The remains of Hurricane Erin were throwing some big swells towards the UK today, which looked promising.

Unfortunately it was also sending 20mph+ winds across too, meaning the big swells were turning into blown-out, close-out mush :( 

But I decided to go down to Bracklesham to get back on the Ombe Ambassador 6'11 board that Clay shaped for me a year or three ago and which I hadn't ridden for a while.

Firstly, in a fit of enthusiasm when I got there, I decided to try to get out the back, but the conditions were just hectic for me, however I did manage to (sort of) achieve a few duck dives (Yay!) but...

... Important technique note: If you lose control of the board in a duck dive, it's a really good idea not to try to catch it in your teeth!

Ouch :( 

One slightly split lip (but no damaged teeth later), I decided to stay on the inside in the foam.

I was hoping that my recent experience with doing a short-board walk-up on my 8'2 Torq would help, except I was having great difficulties even catching anything.

Despite my best attempts to do the Oreo technique, so often either I was too far back so the wave just didn't push me, or I was too far forward and nose-diving.

Even when I did catch something, I wasn't managing the walk-up because as I was pushing down with my front knee, the nose of the board would pitch up, causing me to either lose the wave or not be able to get the front foot through. 

I did catch a few eventually and was actually in the right position for the webcam, so I could do a video I've wanted to do for a while.

Ok, the walk up wasn't great on this one either, but I was getting stacked on the front foot and being a lot more relaxed and stable. 

https://youtu.be/hZbAJzT-RXk

So it wasn't a great day, but at least there were some positive benefits from it.

Recently I got back from from 10 days holiday at Croyde in North Devon, although I actually spent a fair amount of it surfing at Saunton (the next beach along) because it has a more mellow wave.

I have to say that this was the best surfing I've had in over 20 years, the conditions were generally clean and with easy breaking waves which gave me the opportunity to practice without having to worry about wind chop or close outs.

Not only was I getting my shortboard walk-up working (I was using it for practice even though I mostly rode my 8'2!), but I was getting more stacked on the front foot and managed to compress and extend along the wave face.

Frustratingly, on the day I did my best surfing, I had forgotten to take my GoPro with me and I wasn't in the right place to get footage from the surf camera, but Hadyn Wood was there and witnessed it!

I also got to try out a better skate park than my usual one, which I did get some video of (will follow up with this in a later message), but it was depressing when I watched it back, thinking I was getting up the banking with my head low, only to see that the reality was a lot less impressive... 🙁

Oh well, it's an improvement anyway, so I'll take what wins I can get!