Xmas Day Swim : Budleigh Salterton

Had a great start to Xmas Day this morning. Met up with Mitch, Helen, Tony, and Claire to do the Xmas Day Swim. There were LOADS of people doing the swim and also loads watching. Was a 'right laugh' :0)

About time for an update !!!! (22 October 2016)

Yep....been lazy as hell(man) in terms of updating this Blog. Far from it in the real world though...... had some decent surfs including a recent session on Croyde Reef.......and this great 2hr session at Black Rock, Bude today (22 October 2016). This groundswell was loooong range off the back of the recent hurricane that smashed the Carribian and US. 12 second period, offshore and as clean as ya like!

Doubt very much whether any of 'Team Snugg' will be viewing any of this - all basically got old and stopped surfing years ago :0)))  Booooo.

However, if by chance any of you guys can remember 'the feeling' (the one only a Surfer knows) .....here are some pics to get the old juices flowing.

Marine Drive : Sat 10th October 2015 - clean surf - 2 hour plus session,

Long range, grainy as hell photos - from distance using mobile camera :0)

5 KM SWIM (3 MILES - 200 LENGTHS) - "SWIMATHON 2015"

Thanks to all of you who sponsored me for "Swimathon 2015".

£140 was raised for Marie Curie - a great cause.

The event took place on Saturday 18 April and I completed the 5km swim (200 lengths) in 82 minutes 53 seconds.

Thanks again ........... Nathan 

Easter Sunday (5 April 2015) - "Go West" Bude......

Easter - A 'Religious' Experience.

Yet again the extra few miles West paid off with some lovely glassy surf (while North Devon remained flaaaaaaat as!). The sun shines on those who make the effort ................  

22/3/15: Croyde Session

Cracking 2.5hr session on the banks at Croyde today .............

Huge tides (10.2m) - "eclipse" tide.
Fun waves - stoked !

27 September 2014: Marine Drive session with 'Santa' ;0)

Saturday 27 September 2014 produced a rare, but very welcome, sighting of the elusive MV ‘Santa’ species. Previously thought to be extinct, sightings of this essentially landlubbing mammalian creature in the ocean are reported on average just - once each year (hence, the ‘Santa’ sub-species classification by experts at the Natural History Museum).


More recent, reported (but unproven - due to poor visibility) sighting of this species include one of a ‘Scuba-Santa’ frantically swimming to the surface with what appeared to be one flipper and huge wide scary eyes in the London area. It is thought that this animal may have been ill or wounded as a trail of excrement was also reported in the area.

Yesterday’s sighting at Marine Drive, Woolacombe, North Devon was something far more majestic – a fully fit and healthy looking specimen was observed over a period of almost two hours in the surf zone. Photographic evidence is unfortunately unavailable – some say this animal is covered in a strange anti-photo ‘slime’ making it invisible to standard digital photography equipment.

In classic 3ft clean / glassy surf conditions amazed bystanders reported seeing the ‘Santa’ animal taking off on set waves and (quote) – “flying down the line”. Local resident Bob Crabapple described the sighting as ‘truly wonderful’ – “We had almost given up on ever seeing a ‘Santa’ again on our shores – sightings during the 1990’s and early 2000’s were relatively common but rumour had it that this creature had become extinct. We are frankly ‘stoked' to see it once again.”

In fading light around 7:15pm it was even reported that an ‘amorous encounter’ may have occurred between the ‘Santa’ and a local dolphin (or porpoise). Dolphin ‘chatter’ along with a strange ‘wet slapping’ noise was reported from the line-up . It was a “beautiful moment” said Doris Grundy – local farmer’s wife and North Devon resident.

The producers of BBC’s “SpringWatch” were reported as being “totally gutted” at missing this sighting. Chris Packham said that the team had spent years setting up trip-cameras and sub-aqua sonar equipment all along the coast in a last-ditch attempt to track down and film this creature. “Somehow it managed to get to the shoreline and into the water without tripping any of our cameras – it’s a complete mystery”.

The final moments of yesterday’s sighting were of an ‘exhausted but happy’ Santa climbing the sand dunes at the back of the beach and disappearing into the darkness.

If you have any reported sighting of ‘Santa’ please contact us at #SantaSightings/NDev.

