Saturday 26 June 2010

Stag Groups

"I didn't know we had a stag group staying?" Janey said.

"Oh they're really nice," I said. "I took some photos of them surfing and chatted to them afterwards. They're just here to have a nice relaxed chilled time. They're definitely not the party type! What makes you ask?"

"Well I've just seen them come out of the Beach House and heading up the road all dressed as the 101 Dalmations!"

Great surf again tonight! A good three foot by the end. Went in with Aussie Mick who throws a good deal of spray. Billyman was already in and even though I say it myself, he was ripping it up! Best I've seen him surf by far. Very, very sweet. It was this time last year that we were surfing together when a big set came in a mopped him up, his confidence drained from his body. Good to see him really attacking the waves tonight.

Spot the Danger?

To the untrained eye there's very little to be worried about in this photo! However, seconds after this photo was taken Dale, the surf coach in the yellow vest, seeing the danger, and without any thought for his own safety, took action. He moved in to advised the bather (in white on the left) that the safest place for her to be in the surf was between the Red and Yellow flags thereby negating any risk of a nasty collision with a surf board. He could have left it and said nothing! I say, "a selfless commitment to beach safety!!!?" Actually what really happened is that I believe this young lady was allowed to stay in the surfing zone... as long as she stayed close by! You never can be too careful!

And here we have a Surf's Up! instructor preparing to break the fall of a student! You get what you pay for!

Talent in the house


We have some talent in the house! Office supremo Kit and surf coach Andy took to the stage last night for the opening of the Zeath Art Gallery. And good it was too! They'd only practiced together a couple of times, but it didn't show. Nice one boys!

Weather today - hot, very hot - 2ft glass! Perfect for beginners and impovers! Should build for a nice sunset session - new swell forecast. Our research shows that the last day of bad weather was six weeks ago!!! We had one half day of drizzle in the morning, but apart from that it's been sun and surf all the way. Even I am planning the evening BBQ menu days in advance!

Had my meeting with our local MP, which was something of nothing really! Nice chap, three young kids.... just a normal kind of guy! We chewed the fat, but a one man campaign will n
ot change the current VAT system! Nice to see that earlier in the day the FSB had taken my side on the ill guided position of offering support to new businesses in the emergency budget!

Okay so my quest to get VAT reduced on a tiered system for the service industry hasn't lifted far off the ground! But how about this campaign that comes to you within moments of the concept forming right here in the office between myself and Kitarooney! The school summer holidays should be changed to now!! Why? The days are at their longest and the weather and surf has been consistently better over the past many years. Send the kids back to school in August when the nights start drawing in - that's what we say!

Janey's being nasty! Had to sell one of my bikes before I could buy my new guitar! Nasty!

Friday 25 June 2010

No End in Sight



Good job we went big on tees this year as this is the most amazing run of weather!! The driest start to the year in four decades, that's what their calling it up north, but I'm pretty sure we've had less rain than them. The last day of rain we had is a distant memory and what's more remarkable is that throughout we've kept the surf. Everything starting to look a little burnt - Pentire is going brown! And the long term forecast? - it's going to get hotter and the surf's going to get bigger! Check out the surf forecast for this weekend!

Liam Murray at the Pro Juniors

Off to see the MP today - don't expect anything to come of it, but no harm in chatting.

Toby Donachie at the Pro Juniors

Thursday 24 June 2010

A Big Call



It's a very big call I know - but last night would go down as one of my top three favourite surf's of all time!! There's a possibility that it might sneak into the top spot! Which as I say is a big call. Head high, maybe a bit more on the sets, sun setting. Started in the middle of the beach with Liam and Anthony B and then moved to find my own wave over on the left. Glass as glass can be, with perfect lefts.


A good frame of mind is essential to a good surf. And I was in one following the St. Minver School music evening! Very proud of Billy for doing his first speaking part (which he'd kept a secret!) - but more than that, it was great to see the talent on show. There's a lad called Sam Every who plays drums and percussion. Remember his name! As for the violin, let's just think this through. Someone many years ago must have put this instrument together. Can you imagine the first time it was ever played - who in their mind mind would have thought "that sounds really good, we can definitely make something of this".

And then after the music, I went down to the beach to find this balloon! I changed and headed to the water when one of the photographers ran over and asked if I'd stand next to the balloon for their promo shots for the World Cup bid. You bet.


