The Cribbar breaks rarely…perhaps a few times a year… if you’re lucky.

Unless you live close to Newquay and keep a keen eye on the surf reports the chances are, you could miss it. The reason it breaks so rarely isn’t (as far as I’m aware) about voodoo or spells, it is just that alot of factors have to come into play simultaneously in order to create the right conditions.

Good surfable waves at the Cribbar are not just about a big swell, but also about the swell direction, the wind speed, and direction of that wind…all of these things come into play. Once you have all of these things happening, the next ingredient you need are surfers skilled and crazy enough to surf it!

On the 30th of October it was one of those lucky days.

When I got up I noticed that even the weather was exceptionally warm for the time year. As I looked out of my window I could see large crowds gathering up on the headland. I left the flat and was glad I bothered to lug a heavy camcorder and tripod up the headland, because when I looked down over Cribbar rocks mother nature had decided to conjure up near perfect big wave surf conditions.

30ft faces smashed down a 100m away, there were bright blue skies and the atmosphere was electric. People hooted and cheered, it was like a Cornish version of Half Moon Bay, this was our Mavericks.

And to top it all there were guys like Ben Skinner and Richie Sills, amped up to tow in to monster waves.

Report ctd..

Around 100 excited onlookers watched as surfers used jet skis to tow into the huge waves that rolled in from the mid Atlantic.

Richie Sills and Ben Skinner charged. Each time a surfer made a wave and huge cheer went up. I’ve never seen so many people taking photos.

The standard of big wave surfing in the UK has gone form strength to strength in recent years and more and more of the local crew in Newquay have got involved with tow in and surfing big waves here as well as in Scotland and Ireland.

When the Cribbar is on it’s our Mavericks and the atmosphere on the headland was electric. People witnessed high-performance, world class big wave surfing right on their door step in Newquay.

The guys put it all on the line with some critical surfing, even getting barrelled on huge sets.

Ben Skinner (perhaps the greatest all round surfer in the UK ) even threw in some little chop-hop tricks.

Your average surfer would probably drown if they tried to surf out there and these guys are did tricks!

There was even someone paddling in on an SUP, but he seemed to get caught inside and took a few on the head ( see pic below). It looked like he lost his paddle and had to come in.

Here’s what the conditions looked like on paper:

• 14-15ft swell16 sec wave period
• 15-20mph cross/ offshore wind
• Breaking wave face estimate 18-30ft

Well, if it looks like that again, you can be sure the boys will be out – but we may have to wait a while!

SurfingGB have put together a handy PDF with all the UK & Ireland surf comps for 2011 listed. There are quite a few surf competitions coming up in September through to November in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.

The next event after the King of the Groms, at Fistral beach in Newquay is the XPY PRO Junior on the 17th and 18th of September – with the Animal Open and British Championship being held in November.

To download a PDF copy of the 2011 GB surf competitions visit http://www.surfinggb.com/

Busy times in Newquay are upon us…

Most of August gets very busy in the water in Newquay, so here are a few pointers in finding a surf spot if you want to free surf.

Surfing at Fistral beach:

What usually happens at BM - Click image for larger version.

Its important to appreciate that about 1/3 or more of the beach can be allocated to surf comps when they run. If they are not running then you can surf at North Fistral.

Free surfing is permitted on Fistral generally, but not in the red and yellow flags which is for swimming and bodyboarders.

If you don’t realise that red and yellow flags mean no surfing and are a designated area for swimming and bodyboarding only… you should probably not be surfing on your own. Sign up for surf lessons!

It is usually less busy at low tides and more busy at high tide, as the waves tend to break closer to the shore – pushing free surfers into a smaller take off zone.

Generally it will be busy at all times during weekends, as most surf schools take their lessons to Fistral to surf between the black and white flags, so be aware.

If you want it quieter, then I’d suggest a dawny or surfing elsewhere.

PS: Also, unless you’re Laird Hamilton don’t surf into a comp area if events are running.

Surfing at Towan Bay:

Click image for larger version.

Basically you can’t!

Towan Bay is for swimming and bodyboarding only through the summer months.

The nearest you can start surfing is in front of the cliff of the little island and you can only do this at low to mid tide. Beyond that point, the tide is just too high to surf, so Towan becomes a swimming and bodyboarding only zone during the day until the lifeguards pack up at around 6:00 pm.

If you do try and surf there during the day you’ll get yelled at by lifeguards (usually on jetskis).

Surfing at Great Western Beach:

There is a small allocated free-surfing zone at Great Western Beach which you can walk to via Towan bay at low-mid tide.

