Still Buzzing...

Tonight was nowhere near as glassy or clean as this but it was actually peeling some...

No hoods, no gloves and for Eugene no boots either! Spring evenings at the local...

(Both photos from a couple of years back by Danz. Check out a load of her actual shots and photography here!)

Surfed until I could literally surf no more tonight. Wasn't expecting much but conditions got bigger and better as the evening went on. Sure it was a bit crumbly and slow in places but the good 'ol longboard was loving life and for the local not to be closing out on 9/10 waves is a miracle in itself. Good to be surfing with the lads again too. Somewhere in the back of head I have this grand idea of myself being someone who doesn't follow the crowds too much but sharing the stoke with good mates in the water when waves are a plenty is hard too beat...

Backlit by Streetlight...

Backlit Huntington (By Hoang Khai Nhan)

Made it out to the local round 9 last night for a quick streetlight session. It wasn't big, it wasn't peeling but it was fun. A few seconds of slide is all it takes sometimes...

1720

After the snow came the sun (06/02/07)

Managed to grab 3 sessions in the last 3 days at 3 different spots. Yesterday was awesome. A sneaky lunch-time low tide session at a local spot that doesn’t break too often. I’ve always imagined it as a great longboard wave and yesterday was the first time to test my hypothesis. Sunday, plenty of size about but nowhere was truly firing and Saturday; weak, dribbly but strangely fun surf at a spot I haven’t been to in donkeys. But what stands out most was Saturday night after the surf, coming out of the water and the clock in the car showing 1720. I know spring has far from sprung but slowly, maybe, somehow, hopefully, we’re edging out of the frozen, dark and bleak mid-winter.

I love my longstick...

Unfortunately this photo was taken over a year ago, not last night, but fun longboard rights they are!

Enjoyed some damn fun rights last night. 3 of us out sharing waves on longboards hooting and a hollering into each one. Making some head way on the 'ol nose riding too, trying to get both feet up there instead of just stretching the one. Awesome...

Big, Brown and Closing out...

Yesterday looked pretty good from the shore but was one of those evenings when every wave you paddle for turns into unmakable closeout. Still good to be out in some decent sized surf again...

A long overdue update...

Although I've been blogged in nearly 6 weeks I've probably been surfing as much if not more than ever. Yours truly enjoying some Friday night fishing after some truly leg breaking footy.

The locals been having its days.

Different means of enjoying a late summer golden hour

Rick my housemate has well and truly caught the surf bug. Here he is crusing on the longboard.

Rickenjoying the view.

Yours truly pumping out the last of the long evenings

Whats the view from your sofa like?

The end of a great weekend...

Last orders. Twilight wave on Sunday night.

Owen trying to out run the horizon

Contrast

At least we won't be waiting long till the next run of swell

Had a great weekend surfing 6 times in 4 days. It wasn't always perfect but it was alot of fun. My Saturday morning on the fish and Sunday morning on the new longboard (I know, I've bought a longboard...) being the standouts. Looks like theres alot more to come aswell...

Moving...

Been some surprisingly good waves and weather over the weekend
and some stunning sunsets with the odd glassy wall at the local.

Moved back up to the North Coast late last week to start my PhD. Lack of internet access has meant I haven't been updating as regularly as I usually do but its damn good being back. 4 sessions in 4 days has totalled a mighty 8 miles of driving, compared to the minimum of a 60 mile return journey per session when I was living in Derry. The local hasn't exactly been firing but at same time I haven't been finding it anywhere near as fustrating as I did a couple of weeks ago!

Getting reacquainted (with fustration...)

Bodyboarder making the most of it early

Aaron finding a wave with a view

I just found frustration for the most part

Face wash and a hand barrel
Picking his spot on a glassy one

Bic and a fish.

Moving up north again next week as I start my PhD so I decided to get reintroduced with the soon to be local. This break has had some magic moments for me but also some highly frustrating ones. Today was unfortunately closer to the latter. Slow to pop, lacking confidence and constantly getting stuck behind the section. Bummed. Aaron however was having a ball on the bic. Early entry into the wave and trying to squeeze his 6'3 frame into 1 ft barrels and coming out grinning. Cheers to Ads too for taking the shots, stoked for ya bro getting along the face for the first time. Now there's no turning back to the land loving life...

Late night slide...

Evening glass at the local.

Ice cold glass. "Mr Muscles" and "Rear of the Year" giving it stacks at last nights formal.

Had a couple of quick waves before dark tonight at the local. Chest high, glassy and mellow. Would've been darn fun a longboard and made me wish I had headed down a bit earlier...

Guinness Time...

Aaron on a pint of the best

Rehab...

Summertime longboard peelers a couple of years back

After having the stuffing beaten out of me at footy last Wednesday, the knees felt good enough to go for quick rehab session at the local before lunch yesterday. The waves were small, offshores howling and the closeouts a plenty but it felt damn good to be out there again.

Saw Waveriders on Friday too when I was home working, t'was hard to resist really after reading Paudie's review. It isn't so much an out and out surf film but more a documentary telling the stories of Irelands (surprisingly) rich surf history to the current big wave exploits. Highlights, were seeing so many familar faces and having the north coast featured in a surf movie! The best was definetly saved for last though as the film ended with the Al Mennies, Richie Fitz et al's session at Mullaghmore at the end of 2007, the enormity of the waves really being conveyed by the big screen.

So if you've got a couple of free hours do yourself a favour and go see it here.

Silent Night...

Inscribed: In loving memory of Brian Connor Smyth 03.01.44 - 06.12.07 Here forever at his favourite place.


Starting to agree with you there mate.

Retro Loving...

Redeeming Rights

Grabbed the singlefin for a low tide sesh after a quick meeting in uni. Was struggling to begin with again but eventually got into the swing of things. Even had myself a couple of lightner inspired moments and whilst my surfing still probably looked far from impressive to any onlookers, it felt good to get that buzz back .

Swell by day. Snow by night...

Some size again today

Race this...

Up close and personal

Pulled back

And as night fell so did the snow

Singlefin Snowboard

Todays been awesome. Had to leave the car into the mechanics first thing was forced to keep her local. Swell was bigger and better than yesterday so I went behind the lends for a couple of hours instead and had a blast capturing the clear skies and offshores. Especially when it was followed by a wee dusting of snow before sitting down to fajitas and a couple of cool beers. Swell doesn't look like dropping much below 20ft over the next few days either. Madness!

Scraptastic...

Hope

Expectation

The lineup

The reality
Searching
The hills of Donegal

The cold walk back

Ice cold...

Didn't bring the camera today but heres one of yours truly at the local a while back.

.

Checked the local first thing this morning to find it junky and not quite doing its thing. Came back an hour before dark to find it small but clean and absolutely freezing. Suited up and grabbed the 7'2 for a change and to compensate for all that neoprene. Was the first time I can remember surfing the NSP since the summer and although it was easy to catch waves with I found it so unresponsive compared to the single fin or fish. Still i really would love to try a longboard for a bit. Early entry, bags of style or something that just feels cumbersome and dead underfoot? Gotta make that analysis for myself I guess...

What could've been...

Morning peelers

Only one guy out

More of those lines

Was up well before day break on Friday. We had the first hard frost of the winter and the place was sparkling in the morning sun. I knew that there was swell about and the light offshores would be grooming it into damn cold perfect lines.

Unfortunately I had my backside stuck to the chair at my desk finishing off a habitat conservation plan, whilst dreaming of ice cream headaches and some of the longest rides I've had in a while. Still I managed to snap these shots on my housemates cam on the way to class and at least capture some of the magic...