Waiting for the Wind

Towra-tastic, strapless in today's yellow arrows

2010-02-21T09:42:00.000Z

What!! Both days of the weekend windy, you gotta be joking. But true. Not that it matters to a man of leisure. Yesterday totally amazing, I arrived late and missed the boys, went 12m to Towra from Hollywood, played a bit but was overpowered. If I'd been on ANY OTHER kite I couyld have self-landed on the beach and changed the knots. But not the bloody IDS. No easy self-land on a specific point, just chaotic downwind hope for the best stuff. So anyway that turned out to be a good thing as it sent me back tot he mainland to swap to my 9m. nice little sess, with Daz the Irish Kiter, trying to improve upon my crappy raileys. The alone which I love out there, til I got tangled!

Today I was back but timed it totally wrong, arrving at 2ish and leaving at 4ish just as it went green. BUT, that was a blessing as it made me go out on the surfboard, 6'10" normal surfboard, strapless. Dunno why I'd not done it earlier! 12m, over to Towra, played with Jase, then back to Scarborough in a rush to get back, but dropped my kite - very northerly so wind lulls near the shore line - then struggled for a while to find my board - thought it was upwind of me, so I bodydragged half a beach before I realised it had been downwind of me! Rush rush rush home home home.

Gnarly waves & wind

2010-02-17T07:21:00.005Z

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Big day yesterday ... Long afternoon waves session at Long Reef, to myself early on, then the hoards (well, 10 kiters total) arrive at 5ish for after-work sessions. This was a massive swell and 15-30kts SSW-ish wind day. Very gnarly gusty hectic both the water and the waves, loads of fun though. Did twinny, and SRT. Then back south of Port Jackson to our southerly evening wave spot. What with a surf in the morning as well, I woke up unable to walk this morning.

Camping, families, rain, Rick Stein

2010-02-15T08:23:00.003Z

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[Pic: Me & her at Narrawallee]

Got to kite Caves Beach (nr Jervis Bay) at last ...

Three kiters, three wives, five toddlers, a baby and an unborn under canvas in three days of relentless rain & mud

But we did get three southerly sessions in:

A 12 metre southerly session out at Collinwood Beach (Vincentia), in the flat water downwind of the rocky reef, lots of air. Still in love with my brand new 131 Nobile T5 and the 12m Switchy. Though it ended messily trying to kite into the shore through the deadwindzone, dropping the kite, losing the board and swimming to shore. A nice little warm-up for the real show that afternoon at Caves Beach:

[Pic: Hatherall comes good, Coley cruising by]

An epic session at Caves ... Protocole wanted to kite Caves for years so nice to knock that one over. Onshore 25+ knots, stunning spot, place to ourselves. Had a ball in the messy waves, loads of air ramping off the incoming waves, loads of fun playing with "surfing" the waves on my twinny, real confidence building sess. Things clicked even for Cuspy, on his 10m he's a different man to the 13m tank he normally flies. Got some pics too. Kited til dusk. Actually til delirious. Alive alive fun fun this is what its all about.

We woke up to wet tents and unhappy muddy campers, wind lighter and slightly offshore at Huskisson so made another dash for Caves to get the best of it facing the open ocean. Slight west so wind shadow at Caves west-end, so took the 1km bush walk to Bherwerre Beach. Again, what an amazing spot. I am continually staggered by how spoilt we are with such amazing pristine and empty beaches to play with so close to Sydney. Hard work this one - compared to the ego-sess the night before (as one gets from perfect wind). Struggled to get out on 12m kites, but once thru the break all good. Again, nice wave skill developing. Got on the SRT (directional) but still can't jibe it properly. Cuspy struggled with the Tank, but I loved it. Got to showoff to some friendly grannies as well - "wish I was 40 years younger" - makes you realise you gotta do it while you can!

End of the wind so glad we capitalised when we could - that's the thing with this sport - when its windy you just gotta go.

Fine fishy cuisine ... 5 wet nights took its toll on the fam so we moved into a bt of luxury at Bannisters and some fine cuisine courtesy of Rick Stein. The hotel is on a great spot on the headland, I spent the afternoon watching the white caps build til I couldn't bear it any longer and got a little underpowered session in on Narrawallee Beach, with local kiter Glenn. Little waves. Few tricks. Things have really clicked recently, new gear makes a HUGE difference, you can't beat having confidence in your kit, and regular sessions means you don't forget everything in between! Loving this year off work!!

