Why Surf? // Feature Article for Still Stoked

I recently wrote a piece for the lovely Alexa of Still Stoked called "The Reasons We Surf"

I’ve found myself all too often becoming so frustrated in the water where I’ve had to leave and call it a day. Other times I’ve been so frightened I worked myself into a mild panic attack; catching a wave to shore and waiting until my erratic breathing subsided and hands stopped shaking until I could paddle back out.

I had a particularly disheartening surf during the summer, where I couldn’t catch a wave and proceeded to be held under after a close out pummelled me to the sand bar, holding me under for longer than I would’ve liked. I came up spluttering and on the verge of tears of frustration. At the shoreline, I couldn’t stop thinking… Why exactly have I chosen this sport in particular? Especially when the rewards are seldom and few between.

Later that evening, I drew up a list of reasons why I surf and why I've dedicated much of my time to becoming a better surfer. I shared these views with StillStoked who was also keen to share my thoughts.Thank you!xx

If you are new to surfing and need a few suggestions to get you in there, or you are continually feeling exasperated in the water, then please feel free to have a little read. 

I hope this gives incentive to carry on surfing regardless. For me, the good reasons always outweigh the bad. 

Enjoy...

Madrugadas Salvadoreñas // Immersion Surf Magazine Feature Article

"The Woman's Voice of Surf"

I wrote a piece that's been featured on the online publication of Immersion Surf Magazine. 

So happy for my work to be published in this female focussed surf and adventure mag. I wrote about my experience traveling and surfing in El Salvador earlier this year. I fell in love with the culture, the climate, the waves and the people whilst over there. It's my dream to return and surf those waves once again. To reunite with the people I was so fortunate to have met whilst over there.

I wrote this piece to share the love of the country, but also share with other solo female travellers that it is a safe place to visit. It is safe if you act as any sensible traveller should. I encountered absolutely no trouble here. Just be wise and don't place yourself in difficult situations. 

Enjoy x

El Salvador // K59

The morning of departure from our base in El Tunco arrived. We rose at 5am, set the coffee on the stove, layered up with suncream, waxed the boards, sipped at the rich caffeine filled treat swirling around in our mugs, and made our way through the quiet early morning street of El Tunco. Only the birds singing their morning songs and the dogs hauling themselves off the roadsides accompanying our morning reverie.

We surfed until 10am, right after right peeling across the line up. Smiles plastered across our faces. We only stopped because we knew if we left early enough, we might be able to squeeze in another morning surf at K59 before the arrival of the midday wind. We caught our last waves in, bidding an ‘Hasta luego amigos, nos vemos otra vez, estoy seguro!” to Dennis and his mates. We made tracks back up the volcanic sand beach where the heat of the sun had already scorched the surface. We bought our last papaya juice and quickly packed up our board bags before the heat of the day kicked in. We were ready for a ride over to the next stop on our trip.

El Salvador’s Pacific coastline is littered with limitless rocky right hand point breaks. We had researched the breaks before we arrived, reading up as much as we could about the various spots; where was heaviest (Punta Roca), which break had the busiest crowds (Tunco) and where was quietest, but we still never really knew quite what to expect.

El Salvador // El Tunco

Clare and I learnt to surf together back at university 7 or 8 years ago now. We would head down to the closest beach, mid-winter, head to toe in neoprene. Wetsuits too big. Gloves laced with holes, barely keeping our fingertips warm. We learnt to surf on the North coast, catching a ride wherever possible from the south. Neither of us had a car, it was our first year of uni, we didn’t really have a clue what we were doing but we headed out in the walls of white water anyway. I still remember running Clare clean over on my 8ft swell board as if it were only yesterday!



We swore to each other we would keep on surfing. We were hooked. The bitterly northerlies, and relentless whippings from the cold Atlantic failed to deter us. We were addicted, and from these early winter days, we both knew we were in it for the long haul. We promised ourselves, repeatedly over and over again, that we would get better. We would keep trying, keep practising, never giving up. We wanted to get out back, paddle past that great churning wall of white water the Atlantic threw at us day in, day out. We wanted to travel the world for surf, seeking out new destinations, tropical surf spots we had only read about. These goofy teenagers in their hole-ridden, rented wetsuits made a pact between themselves.

No Two Surfs Are The Same

The weekend just passed was filled with surf, a little bit of sunshine (mainly fog) and friends a plenty. We started by kicking off the Friday evening with a fun surf under the grey skies at Watergate. The following evening, the waves were supposedly smaller so I swapped the 5"6 I had been trying the previous night and took out my 6"10 mini mal at Penhale. The sea fret rolled over onto the north coast, covering the beach in a thick layer of fog.

One Day // Porto De Mos

The photos below were taken on an unforgettable day. This was from one of the shorter trips I was fortunate enough to take to the Algarve, Portugal, at the beginning of December 2017. The mornings were crisp, yet still a firm few degrees warmer than the Cornish shores around this time of year. 