Its quite a small beach, but at low tide it does open up creating a bit more space for surfing.

Again there will be a allocated swimming and bodyboarding area (between red and yellow flags) and surf schools will likely be out during the day taking up a fair bit of space.

At high tide Great Western only offers a small surfing area, so it can get very crowded. Unlike at low tide, it only really works ok when the swell is 4-5ft+

Surfing at Tolcarne Beach:

Tolcarne offers a similar situation to Great Western, in that it is a small beach that opens up to create more space at low tide.

But also like Great Western, Tolcarne is a much smaller beach at high tide, meaning it can get very busy at peak times.

On Tolcarne beach there’s food, little shops and a bar on the beach for non-surfers.

Dogs are not permitted on Tolcarne beach, but don’t go thinking that means all the girls are hot…

It will also have a allocated swimming and bodyboarding area, and bare in mind that surf schools may be allowed to use it during the day.

Like Great Western at high tide its a small area, it can get popular with bodyboarders as sometimes waves wedge up off the cliff – this tends to only really work when the swell is 4-5ft+

Other beaches to consider surfing during Boardmasters 2011 :

If the Newquay beaches seem like they may be too busy, then there are plenty of other options to surf close to Newquay including:

a/ Lusty Glaze Beach – head down another 1/2 a mile past Tolcarne and try Lusty Glaze. There is a car park for the beach there. There’s food, adventure activities, little shops and a bar etc on the beach for non-surfers. Surf this beach at Low to mid tide.

b/ Watergate Bay – whilst this will usually be busy due to the main event being held there the beach is pretty massive at low tide. It works on all tides, but at high expect it to be packed as the tide pushes in. There are surf schools, bars, cafes and Jamie’s 15…which is expensive and often booked out in advance.

c/ Perranporth – is a huge beach at low tide. Best low to mid tide from my experience. There is parking in the town next to the beach or up the hill on the cliff. Parking is typically a bit cheaper than Newquay – in the £4.00 range.

Once you have found somewhere to park you can usually relax…finding a quiet spot to surf in the water is usually a bit easier.

There are lots of surf shops in Perranporth as well as cafes and places to stuff your face with pasties etc

Warning: Parking in Newquay generally sucks

The parking machines can be broken and so sometimes do not accept coins, so you may need to pay using a debit card over the phone.

You should only have to pay around £5.10 – £5.30 for a full-day parking.

If you are in a council owned car park and the voicemail is saying any more that £5.30 to park for a day keep trying…you are probably pressing too few, or too many hours.

There is an iPhone parking app, but word is that is just as bad, and charges you more.

Anyway to re-cap, the parking fee to park all day in a council run car park between 9:00am -6:30pm should be around £5.10 – £5.30 a day.

Have fun at Boardmasters.

Peace out!

Poor surfing conditions were forecast for this coming weekend, causing the Extreme Academy Midsummer Classic to be pushed back to June 25th and 26th instead.

The event, set to take place at Watergate Bay in Newquay, is always a big attraction, which is why it’s been seen fit to postpone it until conditions are improved.

Vic Danks, Secretary of the British Longboard Union, confirmed that: “Following advice from the technical forecasting team it has been decided to postpone the Extreme Academy Midsummer Classic due to be held this weekend. This is primarily due to the forecast deteriorating weather conditions. Various forecasts put Saturday at small to marginal surf with Sunday blown out at +32 knots of wind.”

The American philosopher Jim Rohn once said that ‘reasons come first…answers come second’ and this idea lead me to a big question…why do we surf?

Is it for the adrenalin rush surfing gives you, or a pursuit for inner peace? Is it escape from the daily grind or the fact that you can enter into a sub-culture with its own fashion, language and style. So, in no particular order, here are 57 1/2 reasons why people surf – see if you can find the best reason for you.

A surfing mentalist - by Billabong (video)

1. To look cool amongst your peers
Shallow as it seems, image plays a big part in surfing. Unlike some of the other water sports, surfing is generally regarded as quite cool – but then these people don’t see you rinsing out your pee-stained wetsuit, or watch your nose drain seawater all over dinner.

2. It can help you get laid more often
Being a tanned rock god/goddess of the ocean can have its upside, as pro surfers seem to attract pretty hot partners. Hopefully a bit of that Kelly Slater magnetism can rub off on you…though obviously, there are no guarantees.

