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TRAVEL
TRINITY NEWS November 17, 2009
IRISH SURFING
The Irish New Wave Sean Blackburn Contributing Writer LIKE MANY travellers, I have managed to scour the globe before touring my own backyard. I have never seen the majority of this beautiful country, despite living here for nearly three years. My lack of local travel can be traced back to my apparent lack of reason to go anywhere but Dublin, beyond the odd visit to a friend’s home county. I never bothered to think about what other places in Ireland had to offer. This all changed when my friends finally convinced me to visit the west coast, attach a board to my leg and jump in the Atlantic Ocean. Surfing had never been my favourite sport; I had only really done it a few times in America and, in my recent summer on the Sunshine Coast, I never believed my friends’ claims of the all-year-round Irish surf scene. My love of snowboarding, diving and bodyboarding gave me
a little bit of help getting into the water. Any board-riding experience is good to help you get started! However, as soon as I took the plunge I realised how hugely I had underestimated this country, and how amazing it can really be! People are always writing about hidden beaches and perfect surf on a remote island where nobody lives. It is a romanticised surfing ideal, the ultimate goal in surf travel and exploration. But I think, as strange as it might sound, I had discovered that ideal, surfing a well-known beach, with a town in clear sight, not remote, not ideal surf for the day, but perfect for us. I think that’s the point, something I had never grasped when I’ve been on packed beaches on the Jersey Shore or the beautiful warm beaches of Australia – it’s not where you are, but why you’re there. I know that many people would say, “Wouldn’t you prefer to be on a beach in Bali two minutes walk from crystal-clear water, palm trees and beautifully tanned bikini-clad bodies everywhere?” and I would answer rather bluntly, “Yes, that’s my summer plan!” What I love about the surf in Ireland that makes it so special is that you can’t go by half; most of us need to drive at least two hours to get to a consistently decent spot, get dressed into our superhero-like costumes, complete with gloves, hoods and booties, all the while bracing ourselves against wind and rain, to get into freezing cold water. It makes the experience all the more rewarding and I think that Ireland has made surfing something special for me! I am not saying that Ireland is set to become a
surfing Mecca, that it should be, or that I am in a good position to make such a call, but my first experience of surfing in Ireland stands out in my memory against all the other spots I’ve been to and for me it has made surfing a significant part of my life. It is my little something to look forward to, to get out of Dublin, be somewhere different and do something that I, despite my incompetence, really enjoy. The unique way in which Ireland has embraced surfing has definitely made an impact on me. This impact has stretched me into helping my friend with his second job, fixing and building boards in his shed. I am constantly planning trips to other spots, summer holidays and checking the swells (which have been disappointing recently, to say the least!). But Ireland’s influence on my perspective of surfing is extensive. I realise now that it is not restricted to beautiful reefs in the most exotic places of the world, but that it is possible to have as much – if not more – of a fulfilling surfing experience in Ireland. Not to seem too over-dramatic, but it has made me appreciate Ireland more than I have ever before, despite numerous trips visiting my family, or, for the past few years, going to college. I have never known what is possible in this country and how great it can be. So I suppose I wrote this article not only to have some outlet for my new obsession, but also to tell the doubters to branch out and discover Ireland. It’s really worth it, and refreshing to discover something or somewhere new that you might not have expected.
