Adventure Blog Scotland

STOKED in North of Scotland

December 27, 2007 on 1:06 pm | In Surfing | 1 Comment

I’ve recently been chatting to two surfers from very different backgrounds who, coincidentally, I met a few years ago in Ireland at the World Masters Surfing Championships.

One is UK surf leg end – sorry, legend - Gabe Davies, a friend of many years and as nice a bloke as you could find. The other is Dutch surfer and photographer Ray Max (cool name or what?) whose work you can see at his fascinating website www.ongetemd.com.

What they have in common is, at first glance, hard to see. Gabe had just surfed some truly titanic waves off Mullaghmore Head (see more at surf photographer Mickey Smith’s superb website www.mickeysmith.co.uk), whilst I’d bumped into Ray whilst he was travelling through Wales with some friends to write a piece for the Dutch surf press on the wonder that is Welsh surfing.

In their own way these two guys are living the life. Gabe is a sponsored pro, gets to surf the world’s best (and scariest) waves and is paid for it; Ray also gets to travel to some of the world’s best surf spots (what, Wales?) and is paid for doing so. Not bad hey…?

They also share in common the fact that they’re thoroughly nice guys with a great sense of humour and with whom it’s a pleasure to enjoy a beer or a wave. And yet it would be so easy to be totally up yourself when the world is, from a surfing point of view, at your feet.

I have come across the occasional unfortunate specimen like this (a Californian pro and an Australian ego maniac, wouldn’t you know…), but it seems to me that the majority of people making a living from surfing in one way or another are top characters who have an enthusiasm that, I’m sure, is a manifestation of the stoke that surfing puts into life.

I was out of the water with an injury when I was chatting to both Gabe and Ray, and in such circumstances am usually like a bear with a burnt arse, but once you get into some banter with fellow surfers it invariably puts you in a good mood and fires up the enthusiasm to get fit and get back out there again.

And (finally getting to the point…) there are few places in the world where the stoke is as high as Scotland. As I write air temperatures are well below zero, water temperatures are approaching single digit and the north coast is enjoying/enduring less than seven hours of daylight in every 24, which, let’s face it, is not what most people would call surf paradise.

But to those who ride Scottish waves it’ll more than do nicely, thank you. And it’ll more than adequately fire up the stoke. So here’s to a New Year with lots of stoke, lots of waves and lots of laughs for everyone. What more could you need…?

Richie Perrot enjoying some Scottish stoke at Thurso East

Alf Alderson
http://www.alfalderson.co.uk
Multi-award-winning freelance journalist and author of Surf UK - the definitive guide to surfing in Britain.

SANTA DON’T SURF

December 27, 2007 on 12:58 pm | In Surfing | No Comments

SANTA DON’T SURF

Now is quite obviously the time of year when all good surfers send their Christmas wish list to Santa and hope for the best on Dec 25.

Here’s my own Christmas list, one that I figure wouldn’t too far off those of most average British surfers.

1. A year of clean, glassy surf of the size of my own choosing – some days big, some days small, some days in between but NO days flat.

2. A board to suit all the conditions that might occur during the above year, and even better, one that doesn’t use petrochemicals in its construction, is ding proof and also has a nice spray job (just as an aside – whatever happened to surfboard art? These days of Surftech and the rest it seems to be a dying skill…)

3. A new wetsuit that works in all conditions, is super stretchy, warm and comfy and never stinks of p**s. Although I would hope a good proportion of my summer sessions required little more than boardies to be honest.

4. A surf vehicle to carry me to the waves. Ideally something that does at least 50 to the gallon thus being both cheap(ish) to run and environmentally friendly, also has plenty of room to install double bed, shower, fridge and cooker and does 0-60 in less than eight seconds.

5. A marked acceleration in global warming since this will, apparently, bring warmer waters and bigger waves to the
UK’s shores.

6. And finally, enough wax to see me through the year.

Having re-read that list, one thing stands out – that Santa clearly don’t surf. Now I guess this should be pretty obvious of a guy who is the same shape as a pool ball, well over a hundred years old and lives at the North Pole, but there are a few other things that give the game away too.

Namely that of all six items on my Christmas list, he’s only ever likely to leave one in the sock at the end of my bed on Christmas morning – the wax.

Because let’s face it, the perfect do-it-all board, wetsuit and surf vehicle don’t exist and never will, and I really don’t imagine that there’s anywhere in the world where you will find quality waves 365 days of the year (although Scotland will at least provide three figure sums in terms of wave consistency as long as you don’t mind travelling for your surf fix).

As for the wish for yet more global warming – well, that’s just daft (not like the rest of my list then…).

So if all Santa can bring me this Christmas is a year’s supply of surf wax it’s quite clear that here is a man who is not in touch with the world of surf. There again, a sock full of wax isn’t to be sniffed at, so mustn’t complain.

And who knows, if we’re really lucky we might just get a good swell on December 25 – which is about as good a Christmas pressie as you could have really.

Happy Christmas!

