Not Sorry

Our waitress in The Thatch told us at breakfast this morning that because of the wind, the only place that would be working later is Putsborough.

We’re parked up on the road that leads to Putsborough now, looking down at the bay. I’m trying to count how many surfers are in – there are mini line-ups of ten to twenty heading all the way up towards Woolacombe. It must be close to a hundred, I reckon.

 

‘I’m gonna give it a miss,’ says Emmet, ‘one big session a day is enough for me…’

 

‘I’m with Emmet,’ says Claire.

 

‘Think I’ll give it a try,’ I say, thinking of how I’ve never been a able to resist a session.

 

‘I’m up for it,’ says Sophie, no doubt thinking of the wave she caught earlier, wishing to feel the sensation of weightlessness again.

busy at putsborough…

 

When we walk down to the beach the tide is all the way in and we have to wait for a break in the sets of waves so that we can pick our way through the rocks. It’s easier for me – I’m bigger, more used to the sea and Matilda is light to carry. Sophie gets caught halfway and a surfer returning to the car park helps her get the 8’6” board to the right side of the crossing point.

 

We carry the boards together now – Sophie has the noses, I have the tails. Our pace quickens when we get near a spot that we can take off from.

 

We begin wading out – waves are reforming close to the beach. They’re the right size and power for Sophie; the only problem is they’re very close to shore and the ride will end just after she’s got up. Also, there is a strong cross current.

 

‘You gonna be okay?’ I ask Sophie.

 

‘Of course!’ she says, smiling.

 

I try and help her catch a few waves but things are as difficult as I thought they would be.

 

‘You go on out, I’ll keep trying here,’ Sophie says.

 

I paddle out past the first section of reforming waves; sit on Matilda for a while. But I get pushed back into the break zone. I try and take a wave but my arms are tired and it takes a long time to get up. When I am up, I see that the water is shallow and I’m almost ashore.

 

‘I’m going in,’ says Sophie when I go to meet her, ‘I’m finished.’

 

I paddle back out, certain that there will be one good wave. When I get past the first break zone I sit up again. Farther out is one of the mini line-ups that I saw from above. Emmet’s words from this morning resound – you’ve got to go farther out if you want to get them clean. I feel however that I don’t have the reserves of energy and I try and catch a few half waves.

But all I get is dumped and a few half rides. I even get dumped when I try and belly ride a wave back in.

almost dark at putsborough…

 

It’s almost dark as I walk up a narrow path back to the nearly deserted car park. I’m worn out but not sorry that I went in.