Cycling to the perfect session in the rain

2010-02-12T09:50:00.018Z

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Green Island, south coast NSW ... Wow. Just cycled back in torrential rain, wetsuited, my new Nobile 131cm T5 board on the milkcrate on the bike, my 12m Switchblade on my back ...

What a beautiful session. I was plotting to go out in the 15kt ish rainy cloudy humid noreaster at Washerwomans Beach at Bendalong (a stroll from our campsite), while the fam were having their naps.

But fortunately got chatting to a surfer who said the best spot in a noreaster is Cunjurong Pt, on the spit out to Green Island, he's seen a kiter there before, and it's good right now.

Couldn't drive as the kids + the missus were sleeping in the van

So loaded up the bike with the gear and cycled over

What a spot, the downwind side, crossshore across the bay, so offshore off the spit ... waves peeling perfectly into offshore breeze as they wrapped around the island

Just divine, loved the new board, loved the new kite, had some beautiful pure-vertical air off some vertical faces of waves

Such a crazy playground - the direction of the swell kept changing so the waves were wrapping around small big, then the amount of water coming over the spit was changing things too

Really loved chasing the waves around, surfing them in, doing toeside bottom turns at the shore, powering back into the oncoming surf or breaking wave

Two hours of that and I was starting to get a bit delirious, and the rain started hammering down, so I packed-up, no point in putting dry clothes on so wetsuited back to the fam on the bike.

Yep, what a great spot. I had it totally to myself too, the three surfers were leaving when I arrived, just the occasional dogwalker

Another Divine Kiting weekend

2010-01-18T05:03:00.014Z

Just back from another awesome Divine Kiting weekend with four students and the heroic teaching of Nick & myself. Very long day Saturday at our secret shallow flatwater spot down south, just perfect for teaching. Nice wind too, noreaster. Sunday morning a bit sketchy on the wind front, so we went wind hunting and found PLENTY at Windang.

Great team, awards this time were:

Biggest Air = Ness

Most fear to least fear = Chris

Cockiest student, longest ride = Shappa

Superhero for water starts in the waves as a total beginner = Mike

Best dressed kiter = as usual, Mr Cole

Divine Kiting on Facebook

Sydney sessions at Towra, back to the secret wave spot & Boat Harbour

2010-01-13T04:20:00.003Z

Yesterday's little session on Botany: "wow, afternoons like that MAKE living in Sydney ... 3.5hrs kiting on Botany Bay on my own little adventure in 25kts, by surfboard from Dolls to Towra (my private beach by day!) to play about in flat shallows, then an epic upwinder to Hollywood - then borrowed Priya's twintip (thx!) for an hour jumping and crashing, then a kitelooping downwinder into the sunset across the bay alone to land to the last guy on the beach! ALIVE

Just been loving the wind of the last week - - two big sessions at the secret wave spot #2. 2nd one I was braving the old SRT - not been out the bag for a long long while. No gibing unfortunately, but loving the turns coming into shore, and toeside right handers.

Even managed a double session one day - Botany by afternoon and secret spot by dusk. Awesome. Out there with Jase and Richard the architect.

Even got a Sunday session down at Boat Harbour - now $20 to get in there - - wow never seen anything like it, literally HUNDREDS of 4x4 family Aussie BBQ tent action, miles of beach dressed like a carpark, cars lined on the water side and the dunes side with hardly a gap!

More imprtantly tide was low, water was lovely and downwind (southerly) of the reef.

Also had a little mission east from there, heading out round that headland towards the oil refinery. Such a little kid i am - find all that stuff so exciting.

Great day out!

Downwinder from 1st Groin to Hollywood

2009-11-26T06:28:00.006Z

I did my back in - just before my bro was in town for a day - I'd promised kiting so we had to do it - I was reduced to cameraman for the day. Got a cupla good 'uns of Coley, and Daz.

Midweek sessions ... teaching etc

2009-11-23T12:40:00.000Z

Defintely adds to it knowing everyone else is in work!

Three Dutchies down there at 1st Groin for 20ish kts soueaster. Landing frontloops magically.

Taught three hour lesson last week - totally heroic - my teaching that is - I got this total novice body-dragging upwind and on the board planing in one direction after just that one session.