Alf Alderson
http://www.alfalderson.co.uk
Multi-award-winning freelance journalist and author of Surf UK - the definitive guide to surfing in Britain.

See the inside of Tolsta Head

December 19, 2007 on 10:39 pm | In Sea Kayaking | No Comments

There can’t be many place or people who are lucky enough to drop off the kids at school and within an hour be out sea kayaking on a calm ocean, under a broken sky with good company.

Point from Tolsta

Mike phoned last night wanting to go out for a paddle and I didn’t take much to convince. We have had run of great weather and the sea is like a sheet of glass.

So deposit the kids, a quick coffee boats on the roof and off. Our destination Tolsta Head about 8 miles north of the house.

There is one down side, a large down hill side. The beach launch (refered to by Mike’s kids as the Gruffalo beach) is at the bottom of a steep, and steeper when you are carrying boats up, sloop. It has been given a fantastic road down and it is all key blocks with parking for boats at the bottom.

After the launch it is a short paddle out to the north end of the bay and under the magnificent cliffs. They are riven with caves and arches, all this within 10 minutes of the launch.

Natural Arch Tolsta Head

Cliffs of Tolsta Head

What Mike had omitted to tell me, which he mentioned as we sat drinking coffee rafted up looking north, was it is his birthday.

On the return paddle we had a look at the blow hole.

Then the rare moment we had both been waiting for. In the end of Tolsta Head there is a cave which goes right though the headland, it has a bend in it so you as you paddle you seem to be heading for the dark abyss. As you round the bend the daylight suddenly sparkles on the water and the exit comes into view. What makes this so special is it is very rare the sea state will let you into the cave, let alone out the other end.

So a fitting birthday present for Mike.

Tim Pickering
http://www.canoehebrides.com
Living in the world's biggest adventure playground - The Outer Hebrides CanoeHebrides.com - Sea kayaking Expeditions BikeHebrides.com -Quality Mountain Bike Hire

Distant Memories of Fort William

December 16, 2007 on 8:27 pm | In Whitewater Kayaking | 3 Comments

I have just opened my e-mail and be transported back over 15 years by the time machine of a photograph.

Jez Paddling the outflow in Fort William

Jez is converting his slides to digital and he ‘discovered’ these two pictures of paddling at the outflow. The outflow is the tail race for the alumminium works hydro station in Fort William. The water comes round from various lochs above Fort William and through the turbines and then down a gully before dropping into the river Lochy just by Old Inverlochy Castle. If you have ever driven north out of the Fort just before the Road to the Isles you have driven over it.

When we worked for Outward Bound it used to be our evening stomping ground, particularly during the summer with long evenings and no water in the rivers.

Jez Paddling the outflow in Fort William - Pop out

It used to create a fantastic wave which was very fast and allowed us to practice our paddling in ‘huge’ flow.

To see a recent piece of footage of it at high water (when the tide is high in Loch Lochy the river backs up and creates nice wave just under the bridge) http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=6SaIBizTuvs

There was talk of creating an white water facility there but I have no idea what happened to this idea. when I searched round there is mention of it in some of Highland Council’s paperwork but I couldn’t find much else, sad as it would be a fantastic facility and as it flows 365 days a year guaranteed water !

Golf in the Outer Hebrides

December 12, 2007 on 9:32 pm | In Whitewater Kayaking | No Comments

I know golf is hardly an extreme sport but it is creating news here at the moment, with Donald Trump who’s mother comes from Lewis and the Stornoway Golf Club applying to play on a Sunday. Golf could become and very dangerous game.

I am not a golfer but they tell me there are some great courses to play in the islands. I went running on the course in South Uist and it opens to the Atlantic, the course in Harris has views over to Taransay and of course there is the contoversial double nine in Stornoway in the Castle gorunds. Where the Trust, which ‘owns’ most of Lewis for the people, keep the gates locked to the castle grounds.

I do worry the Stornoway Trustees, who decide on the vision of what they want, may be a little out of step with the majority of people who live here.

As for Donald Trump and his plans, views are very polarised. There is no doubt it will affect tourism. The thing I worry about is the perception money can buy you the reversal of a planning decision.

So into the plus fours out with the clubs for a bash round before the ‘balls’ start to fly here in Stornoway

Chasing Rainbows on the Doune

December 7, 2007 on 8:02 pm | In Uncategorized | No Comments

I have just recieved an e-mail to say the footage of Jez and I’s little trip down the River Doune chasing rainbows has been posted to YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40bXnflV9xE

Fantastic river, great company - worth a paddle !

Hebridean Weather

December 7, 2007 on 7:51 pm | In Uncategorized | No Comments

The end of the week draws near with the prospect of some red wine in front of the fire but what a week. The weather has been typical December weather, wild and windy, the ferry doing its dance with the gales.

I have been ‘first aiding’ teaching two courses this week and watching the weather through the windows, so not all bad. I have been itching to get the bike out and try it out on the roads here but I guess it will have to wait. There is a prospect of surf over the weekend and I am teaching power boating next week and hopefully I will get some pictures.

