Surfing Waves

Been back from a trip abroad (not surfed for a month) and was desperate to surf, so I went to B'mouth yesterday afternoon ( I work sort of flexi time so can have 1 afternoon off a week).

Well I didn't get one ride, I didn't even get out back. The cross current was so strong when a wave knocked me off my feet walking out, I got pushed sideways (parallel to shoreline) about 6 feet.

I saw others follow a precise zizzag route along the pier, out to the right 20 yards and then next to the pier again then padlle like crazy to get out. I tried once and nearly made it but with (what seemed like) a 4 second interval I got destroyed by the last wave I needed to clear to make it.

The surf was so mixed up (sometimes breaking 45 degrees to the beach), I couldn't even ride the broken wave.

I spent an hour and gave up.

I know I'm a kook but expected to be able to do something. Now I'm feeling really low.

Was anyone else there from about 2pm to 3:15pm? Were the conditions as bad as I thought or am I just lame? Surf report said waves 2-3ft but seemed like 4ft to me.

Looking at the webcam again this morning, it seems to have calmed down a lot, but now I have a very sore back even if I could bunk off work. Think I will try again on Saturday morning. Guess I should have waited till today.

I feel crap.

The only good news is my new boots and gloves were really warm.

Dude, your not lame! I had a similar time in St Agnes during "a bit of a storm". The surf was basically unsurfable and you couldnt get out without getting pummelled. I gave up. A couple of brave and very advanced guys were out, but it was well scary! It was a great work out but zero stoke and caught nothing! We all have days like that when we think "I shouldnt have bothered" but in reallity, 1. Your still learning about conditions / your limits and 2. You will be chuffed to bits when you do get a good day! The bad days just make the good days better.

pah at least there were some waves. its been flat here for ages. im actually starting to go crazy. on the plus side. days like that happen to everyone while learning. dont lose the stoke and make sure next time it looks like it did then either dont get in or be prepared to eat it a few times before you get out.

do you think a reef will help at all if its that big a cross current and a serious angle to the beach that the waves break?

Thanks for the sympathy (not) M-R.

I don't care about the reef at the moment and any way, I was surfing at Bournemouth not Boscombe.

Are you here as part of the surf community or just to collect information for your research? If the later, then please don't add to my posts.

umm - bad conditions i used to see as good chances to train in for when it would be good or when i went to places that were good.

The good feeling would come from doing the best that I could do in the conditions that prevailed.

Even if it was to increase my paddling stamina.

dont give me that depressed pussy stuff about not enjoying a chance to improve your surfing prowess even if it was in less than desirable conditons. but yes its a drag when you get pummled

market-research wrote:dont give me that depressed pussy stuff about not enjoying a chance to improve your surfing prowess even if it was in less than desirable conditons. but yes its a drag when you get pummled

KS

There's the chance of more waves this weekend tree4. *crosses fingers*
What board were you riding?

KS

hey KS is it too early to predict sat or sun? cheers

I've had days like that here in Florida. We get mostly windswell, and always a beach break, so when it gets sloppy, it can be unrideable for a n00b like me. I just enjoy the workout and being at the beach, and wait for the next session to restore The Stoke. One week, from Tuesday's session to Thursday's session, I had the worst sesh of my short surfing career, and the best sesh of my short surfing career.

Chin up. mate, the next time will be better

kitesurfer wrote:There's the chance of more waves this weekend tree4. *crosses fingers*
What board were you riding?

KS

Have an 8' minimal (Cortez). It was just too wild for me (although looking the webcam now you cant imagine it being how it was). I'm still very much a learner. I've learnt a bit. I should have had one last look at the webcam before setting off to the beach.

The waves at the back were quite good and I enjoyed watching the guys get good rides, I just couldn't get out (which) I guess is a good way of protecting you from being driven into the seabed if you wipe on one.

flyingvee wrote:hey KS is it too early to predict sat or sun? cheers

I predict sun for sat and wind for sun!

KS

MattM wrote:Hey guys, first post, just been reading about the forums for tips and stuff. I'm just learning to surf this autumn - I live in Swanage so been going to Kimmeridge and Bournemouth with a couple of buddies. Thing is I'm at uni in Oxford which is frickin miles from the sea but been able to get home most weekends theres a swell. Was just wondering if it's gonna be worth heading back for this weekend... does anywhere work on a northerly swell? Common sense would say no but just thought I'd get some advice - dead keen to get back in the water after last weekends sessions!
Cheers.

Wonder if anywhere on north of the isle of wight could work on some windswell

MattM wrote: heading back for this weekend... does anywhere work on a northerly swell? Common sense would say no

Common sense has this one in the bag.
It has to be a south easterly for most of the south coast spots to work. Or a southerly obviously, but they're a bit rare.

A big long period easterly will do the trick at the right spot too.

tree4 wrote:I spent an hour and gave up.

I feel crap.

Bah, dont worry about it, happens to everyone occasionally.

Bournemouth and its almost featureless coast make getting out back a complete b*tch when its confused and lumpy. There are no protected zones or big sandbanks to make things a bit easier. The rip by the pier is often you're only chance.

The biggest thing about getting out back (in my humble opinion, bla bla) is not how well you paddle, or how well you duckdive, but the route you take to get there. And if there isnt a route to take, then surf somewhere else.

if its any concelation, me and ChasingDaylight where out in scarbs northbay with silly onshores this saturday and had a similar prob, not a nice feeling when you dont feel like your progressing but hey...i figure as least i have learnt one more set of conditions that make for rubbish surf.

the way of the stoke...by the time you have had your next good ride, you will forget all about this one.

phill

Well if its any other consolation, I spent a day like that a few months ago, caught only a few waves the whole day... AND at the end of the day I came in and my buddy said: when did you ding your board?

There was a 4 in x 1/4 in gash on my board, that when I thought back, I must have dinged on one of my wipe-outs... um during the morning.

Board was only two weeks old.

I hope this makes you feel a little better

Thanks Phil/Kam . . don't feel better about my crap surfing but feel better that you guys sympathise with what I went through.

Hi all,

Thinking it was just me having the yin yang cursed surfed sessions (one great followed by a disastrous one) until I found this thread.

I feel your pain with the board, decided to splash out on a new winter suit and cut into it 1st day I wore it!!! Annoyingly been surfing with an old Body Glove suit for the past year and didn't scratch it once!!!

....as I've been writing this the news has just had an article about the Boscombe reef confirming its delay 'til next year!

Anyone go out Wednesday? It looked great on the forecast but I was stuck working in Birmingham!!