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.

Everyone loves a shark story

Everyone loves a good shark story, especially here in the UK, which is why there’s no surprise every summer there always ends up being a couple in the UK press. My favourite this summer came from the UK’s best and most experienced lifeguards Jack and Jim who managed to clear the swimming area at the local beach after spotting what they suspected to be a shark. I can’t confirm or deny these claims as unfortunately I wasn’t there. Which is a shame as I would have loved to jump on the old summer time shark band wagon, could have got my name in the paper or maybe even made the telly again.
My personal experience with sharks has been limited really although I did have a shocker one time when was feeling rather frivolous and surfing a remote reef in indo, at my point of euphoria I spotted a pretty dam big fin heading straight for me at speed. Needless to say I reacted quickly and paddled so hard in the direction of the shore managing to catch the first wave, standing up and surfing it to dry reef. I was a little shaken and also a little gutted as I was having a pretty epic solo session, maybe it was just too good.
Anyway, summers pretty much done, which is a relief. The weather was the main talking point as it always is and I can’t say much for the surf although I did have some great little surf’s on my 5’2” Fugly which I borrowed from Tiki.
Looking forward to winter now, flights already booked for Portugal but I’m not sure on what the shark chat is down there though. Might have to ask Jack and Jim at work tomorrow. I’m sure they’ll know.

Finally won something....

I’m so stoked I’ve won this new Mark Visser iPhone case. I never really win anything and this has to be up there with one of my all time life wins. Although I did travel out to LA last weekend with my good mates from home, Andy and Andy and had a 3 day Andy fest at the Billabong XXL awards where I was in the final for the ‘Biggest Wave 2012’ category (you might or might not have seen something about it on the net or in the mags but probably not) which has to be up there too. Of course I didn’t win, I didn’t think in a million years I would but it was a chance for us Andy’s to bond a little, wear matching pink pants and pretend we’re big shit to complete strangers. Every cloud has a silver lining though and as well as having the most fun humanly possible without being arrested or dying, Gmac got the nod from the judges at the awards and claimed 1st prize. A new world record was set and 15 grand prize purse which he very kindly split with me for whipping him into the beast back on 1st November 2011 at Nazare, Portugal. You could say I’m pretty stoked, it’s been a huge year for me in every way imaginable, Baby, marriage, XXL nomination and just being involved in a world record. Thanks to everyone who helped make it happen, family, sponsors, Analog, tiki, The Thatch, bay spas and friends, Al Mennie, Garrett and Nicole, The Andys and of course not forgetting Mark Visser...... I love that iPhone case.

Cone head

Our next door neighbour has 4 cars. fair enough, there’s no laws on how many cars you’re allowed in life although I expect it must be quite expensive to keep them all on the road as I struggle just to keep my shit yellow van taxed and insured but maybe he’s a footballer or something, I hear they usually have loads of cars but not sure who he would be playing for living in Braunton. It is quite excessive but then again he’d probably think I’m excessive with the amount of surfboards I have in my life. It’s not the cars that bother me though as I’m not really into cars, as long as they get me from A to B and are reasonably safe I don’t care what I drive. The thing that I can’t understand is that after taking up all the parking spaces outside our house with his 4 cars he also feels the need to reserve a parking space with a freaking CONE whenever he takes one for a spin. I don’t understand it. Am I missing something here? Every time I see this CONE I want to break down and cry, I’m not sure why but it just makes me really sad and a little frustrated with life. On a brighter non-CONE note I just booked a ticket to LA to go to the XXL awards. I’m sure it will be a whole lot of fun and an experience to tell the kids when they’re older. Thanks to everyone for the support this year, ANALOG, TIKI and The THATCH in Croyde. Very much appreciated and looking forward to next winter already.