Louis‘s Diary - Day 14-20
🏴
Day fourteen : 11-11-22
We were woken up by a madman.
It was 8am when a guy came banging on the truck doors. He was completely hysterical because we were parked in HIS spot. Haha, seriously, there were 10 free spaces around us, but effectively we hadn't seen the little sign with the number "5" (like his house) on the tarmac. I hate being woken up/talked to in this way, but I let it go. After all, this is the first time we've had a verbal altercation with someone since the beginning of the trip.
Boarding the ferry, Leo was loaded like a donkey.
The company doesn't let you get on board if your luggage exceeds 25kg. When he weighed it in front of the guy in charge of getting us on board, it was 33kg... and I'm only talking about his suitcase. He also had his two backpacks, another case with two wetsuits and a waterproof bag full of stuff. He was trying to lift his suitcase by the handle at arm's length. I was laughing my head off.
“It's ok, no worries."
He got his ticket back and that was the end of England for him.
The atmosphere was good during the whole trip. We loaded up on good waves, had a lot of fun, saw some great scenery and met all kinds of people. In short, we had a blast.
Driving alone after that gave me the willies. I won't be laughing that hard for a long time. There aren't ten good friends, especially abroad.
The drive wasn’t great. A trip I could have made in 3 hours took me 6 hours. I wanted to check out spots, do some shopping etc.. My first impressions of Cornwall are not great. It seems to be crowded everywhere: seaside towns, big luxurious houses, speed bumps, paid parking to go surfing etc..
As usual I don't trust first appearances. I'll see in the next few days. The fact that my ex-girlfriend is coming to join me will give me the opportunity to do something else than surfing.
Early morning session tomorrow!
Ciao
🏴
Day fifteen : 12 -11-22
Early wake up. The waves were 1m50 and a light offshore wind was drawing nice hollow lines. I got in the water before the crowd arrived.
I found some nice tubes in emerald water... and then the crowd arrived and that was it.
I preferred to take shelter from the increasing wind by going to see the waves at the other end of the bay I was in.
There were great waves too, but this time on a longboard. I found myself surrounded by about twenty kids who were being pushed in the foam by their fathers. It was really cool. Many of them complimented me on my surfing. I returned the compliments by complimenting the level of the kids.
A few seals showed up all day.
I take advantage of my solitude to read. For the moment it's Steinbeck's "The Grapes of Wrath" that has me in suspense!
A policeman kindly evicted me from the place where I was going to spend the night. "It's a church sir, tomorrow is Sunday, do you understand?"
Of course I understand but this chapel is in front of a great longboard right.. haha
Good waves tomorrow!
See ya!
See ya!
🏴
Day sixteen: 13-11-22
Surfing for 6 hours, two 3 hour sessions.
80cm, offshore, few people in the water and still so many seals.
I worked on my English between two sessions.
Simple day, typical good trip.
Pura vida
🏴
Day seventeen: 14-11-22
Next I headed to Bristol.
I stopped at the local pub and drank one or two beers.
On the way out a guy offered me some Charlie, "good price my friend”.
Thanks but no, I'm really short of cash at the moment.
Tomorrow I'm heading to Swansea. I thought I spotted some good spots on the map.
Although this area looks like it has plenty of surfing spots, I'm really looking forward to heading to Ireland. I lived 200% in Scotland because of the world class waves and the dangers. I know I'll find this on a daily basis on the green island.
More in the next episode.
🏴
Day eighteen: 15-11-22
After an English breakfast in Bristol, I hit the road, heading for a nice little bay I had spotted on Google map. 2 hours later I arrived in a breathtaking bay. Beautiful rocks, glassy water.
There was 1m50 in the bay, but in the distance, a pointbreack that was chucking up wild waves, 3m at least.
I went to check it out. The waves were big but perfect, nasty straights that ran along a rock tongue. I got my gun ready and ran out into the water. No one was in the water, as usual.
Two soldiers were watching the water from their semaphore. As I passed they wished me good luck. I knew that I was in for a tough session.
I went into the water at the point. Very quickly I understood that the current was mega intense!
I struggled for an hour, and I can assure you that paddling for an hour to pass a bar is very long.
I ended up giving in, there are times when the sea gets the better of us. No wave caught, I came back empty-handed, like an idiot in front of Manon who was expecting me to charge huge waves. Once again the north got the better of me. I have this nagging feeling that surfing in the north has to be earned.
So I gave in and got even with a few good beers in the local pub. Good waves tomorrow, at least on paper.
Song of the day: Tombstone Shadow, Credence Clearwater Revival.
Wild session, 4m, alone, impossible to pass the bar, due to the current, the north got the better of me, crazy country, where the limits are never set by me!
🏴
Day nineteen: 16-11-22
I spent 4 hours looking for waves, I stopped as soon as the place was nice. I saw a bit of the Gower Peninsula. Very inhabited and a little too seaside for my taste. That said, it's a great coastline and I'm sure the waves are very good. Unfortunately I didn't have very good conditions or the knowledge of the spots.
Like every evening I went to the local pub for a few beers. The Welsh people are really nice and welcoming.
I'm leaving for Ireland on November 22nd. I've been waiting for this moment for 2 years now.
I recently looked at their forecast and frankly it's not funny, 5m swell and big offshore wind, it promises!
🏴
Day twenty: 17-11-22
I woke up early to go to the Pembrokeshire peninsula.
It is wilder but the waves were not there. The wind was ruining the few waves I could use.
So I walked all day. Small authentic English villages and greasy food washed down with beers.
I still got in the water before dark on a bad windy beach break.
I ate at the pub and shared a few drinks with the locals.
