Winter surfing isn’t the easiest in the UK. Grotty weather, cold temperatures, relentless onshores and less than perfect surf conspire to make thongs quite hard work. Yet every now and again a window opens where Mother Nature decides to give surfers a break and let you score clean (good) waves.
They don’t even need to be big. A solid 2ft clean peeler will suffice – especially if the sun’s shining. Crisp bluebird days, even when mercury levels measuring air temperatures are only just registering double digits, can feel as warm as a summer’s day when it’s windless. Even a light offshore won’t do much to dampen the feeling and spoil the waves.
Sliding sideways in blissful contentment will see those stoke fire burning bright long after your session has ended. Of course, any dedicated/addicted wave head will hear the calling all too soon. But in the interim, a decent sesh will tide you over until the next time.
Stoke is surfer term, as any salty type will be well aware. Ultimately though it’s a word that sums up contentment, happiness and in some ways calm. Winter surfing can be more stoke inducing than any high season sesh and serve a reset for most of us who ride. A return to balanced equilibrium will help when dealing with day to day trials and tribulations.
If you’re still able to get out and ride and are actually doing so then lap it up. Days like these don’t come round all that often so make the most of them when they appear.
Why not check out teh following blog posts from NCW’s archive –