3. You’re having a mid-life crisis
20 years of working hard in the corporate machine has left you soulless and metaphorically washed up. These days you feel like the walking dead, ready to turn to dust and you’re barely 40. Life is ticking by faster and faster, yet there’s so much you haven’t done…grey hairs are appearing, your kids don’t think you’re cool anymore, your partner won’t sleep with you and has threatened to leave…its domestic hell, and lets face it, you’ve become fu*kin boring. Surfing, is probably the only answer.

The Surfer: A great British surf comedy

4. You want to tick it off your bucket list
If you haven’t been to Thailand, sky-dived out of a plane or run a marathon by the time your 30 you’ll struggle to fit in these days. Surfing is another ‘to do’ on many people’s bucket list. It’s such a ‘must do’ that even the British prime minister David Cameron claims to surf – though you might want to call it dick dragging.

5. It’s a topic of conversation that can make you look good in job interviews
Brave, fit, healthy and an early riser – just some of the traits you could associate with a surfer – so a great hobby to mention during a job interview…but be sure to avoid conversations about the surf drug scene, and how you’ll always skip work if there’s a sick swell on.

6. Because Batman and The Joker surf
If superheros surf to protect the world, then so should you…no excuses!

7. It makes you more exotic
Being British just doesn’t seem cool anymore. But by dropping in lots of surf slang into your conversations, and adopting an affected Aussie twang into your accent you can quickly become more exotic and cool…it’s like your character is now shaped by many far away lands and nations.

8. Because it’s what real-life superhero Laird Hamilton does

9. Cos it’s a socially acceptable form of rebellion
Waving placards down Whitehall, fighting the cops or blowing up Tescos tends to get in the way of your career prospects. Release that inner rebel through surfing and feel good about yourself.

10. Now it’s OK to wear all the surf/skate fashion
Embrace surf culture, embrace the ocean and you can embrace designer surf labels. It’s now totally OK to dress yourself head to toe in global surf brands. From Quiksilver or Billabong hoodies to Volcom 2-piece suits, there’s almost too much stuff to chose from. You can also point at chavs wearing boardies and say stuff like: “…they probably don’t even surf”

11. You feel the need for a sub-culture
Fitting in with mainstream culture is ok to a point, but it can feel good to be part of something more niche. Life can be more fun in a smaller group where everyone has something in common.

12. You love wetsuits
A well-designed wetsuit should be comfy, warm, stretchy and snug. You can even get custom-made wetsuits here in Newquay too.

13. You can get a tan without appearing vain
The sight of men sunbathing in their speedos by the pool or on a beach is pretty scary – plus it spells VAIN. We all know fake tans just don’t cut it unless you live in Liverpool or Essex, so overcome the problem of looking like a pastey pom by getting a great tan surfing.

14. Develop strong shoulder and back muscles without going to the gym
Save yourself money on gym membership and get bigger shoulders and back muscles by surfing.

15. Eat and drink what you want
If you surf everyday you can pretty much eat and drink what you want and you probably won’t put on weight. Surf 2-3x a day regularly and you’ll have a super-human, carb-craving metabolism.

16. It is better than watching trash TV
Who would anyone watch trashy TV when they could be in the water surfing? Forget trash TV and hit the surf.

17. Surfing gets you away from ‘chavs’
If you find yourself surrounded by bling, guys with pitbulls and the constant thud of R&B coming from the back of Vauxhall Novas, then you’ve hit a new low and need to escape… Get away from the chavs in the surfing line up.

18. It gets you closer to nature
Life in the concrete jungle can be stressful – traffic, pollution, busy tube trains…mad people screaming at you in the street. Its left you far removed from nature and where you evolved from. So enjoy the peace and harmony of the ocean – go surfing.

19. It brings you closer to God
If you believe that there is indeed a power on earth greater than ‘Laird Hamilton’, then surfing may be able to bring you closer to your chosen God…Cameron Diaz certainly seems to think so.

20. Surfing allows you to tap into your deep inner self
Sitting on your surfboard in the tranquil ocean can help de-clutter your thoughts and allow you to listen to your inner voice…

21. Surfing is good for your posture
With stronger shoulder and back muscles surfers tend to slouch less and naturally adopt a more healthy posture.

22. Long surf sessions could help cure insomnia
Take to the surf for at least 2-3 hours a day and pretty soon those restless nights where you can’t sleep might be over.

23. Surfing is better than sex
It is a big claim (and I guess it depends on who you sleep with), but on those epic days most surfers would admit it atleast comes close.

24. You love the smell of surf wax
From bubble gum smells to exotic coconut, there are many different types of surf wax available to help you stay connected to your board. This year’s fave for the UK is cold water Sticky Bumps – nice ‘n’ sticky and good to sniff.