21 September 2014: Local knowledge pays off ! - The Legendary "Spaghetti Point"

With half the world lacking any real local surf knowledge - and logging onto surf websites to avoid having to "think for themselves" ....... the masses will have ended up at Woolacombe or Widemouth in pretty average, and crowded, surf. 

With K2 buoy only reading 8ft and on a 16 second wave period, knowing where the long range groundswell would converge, and at what state of tide ----- errr, helps !!

This is was what 25 years of regular local surfing rewards you with :

THE LEDGENDARY 'SPAGHETTI POINT'. 

[A "CLASSIC" SESSION]

Happy Birthday to me Happy Birthday to me! :0) 25/8/2014

A 2.5hr session .......kinda small surf but good clean fun ; 0)

More surfing ! :0) ........Wed 23 July 2014 : Bude.

March - July: Well there have been a fair few surf sessions since the last update in March ...but ive been very lax in updating the blog. Here are a few:

Sunday 9 March 2014 : First session since Boxing Day - but "worth waiting for huh !!!!!" ....... WOW. (....... I surfed Puts)

WED 9 OCT 2013: Once more with feeling ;) ...................... Saunton "Speed" Session (NOT) - Muchos Funos tho.

Well ........... it's a Wednesday so what better way to celebrate "mid week" than a day off and a SURF ! :-)

NW weather system and a big drop in temperatures due by this afternoon so having assessed the swell charts, wind forecast and tides it was an early morning 'NW' Saunton high tide call. NW'lies are renowned for being the curse of the N Devon and Cornwall surf break. Saunton shelter at high tide is pretty much the only option unless the swell is pumping and Harlyn is "on".

It was surprisingly fun to be honest - probably 2ft with the odd three foot set but a pretty clean groundswell....and nice and uncrowded. The only problem with Saunton, as anyone who has surfed there will (or should) know is that it is gutless and slow - so it's pretty much a lazy carvey session rather than dropping into anything substantial and putting the board on rail for a turn. Fun for a mid-week bonus session though.

Now watching the Rip Curl Pro Portugal 2013 in the Riverside Cafe, Braunton .................. so pics of today's session will appear (as if by magic) later today once i've sorted them out.

Outta here for now ................... The Hellman. :-)

and the pics .............

Bude - Saturday 28 September 2013 : Early morning session in b.b.b.beautiful clean 2-3ft peeling surf - 3 hours of UTTER BLISS ! :-)

Where the hell has the Hellman been !?!? :-)

Well, yes I admit it I have been very very very lazy in terms of updating the "Hellman Surf" blog .......but FAR from actually lazy over the last 6 months.  :0)

I've been surfing some, trail running some, and over the summer - training for and doing a massive 102 mile kayak expedition with my good buddy Ryan (Hooper) - Birmingham to Aylesbury down the Grand Union Canal. It was absolutely bloody EPIC. Training consisted of a 3 weekly marathon 20 - 30 mile kayaks on the Exeter Canal. The trip itself was a full on 12-14 hour per day ----5 day endurance'athon over 102 miles and 107 lock systems. A fantastic experience.

Check out the Expedition Report recently published on the "Advanced Elements Kayaks" website:

http://www.advancedelementskayaks.co.uk/article.php/75/grand-union-canal-trip-report--102-miles---107-locks-/2b9ba57f1d2e444bed912c0793e93890

Back in the game baby !!!!!................ wooooooooooooooyeah  

THE GRIZZLY 2013 .......... Av it ...........!!

Yeah – this is a surfing blog but for the last 5 months I’ve been in serious training for something a ‘little bit different’ – THE GRIZZLY 2013! Trust me it deserves a mentioned on “The Hellman” pages ……

The big day was “Sunday 10 March 2013” and conditions were forecast to be TOUGH. Race organisers had even sent a ‘warning email’ advising all runners to get ready for hell. Extraction points had been set up along the route where stewards would remove any broken / injured runners. This is no jog in the park and Grizzly “Survivor” T-Shirts are only given to those who complete the entire 21 miles.  

