Sunny Days, Calm Waters
During the past few weeks the waves have been virtually non-existent and the ocean has been flat (as I mentioned in my yoga for surfers post). However, in times like these, you have to look on the bright side of things. Fortunately for us, that wasn’t too hard at all, as no swell meant… GREAT weather!
Instead of waves gracing the shores of Cornwall, we had HEAT GLORIOUS HEAT. The sun shone down on Cornwall for longer than usual, leaving us all a bit shell-shocked, thinking summer had finally arrived! The flat ocean surface and the calm sea meant that all the sediment was able to settle for a week or two. This left the sea beautifully still, calm and most importantly, crystal clear!
I set off for a run early one morning down to Porth along to Mawgan Porth. I was stopped just 5 mins into my run as I peered over to gaze at Whipsy. This is where I laid starry eyes upon the gorgeous turquoise waters down below. The sea was the calmest I’d seen it for a long time and you could see just about everything underwater. Immediately I felt the urge to run down, rip all my clothes off and jump in to the crystalline shallows and wallow all day; snorkelling and exploring caves and rock pools.
I picked up the pace on my run just so I could get home quicker to go for a refreshing dip. Once home I made a dash for my bikini, towel and snorkel. In all the excitement, I completely forgot my GoPro, which would’ve been perfect for capturing the clarity of the water.
I made tracks down to Porth and found that the tide had gone out a fair bit. It was still early so there weren’t too many walkers around. I found a secret little spot that is normally hidden under the water, but due to big tides, this little gem had been uncovered by the low tide. In my private rockpool, I shed my layers down to my swimming costume and dived into the water. It was cold, a little take-your-breath-away cold, but I soon got used to it and actually felt warm after a few strokes.
I couldn’t get over how clear the water was. I have a bit of an obsession with clear water, it is seriously one of my favourite things about the ocean. All the greatest surfs I’ve ever had have all been imprinted in my memory, mainly due to the fact they all took place in crystal clear waters, when the surf has been 3ft and super clean. It’s my absolute dream! Every time I see clear water I can’t help myself, I just want to jump straight in there!
I spent the rest of the morning, wading through little pools, discovering hidden caves, finding little fishies, the occasional crab and the odd jellyfish. I had to tear myself away at some point as I’d forgotten to pack a bottle of water. The sun and the heat was starting to make me feel a tad parched, so I made tracks up Whipsy steps. Not before taking plenty of snaps to prove how beautiful the beach and the water looked.
I left feeling incredibly happy to have found something to do when there wasn't any surf. Next time I’m going to go out in search of a paddle board, or possibly even try and buy one second hand. Paddle-boarding would’ve been perfect on a day like this. I did actually spot a few cruising around on the still surface later on in the day and it looked pretty dreamy.
