Saturday sunrise

Waves: 0.7m-1m
Period: 16+ seconds
Winds: Light N
Tide: Rising and falling. HT was 9.6m

We've had a good run recently and my initial fears of small waves were set to one side as a 16 second wave period pulsed through!

I woke early on Saturday and checked the buoys, 0.7m...disappointing but then noticed the period was off the charts. The winds were light N and I had a feeling a certain spot would be firing again.

I wasn't the only one with the same thoughts but at least it was quieter than Friday! Five or so lads were already in as Doc, Werg, Rob and I paddled out onto a high tide right hand bank.

The sunrise was spectacular with an almost extra terrestrial shade of pink, mushrooming out of the dune tops and reflecting back onto the glassy surface of the sea.

The waves were 3ft and clean but nowhere near as big as Friday but the waves kept coming despite the big tides - 9.6m and we all picked off a few fun rides.

Doc stroked into a nice clean 3 footer on the nugget and went on his way.

My first left came through, took off went up into the lip and scuffed it to find 2 kooks dropping in...oh well.

The rip kicked in around high and I decided to get out, walk down the beach and try the lefts which were starting to fire!

Aggers joined us not long after and we all had a crack at the 3-4ft rights and lefts that were coming through.

Werg had once really nice right that I saw him on, a good late drop and off he went bombing down the line! Good to see. Rob took a hit to the knee so had to sit out the remainder of the session.

The waves were getting bigger but becoming hollow close-outs now around high tide wit a few makeable shoulders but mainly just fun drops and hollow tubes to pull into before being eaten.

There was one guy on a retro style red board who was styling nicely. I'd marked hi out as a kook initially as he seemed to be doing alot of sitting around so was pleasantly surprised to see him blasting lips and laying down nice high speed turns on the inside - fair play!

I spied Aran and Chris a bit further down and we all sat within spitting distance of one another sharing the waves, stoke and rip.

The wave began to change then, doing it's hollow, wobbly plate of jelly impression at high which threw everyone a little - as you ended up bottom turning but encountering a stepped section where a smooth wave face should be. A few of the lads got bounced as a result!

I picked off one of my better waves at this point, not one of the bigger set waves but a really clean hollow wall that allowed for 4 nice, fast n tight cutbacks.

I was really pushing my turns on that one as I had bags of speed and figured I'd only get one before it died on me but each time I made one, the wave seemed to keep on going allowing for more which was a real treat :)

Took off on a bigger one next and encountered Doc on his damn nugget! LOL but I wasn't making the section anyway (or was I...) so I wasn't bothered.

Aggers went next or rather Doc and Aggers as Doc had gone into his drop in stage. Sub consciously he prob figured it was his last surf before he boarded his flight to China but he had a lovely long right ended with a nice floater, hooting merrily to himself until I pointed out Aggers had been right on his ass for the duration of that perfect wave! ;)

We'd been in around 2 hours now and as the tide turned the waves got bigger. Solid 4ft sets were peeling and barrelling their way down the line so we got out again and paddled back onto a fresh peak.

First wave was a nice steep right, followed by yet another drop in from a balding local gent who shouted at me telling me I should've shouted at him to get off the wave?!

I didn't care tbh as I was unsure if I'd make the section after laying down and ridiculously soulful bottom turn for a laugh and wasn't expecting the propulsion it gave me to make the section in the first place. Caught a few more here and there.

Another wave another drop in. went left and encountered Werg. I went and and whacked the lip anyway and he fell off as if the spray had knocked him clean off ;0 It hadn't but it made me chuckle.

Drop in no 4 or 5 now. I'm not sure what's going on? Perhaps my new board is lacking in colour or too small to see compared to my old blue and green resin tinted boards?

Everyone else had either drifted down or left now so Aggers and I had a lovely bank to ourselves apart from one other guy on a yellow fish. the sets became hollower but less frequent with long lulls but when they came they were beautiful.

I was sat a bit too wide for one set. The fish guy was in prime position but was too indecisive so left it and Aggers gratefully picked it off!

The second one he paddled for and then proceeded to push the nose of his board over the lip as he changed his mind mid take off - FFS! Leaving the last one to land on his head. What a god damn waste of a set!

Arms tiring now I decided to wait and bide my time. Eventually a nice big clean set wave appeared but what was that paddling for it?

A SUP!? Yes... it was the annoyingly good, wave hog SUP rider from Ogmore - snaffling waves from under our noses as usual.

But this time he was too wide as the middle section broke early :)

Now the only thing standing between me and glory was yellow fish boy. He bailed and off I went. I stroked into it a bit late but was far enough along the shoulder to make it comfortably.

Sun in my eyes, I swooped down into my bottom turn and went up nice and high in the lip, hovering there for a just little bit longer than I wanted to, leaving me with a a nice air drop back down.

I stayed on my feet though, just! and flew back down along the face and into a nice lip bash/carve showering a good height of spray over the back and flew back down the line and onto the shoulder, for a cutback before exiting over the back - ride complete!

That was my 'wave du jour'.

I'd endured countless drop ins and spent a good 3 hours in the water but it was definitely worth it for that one particular wave. It only takes one ride like that to remember what is so utterly amazing about this sport of ours.

I should've got out at that point but stayed in for a little longer chasing ghosts and smaller waves - getting tired and frustrated. Time to go.

Two classic days; two days on the trot :)

Everyone came out smiling that day though. I met Chris and Aran later in the car-park and they were both buzzing after their surf! I saw Aran on some super long left handers, seemingly wired into the place on that particular day.

This week looks promising....