Thursday to Sunday – almost perfect

And I am saying “almost” because of the crowds… and also due to the fact that I’ve missed some great sessions because of work and wrong choices on where to go. Anyway, here are a few photos of what has this swell produced in the Bay. Excuse the past tense, but the swell has all but disappeared right now.

Let's start with Thursday...

Heavy beachbreak waves at home. Very fast right hand at low tide. I didn’t surf that day... and i should have.


Meñakoz is a heavy reefbreak near Bilbao, normally surfed when it’s huge (it is a proper big wave spot) but also when it’s not so huge. Courtesy of Sendoa.

Salinas (4 hours West) also delivered some nice waves on Thursday…

...as it did on Friday. All photos of Salinas courtesy of Clau via Contraola.


So did Anglet. Courtesy of Salerno.

There seems to be a shortage of photographers in France, at least of amateur surf photographers who load their daily shots on a blog or a website. Either that or there are lots of them in Spain… Btw, on Friday I surfed, again, the world’s worst beachbreak (WWB) and it was as bad as I expected.


The swell dropped on Saturday. Some nice peaks near the Cabo Peñas (Asturias) though. Photo from Chuck’s blog.

I went to Capbreton -on Saturday morning-, along with 3.000 other surfers. Actually, I believe that this photo (from Pablo Azkue through Alaplaya's e-surf magazine Gure North Shore mag) is from Friday... as on Saturday it was much busier than this. I think I might have been in the water a total of... 40 minutes??

And on Sunday the swell dropped…

…here –home- and…

…there (Soesto, outside the Bay; photo courtesy of Dani). And if you don’t believe me regarding the crowds, on Sunday I was on the beach at 7h30 am and there were some 12 surfers in the water already. And it wasn’t even “epic”.

Titbits:

(1) New entry on the Surfilm Festibal blog, this time I’m writing about the history of the theatre where the movies are normally screened. Check it out as it is quite unique.

(2) Across the border, the French Surf Film Festival is starting on Wednesday. I might go and have a look (programme on their website).

(3) Tomorrow I will be attending Surf Session’s (oldest French surf magazine) cocktail to celebrate their 250th monthly issue. Summer is definitely here.

(4) Just recently finished the last Huck. Well maybe not the last issue, but the last I have. Cool, although a bit too urban for an old surf dog like me. Currently reading the ‘Length and then it’s on to Carve, the Path and the Journal. Heavy duty indeed! On the other hand it seems that the last piece I wrote for 3sesenta has been quite well received –or so they say-. I’m very pleased to hear that, as big wave riding is not a subject I feel comfortable with (be it in or out of the water).

Over & out.