Winter Retrospective

Atlantic Winter Retrospective from Mikey @ Show 'n Tell Media on Vimeo.

‘There will always be another big swell’ is what I tell myself when I miss big waves the same as I tell myself ‘you can’t be everywhere at once’ when I make a bad call concluding in me missing the best or biggest waves. I find myself getting so wrapped up and focused on the Atlantic winter swells I can’t see the wood for the trees so to speak, I need and want to make the most of every swell as I won’t have the luxury of jetting half way across the world in the summer to get my fix. It doesn’t help living in Devon either, because there’s definitely no big waves here so it’s great to leave but always greater to come home to my family.
So this is my Atlantic winter retrospective and a few of the waves I surfed from a few key sessions. It was a pretty epic winter for me and the first real time I’ve spent chasing big swells out of Ireland with a lot of time put in at Nazare, a session at Belharra as well as the old faithful Mullaghmore and a big wave paddle comp at Punta Galea in the Basque Country. Hope you like it.

Home in time for tea.

I haven’t surfed Mullaghmore for nearly 9 months, think it’s broken a couple times and a few people have paddled it when smaller but it’s really rare to get 8 meter plus swell with decent winds which is when Mully really starts to get interesting and can scare the living daylights out of you.
When I saw the chart for this swell it was always going to be a gamble, a quick pulse of swell which was predicted to reach 10 meters at one point with the wind gale force and slightly onshore instead of cross off but there was a window of opportunity which I just couldn’t pass up. So Red Bull very kindly hooked us up with a ski and I did a 24 hour mission with Lyndon Wake to wait it out on the headland, just in case.
I’m not gunna lie there was a lot of driving and at points spirits were low but just before dark the wind dropped enough for us to get out and get a few, the swell was dying fast but there was still a couple sets. I got this bomb and Lyndon possibly got the wave of his life and definitely one of the better waves ever surfed out there but unfortunately no one captured it. Hard to believe as usually there's shots all over the internet before you even get out your wetsuit, but he hasn’t mentioned it much. Hopefully something will turn up.

Last month

South Of The Border, Volume 3. from Luke Pilbeam on Vimeo.

I could post the video of all the XXL nominations and bleat on about I’m not just in them for the biggest wave but I also towed Gmac into his nomination for ride of the year too and how great I must be but I’m a pretty modest guy and not one to blow my own trumpet. Instead check out the last clip we made of our winter in Ireland and the lead up to THAT Mullaghmore session.

Paul the Plumber from Bundoran

Wonder what Paul the plumber from Bundoran has been up to the past few weeks. Probably fixed some leaky taps, fitted a heating system or bathroom then gone down The Chasing Bull had a few beers with the boys, harassed the band playing then did some lunges and maybe a press up or 2.
I on the other hand got towed into a wave at Mullaghmore which ended up getting some XXL attention which got me on the telly at home and abroad, the cover of a surf mag, made back page on the North Devon Journal, was in the Gold Coast Bulletin in Aus and just pretty much got global surfing attention. You could say I wasn’t expecting that and I do apologise if towards the end of the week you were bored senseless and tired of seeing or hearing about it, it wasn't completely my fault. Rather than bore everyone even more with the same shot by posting my cover shot or the XXL entry I thought a photo of me and Paul would be more appropriate, I am missing him.

Mullaghmore

What a week, I could tell you all about my surf induced twitter breakdown or my new mate Paul the plumber from Bundoran who I was harassing the band with as I do, in the chasing bull last friday night or even the fact that I was over it all, packed away my boards and swore blind I’d never return to Ireland let alone live here for months on end but at the last minute just couldn't leave and decided to stay for just 4 more days and see it through. Although all 3 would make far more interesting blogging and reading I’ve opted for the more professional approach and will focus on mully and my first wave I caught on Thursday morning at 10.06am.
Mullaghmore was the first wave I ever surfed in Ireland years ago when Al Mennie invited me over to come paddle with him after he felt he needed to prove a point that Ireland had bigger waves than Madeira. Since then we’ve had our ups and downs, I’ve lost a ski out there, a knee brace and had kicking’s that have left me unable to walk for days but this wave was worth waiting for and I’m stoked I went with my heart and not my brain, thank you Ireland, thank you Mullaghmore and of course thank you Al. I’ll be sure to come back.

Mullaghmore Tow contest 20011

Did that tow contest at Mullaghmore the other day with the Big Red on the Red Bull, I had a bit of a shocker but as a team we managed to squeak in a 3^rd place overall and Al even got an award for best barrel which was a shock to everyone involved, even Al.
Was a epic event and good on Paul O’kane for getting it together, to be honest there was no real rivalry or competitiveness going down just really good vibes, everyone charging hard and pushing it, then when the contest was over we all got out and had a little group cuddle in the harbour with our tops off. Sounds gay I know but that’s what we do after every Mullaghmore session, So you could just say it was like any normal session but we only had an hour to get our waves and it cost 150 euro to enter.
I want to dedicate my 3^rd place to Leggey the bloke from Braunton who caught that fuck off massive fish and made the cut for the back page of the North Devon Journal. As you can see my trophies are sitting next to the signed framed copy he gave me for Christmas. Next year I’m going to win and then maybe I’ll make the back page just like Leggey, just hope he isn’t out fishing that week I do.

I LUV COCK......... and Mullaghmore

Oh how the Irish love the crack, so there I was driving round rural Ireland waving to all the old boys in their tractors and folk alike. Got a lot of attention when I rocked up at some surf spot too, but I just put it down to they must recognise me, that’s understandable as I do get the odd shot in the mags and I was even on telly once. Little did I know I was sporting a new personalised number plate! Must of looked like a right twat as I got changed for the surf thinking I was all cool as the group of lads kept looking over, probably muttering to each other ‘look at that English toss pot who the feck does he think he is with a number plate like that?’ even made a point of jogging past them on the way to the waves and shouting ‘alright’ and doing a little wave. I’m just happy I noticed before I got pulled over by the cops or at customs at Fishguard. Of course I had an idea who it was but it wasn’t until I received this today from photographer Conn Osborne that I had the proof, Al Mennie the funny big ginger fecker you’re a comedian.
Oh yeah, if you haven’t heard already yesterday Mullaghmore was off the dial, huge and offshore. Al being Al decided he was going to paddle no matter what, as I sat on the ski in the channel and he dodged Wide clean up sets and tried to position himself in the pretty much impossible line up, nutter not a chance I’d of grabbed me tow board in a instant but as he tried to convince himself and me it was a good idea he told me ‘I could tow these waves all day long, I just really want to paddle into one’. Fair play you big crazy fecker. The boys who had the sense to tow, if that’s possible! Mikee Hamilton, Dave Lavelle, Paul O’Kane, Barry Mottershead, Richie Fitzgerald, Neil Britton, Peter Craig, Rick Hutton, Dylan Scott and Kurt Rist took it apart and charged harder than ever, really raising the level out there and inspiring me beyond belief, If I don’t see some cover shots from Aaron Pierce who was shooting from the boat I’ll be amazed, good work by all involved. Just give me a couple more weeks till I get the all clear from Andy the knee surgeon from London and I’ll be right out with you, Can’t wait....
photo: conn@surfingphotography.co.uk