25. You are a water sign
Whether you’re a water sign, or you’re trying to impess a water sign – the ocean is a great place to be.

26. You own loads of board shorts
Head off to warmer climes to surf and you can use that drawfull of over-priced boardies for what they were designed for.

27. Surfers are sexy
Whether you’re a man or a woman, you’ll find a surfer that you think is really hot.

28. It raises your self-esteem
Getting fit and strong while you learn and refine your surfing skills can help make you feel good about yourself and make you more confident.

29. You can’t dance
Not everyone was destined to be the next James Brown, and while dancing may not be Occy’s thing either..he did have some awesome surfing moves to dominate the world with – Watch a clip of Occy on dancing with the stars.

30. Surfing is a safety valve
Sometimes we need to get away from work, the screaming kids or a nagging partner to feel calm. Surfing is a great way to achieve this, because if they can’t surf, they can’t follow you out back!

31. You will want to travel more
Unless your blessed with living on a Hawaiian island or in a coastal village in Indo, chances are that surfing will make you want to travel. Begin your constant search for warm water and uncrowded breaks. Be like a new Alan Whicker…but on fibreglass.

32. Rockstars and celebrity actors do it
Cameron Diaz and Eddie Vedder are two major stars who love to surf.

33. You like Jack Johnson’s music
If you’re a fan of Jack Johnson, then you should be a fan of surfing too. Hit the surf and hum along to Jack’s favourite tunes…while you try and get shacked

34. You wish you were born in the 1960s
Uncrowded breaks, cruising in a V-dub camper and discovering new surf spots to carve up on your 9’2 single fin with Micky Dora…the sixties was the era when surfing really took off, so why wouldn’t you want to be there?

35. Unleashing your inner ‘collector maniac‘
Surfing is addictive, and so is buying surfboards. First you have one…but then you want more. A mal for the small days, a gun for the bigger days…and then something for the hollow days, and so it goes on. Before you know it your re-mortgaging your house and living in a warehouse off the A30. But don’t worry about it too much, because you’ll still have your surf mates to share your OCD with.

36. You are a masochist
From fins in the face, to being scraped across a reef, to potentially life-threatening, hold-downs…surfing can be a dangerous sport. Experiencing a range of pain on a daily basis will become a habit you may learn to enjoy.

37. You are a sadist
On the other side of the coin, watching others suffer a bit of pain can be equally addictive and as Taj Burrow once said: ‘Watching your mates wipe out on heavy waves is almost as much fun as surfing” – well he could be right.

38. British princes do it
Apparently the royal family likes to surf. Prince Charles is known to have surfed around Roche, North Cornwall and it also looks like prince William likes surfing as well. Who knows, he might have been trying to impress his wife-to-be Kate Middleton.

39. Chicks dig scars
Chances are that if you surf regularly you’ll get a few cuts and bruises along the way. But no fear…those reef scars and sea ulcers could drive some women wild.

40. It’s less dangerous than moto-cross
Practising airs and getting it wrong might land you in A&E occassionally, but its not as stupid-dangerous as moto-cross and trying to be Travis Pastrana. Misjudge that landing into your skip full of foam and your toast…goodbye bike, hello traction. So go surfing instead – you’ll have a better life expectancy.

41. Cheaper than kite surfing and windsurfing
Surfing kit can be alot cheaper than some other water sports. If the water’s warm, all you really need is a surfboard.

42. Impress the kids
When it comes to kids, no one wants to be boring. So who wouldn’t want to be seen as a cool parent or relative? Go impress the youngsters with your retro Mark Richards bottom turn or an Ozzie Wright kick flip.

43. It’s the sport of kings
If you know your history, you’ll know that surfing is in fact the true sport of kings.

44. Cos beer always seems to taste nicer afterwards
It’s a mystery of the universe, but whether it’s a smooth pint of Tribute ale or a Skindog surf beer – for whatever reason – beer always tastes awesome after a surf session.

45. Because you hate team sports
Lets face it, getting 22 people to turn up in the same place just so you can engage in a sport can be a massive headache…and what if you play well, but your team mates are rubbish? You lose, and that sucks. With surfing it’s just you and the ocean. Of course the ocean reserves the right to kick your ass whenever she wants…but hey, c’est la vie. If you’re independent, adverse to compromise and like doing things your own way then surfing could be the sport for you.

