#but I'll definitely be taking this to Bristol this summer

[woodys-surf-shack]

Surf Log 006

Date: Sat 1st Jul 2023

Location: Highcliffe

Waves: 2-3+ ft

Journal: Damn, it's been a minute! Unfortunately I've been out of the water for about a month - after my last session I developed a minor ear infection that prevented me from surfing, then I was on holiday in the US for 2 weeks right after I recovered. I've really missed getting out on the waves and it felt so refreshing to finally ride again today.

I definitely felt a bit rusty but I soon got back up to speed. The start of the sesh was pretty quiet, I had a selection of nice little waves to myself for about an hour. As I've learnt previously, I need to take breaks and hydrate more frequently, which I actually did today. But by the time i headed back in the line up had become much busier. Probably the busiest I've ever seen it.

This wasn't too much of a problem though, as the waves were breaking along the entire stretch of the beach. I walked further down to where there were fewer people, and had some fun choppy waves to myself (pictured). I slowly made my way further up the beach, and it seemed the waves were only getting better. However I wrapped things up after about 3 hours, and thank god I did because I am now very sunburnt lol.

Overall it was a great session to clear away the cobwebs. I found myself feeling much calmer than in the past - most of the time I've got loads of adrenaline and I rush myself, rarely taking breaks and burning myself out a bit. But today I feel like I've grown up a bit and shaken off that mindset. It felt good to be patient and go with the flow of the water.

Learnings: Definitely remember to wear sunscreen during these summer months, even if it's not a super sunny day.

I wore my ear protection buds for the first time today, and I couldn't really tell if they were working. I guess I'll keep wearing them and see if I notice anything.

Now I've nailed the pop up, I find myself getting eager to turn. I think I'm in need of some longer lasting waves and a fibreglass board! Hopefully I can afford one within the next few months, then I can get down to Cornwall or The Wave in Bristol to catch those longer breaks.