Surfing Waves

So I'm off to Newquay this weekend for a week to go surfing for the first time! I'm going with with a mate who surfs in Cornwall most summers, staying at the one of the surf lodges right on top of Fistral. Just got a few questions for anyone who lives in Newquay and might be listening...

1. Will I get away with not wearing a wetsuit at this time of year as moneys tight and I'd rather not spend the £50 or so for a weeks hire?

2. Do you know of any busses that go from the Nation Express bus stop on Manor Road (nr. Bank Street) to Headland Road (nr. Tower Road) where I will be staying? Or if not do you know the web address of the local bus services in Newquay where I can find this stuff out, hvae looked on Google but no luck!

Thanks!

Ive just got back from fistral and i suggest if your going to spend time in the water get a wetsuit

Not too sure about the bus routes , cos i always use a cab, quite cheap.
But try the tourist info site and it might give you a link to public transportation....

Good Luck

LeeC wrote:1. Will I get away with not wearing a wetsuit at this time of year

This one's easy - No.

Lucky thing. Yeah, I think a wetsuit would be advised now - mid september - you could probably get away with a shortie but i depends how cold you get. would probably boardie it but I dont really feel the cold.

drowningbitbybit wrote:

LeeC wrote:1. Will I get away with not wearing a wetsuit at this time of year

This one's easy - No.

i beg to differ. Ive worn a wetsuit twice since may .

I did at least an hour in Wales on Sunday with just a rashie and boardshorts.

Had a little shiver when I got out but nothing ginger

personally never really feel cold in south west during the summer. Its only cold when its a really hot day, like 30C + and you go in the water and its about 19C. But then on a cold day the seas nice and warm. Swings both ways. But yeah, I think you could get away with it mate, you a man or a mouse?

i would advise u get a wetsuit, you will be able to stay in the water longer without getting cold. and will also give you some protection

Get a wetsuit! i was in hastings at the weekend (when it was quite hot, like 27 or something) and this young girl went swimming in the sea in a costume. I reckon she was there for about 15/20mins (but I was engrossed by Platos Republic, so I can't be sure) and when she got out she looked deathly - she was really ill and the lifeguards called an ambulance which took her to hospital. I was chatting to them afterwards (being nosey really ) and they said she was properly hypothermic and needed medical attention . It really shocked me, but then I wasn't in the water, so I don't know how cold it was.

Ok thanks a lot guys, I'll just have to go for a swim when I get there to see how it is (which is what I was going to do anyway lol)...I have another question now...Instead of renting a suit for the week for just over £50, am I better off buying a 2nd hand one? Question is, will many surf shops in Newquay do 2nd hand wetsuits, and what are the likely prices?

If you go to the north end of town , i saw a advert selling wetsuits for £20 ish, i think it was in the market area.
But dont expect a quality wetsuit though, but it should ok for a while.
Good luck....

LeeC wrote:, I'll just have to go for a swim when I get there to see how it is (which is what I was going to do anyway lol)

Thing is, you'll swim for what? 10 minutes, and get out thinking 'thats not too bad', but surfing you'll be in there all day. And moving water (ie waves) saps the heat away from you much quicker

Spend the money. You'll have much more fun.

Dont buy a 2nd hand one, dont spend £20 on one, buy an 'entry level' suit - you can easily pick something up for £100 and it'll keep you going until you've worked out that you're about to sacrifice every spare penny and moment that you've got to surfing for ever more

I appreciate the advice a lot but the only reason I'm considering not wearing a wetsuit is to save myself the £50 I would of spent on hiring one, so I'm not sure about the idea of forking out £100 on a new suit when I've never surfed before. So do you think a £20 one will keep me warm in the water for a week or are they a total waste of money? I don't care if its useable or not after 6 or 7 days, just need it to keep me warm for a week.

You're spending money on travel, accommodation, beer (presumably, if you're going to NQ), board hire....


...then try and save a bit of money on not hiring a wetsuit. Which means you wont have nearly as much fun or progress half as quickly.

Oh, and hiring a wetsuit for a week shouldnt cost anything like £50. More like £20.

Not to sure on the quality, or how warm they are, but a few shops might be doing deals on summer wetsuits.......

If your lucky you should be able to pick up a discounted summer suit, I bought a 3/2 oneil heat in hayle 2 years ago for £110 around about this time that should see you through till about november.

Ok thanks everyone, just have to sus it all out when I get there I guess!