windy beach

The Wavegarden Bristol

sambo — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 13:53:25 +0000

Its like this I guess, I will try to keep this simple and sweet – if I was ushered into a room after 3 pints where there was a life size inflatable plastic recreation of a willing, lets say Milla Jovovic just for example would I be tempted to ride it?
The answer is no.
Why?
Because, even under the most desperate conditions I would not and could not see that as a substitute for the real thing.

I would rather shag the ugly bird off Eastenders than a plastic Milla.

Hence, I will be sticking to my local mush and not driving up the M4 looking for a plastic wave.

Footnote : I should add that I am not a good surfer, nor some Zen Buddhist Surf Dude,
 I just like playing and fighting with the sea and nature and myself..

Favourite Places

sambo — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 16:32:25 +0000

Well here are some of my favourite places, of course many of them are only in this list because of who I was with or what I got up to there, most likely was a mix between sun, sea, adrenaline or alcohol or occasionally a mixture of them all.

Crete Images

sambo — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:48:31 +0000

Lost Key in Sea

sambo — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 11:43:59 +0000

It was a pleasant winter evening and after the school run the tide was low and I had the inkling to get out the SUP for a paddle – in part because Christmas is weighing heavily still on my stomach and also as I hoped that last week’s swell would have left behind some rideable waves.
I parked up at Carats car park and decided on my old Snugg winter suit as my new one is fully dry and I want to keep it that way until the next proper swell hits us. I changed quickly in the car and threw my keyring in the glove compartment ( as usual ) and whacked my single key on a string round my neck. Its not actually string, its made for surfers and has an adjustable widget on it to keep your key secure in the sea.
The sun was already sinking below the horizon but the night was relatively clear so the sea was well lit up. Over the next hour I did a bit of up and down wind fitness paddling and then managed to catch several long rides on 1 foot waves. I kept thinking about horse riding in Portugal as I did it. I once had the fortune to go on a long horse trek in the Algarve and felt quite cool being in control of the horse over all the terrain all day. It was a few hours into that ride that I realised that I was not controlling the horse at all. It was just following the crowd. I tried to take it ‘off piste’ a couple of times and it ignored me completely. Anyway that is how I am on waves generally on the SUP. I can shift my weight around to speed up and slow, I can turn a bit, but the monster really goes where it wants and would certainly ignore me if I tried a sudden change of direction.
I was not falling off at least and was getting quite hot in my suit so I undid the neck zip and threw the top part of the suit over my head, that was much nicer, nothing as bad as feeling claustrophobic when you’re meant to be feeling free. I continued and had a really great time on the sea as the pinks turned darker and finally faded,
Anyway, in pitch blackness, save the lights from the power station, I made my way up the beach feeling lucky to have been in the sea and luckier that I had had some long nice rides.
Back at the car I realised quite quickly that the key was no longer round my neck, moreover the carpark was deserted, it was dark and the only key that could open my car was … in the car.
For a while I wandered around the car. Surely there must be a way in. But no, my car was secure.
There was not much point thinking I realised after nearly an hour of thinking and cursing so I borrowed some tools from some nearby workmen and laid into a smaller rear window with a hammer.
Soon I was in the car, still in my wetsuit. I knew that I had been a twat but that is the joy of it all.

Divine Image

sambo — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 12:08:27 +0000

David Somerville of A1 Surf has been blogging on the sumptuous site Hickory Nines this week and reminded me of a photo I took in Peniche a few years back (2008) of Stig.

I just had to find it – and did. I will freely admit that it lacks the focus and composition of the original – still it is a part of surf history now.(mine anyway)

Athens Mementoes

sambo — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 10:31:57 +0000

Was looking through some old stuff yesterday and found a few slips of paper from some of the old little memories from Athens in the ole days.

Paddle Round The Pier 2012

sambo — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 10:23:20 +0000

New Logo and New Dates – July 7th and 8th

Well its all set for next summer, behind the scenes things are already in motion….

Recent SUP on Custard Point Blow UP

sambo — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 12:22:13 +0000

Ports and Movement

sambo — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 12:54:01 +0000

Just popped out last night and wandered across train tracks in the dark, peering up the lines into some sort of future/ past asymptote I remembered how much I love night transport.
I mean, I love chugging ( yes even electric trains chug ) along in a train in the dark, catching fleeting glimpses of life as you pass through towns and villages; seeing the moon follow you and glance off distant mountainsides and ever rattling along in your speeding cubicle, precariously perched on twin rails.
I love as well, seeing cars in a city driving at night, especially after or during rain. I love the way their headlights glint off the tarmac; the small bubbles of humanity, each with their own mad destinies and relationships, anonymously purring through the town, on their way to who knows where.
At sea, at night, I am just impaled upon the beauty of the world, joyously bleeding with unbound love. Stars rotate slowly above, wind murmurs, sea glimmers and jumps and the smell of the air is just beatific.

Surfing Hurricane Irene

sambo — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 15:53:04 +0000

Having just had a wee surf this morning at New Beach ( Shoreham/ Southwick) I like to find an associated video which suits the mode of thought today.