RN&RM
SURFING EXPEDITION
On a sunny May morning seven Navy and five Marines set off from Poole Ferry Terminal for the RN&RM Surfing Expedition to Biarritz, South West France. With the Land rover loaded with surfboards stacked four feet high, it looked like the trip was for ten months rather than ten days.
Having
arrived in France Thursday evening the relentless journey South began with the
first lesson “never lose each other on the road!” Fortunately contact was made via that modern day gadget the
mobile phone and we were under way again. The
next problem was a knocking sound to the mini bus, (no we hadn’t picked up an
confused illegal immigrant), but thanks to Tony Rowlands (VM 1) and a little
spanner magic, we were on our way once more.
But then problem three – no fuel!
For some reason the local Frenchies did not like the look of
Shaun Moloney and had assumed that we’d refuelled without paying.
After a very heated discussion we left on fumes and no fuel.
Fortunately, fuel was eventually found (after the interesting scenario of
losing the fuel cap key) and at last we could make headway south.
(Well, they do say that trouble comes in threes.)
After
a backside numbing twelve hour journey, with the drivers spending around two and
a half hours at the wheel (Andy Williams?) we reached Biarritz. After a quick
surf check at Le Barre, a favourite surf spot, it was off to the HQ for the
week, the camp site of Lafitenia. Up
went the tents, out came the food, surfboards and the swamp tree was identified,
which by the end of the week had grown to the size of the campsite. (Amazing how
those swamp trees grow!)
In
the afternoon, the first of many visits to Le Barre (and McDonalds) started the
surf
training.
Seven of the squad surfed in clean 3 – 4 foot waves with the others staying
behind at the campsite. The day
ended back at Lafitenia with a “not so happy” Frenchman packing his tent and
moving on. (Wouldn’t you if your
swamp tree had been taken over). The
lads were happy, as the surf was good with the sun out and everyone testing the
water.
Saturday
started with the alarm clock voice of Pete
McCelland (the most enthusiastic and optimistic surfer in the group) waking
everyone up. The crowds started to
appear at Lafitenia – so it was off to Le Barre again.
The swell had picked up 4 - 6 feet so we were all in. (“Thank you Andy
Williams for nearly taking my head off when we both went for the same wave!”)
After
surfing for a couple of hours followed by a much-needed stop at McDonald’s we
visited the factory shops near Hossegor where the surf gear is cheaper than at
home. Lt Cdr Colin Pryde, I am
certain must have received a commendation from the French president for the
amount of surf gear he bought, but complaints from the local French children
will never leave my mind after Tony Rowland bought up all the trousers, and they
were not for his little girl either (“Umpa-lumpa Tony!”)
Sunday
morning started early for all and yet again the swell was getting
bigger. Time for the four chargers in the pack, Pete, Mark, Chris, and Si to
surf Lafitenia. The left breaks
always a good four foot bigger than Lafitenia’s right.
With waves in the range of 10-12 feet all you could see was little dots
taking off on monster waves with hoots coming from all in the water.
The
rest of the group surfed the right with the Count of Lafitenia a local guy that
welcomed the British with “all his heart … Not!” Some good waves were caught with peaks of 6 – 8 foot
in size.
Meanwhile
the longboarders (Colin, Frenchy, Dickie and Dave) had enough of a thrashing at
Lafitenia and headed for Cote de Basque and
chilled out on perfect 3 foot clean waves for the rest of the day. Only
problem was Colin’s board deciding to have a melt down in the land rover over
lunch resulting in the nose resembling a Cornish pasty.
In
the afternoon Si, Tony, Shaun Maloney, Andy Williams, Griff and Chris Ward
checked out the surf sport of Les Cavaliers and bumped into ex world champion
surfer Tom Curran, who lives locally. After much pleading from Si, Tom agreed in
having a photo with the group whom were as happy as a group of Japanese school
girls meeting Boyzone!! Once the
photo call had finished a few of the “school girls” entertained Griff,
Dickey, Dave, Frenchy, Colin and myself by surfing further up the beach at Le
Barre in 6 – 8 foot “close-out” waves.
Plenty of applause from the ones watching, with wave after wave crashing
down on all in the water. The evening was spent with everyone together in a
restaurant – the topic of conversation “who received the biggest
“hold-down by a wave” that day!
Bank
holiday Monday
turned out to be a scorcher of a day and with this in mind and the crowds
growing at Lafitenia it was decided to travel to Hossegor and seek out the
famous beach breaks. Unfortunately,
the peaks were crowded and the surf had dropped to 2 – 4 feet.
(Or was it 1 – 7 feet clean but messy Si?)
But you couldn’t complain with great weather and clean waves to be had.
Ask Griff who paddled out, turned around, took off… bang… straight
into a barrel and back out again. The
locals went wild and the others stared in disbelief at what they’d just seen.
At
this point I must thank the lads for keeping my strength up during the day by
providing me with subsidence. The
very fact that I had to walk the whole length of the beach and dive into the
water whilst only wearing red Speedo’s and white surfing helmet was part of
the deal. However, morale was down
as no one else had scored a barrel wave but Griff, and being head of sport and
entertainment, I never shirk my responsibilities.
After the wind got up in the late afternoon it was
time to head back to the camp and finish for the day (Robbie Nash, world
champion wind-surfer, was spotted by myself, but no one cared – after all,
wind-surfing is not surfing.)
