel to some of my favourite waves that I deemed outside of my community. So, hell for me for a while. Although I do take pleasure when the inbox starts pinging with shots of you lot out enjoying yourselves. And ping it did. To the point where it nearly took out our hard drives. So, this issue is filled with all the action and reaction from what could have been one of the best ever. Or worst. See what you think… Also, we catch up with Tom Lowe, who has had an amazing run at Jaws, Mavs and Pipe. So good to see him repping our big wave crew. Alys Barton has been ripping lately, so Mark Vaughan caught up with her to find out what lays ahead. The Isle of Wight has good waves and a solid crew, but this issue we finally get proof. Plus George Watt gives us the rundown on Fraserburgh. And there’s lots more. So dig in. Glad you are here… glad we are all here to be honest! Hope you enjoy.

Steve
Editor

COMMUNITY
In many ways this issue is all about our surfing communities. I just love the way we are all interconnected by various degrees and bound by the challenges, shared disappointments of hoax swells and joys when we all score, no matter which coast you surf in Britain and Ireland. This month’s tales from the surf community include a few stories we have been waiting for, for quite a while. There’s the dedication of the Norfolk crew, which has much better surf than you probably imagined. Gary Knights profiles south coast legend Cliff Cox, who has helped inspire and mentor many surfers in Brighton and beyond. The ever stoked Greg Owen takes us behind the scenes in Porthcawl, a town that has produced many Welsh and British surfing champions. Another Welsh legend, Mark Vaughan, chats to Lukas Skinner who just won the boys under 12 division of Barton Lynchs global video challenge. North Cornwall’s Kit Hartop shows us his beautiful recycled wooden surfboards. The legend that is Alex Williams tells us why Bantham and its surfing community is so special. And we have the amazing story of Chris Burkard, who started photography at 19, took his first foreign surf trip at 21 and is now the worlds best surf/lifestyle photographer (and super nice guy). We also have an inspirational insight into how some of our top surfers have pivoted their lifestyles and sought to improve their lives in COVID times and amazing shots from our talented home-grown photographers in what has been a very active autumn, and much more. Hopefully all the above will fire you up as we surf into the sunset of an extraordinary year, into what could be a bright dawn in 2021.

Steve
Editor