46. You wanted to kite surf but there isn’t any wind
If there’s not much wind but there are waves, then surf.

47. Someone bought you a surfboard as a present
Usually considered a BS reason for selling a board on Ebay, but lets assume it happens…someone has spent hundreds of pounds on a surfboard as a gift for you, on a wild hunch you might enjoy it. Surely you owe it to them and yourself to surf? I mean it’d be rude not to.

48. You live by the beach and everyone surfs
If you’re lucky enough to live by the ocean then make the most out of it and surf.

49. It means you can skateboard in the water
When the tarmac stops the ocean begins. For avid skateboarders, surfing can be a great extension of board skills learnt on land.

50. It’s a great way to mow down bodyboarders
Not to be done without very good reason of course…but if they stole your girlfriend, then perhaps…

51. We’re 90% water anyway
Whether its scientifically accurate to say ‘we are 90% water’ is neither here nor there – the point is we are mainly water. And if humans evolved from the sea…then it sort of explains why we love to spend time there.

52. Other people think you are adventurous
To some – i.e. the naive – a surfer is almost like a modern day hero.

53. Cos the minerals in the ocean are good for you
Let the minerals in the ocean make your skin healthy while you surf.

54. Get up close to sea life
If you’re a David Attenborough fan and love sea life, then you can get up close and personal to lots of it by going surfing. Most of them are friendly…though do keep a keen eye out for the men in grey suits…sometimes there’s a good reason to scarper.

55. To get barreled
You’ll often hear this cited as the number one high point of surfing. From Clay Marzo saying “I probably wouldn’t bother surfing if it wasn’t for barrels”, to Taj Burrow claiming “There’s nothing better than getting crazy barrels with your mates” – so evidently getting barreled is king. For some insane neck-breaking barrell footage, check out Taj and his mates in this video shot by Billabong.

56. You love Beetles and campervans
These vehicles are not known for their lightning speed or 1st class comfort, but they are inter-twined with the surf lifestyle and they look pretty cool too. The only negative is that Hitler is credited for designing the Beetle…but did he…really?

57.“Cos I’m always a better person when I come in” – Andy Irons
A real inspiration for this article. Below is a moving short film featuring the late, great AI made just before his death. You may have seen it before, but its good enough to watch again, and again, and again…

57 1/2. Because you only live once

Peace out…

ps: Did you find the reason why you surf in the list? Or are there other reasons that make you surf?

Let us know in the commments below!

This week a friend of mine used a funny term for a bodyboarder that I hadn’t heard before – ‘turtle rooter’

Granted it’s pretty derogatory, but at the same time it’s quite funny, and it got me thinking about the slang nicknames used in surfing.

Bodyboarders seem to have been awarded the most negative nicknames, but I’m wondering whether if its because they are ‘soft targets’.

It seems nicknaming is always evolving too, and its a truly international pastime. A couple of years ago surfers in San Diego, CA started calling stand up paddle boarders ‘Oarons’. I mean whoever came up with that has a genuinely creative mind (or the retarded humour of a 15-year old…you can decide which).

Ok, so here are some of the more amusing ‘mean-but-funny’ nicknames we seem to enjoy dishing out on each other in the water.

‘Goat boater’ or ‘goat boat’ - Derogatory term to describe kayakers. (I’m surprised there aren’t more for this lot?)

Sponger, dick dragger, shark biscuit, speed bump, turtle rooter – A selection of nicknames for bodyboarders that I imagine they don’t really like…I mean speed bump is sort of encouraging surfers to run over them.

Sponge, mat, esky lid – Some more derogatory terms to describe the body board itself.

Planker, wiggle stick, butt waggler, hardboarder, fiber donkeys – Various nicknames for stand up surfers predominantly coming from the body boarding crowd.

Janitors, ocean sweepers and ‘oarons’ – Some derogatory nicknames for our friends the stand up paddle boarders.

And a few others:

Kook – Well I guess everyone knows this one, but you can’t leave it out. Mainly used to describe a beginner or someone who’s not that good at surfing, or someone who surfs just to try and look cool. Also used to describe someone who isn’t very observant in the line-up and drops in.

Namer – A surfer who publicly uses the name of a secret surfing spot. It’s used in a derogatory way, as the naming of secret spots can result in crowded line-ups.

Emmet/ emmit/ emit – This is a local Cornish term used to describe tourists usually used in a negative context.

So I suppose you could technically be an ‘Emmet–kook–turtle rooter’ – I guess that’s about as bad as it gets!

Do you use any nicknames for surfers, kayakers, bodyboarders or stand up paddle boarders not mentioned here? Let us know in the comments section below!