After
a stormy, wet night, Tuesday started
with … yes, more surfing. The big
wave crew ventured off to Lafitenia’ left, which was breaking in the 10-14
feet region. Pete McClelland and
Mark (American exchange pilot from RNAS Culdrose) had big hold downs and
returned speechless and with no colour in their faces after being washed
pin-balling in between the rocks and into the bay.
I
thought I would impress the team and take off on a ten footer at Lafitenia
right. Unfortunately, the board
detached itself from my feet and down I went top to bottom freefalling onto the
rocks below. Up I popped with half
a board and a headache, not to mention a hurt pride. At least I had a good workout when it took me 20 minutes to
swim back to the beach. (Well you do have to keep your fitness up!)
After another stop at McDonalds the rest of the day
was spent shopping for bargains in the local sports shops, mainly because the
local surf spots were out of control and not very inviting. That evening we all ate together with Mark, Pete and Scott
spending their last night in France.
Wednesday.
Yet another wet and stormy night and some tent damage to start the
day. One by one, like creatures
from the grave, bodies started to emerge from the flooded swamp-like campsite.
The continuous turn around of surfing started with the waves at Lafitenia
six foot plus and growing. Most of
us had good waves, with drops from top to bottom that would make a Hawaiian
proud. We are all sure that if Tony
Rowlands wasn’t such a compact “Welsh Wizard” he could never have made the
monster waves he was surfing! (“Umpa-Lumpa umpe-de-do!”).
In the afternoon Andy
Williams and Si Parry witnessed why you should never trust the ocean!
With
a building, storm swell, added to the incoming tide, the conditions at Lafitenia
changed dramatically within the space of thirty minutes.
The waves were increasing in size with every set becoming angry, onshore
bombs that thinned a crowd from twenty-five plus to seven within minutes.
By
this time there was a lot of water moving about in the bay with a bad rip on the
south of the beach. Still the waves increased in size and as we watched someone
went over the falls (fell top to bottom) only to emerge with half the board
he’s started with. To say he’d
had a hard time paddling in would be an understatement.
The next victim was a long-boarder whom’s leash snapped only to get
caught in “the rip from hell!” After
fifteen minutes of getting nowhere, a long-boarder, who was watching from the
beach, went into rescue him only to have his leash snapped as well.
Eventually they were both washed in, backsides kicked!!
The conditions by this time was horrendous, with waves
breaking on unseen reefs and sand bars, far, far out to sea.
The guys that had trouble were lucky to escape lightly and were taught
never to underestimate the power of the sea.
Wednesday finished with
the heavens opening up and the waves getting bigger and out of control.
It was time to check out the big wave spot of Guethary but as predicted
it was too big, too out of control. After
an exciting day and minus Pete McCellend’s enthusiastic voice the group made
their way to Biarritz to celebrate Frenchy’s
birthday at the Surf Grill Bar, a place well worth a visit with more surf
memorabilia than Colin Pryde!
Thursday
we awoke to mediocre conditions compared to what had been an excellent
week of waves. The storm at sea had left the swell big and messed up. The day
was spent moving tents and driving to assess other surf spots, but with no luck. Due to the lack of surfing during the day we all managed to
make it ashore by 8.15pm, a record in itself!
The intention was to have one final night in Biarritz, eat a good meal,
drink a few pints and wake in the morning with numb teeth which according to
ex-club surfer Dave Ryan, always brings the surf in. (So that’s why he was
always so sober!)
Friday.
True to form the surf had picked up again, with 6 – 8 feet clean
offshore blue-green waves. Si was the first out to miss the crowds, which is a lesson in
not drinking, and he reaped the rewards with a few tasty right-handers.
After chasing the waves
around Biarritz and Le Barre we made our way back to Lafitenia only to count the
numbers in the water. One peak
to thirty surfers, last day. So
what could we do but go in again and chance it with the “ever-so friendly”
locals.
“Big wave” Dave had a
few waves on the inside section, but the Frenchies were the main wave huggers.
But when you take off as deep as they do you have to take your hat off
and watch them surf.
By 4.30pm in the
afternoon the RN/RM camp had vanished with all the kit packed into both vehicles
ready for the long drive north to Cherbourg, just as the crowds were thinning
and the sunshine and waves looking so inviting.
After a journey of just
under 10 hours, arriving at the ferry terminal in the small hours, out came the
sleeping bags for 3 hours power snoozing. Once
on the ferry, the sleeping bags came out yet again with Rumplestiltskin Maloney
leading the way. With a favourable
sea swell running (the same swell that had produced such great surf waves), our
thoughts went back to the week’s events. Once in Poole harbour and through
customs all that remained was to make it back to individual’s units and bases.
In summary, a great
opportunity for all members of the RN&RM Surfing Squad, to have surfed in
warm but testing water, surf that would take you to such a high standard if you
were fortunate to live in this remarkable location.
A big thanks to all
concerned, especially Colin Pryde for his sterling work both before and during
the expedition, making this a well-organised and enjoyable ten days.
Some new friendships were made, with experience, which will live in all
our minds for as long as we continue to surf…
(P.S. “Has anyone seen
Bueller…., anyone, …Bueller?”)
RM Surfing Rep
