Brittany Trip... Session 4 - At least I can say I have...

I awoke before the sun this morning. Hastily flung on some clothes, packed some water and pain au chocolat and tip toed my way through the campsite to get to the car. Once in I set the Sat Nav for Leyde and off I went...

For those who don't know it, Leyde (known as Les Roches Blanches by the locals) is a very classy point setup needing a good sized W-NW swell and SW-SE winds. You will understand my sense of excitement then when I saw this local forecast:

I got to the little carpark, headed down the track and....

SMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLL!!!

Still, this is a local classic and I'm on holiday so what the f*ck eh?  Paddled out, had 3 waves and even got a glide going on one or two but the waist high waves and a dropping tide meant I was clunking around on bare rock a lot of the time. Good job mats are what they are. A board would've been dinged to bits.  Still, I can now say I've surfed Les Roches Blanches. Beautiful set up and would love to get back here when it's really on and like I say, the middle section on the ones I had was a delight.

After hopping out I nipped up the coast to look at Pors Theolen but that was dumping and Baie was well over head, closing out with a monster paddle. All the south coast spots were blown out but I did the tour just to see them which was good fun.

Sun's out too so it looks like MSW got the weather wrong. :-) Gonna have a bash at carp fishing with Webbo in a mo.

Cheers

G

Brittany Trip... Session 3 - Lumps, Bumps and Pleasingly Long Rights

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....

That my friends is the exhillation one emits after a really rewarding surf.  This avo saw me hit Baie des Trépassés with Jim at around 2.30pm (that's 1.30 proper time). We were met by a moderate cross shore wind and a solid and building swell.

There were a few out but not as many as you'd expect due to the bloom of green algae which plays havoc with leashes. Obviously, that's not something I've had a problem with. :-) The other problem with Green Algae is that it is seriously poisonous when dry.

I'm reliably informed that it has killed a horse!!! (What he was doing in the sea is anyone's guess).

Anyway, Jim and I were not perturbed and paddled out to a peak which we pretty much had as our own. Very bumpy but also very long rights which we shared as party waves for the most part.

Jim was riding a very interesting bodyboard/paipo hybrid thing which almost kept pace with G-Mat 3 (not quite though).  Unfortunately, cramp ended Jim's session after an hour or so and his leaving seemed to curse the peak leaving me with head+ closeouts and a mother of a paddle.

Nonetheless I came out smiling. I had some great rides today and G-Mat 3 also showed herself to be The Tank she was intended to be coming through some decent poundings unscathed.

Anyway, off to bed now, I hopefully have an appointment with a renound point break in the morning.

Cheers

G

Brittany Trip... Session 2 - Mush Burgers to Go Please...

OK then. Session 2 found us at Baie des Trépassés on Jim's advice. This is basically the most swell hungry spot in the immediate area so was certainly a good call. We took a peek at the beautiful St Tugen first but the north in the swell meant that really wasn't getting a look in.  Anyway, I decided to pass on the dawnie as the winds looked poor and gusty but I awoke to find they were uber-light...

Bugger...

And so it was that Webbo, Becky and I made the trek over and made the most of the 2-3 foot weak but playful conditions.

I had a good few funions on the mat, even landing a floater infront of the good lady. Obviously she was blown away. She's been looking at me with an expression on fascination and awe ever since!

Becky had a good time on her sponge and Webbo was ripping things up on the Beater "One" borrowed from Blimp (cheers again for that Jerry).  He was riding kneelo and stand-up and alternating between the two on the same wave.  I reckon he could end up like this fella:



Anyhoo, looks like the waves drop to nought or so for the next couple of days but the sun should be out and the skatepark in Duarnanez has got Webbo's name all over it.

I'm off to sink a bottle of Cotes du Rhone

Cheers

G

Brittany Trip... Session 1 - Good start!!!

Well, after landing yesterday avo, driving down with an annoying (and worryingly worsening) rumble from the drivers front wheel we've had our first night in the tent. Comfortable, and warm in a great campsite.  Woke this morning and headed to Penhors to meet up with Jim as arranged.  Got there to be greeted by this!

This gives some sense of perspective:

Beautiful, mellow glass and a great vibe in the lineup.  Jim tells me the French don't like getting up early...

Suits me.  :-)

G