There has been a real surge in the popularity of stand up paddle boarding in the last few years. The sport has become more and more popular in Cornwall and perhaps nowhere more so than in Newquay.

With some talented local SUP-ers and shapers based in the town, the sport has gone from strength to strength. For some, this is a wonderful thing to see happening, but for others (including many shortboarders) it’s viewed with some cynicism.

As more and more people enter the line up to practice their new hobby on giant boards, can the shortboards and those on ‘big boards’ really live in harmony?

Image by Dave Young

Accused of wave hogging and being a potential danger to other surfers, stand up paddle boarding is not without its critics. But where have all the SUP-ers come from? Have people really traded in their longboards for something bigger…have windsurfers traded in their sails for a paddle…or is it just people ‘giving it a go’?

Whatever the reason, stand up paddle boarding is certainly on the up. So whether you love it or hate it, there’s plenty to talk about when it comes to SUP-ing…here are the NewquaySurfer arguments, for and against.

For Stand Up Paddle Boarding

1) Its harder than it looks
I’ve heard plenty of surfers moaning about stand up paddle boarding on the basis that its too easy to catch waves and therefore it’s a lesser sport than surfing. Having tried it a few times it’s not really that easy…it is genuinely harder than it looks.

2) Laird Hamilton says its cool… so it’s cool

Laird Hamilton on Maui

Big wave legend Laird Hamilton is a massive advocate of stand up paddle boarding. There are plenty of impressive videos of Laird charging heavy surf on SUPs posted on the web.  But Laird doesn’t limit his SUP fun for the bigger days either – whether it’s 20ft Jaws or a flat Hawaiian lagoon, Laird will SUP it.

It’s not uncommon to see pictures of Laird with his wife and the kids all stand up paddle boarding to the shops on Maui.

So, if Laird thinks its cool…it’s cool!

3) Stand up paddle boarding is cutting-edge
SUP-ing is a new sport, so those taking part and spreading the word are early adopters. By definition this makes stand up paddle boarders quite cutting edge if you think about it.

4) Its healthy – SUP-ing keeps you fit and strong

Iron man Damon Hollick looks tiny next to this SUP

Carrying an SUP to the beach is a workout in itself – the boards are insanely heavy. If you’ve never tried paddling into a wave on an SUP, then just try carrying one!

Some of the models do have a carry handle that makes them a little easier to transport but its still no walk in the park. To make matters slightly worse, if your learning on an SUP you’ll probably need the biggest size.

If you’ve never thought about driving your car right onto the beach and mowing down a load of tourists so you can stop 5 metres from the waters edge…you will now.

5) It’s a lesser evil than kayaks, windsurfers or kite–surfers

Surfers stop whinging, its better than 10 kayakers in the line up. There are still relatively few people in the water who SUP and its closer to the art of surfing than a number of other sports that require less skill, effort and commitment. Anyway…is SUP-ing really that different from longboarding?

6) You can surf more often and have more fun

Image by Mike Baird: Paddle boarding the flats of Morro bay

SUP-ing allows people to surf waves in all conditions. It’s pretty undisputed that even on small days you can have fun on an SUP. When shortboarders are grovelling for waves and sinking into the sea, the SUP-er can leave their frustrations behind and tear up small waves like there’s no tomorrow.

7) You can carry on enjoying surfing, even when you are older
You won’t be in your twenties, surfing every day and sporting 6 pack abs forever. So for those who can’t get in the water as much, or for folks who are getting older (with their shortboarding days closing behind them) SUP-ing is a great way to carry on surfing and to enjoy the ocean.

Against Stand Up Paddle Boarding

1) Stand up paddle boarders have a tendency to wave hog
Lets face it, even very gifted shortboarders will struggle to get onto waves anywhere near as early as those on stand up paddle boards. There is a feeling amongst many shortboard surfers that stand up paddle boarders hog waves and often ignore surfing etiquette.

Image by NewquaySurfer: 'Don't get in my way...cos I've got a paddle'

2) Just because Laird Hamilton does it, doesn’t make it cool
Laird Hamilton may not be your role model anyway…and after all he hydrofoils too, and you don’t do that….though it sort of looks like fun.

3) Stand up paddle boarding is an old mans sport that won’t get you laid
Stand up paddle boarding tends to score low in the cool stakes and this is partly to do with its image as a middle-aged pastime. Lets face it, your never going to look that cool riding knee high waves with a small boat under your feet holding an oar. And collapsing on the way to the beach underneath a 15-stone SUP probably won’t wow many members of the opposite sex either.