From Kitesurf lesson Gerard at Hollywood St (Alex)

1st session at 1st groin

2009-10-29T05:38:00.000Z

Back on it - southerly, 20kts +, on the 11m slightly overpowered. VERY choppy.

"MADE MY MONTH" was Coley's comment afterwards! Sweet

The moneyshot from Cornwall - the Branson kitesurf re-enaction

2009-10-17T11:29:00.002+01:00

Nomad test drive / review at Kurnell

2009-10-16T05:35:00.000+01:00

Got to demo the Nomad 9m today ... 20-25kts gusty/bounding around, so going from underpowered to just about right.

Nomad review: I hated the old IDS but the new one gets my thumbs up, they've put the flagging line through a sleeve so it doesn't wear-out through the bar. And the stopper is now adjustable rather than the old fixed one. relaunched off the water fine. Only issue I had was it turned inside out after a wipeout landing with the lines slack. My old Cabrinhaa rvolver never turned inside out no matter what I did to it. Nomad turns very fast, got some reasonable lift off it as well.

But firstly - gotta love Kurnell - such a great spot, quite flat yesterday close to shore, sun shining, beautiful colours from the west as the sun set, small crowd down there midweek for the a westerly. Two hour sess.

Back in Sydney - three powered SW sessions

2009-10-12T06:35:00.000+01:00

Back a week and already three sessions at our favourite "top secret" souwester spot. 1st sess was like the old times - ie Where did the wind go the minute we arrived? Etc. Classic. I ended up on the rocks just north of the sailing club when the wind dropped to zero on my final run back to the beach. Packed-up. Worst fish & chips in Sydney later and the wind was back - actually got a good session after that.

Then we went back for the BIG wind day. Seabreeze said it had been gusting to 70+kts, but "only" mid 40's when we were out. We took it in turns on my 7m rev - Coley ended our session by breaking one of my steering lines and humbly getting dragged back to shore - fortunately no whale watching today!

And a perfect hat-trick ... third day we parked at the sailing club and launched downwind of the big rock groin - a few obstacles today with pipe-laying in operation but we kept clear with no issues. Coley's 9m SB3's de-power strap snapped so he had to retire it for the day being too strong to stay fully powered. I suggested 7mins each/competition style - get all your moves in front of the other one, then swapping. worked well - will do this again for sure. So obviously I let him have a go on the 7m again - using borrowed lines (thx Rich) - and guess what - crash/pull wrong side of bar/kite smashes to other side of window and he blew one of the nipples off the one-pump valves. Great. Back to the 9m to conclude the "comp". I think I won - with front 7 back loops both ways and backloop transitions and totally gay railey and even gayer board fumble.

Thanks god there's no wind given lack of operating equipment!

Gnarly North Wales session at Kinmel bay

2009-08-28T14:33:00.003+01:00

Kitespots on Google Maps

Hour session in 7m weather hanging on for dear life, VERY VERY choppy, different conditions for me with waves coming from all over the place and very variable. Sun came out just as I stopped and got this snap! Tidal spot. Loads of space. Safe for beginners I'd say given the space and lack of other users. But clearly choppy so maybe difficult.

Thanks to the Kinmel Bay Kitesurf school, based right at this spot - for the 5 quid loan of a wettie and the launch & land!

Bye bye Mauritius / perfect front loops / board lost in the current

2009-08-21T07:11:00.006+01:00

[Pic: Just found this nice little wave jump one from the Kiteival Camrig pix of a few days ago]

Tides make a huge difference at Kuxville. Went out yesterday - final day in Mauritius - in some strong winds. Was flat when I left, then had a minimare, then when I got back out again it was full choppy, then an our later it was perfect flatwater upwind of the little island. PERFECT for perfecting those bloody front loops! Managed to land quite a few in the end. It's obvious and funny with all these things, once you've grapsed it you've no idea why it was so hard before!

Anyway the minimare: Just as drift launching, I lost my board in the current running downwind. This i not a problem normally, but here it was close to the shore and thus in the lee of the wind. So every time I bodydragged close, the kite started dropping. So I was following it along downwind, downstream, trying to get close enough to the bugger. In the end I dropped my kite too close to some rocks, and it was mission aborted. No harm done. Except a few more coral cuts on my feet and a nice bruise on my knee.

