Fresh Start

[libby]

Hey guys

Without wanting to go into to much detail on an open forum, my life has changed rather dramatically in the last 48 hours!

Basically it looks like i'm going to be in the UK for a quite a bit longer than was planned, i.e. indefinately so i reckon it's time to buy a new winter wetsuit, or at least it will be when my board in NZ is sold!!

Also thinking that when i can afford it (which to be fair might not be till next summer but we'll see) i'm going to get a shortboard. Groan you may but i have my reasons. My surfing isnt really good enough to warrant a shortboard yet but thats partly because as soon as its over 2-3foot i dont even bother paddling out! I realise a shortboard is much harder to paddle (i've messed around on them before) but i just want something i can duckdive. I genuinely reckon it will help my confidence on bigger days.

Sooo sorry to ask the age old question but what do you reckon i should be looking for? My upper body strength isnt fantastic at the moment (but im working on it!) so cant duckdive anything with too much volume, and im prepared to put in the hours that it will take to re-learn the little that i already know. I wont be throwing out my minimal, in smaller surf that will be my primary board, i just want something that i will actually be able to get out back with!

As most of you know i'm hobbitesque at 5'3 and my weight fluctuates depending on number of jaffa cakes eaten but can be anywhere in between 65-70kg! (yes i know thats alot of jaffa's!)

Ooooh and also...after i graduate will proably live at home for a bit then going to move inwith my best friend somewhere for a year or so to pay off overdraft etc and then go abroad and do conservation work somewhere for a year....i'm thinking maybe Bristol? I want to be somewhere i can surf regularly, if i have to work a crappy job somewhere for a while it at least has to be closeish to decent surf!

Cheers guys

[PapaW]

Seasonal work over summer... temp it over winter... you earn more than enough if you live cheaply, and still very flexable to surf.

[kitesurfer]

Sooo sorry to ask the age old question but what do you reckon i should be looking for?
Cheers guys

Shape and size is irrelavent, just so long as it's pink it'll surf really well!!!

KS

[Ellie]

Hey Libs,
Know how you feel on the duck-diving..I keep trying to practice on my 7'2" but not getting very far!
Yay, go for Bristol...I'm thinkin about moving down there in 18 months time for a post-grad course, if I ever get on!

Hope everythings okay hun...turn to the Jaffa Cakes in all times of crisis - I'll send supplies if you need!
xxx

[Dr Rev]

Bristol's great ! Im always down that way,

[Ellie]

Shape and size is irrelavent, just so long as it's pink
KS

Are we still talking about surfing?

[Dec]

Ellie!!

Who would have thought...you sick minded person!!!!

[kitesurfer]

[sinistapenguin]

Duckdiving is mostly technique - I can dd my 7'5 minimal with no probs.

However, be careful - my last board (which I had for 11 years) was fantastic for duckdiving because it was 6'6 x 18" x 2". Couldn't catch waves on it, but man could I duckdive (since most of it was 6 inches underwater most of the time!)

[Ellie]

Ellie!!

Who would have thought...you sick minded person!!!!

It's always the quiet ones!
I'm starting to creep out of my shell now

[libby]

Classic ellie

[Phil]

forget bristol plymouth is much much better

[thaya]

How's the course going then Phil?

[FishKid Wales]

forget bristol plymouth is much much better

Forget Plymouth west wales is gotta be the best place in Britain.

[libby]

Whats it like in terms of rent, work etc?

I think i want to do my masters at St Andrews eventually, so this would just be an interrim thing to earn some money and improve my surfing.

[FishKid Wales]

The rent on a 1 bed flat will cost about £300-£400 a month, their is loads of work in swansea and good surf + you would be on the doorstep of the most scenic part of Britain. Their are loads of beaches around swansea and then a load more out west.
You could proberbly get in on a shared house for around £200 a month all in.

In pembrokeshire their isnt so much work( except during the summer when all the tourists create load of bar jobs) but we do have supermarkets which pay okish money. Flats are quite hard to find and you would deffo need a car as im not sure if theyve invented proper public transort this far west yet-

[Driftingalong]

I would suggest nothing over 6'6" in length.
Maybe around 19.5" wide
and around 2.5" thick

In fact maybe something more like 6'2" but a bit thicker (2.75).

But, I would seek out other suggestions as well...

[Phil]

How's the course going then Phil?

its going great, though i need to get my act together and start doing work rather than going out most nights and geting totaly trashed

libby move to plymouth bristol is far to far from the sea and wales is full of welsh people and sheep which isnt the best combination

plymouths got every thing cheap accomadation, a great night life (ive not felt threatend here yet) and your not far from the north coast of cornwall for the most conisistant breaks in the UK

theres loads of work depending on what your after

[IdRatherBeSurfing]

How's the course going then Phil?

plymouths got every thing cheap accomadation, a great night life (ive not felt threatend here yet) and your not far from the north coast of cornwall for the most conisistant breaks in the UK

cheap accomodation?? so why are u always whinging to me about it on msn pml

[Phil]

halls prices are a rip off here if i went into shared accmandation id be paying £25 less a week