Drop everything - again, again

I think if you're heading down for the weekend then you're going to be in luck! The surf is currently bigger than forecast - so even if it drops a bit, should be pretty good. There's really big lulls between the bigger sets, making the paddle out super easy - a big plus in the winter if you want to avoid the ice cream head. What a week it's been, cold in the air but a really decent swell. Happy days.

Starting to see the fruits of our labour on one or two fronts. Sweet. Fins' birthday party this weekend - go-karting. Must control myself - last time I donned the helmet I became Lewis Hamilton and took no prisoners. Always goes down really well with the parents. But as I said to them afterwards "That's what the tyre wall is there for!" We've had some fantastic staff party go-karting over the years - just a bit of fun? Yeah right!

Drop everything - again!

Here's Megs - the brave one. She takes on the biggest waves. Meg's learned to surf with us many moons ago and now is one of our top instructors. She's really keen to up her coaching qualis and help with the ladies British Team.

It's been a very good run of surf - bit bigger than yesterday (photo coming soon). Very light winds. What's that, three days of really good surf on the trot! Might even pick up a bit this afternoon.

Got the crew in this morning! Their attention span is short but we're getting there. Their diet is terrible and it's no wonder that they struggle at school. Breakfast is a can of Monster and a pack of Haribo! So this morning Rob toddled off to the shop with them to get in some nutritious feed. Cereal, orange juice, flap jack - it's a start. Hopefully they'll feel the difference. They've all gone surfing, so must be doing them some good. A lunch of rice and vegetables being cooked by two of our older girls, Allana and Becky, awaits their return.

I have a new hobby. The drums. I think I would have been sixteen when my parents brought me a drum set. I played them for a few weeks and then if I remember rightly the noise was driving everyone mad! They were soon packed away in the garage. For Christmas we bought me, sorry we bought Fin, one of these digital drum kits. Which is amazing! Plug in the headphones and everyone else just hears tapping but not the boom, boom, boom. Much more user friendly for everyone. Love it. A flourish of the sticks and I'm Dave Grohl! Yep, I believe it!

Hello, there's a substantial lady changing on the beach and she's just bared her bottom at me - great big white cheeks. Bit like someone's taken an axe to a large round of Camembert. Not sure I'd want to spread that on my cracker!

Drop everything!

Polzy at it's best this morning. 2-3ft surf, glass - not a breath of wind or a cloud in the sky.

A new fitness campaign started yesterday. I have to admit that after the Exmoor Beast at the back end of last year, I've let things slip. The 'six pack' is more 'big pack', as the boys like to comment on daily. And even Janey has become more vocal in recent days. Anyway, I caught a sideways glance of the offending item in the mirror at Roserrow on the weekend, and it was clear that it was time to get it on. It's easy to get into bad habits. Bit of bacon and eggs in the morning, Mocca's throughout the day. The calories add up, and then there's the biggest evil of them all, chocolate. I love that stuff! We've all been down the Lindt bunny route - sigh. I love that stuff.

It's been three days now off the silky smooth - and as always, you get that initial energy dip, bit headachey, and then out the otherside. On the other side we find renewed energy, a world of nuts and bananas, porridge, green tea and pasta - I hug trees and campaign against anything nuclear! Whereas before I was a 'happy fatty', now I'm a 'tetchy veggie'.

It's tough cutting out the things that you like. Everything in moderation. But I'm passed the hard part of making the decision. The motivation quite simply is that I want to surf better this year. 2010 was punctuated with some absolutely epic late night sessions, but it's getting the time to improve when it's not classic that has become difficult. Anyone who runs a business and has a couple of kids will understand that sometimes hobbies take a back seat.

But I have this new resolve that I'm going to stick to. Yesterday was the official start of getting back into surfing shape - bit of cycling, press-ups, sit ups, finished up with a spot of Yoga. At the end I felt great - the new beginning. And then as I bounded up the stairs in just my thermal socks, I slipped, and stubbed my big toe! Damn! Broken, possibly. I think it's officially called a 'Man Break'. ie slightly bruised.

Many years ago in a previous life I used to play right half for Bristol Hockey Club. I was better than my mate who got 80 caps for England, but he was more focused! There's a lesson right there. In my first match for the side, one of the opposition, only a few feet away, decided to hit the ball as hard as he could in my direction. It struck the very end of my big toe. Ever since that day, any tap on the tip results in some real pain. And that's why today with the surf outside perfecto, I have to be slightly frustrated. Give it a couple of days and I'll be fine. In the meantime, looks like I'm going to be spending a bit more time with Giggsy and his Yoga DVD.

What's happening? January is normally a time for down tools and chill! Not this year - Janey's working my fingers to the bone! Might be something to do with all those Christmas treats on the Mastercard bill. She really has to let these things go! Together we're working on quite a few new products for the shop and the beach. But actually the main focus is on improving the basics. After 16 years you'd think that we'd just have to turn up, but nothing could be further from the truth. The basics are something that can never be overlooked. We're always looking to improve. Having made changes to the company set up, we're definitely upbeat about the coming year. Our philosophy is that during what could be a tough financial time for many people, we want to work on value. That's the buzz word. Some surf schools charge £40 for a lesson! That's extreme. We charge £26! No difference. Except we have more experience and are much better - obviously! We're happy with that. No need to be greedy and no need to exclude. And I think clients appreciate, particularly in the current economic climate, companies that do all they can to maintain pricing levels.

I'm note sure I mentioned that Mahoustic - our rock band - ventured out the other night. We played at a 50's birthday party down at the Mill House, Trebarwith. Great thing about a 50 birthday party is you can turn the volume up as loud as you like. Pardon? Eh? Play what you like, just play it LOUD!

Megs has just come back from Morocco where she surfed some huge surf. She's got some balls that Megs. Wailin is off this week, but he's back next to make final preparations for the Bali trip in February. The trip is full now, so that's great start to the year. We only take a few over, but what an adventure! And Rob comes in three days a week to do his thing.

Come on 'Man Break' - heal!

Polzy surf footage - today

Good winter swell. Beach Manager Wailo is the one catching a wave in (sorry dude, missed the first bit!) and Kris (Tubestation) is the one paddling out. With big sets rolling in, it's very difficult to sit in the right place - and wave count for the surfers is naturally low - hence not much surfing footage. Having said that, when there's only ever two people in the water, that's what you're going to get - lots of unridden waves.

Pumping!

Just about as good as it gets out there at the moment. Don't forget, if you go onto my Twitter feed (petecraske) you'll get regular surf updates. I got a bit of footage from today which I'll work on later.

Pity the fool

Yes, the 'A' team are back in again today, armed with the big ladders! Sky's gone down. We've been down this road before.

A pretty fun storm rolled on by just now. Couple of claps and flashes, but it was all over before it started. Libby (our dog) is cowered at the back of the office. Scaredy.

Speaking of rain, I was handed the linesman flag down at Penzance yesterday at Billy's match. After last time I must have been a last resort. But this time, I excelled. Think, Naked Gun! Some fine flourishes with the stick. And I enjoyed it - must be the control. But did it rain? Poured like never before. And was I prepared for it? No! But hey ho, boys won 1-0 - close game. In those conditions, could have gone either way.

Surf's pumping today - overhead, pretty clean. Wind from the North although the weather's coming from the South West. Shelter over at New Polzeath. You'd have it to yourself if you paddle out now.