Well worth paying that little price for the two ours I had on the water before heading to the airport for what was 24hrs of journeying - taxi/plane/transfer Paris/plane/aborted Heathrow Express/taxi/fast train to Chester/pick-up. Last half of that with just me & the toddler, and seven bags! Enjoy Brighton mummy!

Unhooked begins ... (Tour09 Mauritius)

2009-08-18T21:26:00.003+01:00

Had a look at the Advance Progression DVD yesterday, and today there was a spot of wind at last. So tried out the unhooked thing - essentially just steering off downwind, unhooking, hanging-on, then steering downwind again to hook back in. Why I've not been doing this before? Well cos I never watch the DVDs - why AM I trying to reinvent the wheel. I got the best two ours of the day out there, which was still marginal, I came in when the tide got very low and a trapped fin on the coral ended up bloody. Just two others out today. Forecast good for tomorrow.

And now thinking of heading to this Beauduc place in south of France in a week or two

Pic is from the other day, waiting for the drift launch in VERY light winds to kick-in

Reading my book, wind light this afternoon

2009-08-13T12:09:00.003+01:00

[Pic: From the verandah. really recommend this place to stay wit family to kite. comes with housekeeper, 3 en-suite doubles, and its in the less of the wind, you launch a 4 min walk away]

I have the strange sensation today of being glad the wind is not there so it means I can sit on our verandah and enjoy the afternoon with my little girl, take her swimming and catch up on emails and start my John Steinbeck book – from the limited English language section at the Kuxville library.

Here's the house 'Alain' at Kuxville

Smooth water session outside Kuxville, Mauritius (Tour09 #)

2009-08-12T13:48:00.005+01:00

Beautiful session, went out alone but was soon joined by young David and his mates
There’s a beautiful little flat water spot which comes good at half-high tide, in the lee of a tiny rock island
First proper landing of a forward roll, NICE
Played around for an hour or so crashing over & over, doing backloop transitions and forward loops. Going to the left – my usual preferred direction – I find it harder to land the front loops.
After all tat I made a big upwind run out to two kites on the reef to join them on some waves for a bit. Quite exhausted by the end. Sweet run home to a chaotic self-land at the little beach out of the wind.
Sweet session.

Kuxville
Twintip
2.5hrs
Smooth flatwater & reef break

1st gybing practice (Anse La Raie, Mauritius, Tour09 #)

2009-08-11T14:49:00.005+01:00

Nico Kux lent me his directional – I have one back in Sydney but have rarely used it. So I took it for a spin, pretty big and unwieldy compared to the F-One fish (5”2’) I tried in Le Morne. I played on the edges of the reef break where the crew were – Daniel, Cameron etc – then went to the Anse La Raie lagoon to mess about with gybing. Or try it for the first time. Manged quite easily to get either foot out. And to turn to toes side with rear foot out. The hard part is the wriggle-round which I didn't manage to pull off.

Kuxville, 6”6” directional, 11m Rev2, chop, skirting the reef break, lagoon

1st session at Kuxville, Mauritius (north) Tour09 #

2009-08-10T12:15:00.003+01:00

[Pic: Flag at Kuxville]

Launched at the point 5mins walk clockwise from Kuxville
Wasn’t really sure of the territory so went on a big upwinder to get my bearings and check out the depth of the water/coral/reefs etc
Then all of a sudden I had a moment of clarity – recognised where I was – aha, I had kited up to where we finished the Kiteival, and did the course racing – so back to the upwinds. Amazing how that made me much more confident straight away – knowing I’d kited here with the crew before, it was all safe, I wasn’t somewhere where there was hidden dangers etc

Nice little spot too, with the rock islands

Was perfectly powered at the beginning of my session, but past 2:30pm wind picked-up too nicely for my 11m and spent the rest of the sess over-powered. So played around in the lagoon with crappy tricks, mostly practicing powering up pops to give me pure veritical lift – I’m thinking this will help me manage the psychological pregoression from back loops to front loops?

Half way thru went in for a strugglesome land at the public beach where most of the kiters kit-up to change the kite settings, clutching at straws to get a bit less power. Slightly tricky landing, quick swap of the attachment points, and back-up. In the meantime, someboy fed is lines thu mine so the launch was tortured wile he sorted is sh1t out. Then back on the water for more of the same.