 It went a bit like this:

21 miles
3900ft total elevation – LOTS OF HILLS!!! (Mnt Snowden is just 3560ft!)
 zero degree temperatures
minus something in the biting wind-chill up on the cliff tops.
Driving snow and rain.
Deep slippery mud throughout the course.
2 sections of shingle beach running.
2 river crossings
1 knee to thigh deep section of bogs ! (lots of trainers lost in there!)
 4hrs plus (16mins) of tough trail running (and at times steep scrambling!)

BRING IT ON !!!!! This was an ideal Hellman challenge. I loved every muddy, painful mile of it.

The first 10 miles were cold / muddy but fine. The next 5 were tougher. Then the bog section was really tough and you come out of there covered in heavy mud and straight into a hill climb. Then another river crossing, a 2 mile beach section, a ridiculously steep cliff step climb from beach level back up to the cliff top, more forest path sections, then the final 3 miles through Beer village and back to Seaton and the finish line – by that stage absolutely knackered but still going for the finish line and a ridiculous sprint (short sprint!) finish. Woooooooooooooooooooooo yeah. “Survivor” . Job done. :0))))))))

BEFORE:

 AFTER (21 miles later !!!) ....

Brass Monkeys ! ......but fun ------ Puts 23 Feb 2013

With tundra conditions well and truly established over the last week or so it is F’in Freeeeeeezin man ! Trail running over cliff tops in -2 degree wind chill for 2hrs over and over for the last 5 months has hardened me up mind so the prospect of a surf was ON.

The swell was pure long range groundswell and with light NE’lies and a massive 15 second wave period the c.c.c.cold just had to be ignored. It was all double rashie and twat’cap-tastic but well worth the effort.

A quick blast of miniature snow / hail ended the session – but a few nice clean and solid rides were in the bag. A hot pasty and a big mug of Bovril was very much earned and needed.

Here are a few pics:

Also, just discovered that I have had over 3,000 views from peeps all over the globe (literally – 14 different countries from Canada to Indo). QUALITY :-) ……..

Back in the game ............... :-) (in, not "on")

So where have I been for the last five months since the last Hellman Blog update? Surfing uncrowded perfection in Indo? Getting a deep “travel tan” while backpacking across the globe? On a mission to ‘find myself’ in a Byron Bay hippie colony? Errrrr………no.

I have been running mile after mile after mile through the mud and cold, up hills, down hills, and up more hills ………training for THE GRIZZLY – 21 miles of X-Trail on 11 March 13.

Well, that ……. Plus buying a house, having a swanky new kitchen fitted, and working my nuts off during the 2011/12 “Tax Season” (oh joy!) ;-)
Surfing-wise ------- there has been the odd session – nothing much to write home about to be honest – just a few 2-3ft cold, dark, and misty winter sessions.


Today however was different – a strange yellow object appeared above us and the sky changed from matt grey darkness to pure cobalt blue. It was time to get back on the board and surf!!!!

I surfed Saunton alone for a few hours of crisp 3ft clean fun and loved every damn minute. It was a great session. Cold but fantastic.

My intended surf companions had let me down due to a combination of factors – essentially “homo” related it seems :0) ……. A real shame as at one point it looked as if a good’ole “Team Surf” was on the cards. Next time………………… I hope.

I am hoping that today will mark the start of some improved weather (but I’m not holding my breath) …….. fingers crossed.

Six more weeks of training and then the big day (The Grizzly) – then I will hopefully emerge in the Spring – to surf regularly once more :0)))))) Really looking forward to it …..

Laters ………………….. The Hellman

One of the previously unblog'd cold Saunton Sessions:

A more recent and much cleaner / slightly warmer session:

7am - SUPER-PUTS .......... Saturday 4th August 2012

Another very early start but well worth it (as you can see!)

BIG Spring Tide (9.1) - 7am

Saunton 24 July 2012 ........Nice Nice Nice !!!

- Its a Tuesday - most surfers at work.
- Its 74 degrees!
- Its solid 3ft with 4ft sets on a 10 second wave period.
- There is no wind (glassy as!)
- The kooks are getting cleaned up by the sets so cant get out back (good!)
- I'm out back with only about 15 surfers along the entire length of Saunton.

3 HOURS OF TOTAL AND UTTER BLISS !!!!!!..........................................................