ENNISCRONE
STRANDHILL
Earning your surfing stripes
Test your skills with the Strandhill rocks
A relaxed destination, Enniscrone is perfect for those looking to practise without risking ending up on the rocks at more difficult spots
Sean Blackburn Contributing Writer “WE MUST be some of the only stupid people jumping in the ocean today!” This seemed like the right thing to say at the time, but this would turn out to be a great day that would change my perspective of Irish surfing, and Ireland altogether! The day hadn’t exactly started smoothly. I had slept for an hour and a half, between two lads of about 6’3”, in a broken tent, with Jim snoring like a freight train. Adding to that, I didn’t have a wetsuit, which is sometimes an issue when you expect to be in 14-degree water for a few hours! I was stuck with Emma’s suit - yes, Emma, a girl, no need to tell you how unpleasant that was for me, a lad! Counting all these factors together - tiredness, lack of sleep and a less than flattering, tight outfit - I was not expecting a great day. These thoughts quickly dissipated as soon as I paddled into that first good wave, stood up and felt the speed, a rush of air and spray off the top of the wave. I knew now this was a day I would remember! Enniscrone is perfect for beginners and intermediates, people not looking for large challenges in catching or riding waves, as the likelihood of crashing up on rocks or monster waves are unlikely. The long, smooth beach stretches along for miles to give you
plenty of space in the water and allow somewhere for your audience, the dog walkers, to watch you wipeout. The lack of people in the winter (I have been told it’s very popular in the summer) means that the surf is a lot easier, especially for people without much experience. Not many people are there to drop in on you or cut you up, leaving you free to pick and choose your waves, relax and enjoy. Despite fond memories of this trip, in retrospect, I must admit the surf was not great at that time. Lots of white water with messy waves that just wouldn’t break evenly - it wasn’t what you would call ideal surf. It was a combination of the cold, because I didn’t expect to be doing anything like this in Ireland, and yet, because there was no one else there, it became our little sanctuary, a little surfing paradise of our own. You can do what you want when you’re out of the city, in the water, with a few friends and no obligations - nothing else matters but the time you’re having. I think that our stupid antics at Enniscrone - tandem surfing on Jim’s enormous Bic and failing every party wave we tried - helped me realise that. Our second visit to Enniscrone brought even breaking waves, left to right, and enough space for us to do whatever we
wanted. The great thing was, with white water at the front and overheads out the back, the more experienced surfers on the beach don’t have any problems with beginners (and vice versa). If you’re like me - a bit of an improver - you can test yourself, and discover your boundaries, which I certainly did. I paddled into bigger than normal waves, which often landed me on the front of my board, catapulting me through the wave, only to be washing-machined by the next two following waves! Make sure to look out for the surf reports, but I’d suggest Enniscrone for most people looking for a good time, even if the surf has been rubbish f o r the past few weeks. I t doesn’t matter there - you’ll still have fun, and hopefully won’t hurt yourselves.
Sean Blackburn Contributing Writer SINCE MY first successful surf in the west coast, I’ve suddenly become keen to explore a bit of Ireland, go on some road trips and, most of all, surf at any opportunity I can get. Our second trip was organised within a week of the first, but some concessions had to be made: firstly, we had to get rid of the tent; secondly, I needed a wetsuit that wasn’t going to choke me; thirdly, and most importantly, we needed some decent surf to really test the scene in Ireland for beginner surfers and people who can’t quite handle the Cliffs of Moher, at least not just yet. So we did our homework, which is not hard thanks to magicseaweed.com. Having quickly learnt that you need offshore winds and high pressure, among many other things, to get decent waves, I was off again, ready to learn and improve. I rationalised that being able to surf well would only make my rapidly emerging obsession more reasonable, sensible and understandable for people who know me! T h e safest choice was
Strandhill, having a friend knowing the way over as well as the spot. With a nice hostel across from a great pub with live music, we knew this trip would be a success. This was confirmed by looking out across the water on the Friday night, as beautiful rolling waves came in sets, waiting for us to appear in the morning. Unfortunately, as can always be the case, it wasn’t as good the next morning. But we were able to trundle down the road to Enniscrone, which is one of the major bonuses about Strandhill: you can jump in your car and find another spot in less than an hour! The next day, I am pleased to say, we did surf at Strandhill, and the twominute walk down the beach was much better than an hour driving! In the most crowded day I’ve seen in Ireland, we were unfortunate enough to get into the only spot where the waves weren’t breaking. The epic paddle began, and, lets face it, with student living bringing my fitness down to below average, a l o n g enough paddle does take its toll! A little tip for you - paddle out in front of the cannon next time you’re there, not fifty metres d o w n
current, where you’re going to have to paddle back over, or worse, get out onto the rocks and walk. The late breaking waves lapping your feet always threaten to send you tumbling at any time. Strandhill turned out to be a challenge, not just because of the paddle, but it was, on that day, a day to pick and choose waves. You couldn’t go out there looking for an enormous wave count, mess around a bit and walk back out. The deep water forces you to paddle, and the lack of wind stops tonnes of waves breaking. The ones that you do catch you have to be careful you don’t end up on the rocks, which you can see clear as day, rippling under your board! So it’s a bit more of an experienced-surfer place, which you do have to be careful at, because there’s nothing that can ruin a surf trip more than an injury! Either way, I had a great time at Strandhill. Not only could I sleep indoors, but there was a great pub to retreat to, to talk about that great wave, the wipeouts and the close calls. The pub also made me realise that Ireland is a great country for sports like surfing to flourish. Even though there were the usual guys propping up the bar, and live music letting all the locals act like they’re in a club, it is impossible to feel out of place, or unwelcome. The barmen remember you, your order, and chat away, something that is pretty rare in Dublin pubs. This chilled-out attitude of the locals lets surfing work its way easily into society on the west coast. It is evident in the places I’ve visited that surfing is booming in Ireland, with more people, businesses and spots popping up all the time. With more people like me becoming interested in surfing everyday, I can only foresee that it’s going to get much bigger and better in t h e future.