In the end decided to finish my session here, rather pathetically I was nervous of hammering it round the corner overpowered into te back of Kuxville. Landing at Anse La Raie was chaotic again with the wind gusting, so ended up dropping the kite and letting it release onto the flagging line, then some guy grabbed it. Nice little walk home from there.

Kuxville
Twintip, 11m Rev2

View Kitesurfing spots - Alex on Tour09, inc Mauritius Kiteival in a larger map

Solo session at Palmer, failing front loops, choppy

2009-08-09T12:39:00.009+01:00

Went for a solo mission at Palmer public beach. Could've kited directly in front of this hotel on that beautiful sand bar out front but sought the company of others for launching & landing a short clockwise stroll from the hotel.

Started off in 11m, got some tips on front loops form a bystander but had no success.

Wind picked-up so tried 7m but was all over the place with it. Bit unsatisfactory all-up but good to get out nevertheless. Nice walk through the lane/vegetable patches back tot he hotel.

Did I mention the awards ceremony last night - for Kiteival. Daniel Kux swept the board getting Freestyle, Course and Wave Expression. And then to mine - and literally everyone else's surprise - I took the speed kiting. I managed to get 65kmph speed with most of the others getting around 58-59-60kmp. Crazy hey!

View Kitesurfing spots - Alex on Tour09, inc Mauritius Kiteival in a larger map

Does it get much better than this?

2009-08-05T21:04:00.003+01:00

I’m sitting looking at the ocean at the open air breakfast restaurant, two eggs just perfectly cooked in front of me and two pancakes the same – they even had Nutella. And my coffee came with hot milk.

I woke up this morning with abs. Honestly – I caught a glimpse in the mirror when I got out the shower. First time ever I think.

And a hangover – I left them on the dance floor at Banana Bar at 3am - my driver was awaiting outside!!

You need to spend a lot of money get the high I was on yesterday – someone last night described it as a typical runner’s high.

Somethings that fuzzily are coming back to me - Nico saying something about me taking a year off his life when I went down in the reef - thx Cam for getting that kite back in the air so neatly rather than leaving me int he channel with the big animals.

It hurts to clench my fists, I've had some good exercise the last week or so. Here's some wipeout pix in the reefbreak

Kiteival day 4: Roches Noires to Anse La Raie + Course racing

2009-08-04T20:58:00.002+01:00

[Pic: Start line for course race]

Oh my god
What a day
That was the best kiting hour I’ve ever had – somewhere on the downwind section from Roches Noires to Anse La Raie – so stunningly serene, sun shining, carving trough the surf along the reef break for miles and miles, with the crowd

Great bunch of riders, totally friendly no bullshit attitude, helpful

What an amazing event – well done Nico and the team!

The course event this afternoon was something else – already knackered from the morning and four days of endurance kiting, we finished with two courses – in the Anse La Raie lagoon – ie kite out to the buoy, then upwind to another buoy, then back in through some rocky islands to the shore, and round to the first buoy again and back.

Sketchy wind made the start line hilarious – with kites dropping like bombs. Fortunately was shallow and sand so people kept it together with no crossed lines. Then – off. The (horn)), I managed to beh at the back of the pack before we’d even left the shore line practically, and stayed there til the end of race one.

For the second race my mission was to not finish last! I succeeded, coming second last! Managed to get a better position for the start – in fact I was running second to the first buoy – then lost all my ground over the big upwind section

Legs just running short of juice. Nothing in them

Totally high when we finished. Very like an very expensive high. Like the feeling I had when I completed the marathon. Music blaring. Almost weepy from exhaustion and delight. Kiteival rocks.

Off to got some of the harder stuff than sunstroke now

View Alex's kitesurfing spots (Tour09, Kiteival) in a larger map

Kiteival day 3: Palmer to Pointe Lafeyette + Freestyle comp

2009-08-04T11:49:00.005+01:00

[Pic: My highish jump manoeuvre!]