4) SUP-ing is less skilful than shortboarding and longboarding
SUP-ers paddle with an oar, stand on top of a small boat of a board and most can’t turn or carve on a wave. Elegant and edgy SUP-ing is not!

Image by NewquaySurfer: Can all these boards really get along?

5) It’s an expensive hobby only for the well-off
A new SUP will cost roughly twice as much as a new shortboard. This tends to align the sport with other yuppy-elite past times such as windsurfing, golf and ascot. Added to the fact that you need something roughly the size of a bus to transport one around, it’s probably time to take that job in the city you’ve always avoided…yet another dagger into surfing’s hippy dream.

6) SUP-ers are hijacking surf spots
More than a handful of SUP-ers on a break and it ruins it for everyone else. If you travel a fair bit overseas, you will have probably seen certain breaks now totally dominated by stand up paddle boarders. The situation has got so bad in some spots that it is virtually impossible to surf a shortboard – even if conditions are hollow, barrelling and perfect for shortboarding.

7) Major health concerns: Get hit by an SUP and it might kill you!

Image by NewquaySurfer: Imagine if this was the last thing you ever saw.

This is a major objection by virtually everyone else stood in front of a SUP-er heading towards shore. Whilst the same could be said of a longboard or epoxy mal, stand up paddle boards are perhaps one of the most dangerous objects you could have coming right at you in the surf. This is made worse by the fact that some SUP-ers don’t wear ankle or knee leashes in the ocean.

When the surf goes overhead accidents can happen and the sight of stray SUPs smashing up people and their surfboards is sadly becoming more and more common.

Conclusion

So what do you think? Is stand up paddle boarding a great invention and a fun new form of surfing? Or is it the spawn of the devil and something you loathe to see in the water?

Let us know in the comments below!

Each country has its own variable conditions with different coastlines…with the changing seasons thrown into the mix having the right type of surfboard can make the difference, between having a fun surf and a frustrating one.

Can you really have a one-board quiver in the UK and surf 90% of the time?

Now I surf mainly around North Cornwall all year round and picking just one surfboard for all conditions is not an easy choice. Your standard of surfing, weight and style inevitably come into play – but for the average surfer who likes shorter boards I do think it is possible to buy one surfboard that you can surf most days.

Think about the typical surf conditions

If your thinking about a one board quiver, ponder on the typical surf conditions we get here in the UK.

In North Cornwall the surf is usually waist high up to 1-2ft overhead and the spots are mainly beach-breaks. Maybe once every 3-4weeks those waves will go super-clean, hollow and offshore but that is rare. So a bit more width and volume in a shortboard will help with those junky onshore days and allow you to surf more often.

So if you are not a pro who can bust airs on 5’11 blades but are of a reasonable standard – in that you can duck dive, surf down the line, do a few little turns and are happy to surf some overhead waves – then in my opinion you’d be wise to think about hybrid shortboards and fish surfboards.

Which shortboard or fish?

Now there are many boards that can fall into this criteria but if you consider a couple of factors such as volume and the ability to get out back and surf overhead waves you narrow things down a bit.

The small fish

I’d recommend making sure that a fish surfboard is small enough to be fast and that you can duck dive it easily on those overhead days – most fish surfboards I have tried over 6’4 are pretty difficult to duck dive in heavier surf.

The bigger shortboard

On the flipside make sure a shortboard is not too short so that you can still catch waves when the surf is small. As a rule of thumb go for more width on a shortboard if its under 6’2 or go for more length if its a narrower shortboard.

Suggested surfboards

Here are my suggestions from six manufacturers for surfboards that I believe should be good in 90% of the conditions we get in Cornwall for a surfer of average ability.

- Al Merrick: 6’3-6’4 Flyer, 6’0 Dumpster Diver
- JS: 6’0 Black Box, 6’0 Nitro, 6’4 – 6’6 Occy
- 7S: 6’0 Superfish
- JC: 6’4 Pete Mel Machine (Surftech), Flying Pig 6’2 Surfboard ( Surftech)
- Firewire: 6’2 – 6’4 Alternator, 5’10 – 6’0 Dominator/ Spitfire
- Santa Cruz: 6’0 Ozzie, 6’2 Pumpkin Seed, 6’0 Bertleman Twin Fin
- Rusty: 6’6 Rusty Predator
- Aloha: 6’6 AF2 Turbo Surfboard

* If you are under 10 1/2 stone in weight you can go a little smaller. If you weigh over 12 stone, then go a little bigger.

What do you think?

Are there any surfboards that should definitely be on this list? Let me know in the comments box below!

