Catching up...

Team leader Tommy no more... After working in Tesco for the past 5 years, I worked my final shift last Saturday.

Unsuccessfully searched for some Donegal delight on Sunday before heading off to see Maria in Scotland at the on Monday. Derry to Dundee, £55 return by bus and boat and only 11 1/2 hours each way...

Came back late last night and got up first thing this morn to catch some of yesterdays swell on the pushing tide.

Fortunately the early bird did catch the worm.

Aaron caught some sun too...

Don't drop your camera. I did and this is the result . The hunt for some replacement parts for one of my lens commences...

As the tide and swell dropped we ventured round the corner.
Thinking about it...

Quite liked the look of this Al Merrick

North Coast boat trip, not looking so much like Indo...

In the garden...

Decided to take the lower legs of an old winter suit tonight in the hope of some warmer sessions this summer

I conveniently remembered from an old Surfers Path article that wetsuit off-cuts make awesome beer holders

Don't think I've ever actually posted a picture of my quiver. From left to right 6'6 singlefin, 6'2 twin keel fish, 6'0 quad, all made by Escape surfboards.

The current quiver and current banner

Anything but three

Enjoying some unexpected evening rays...

Observations for a Dissertation...

Beach state observation site #6 (small but would've been fun on the singlefin)

West of Site #3 (Strong onshores but still worth a go)

Access problems

Left the parents round 6 to catch low tide and make some beach state field observations for my dissertation. 250 miles of driving, 8 sites observed and 100 odd photos. Resisted the temptation to bring a couple of boards despite last weeks anti-climax (Only got out one day after an anticipated and hyped "week of surf") and ended up doing some mind surfing instead. Remember the North West Surf Clubs Spring Classic this weekend in Ballyhiernan. Looks like a bit of a wild forecast but I'm always told they're great events!

Fieldwork...

Big Al cruising on a big board

Classmates in the foreground, John crusing in the background

Spent yesterday arvo doing fieldwork on East whilst keeping an eye on John and co enjoying the small surf and great weather. I too soon exchanged ranging poles for the quad but found it tough going to catch anything as the tide pushed and the waves got increasingly messy. Props to the young guy who was having a ball on the longboard though!

Road to Redemption

No need for a name... (and not my photo)

Westerlies were blowing up north when I woke this morning so decided to hit the road for some redemption after Fridays escapades. Managed to grab some lunch with the parents and pick up a couple of mates on the way and were thankfully rewarded with some decent waves. Still not surfing the way I want to be and struggling to find my feet with this new board (sometimes literally!) but it was hard to wipe the smiles of our faces after a couple of steep lefts. Perhaps a day not so good for the carbon footprint though...

One of those days...

Last nights cinematic inspiration didn't seem to help much today...

Captain kook himself

Meant to head out early this morning with Aaron but succumb to the battle of the duvets and
instead headed out round lunchtime. Yet despite the decent waves I didn't seem to be catching many. Hesitation, too far outside, too far inside and becoming cold and tired waaay to quickly were my problems. I'm not even gonna call them excuses. I just wasn't good. Fair play to Jamie though in catching more waves that probably the rest of the lineup combined and check out some of the sweet fishes rosy's just posted!

New Arrival...

Not 1, not 2, not 3 but 4!

Gone fishing...

A boy and his board.

Surprise! Somebody got themselves a quad today... Been finding the twin fin a bit fat lately and had my eye on this board when I saw escape had marked 20% of it. I just couldn't resist! Came home from class late, promptly put the fins in as well as the thinnest layer of wax possible and headed to the local to enjoy some onshore closeout slop before dark. Didn't really catch much but I've already noticed that it has much more drive than the twin fin and is also gonna force my surfing to progress that bit more. Really can't wait to give it a proper go!