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There were some big, big waves hoofing through at Gwithian today. Way too big to run a safe surfing lesson so we decamped down to Praa Sands on Cornwall’s south coast. There it was an oasis of calm amongst what was, for Cornwall in summer anyway, a hefty storm.

The beauty of Praa is that is a great bolt-hole for surfers. While the North coast is raging during winter storms and howling NW winds you can be reasonably sure that Praa will offer up some small, clean and manageable surf. While the waves aren’t perfect for learners – the beach is quite steep causing waves to break suddenly and powerfully – they are whole lot better than not surfing at all. More experienced surfers, however, love it here. Those grunty waves that might smother a beginner provide a perfect launchpad for good surfers out there.
There was quite a crew out – it’s always busy here when there are waves – but there were plenty of waves if you were sat in the right spot.
The waves and weather are due to calm down a bit tomorrow so it’s all systems go at Gwithers again. Home, sweet, home!

A spectacular week of sun and surf has drawn to a close. There are still a few waves to be had but its definitely dropped off a bit now. Cornwall is, however, beginning to get busier – the roads through Hayle are rammed in the morning and early evenings and you even have to queue to get a pasty. A dire state of affairs if ever there was one.

Meanwhile at the surf school we have been busy with the local, and not so local, schools. I’m sure I’ve mentioned it before that school was way different in my day (which wasn’t that long ago!).  The last week of term was invariably filled up with playing hangman, watching videos – usually a Lenny Henry vehicle of some kind – and waiting for the school bell to ring for the final time.
Now they get to go surfing. For the whole week.
And boy, oh boy do some kids take to it well. We have had perfect surf for the school kids this year. People often think that big powerful waves are best for the surf school lesson but in fact knee to waist high waves are best. You can achieve so much during a surf lesson in this kind of surf – its not too big to frighten anyone but the waves still have enough push to get the students up and riding.
Better yet, the student can go ‘out the back’ and ride the unbroken green waves.
Our previous record for getting someone cutting across the green wave was three surfing lessons.
Now it is two! A couple of young surfers from Bristol Steiners School were absolutely ripping. It kind of makes me wonder how many good surfers we would have if a big city like London or Manchester had the same ease of access to good surf as Sydney or San Diego. We may even have had a World Champion or two.
Ah, well. Enough of the dreaming and back to work.

Whisper it, but I think summer may have arrived. The surf has been trundling through at a very respectable headhigh, the winds are offshore and even the weather is cooperating.
The usual signatures of summer can be clearly seen. There is a healthy layer of sand in the porch, some surf wax has been trodden into the carpet and my nose and neck are blistered wrecks. Even the surf school tortoise is looking spry and energetic in the balmy mid day sun.

Of course the clearest sign that summer is well and truly among us is the crowds. The local kids haven’t broken up from school yet but there are plenty of Scots around and the roads are filling up. The beautiful thing about Gwithian is if you time it right you can still get plenty of waves and a bit of solitude – a three mile beach can usually spread the people out nicely.
I managed a little surf up the coast today at Perran Sands. Now that place is super quiet – probably something to do with the shin busting 1 mile walk over sand dunes to get back to your car but hey ho.
Tomorrow I’m going to give Gwenvor down by Lands End a go before work. I’ll keep you posted.

The Level 1 ASI surf coach course that we ran this weekend has to go down as an unqualified success.  All seven of the candidates were successful and achieved their Level 1 qualification and will be released on an unsuspecting public this summer.

We had a great mix on the course – everyone from ageing hellmen like big wave surfer Dan Joel to local 16 year old ripper Paddy Daniel, lifeguards Richie Platt and Josh Daniel and resting Brazilian actor (he’s in between projects at the moment) Fabrizio Postiglione.
Dan Joel is starting up his own surf school over at Poldhu on the Lizard peninsula this summer and we wish him every success – well, maybe not every success but, y’know, a bit.
If you are coming for a surfing lesson this summer then no doubt you will be meeting one or more of them as they embark on what is hopefully a life of surf coaching.

Half term is over and the whole place has calmed down again. Its eerily quiet in the village at the moment, hardly any cars driving through and all is generally very restrained.
Still doing a few lessons but the surf isn’t really cooperating at present. It’s small and windy which is fine for beginner lessons but not so great if you want to venture beyond the whitewater. At least it’s a lot hotter now and if you can get out of the wind (the surf school is in a windless sun trap so its always boiling there) its toasty warm.

We are getting some mad weather too – June really is the best time to be in Cornwall I reckon. Peaceful, relaxed and empty.
And finally, I’ve just cobbled together a video of the flat that I was renovating this winter. Check it out.