BTW – I’m not being paid to plug these boards

This week I received a few emails about ‘The Hunks’ TV show. They included questions about when and where it was filmed in Newquay. If you’ve not seen the show before it features the lives of 10 guys (Andy, Dom, Florian, Idris, Jamie, Marc, Sam, Samy, Sean and Vaughan) all holidaying together in Newquay. Check out the Google map below – this shows some of the key locations used in the TV show.

View The Hunks TV Show Location Tour in Newquay in a larger map

Where ‘The Hunks’ TV show was filmed:

The show was filmed in the summer of last year in 2010. The show was filmed all around Newquay, from Lusty Glaze all the way down to Fistral beach.

‘The Hunks’ apartments:

‘The Hunks’ apartments were in the Rockwells apartment block – this is just above Pizza Express. This block overlooks Tolcarne beach and some of the beach footage is shot on Tolcarne beach below those apartments.

The bars and clubs:

Most of the night time action is shot in the bars and clubs of Newquay. Venues that have been shown include: The Shack, Chy Bar, Beach Bar, Kahuna on Tolcarne beach and ‘The Beach’ nightclub.

Where did ‘The Hunks’ go surfing, coasteering and abseiling?

When ‘The Hunks’ went surfing they had their lesson with the BSA on Fistral beach and they were taught be Tommy. The abseiling segment was filmed at Lusty Glaze beach in Newquay – Lusty Glaze beach is sort of an activity centre hot spot these days it seems…

When ‘The Hunks’ went on their coasteering cliff-jumping lesson this was conducted off the Newquay Headland and their coach in the show was my mate Bernie. From memory the body-boarding lesson looked like it was filmed in one of the bay beaches – possibly Tolcarne.

Are ‘The Hunks’ gay?

I have seen this asked a fair bit and the level of vanity the guys seem to illustrate combined with their grooming procedures and pseudo homo-erotic exercise regimes seems to have got lots of people questioning their sexuality. Apparently only one of them is openly gay and that is Dominic…you can decide what you think about the others.

‘The Hunks’ is shown on Tuesdays at 10pm on Sky Living.

What do you think about ‘The Hunks’ TV show?

Is it bad for Newquay or just harmless entertainment? Let us know!

The Hunks - Tuesdays at 10pm Sky Living - Image: Sky Living

Love em or hate em reality TV shows are everywhere these days, so its come as no big surprise a new one has been made in Newquay, and its called ‘The Hunks’.

The show features 10 single guys (Andy, Dom, Florian, Idris, Jamie, Marc, Sam, Samy, Sean and Vaughan) aged from 18-30 who were put up in 2 luxury apartments last summer (just above Pizza express) as part of a fly on the wall reality TV show in Newquay. ‘The Hunks’ love working out on their 6 packs, doing their hair and chatting up girls. One of them is apparently gay, but he snogs girls too… go figure?

The show was filmed in the summer of 2010 in Newquay. For whatever reason I never saw them filming this, but a number of locals feature in the TV show when ‘The Hunks’ are taught how to surf, bodyboard and coasteer. So watch out for local instructors from the BSA surf school and ESF!

Is ‘The Hunks’ TV show damaging Newquay’s reputation?

A number of local papers do feel the show is potentially damaging for Newquay as it portrays a lot of bar and club culture in the town, which tends to reinforce the image of the town as a sort of ‘Stag and Hen booze-binging capital’. There may be some truth in that…but if you head out into Newquay on a Friday or Saturday night, the chances are that you’ll see plenty of people collapsed in the street drunk…yeah, its annoying, but then again you can see this happening all over the UK every weekend.

The thing with Newquay, is that nearly all of these people passed out drunk are tourists! So Daily Mail take note: This is not a reflection of the people who live in Newquay, but a reflection of some of the people who visit Newquay.

Vanity over surfing: Is this really ‘The Hunks’ kooky way of life?

From what I have seen of it, its fair to say that ‘The Hunks’ are certainly not surfers, and nor do they seem to have any particular interest in embracing the surf way of life. Grooming, doing sit ups and looking in the mirror are often much higher priorities.

This is not life changing TV, but its sort of entertaining…so if you want to watch ten slightly egotistical, vain, narcissistic kooks chatting up girls in Newquay bars, then ‘The Hunks’ is the show for you!

The show is broadcast at 10pm on Sky Living on Tuesdays – for more info check out the Sky Living website

What do you think about ‘The Hunks’. Are they reem? Is it compulsive viewing or just bad news for Newquay? Let us know in the comments below!