Tuesday 22 June 2010

Kit and Dale - lightweights!

Okay, who stayed out last for the Solstice surf? Thanks you, thank you! Dale and Kit got out at 11.15pm - lightweights. Myself and Hans left the water at 11.17pm. Come on! It was pretty dark by then! Nice to surf Polzy without the crowds though!

It wasn't the blue cheese! It was the Piriton! With my weird dream last week! Or I think it was. My experimentation with three crackers full of the stuff resulted in a restful nights sleep... but no dream. Tonight, I'll experiment with an overdose of Piriton - what's the worst that can happen, super clean passages.

Not loving the new budget much. VAT up to 20% - bit of a killer for us. All the help seems to be for new business start ups - which I think is help misplaced on the basis that one in ten new businesses go out of business in the first year! Much better to help SMEs who have been established for a while and who offer the best chance for growth and employment. If the economy was buoyant then you could make the case - but on the basis that a lot of established companies will be under pressure, hard to see how new and inexperienced businesses will find the lucrative gaps in the market. But then again, I'm often wrong.

Monday 21 June 2010

Gul Pro Junior, Fistral



Surf's Up! Boardrider Liam (blue shirt) takes the Pro Junior under 12s title, Max (white shirt) runner up. There's a good battle going on between this crew.


3ft maybe more on some of the sets greeted the competitors of the Pro Juniors at Fistral yesterday - ideal. And it was our Surf's Up! Boardriders Liam Murray and Max that shone in the under 12s. Each produced mature performances right through to the final - Liam took the honours on this occasion with Max coming in 2nd. It's amazing how much they've come on. This is a three series event - Max heads the table with one event to go! Nip and tuck all the way.
Toby returned to strut his stuff, fresh back from three months training in Oz and Hawaii where he took on 30 ft waves at Waimea! Yesterday was not to be his day - needs a few more days back in UK conditions, but you can see how his surfing has developed. Just didn't get the quality waves required. The same for Harry T, who having cut his long locks has gone from boy to man in one season! Surf comps are funny old things and are the source of great frustration - you win some you lose some, simple as.

Oh and big up to Billy who came 2nd in the skateboard comp! (although a much lower key event! ad hoc I believe) - made my fathers day!

Andy Hobbs - RIP

Such sad news! I received news this morning that an old school friend had died - Andy Hobbs. There are people you meet in your life that are truly inspirational - he was one. I had the honour of playing alongside him on both the rugby field and the hockey pitch for five years. He went on to captain the England u18's rugby side at Twickenham - we were so proud that our mate had achieved this heady distinction. Had it not been for injury there's little doubt that he would have gone all the way. He was more mature than we were, more professional, more dedicated - he was an exceptional head boy with incredible leadership skills. On our school rugby tour of NZ he was THE man. Whilst we were running away from the Kiwis, he was taking them head on. Destined for the best of things.

The shocking part of this is that Andy took his own life. Of all the people.... makes little sense. I'll head off to his remembrance service next week and no doubt catch up with some long lost school chums. We'll celebrate the Andy that we knew - one of a kind.

Sunday 20 June 2010

Surf's Up!


Don't know exactly where it's come from but we're not complaining - 3ft clean as you like. And yes, once again we have the most perfect day - is it ever going to end?! Checked out Holywell Bay yesterday with the boys, but it didn't deliver. So we ended up having a BBQ in the dunes at Perren - which was great!

Dad's day today - two things have made me very proud of the boys recently, Fin was in a swim gala yesterday and brought home the bacon in the last leg of a very exciting relay. And Billyman moved from bottom group to top group in maths in one term. Totally stoked for him as he worked really hard at it with some after school tuition. Big up to Sarah for her efforts. Apparently his teacher was in tears when she saw his maths exam results. I remember my school teachers used to cry at my school results, if my memory serves me right, for very different reasons.

So today - lots to tell. International Surfing Day is today - which means go surfing, be nice to those in the line-up, and pick up rubbish on the beach.

Pro Juniors down at Fistral - biggest event on the surfing calendar for groms. off there in a second.

And RAB (Ride across Britain) completes the last leg of their event, cycling from Launceston to Land's End. If you see a lot of cyclists on the road today, that could be the answer. Give them a clap, 600 of them have come down from John O'Groats in 8 days!