Are there spots in Spain and England to hang ten?

[Kawahine]

I'm leaving for Europe. Will be in London and Bristol - for England - and a little town 2 1/2 hours south of Barcelona for Spain. I'm especially interested in Espana porque I'll have much time and little to do there. I'd love to hear about all breaks, but I'm really a beginning surfer, so ratings would be appreciated...mahalos! (I'm a long boarder BTW)

[paulS]

Bristol's not far from Devon/Cornwall (3 hour drive, sw)...but the Med side of Spain you'll be lucky to catch a ripple....head to North then it's a different story...

[Kawahine]

well...is that ripple good for a 9, or say a 10, foot board?

[paulS]

Dont think so, the med is enclosed and pretty much flat.....nice though...but not for surf

[Kawahine]

So it's all or nothing?! Except beauty...I guess one can't go wrong w/ that...

[paulS]

Whereabouts are you staying in Spain?

[Kawahine]

In a place called Benicassim. 2 to 2 1/2 hours south of Barcelona. 45 minutes from Valencia. I know nothing about it, but I have some friends that are artists there. I know they are on the beach...but they don't care re: surf in the least! I do though!

[drowningbitbybit]

So it's all or nothing?!

More 'nothing'.
That north east corner of the med very rarely works (there are some breaks near barcelona though) and almost never at this time of year. Even if it does, it'll be very short period wind driven swell - no good for longboarding (or surfing, to be honest).

Plenty of spots for longboarding in the UK though

[Kawahine]

Will you gimme the bristol or the london lowdown? I suppose I would need my wetsuit? Maybe I'll stay longer on the farm near bristol if there's a little surf...! I usually spend my summers in Hawai'i, and am having a hard time thinking of missing my soft summer South shore rides. I need something! Your answers are so appreciated, BTW.

[pat42]

I lived in Barcelona for 8 years and used to get really excited when there was a 2 foot swell...........not very often though.

The Med isnt the best for waves, but there are those surprising days when it can get head high+

This site might come in useful:

http://www.surfmediterraneo.com/cv/

It's got wave reports and webcams

Here's the benicassim webcam..........just to show you what you're not missing

http://webcam.comunitatvalenciana.com/w ... ceb1f534eb

(Yet another place I've surfed, eh, Drowning )

By the way, you'll definately need a wetsuit in the winter in the Med!!

[paulS]

Hey Pat,

You lived in Barca for 8 years... What were you doing?

I lived just outside Barca for 2 years, miss it so im heading back before next year....great place...great country

(kawahine- there'll be plenty to do around Benicassim...Valencias a great city...plus there's always wakeboarding/diving instead of surfing)

[pat42]

I ran a soundsystem and did free parties with Tasmaniac (did you ever go to any of those parties??

I also used to sell posters, t-shirts, sunglasses at festivals in and around Cataluna..........where were you living, Paul?

[paulS]

Don't recall those parties, i was based in Llafranc but we also worked along the coast from Bahia down to Tarragona setting up campsites and running them during summer....

Are those parties still going? We looked into doing something similar but it never came off....maybe next year....think you'll go back?

[pat42]

Well, the last party I did was about 5 years ago.
If you want party info, this site has a lot of good links, but those parties are a bit heavy now..........too much ketamine!!

http://www.underave.net/links.htm

I've no intention of moving back to Barcelona pureley because there are no waves.........I'm currently planning on moving to Brasil to set up a little hotel, club, where I can surf as much as poss and do my music!!

Sorry for hijacking youre thread Kawahine............but you might find some useful links for partying on the link I just posted

[paulS]

Ketamine hmmm nasty.... seen too many casualties from that stuff...

Thanks for the party info...did you used to go to Sonar?...loved that, coincided with beachbombing one year (my 30th)...loads of breaks incl. krafty kuts, arrived on the saturday and finally slept on the Wed..all that was about were some homemade little fellas, jesus it was messy.....ive mellowed out since, the mind and body told me to stop...!

Ive looked into Brazil, beach bars, hostels etc but finding the cash to set something up is a nightmare....like you somewhere to surf, chill and get back into my music....for now Spain, the job ive applied for sends me up to the north coast so...

Kawahine check out: http://www.eyeball-surfcheck.co.uk/ for some UK info...

[Kawahine]

No problem, guys. I'm kinda getting a kick "listening" to you two rap.

Thanks for the info. So that's Benicassim. Damn! Will definately look into some of the options you mentioned...now for the UK site...

[paulS]

http://www.eyeball-surfcheck.co.uk/ is North Devon, those beaches are all next to each other...if you travel further south west then you're in Cornwall...

Some travel info for you - Bristol to Woolacombe (N. Devon)
http://routeplanner.rac.co.uk//showrout ... 184211feaa

[Kawahine]

Man, Paul - you are the computer guru! Thanks so much. You've given me lots of ideas...and completely convinced me that my month long trip is not near long enough!

[pat42]

for now Spain, the job ive applied for sends me up to the north coast so...

NICE!!! I love the North of Spain

Hey Kawahine, the best surf in Spain is on the North (Atlantic) coast.........one option would be to get a ferry http://www.brittany-ferries.co.uk/index.cfm?articleid=1

from Plymouth to Santander on the North Coast of Spain, as a foot passenger, spend a few days in Santander surfing and then bus to Madrid where you can get another bus on to Benicassim