Smoothest easiest downwinder we’ve done – and shortest. Wind was UP, so I took the 7m for a spin (using the 11m bar having cannibalised the 7m bar after last week’s kitemares) – new for me riding properly on such a small kite – took a bit of getting used to how quickly it moved, and playing with my posture – obviously a lot less forgiving than a big kite. Fun though, and quick for turns. Messed about in the reef break all the way downwind from near Palmer to Pointe Lafeyette

Really nice smooth water on te shore side of the breaks

Exciting finish to the downwinder with a big Red Bull tent and music pumping in anticipation of the freestlye comp later-on

And then lunch

FREESTYLE COMP

And then 8 of the 13 riders put their names into to the two heats for the freestyle. I was in heat two, so plenty of time to plagiarise the other riders best moves. Yeah right!

I was planning the baby arm bands/pants-off routine as the only way to make my mark on this comp. But I had sudden bowel urges before my heat so ran out of time to get my costume prepared. Wind dropped a little so Thilot let me use his 9.5m Best Kahoona. Which was perfect. 15 minutes to strut my stuff in front of Cameron & Brad – the judges (and of course Kate and the other riders and the crowd and the local press and the locals).

Well, I did manage my biggest air yet (highest jumps) – some of which I actually landed. And I pulled off one double backloop that I landed. And lots of crash and burn stuff. There’s half a chance I will come 7th rather than 8th but I’m not holding my breath til the results on Saturday!

On the 2hr bus journey now from Tamassa again to Roche Noires. This is an amazing event – all the kiting stuff – even the wind, the safety, the guys, Nico has been awesome. The logistics from Tamassa is a bit silly though – Tamassa was more about promoting that hotel I suppose rather than begin well located. Doing 3-4hrs in the bus daily – though we have got to get a good view of the islands windy suger-cane lined roads

Loving Kiteival

View Alex's kitesurfing spots (Tour09, Kiteival) in a larger map

Kiteival day 2: Pointe d'Esny via Ile Aux Serfs to Trou d'eau Douce + Speed kiting comp

2009-08-03T11:38:00.002+01:00

[Pic: Aerial of the Pointe d'Esny sailing club]

Tim Tams, Snickers water and beers in quick succession ...

Very big day – felt like an endurance thing. Nico got rare permisson to launch from the sailing club at Pointe d’Esny. Wind was howling til we set going (11m), then a huge upwinder to get out of the bay – Brad (South African/long scrabbly hair/great kiter) and I got stuck in a hole, with the current around the island dragging us up the river mouth downwind. A gargantuan effort and the longest single direction run of my life eventually got us out of there – my leg was shaking as we eventually got to the reef break!

Then messing about in the flat water while some of the others who'd made it out as far as the sand bar played around there.
Then downwind to our island golf course for lunch – totally exhausted and freezing cold – one of our packing measure for this big trip was to skimp on the wetsuit. Everyone else sung in their shorties, I was in a 1mm radiator top! Thanks to Nana for the hoodie! Anyway eventually got our stamina reset to go intot he sopeed racing comp.

The idea was to wear one of four GPS watches in the flat part of the lagoon, for 15mins, and the winner is the one who achieves a maximum time over 15 secs. Nice ting being you can try out different runs and techniques during your time and it doesn’t matter. So long as you get one decent score. Results not til Saturday. I got one really good run that ended (after 15 secs) in a massive wipeout in 1 foot of coral-bottomed water. LUCKY

View Alex's kitesurfing spots (Tour09, Kiteival) in a larger map

Of course the speed course was a massive upwinder from the island.

Then finished the day with a punishing downwinder to Trou d’Eau Douce (near Hotel Tropical) then Tim Tams Snickers water and beers in quick succession.

Wow – that was exhausting

What I must mention is that my health is deteriorating day by day. Starting off with tickly cough I’ve moved into phlegmy cough, and then sinus blocked – and lots of achiness that I’m not sure whether to attribute to the kiting or the cold. (swine flu!!??)

Big bus ride back to Tamassa Hotel, late feed and BED

Kiteival day of rest

2009-08-02T11:23:00.002+01:00

[Pix: Buffet at Tamassa; The pool]

Sunday seems to be respected on this island which suits me fine.

God I need it – obviously some of the kiters – Thisot, Cameron etc have gone back to Le Morne – Nico didn’t kite yesterday so is keen to get out there, and Cameron needs some waves footage – I’m familiying today and giving my body a rest. Smoked loads ciggies last night which was dumb as really feeling it today.

Food here at Tamassa is great – either buffet or menu/a la carte thing – great qual food, nice hot curries, perfect breads/croissants, fresh omelettes, things cooked for you in front of you