We had a couple days of rain and strong winds as a large swell hit the West coast...

Portugal // A Solo Adventure

Last year, before the summer crowds descended upon Cornwall, I hopped on a short flight from Newquay to Faro for my first solo surf trip to Portugal. I left with the intention of seeking out new waves, to dust off my shorty wetsuit and feel the warmth of Portuguese sunshine on my bare skin. I was hoping for an adventure, an opportunity to explore, to eat Pastel de Nata's fresh from the bakery every morning, to stroll down cobbled streets in the warmth of an early summer evening's breeze, to wake early and surf a new break every day, and to ultimately, meet some new people along the way...

Whipsy // Autumn Swells

This isn't my usual post. My posts are usually upbeat and celebrating all the positives about Cornwall; the ocean, health, well-being, and all the good things that come with this life here in this beautiful place I am lucky enough to call home! I have been struggling mentally, emotionally and physically the last few months, for a number of reasons.

It wasn't until this night, after having been in the water, that I felt I could write about it. After countless nights of not being able to sleep until 2am/3am in the morning, and even then, consistently waking up throughout the night; I felt I could finally put something down. 

Late Spring Evenings

The bank holiday weekend just gone, treated us to a couple of days of sunshine and swell, after an arduous month of a millpond ocean.

A Special Day On The North Coast

A few weekends back we were treated to a lovely few days of swell here on the North coast...

A Crisp Cornish Winter

Let's face it, surfing in the British winter (pretty much the whole of the Northern Hemisphere's winter) can be a bit much at times...

But then again, when it looks like this...

Summer Days // Watergate Bay

As you will have seen from some of my previous posts, Clare and I upped the levels of stoke this summer. Despite working long hours during the peak season down here in Cornwall, we always managed to find the time to get in the ocean. We've had our fair share of early rises before a long ass shift or a quick power surf post-work catching the last of the day's waves before the sunset, all to wipe away the stresses of the day in an attempt to make us feel human again!

Party Waves

After our photo-surf session we felt we really needed to get a few shots of our next surf doing its thing in the sunshine. We wanted shots to show Cornwall does get beautiful, fun days of waves in the sunshine, to prove we’re not always surfing in the mizzle and drizzle of Cornwall’s mighty rainclouds! 

Courtesy of Clare James Photography.

Two Surfs A Day // Keeps The Doctor Away

We’ve been having a pretty fun time here in Cornwall this summer. Despite the gloomy first few weeks of August, we’ve managed to fit in some memorable surfs on some of our favourite beaches. Clare and I managed to time a few of our days off together so we could explore and embark on a few more of our surfing safaris we love so much. However, this time we decided we are going to document it, not just on land, but in the water too...

Two Days Of Gold

Somehow I managed to time my days off perfectly to coincide with the arrival of the new swell!

As promised by the wave gods, the clean, offshore waves predicted were finally, and very kindly delivered to our doorstep. Those days spent surfing the mush in optimistic preparation of surfing a proper slice of swell well and truly paid off. What can I say...  heading in whatever the weather, whatever the wave was damn good advice!

Whatever The Weather // Whatever The Wave

"IF IN DOUBT... PADDLE OUT!"

This article may be a bit kooky, but I was  hoping it might inspire some other learners to get out there no matter what! I was chatting to Clare in the car on our way back from a cold and windy surf at Fistral, about how much better it is to get out for a surf even when the conditions are not ideal, than to just sit at home, watching the webcam praying to the wave gods in the hope that it might get better! That shit is just boring... and it'll most likely drive you a little insane!

We starting talking about all the benefits of surfing in all sorts of conditions and it got me inspired to get out there even more, quit moaning about the mush and just go SURF! So I decided to write a little KOOKY post about why you should get out there WHATEVER THE WEATHER, WHATEVER THE WAVE... I hope you find it inspires you to get out there whenever you can, the benefits are endless...

Hmmm... Is it worth it?

Embracing Foggy Horizons

Down ere in Cornwall we got a bit caught out by this "Heatwave". We didn't actually get any of the 25 Degree sunshine predicted for the rest of the UK, which sucked big time! Instead, we were graced with a good 3 or 4 days worth of fog!

Surfing // Messanges

After the initial storm swell began to die down a little, the surf got good, and I mean REAL GOOD (for me anyway)! As the waves got a little smaller, Matty and I were able to surf together more. And as a result, we had some of the most incredible surfs together we've ever had.

Clean French Mornings

Les Casernes

We woke in Les Casernes the next morning to the sound of the waves. The swell had well and truly kicked in and the waves were booming in. We cycled up to the beach to view it from the lookout point. There we saw 6ft bombs hoofing in, lining up the beach for miles. My legs felt a little jelly-like on seeing these thunderous beasts.

Waking Up In Biscarosse

The next morning we woke with the sunrise, albeit a bit of a cloudy one. I opened the van to the sight of the pine trees towering overhead.

The aire de camping was busy but there were only a few campers up and ready and taking their first sip of coffee in the dewy morning.