Easy on that neck...

 

Despite nearly missing our plane at Bristol airport early yesterday morning, we made it here with time enough to check out the excellent Stayecochic retreat and the surf. Tila, the man at the helm of Stayecochic, is a top bloke and happens, in his elder son Josh, to have a fine surfer for one of his offspring. Josh is the same age, give or take a week, as my Harry, and the pair of them snagged a few waves at Famara yesterday afternoon. I was stoked because, for the first time in seven months, I was in the sea again. I swam out through the cross-shore two to three foot waves and had no problems with the neck at all. It was great to be in the water with Harry again. Typically, I got a bit carried away and borrowed the 7ft board he was riding - just to see what it felt like to paddle again, you understand. Paddling felt fine so then I thought I'd better see if I was able to catch a wave. And then...

I only paddled for a couple of waves, and both were small, but I bottled the take-off on the first one and on the second felt a very nasty twinge in my my neck as I pushed on the rails to jump up. This led me to abandon this wave, too. I gave the board back to Harry and swam in.

I'd experienced a similar twinge in London last weekend and back then it left me with a wonky left leg for a day. I knew, therefore, that discretion was the better part of valour. Surfing has to wait a while yet. But I remain stoked: I can now swim in the sea again, so back home in Cornwall may well take to swimming out to the line-up while Harry is surfing. (I'll try not to get in anyone's way.)

Meanwhile, I had the pleasure of bumping into Kirsty Jones yesterday, a lady who is one of the best kitesurfers in waves in the world. I interviewed Kirsty for Surf Nation on a sodden autumn day in Llangennith a few years ago but this time happened upon her in a bikini on a bed in the house of Dennis Smith, an Aussie emigre with North Devon connections who runs Centrepoint Surf Lanzarote. Kirsty was mid-massage, this being another of Dennis's skills, which he demonstrated by quickly having a go at my knackered left calf (with fine results - it feels good today). Dennis has also loaned Harry a 6"0' thruster and is taking him and Josh out for a few waves later, probably in the La Santa area. The hangover I have from a night out with Tila and the Stayecochic crew means that even if fit, I reckon I'd be beachside for this one. 

More soon. Until then, vaya con dios.

Pictured: Kirsty Jones, in her element.

Comments

[phil]

As you say so yourself, "easy on that neck"...i'm looking forward to reading about your first wave, but maybe a little later in the year ?
Did you decide to Twitter in the end ?

[Gram]

That Jones woman hasn't got much going for her has she?
Kite surf...World Class;
Long Board, Short Board Looks like she is well beyond the average.....

and she is no moose either.

One assumes Mrs Wade is chained to her easel back in Trou de Souris?

On the flight thing, it looks like you made it out of Brissol in the nick of time as the Icelanders have been flashing the ash again...

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