Drift Surfing » Saunton

A quiver approach

Howard — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 10:48:01 +0000

Purveyor of fine surf films Chris Preston shares the contents of his shed with us, pulling out a few foam gems and some unexpected items.

Finely recorded at our local break, Saunton Sands, by Mr Jamie Bott of Bottworld, Chris talks us through the whys and wherefores of owning an extensive collection of boards. Cake and pies are being prepared for the contributors as I write. Read the feature here.

Happy Faces

Chris P — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:55:55 +0000

There’s something special about the first day of a new swell….

A palpable excitement in the air, the carpark filled with happy faces and anticipation. Often it means seeing people for the first time in a couple of weeks, especially in winter. The air is filled with the sounds of van doors closing, wax being rubbed onto boards and friendly banter as everyone gears up to hit the water, sure of fun waves in good company.

For me it’s even more special if it’s early on a crisp autumn morning like this day, a rare morning when the only people at the beach were the regulars and a few early risers walking their dogs. Walking to the waters edge with friends, smiles wide, faces full of anticipation.

Although we moan about the number of people in the water, in reality, i’m sure surfing in solitude the whole time would be pretty boring. I have no doubt that the interaction between the regular faces “sharing the stoke” to use a hackneyed phrase, and the sense of community that each beach has, really adds something to the surfing experience for me.

Our beach is long enough to get a good peak to yourself if you are prepared to hike far enough yet most of us rarely bother unless the crowd numbers are past ridiculous. Happy to sacrifice a few waves a session to others for the pleasure of shared experiences.

In case you were wondering, chest high & reeling, keel fish & big smiles!

Devon Lanes and Longboards

Howard — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 15:51:37 +0000

The trailer for Andy Haworth’s new film, ‘Devon Lanes and Longboards’, arrived this morning, and lovely it looks too. Here’s a sneak preview – we’ll keep you posted on a release date, anticipated to be late 2009.