There was one stunning moment when I was out running at lunchtime (we have entered the Might Deer Stalker in March - a moment of weakness) and as I ran I caught a glimpse south down the Minch towards Keppoch Head with the gun metal grey water and the headlands diminishing into the dark brooding sky and it made the pain worth it.

Wild Winter Days

December 4, 2007 on 10:44 pm | In Uncategorized | No Comments

I am sat in the office listening to the wind howling round the house, I am just off the phone to Murray from SeaTrek and we were planning the powerboat training we have to do over the next couple of months. Lucky Murray is off to Antarctica to drive boats for six weeks !

There was a bizarre moment when we were talking about this weeks work and Murray commented ‘and the wind is easing to 28 knots so we will be able to go out’. 28 knots is a force seven! Described in the Beaufort Scale as a near gale. It is interesting how your perception of things becomes warped depending on what you become used to.

WINTER WARMER…

November 21, 2007 on 1:19 pm | In Surfing | No Comments

WINTER WONDERLAND

Well, what a load of old bollocks…

The clocks have gone back, the bitter blasts of winter are whipping beneath my towel as I change on the beach and the birds are all gone south (well, those with any sense are).

For winter is here.

And that’s rubbish.

Or is it?

Let’s think about this a bit. It certainly was rubbish a few years ago once the leaves had departed their branches and the woolly hat had taken up residence on the car dashboard.

I’m thinking about the time when a winter ‘steamer’ lived up to its name about as effectively as Timberland’s ‘waterproof’ boots do – i.e. expect the opposite of what the term implies and you won’t be disappointed.

These days, winter wetties are a different prospect altogether, which for Scottish surfers in particular is very good news.

Get the right kit and you really can get in one or even two decent sessions a day without the need of reporting to the local A&E department at the end of the day to have your extremities defrosted.

And, of course, winter means bigger and more consistent swells. Which can only be a GOOD THING. If you’re made from the same mould as the likes of Chris Noble of Thurso it means you can feed your cravings for big drops and long, cold hold downs; and if you’re a weed like me it means you can surf smaller, lesser-known breaks that never work on the lacklustre swells of summer.

The cold blasts of winter will also reduce the numbers in the water, whilst with more waves to choose from thanks to bigger swells everyone gets spread out amongst the breaks, the result of which is more waves for one and all. Which yet again can only be a GOOD THING.

In fact when I think about it I’ve had plenty of short one- or two-hour winter sessions in which I’ve surfed more quality waves than any all day session in mid-summer.

I’m not saying winter is the best season to be a surfer because at the end of the day it’s still cold in the water once we’re on the wrong side of the autumn equinox, but it could be a lot worse.

Indeed, Scottish surfers probably have the best deal of any
UK surfers once winter arrives. They get consistent, empty waves, it’s not actually that much colder than Pastieland (Cornwall) and should it all get just that bit too frigid – well that probably means it’s snowing so you can head to the hills and surf some snow instead.

Try doing that on Dartmoor – its rubbish. I know. I’ve tried…

PS If anyone can give me a logical and justified reason for putting the clocks back I’ll be eternally grateful. Someone tells me it’s so farmers can get up earlier to milk the cows and builders can do likewise to lay the bricks. Well I’m not sure about bricks but I do know that cows can’t tell the time so it’s all a huge mystery to me…

Alf Alderson
http://www.alfalderson.co.uk
Multi-award-winning freelance journalist and author of Surf UK - the definitive guide to surfing in Britain.

November Waves at Sand End

November 15, 2007 on 10:53 am | In Surfing | No Comments

It is always great to feel that all opportunities for outdoor fun are being exploited, especially when it comes to catching a wave. Although the nearer the winter gets the less inviting the water seems, in reality it is actually warmer now than it was in May. Bearing this in mind as we woke up to snowy hills in Aviemore on Saturday morning, we tentatively decided to get ourselves to the Moray coast for a November wave. Fully kitted up in our 5mm wetsuits, boots, gloves and hoods we were sure we would be fine against the chill wind and North Sea.

We arrived at Sand End, just along the coast from Cullen and Buckie in the pouring rain and a howling gale. We did have second thoughts but we knew we did not have much time as it is early dark these November nights and it was already nearly 3pm. A swift glace at the waves told us it would be worth it and off we went, out into the wild storm. We had a great time. In fact it seemed to be a lot warmer and calmer in the water than on the shore. We got a good quota of waves and before we knew it were surfing in the near dark, pretty hard core if I do say so myself!

I love the fact that in Scotland you can easily come face to face with the native wildlife on your way to the beach or the hills or wherever you are headed. This majestic stag lives on the road from Helmsdale to the North coast. It is rutting season so he was out strutting his stuff. We were not sure if he had been impressing the ladies but we were certainly impressed.

Lesley McKenna
http://www.chunkyknit.com
Professional snowboarder, film maker and ambassador for Visitscotland. All sorts of outdoor sports from skiing to mountain biking and now mixes her time on the Snowboard World Cup Tour with time in Scotland doing these sports.

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