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Trying to explain the Zen-like aspects of surfing to a non-surfer is usually a pointless, if not embarrassing, exercise. All too often you end up walking right into the “far-out, hippie-surfer-dude” stereotype.

Rather than explaining “the stoke”, it’s really something you have to experience. And once you do, you come to realize that surfing is, in essence, a spiritual activity. In some inexplicable way it brings you closer to the earth (non-surfers, feel free to chuckle at this point).

Once “the stoke” has been experienced a few times, most surfers get hooked, and their perspective on life changes. They become less materially conscious, and more environmentally conscious. Suddenly, the earth becomes something to be respected and protected.

Granted, surfers have a long way to go before they’re karmically balanced. Most of us still use gas-powered cars to get to surf spots; and some of us drive a little too fast getting there.

We also use equipment that isn’t exactly environmentally friendly, particularly surfboards. There are, however, people trying to change this. One such person is Stuart Thomson, founder of Ocean Green Surfboards.

According to his company website, “Ocean Green is the only manufacturer in the world developing boards made entirely from natural materials that provide a real alternative to existing products in terms of both price and performance.”

ScotiaSurfer.com recently interviewed Thomson about his surfboard company, which is based in Nicaragua and the U.K. (Cornwall).

ScotiaSurfer.com: Why did you decide to start this venture?

Stuart Thomson: I founded Ocean Green Surfboards with the idea of producing as green a surfboard as possible that is affordable and performs.

Being an environmentalist, it always annoyed me how unsound the materials were in a board. And I knew that a lot was happening below the surface on developing combinations of new and old alternatives, (but) not necessarily in the surfing industry.

ScotiaSurfer.com: On your website, you feature basically two types of boards, BioFoils and EcoFoils. The EcoFoils appear to have a wood finish, and the BioFoils have more of a traditional fiberglass finish. Could you please explain the difference?

Stuart Thomson: The EcoFoils are hollow balsa blanks, covered in organic cotton cloth and standard resin. The BioFoils are biofoam blanks (20 percent bio-derived), covered with organic hemp cloth and standard resin.

ScotiaSurfer.com: How did you decide on Nicaragua as the place to manufacture your boards?

Stuart Thomson: A fantastic accumulation of coincidences. Having decided to go with hollow balsa boards (no biofoam was available four years ago), I hooked up with an old friend and colleague, Graham Nicholson, a modern manufacturing and IT solutions guru, to crack the weight issue.

Graham is married to a Nicaraguan and was having a house built there, the architect of which also owns a timber/furniture business with contacts in the indigenous lumber industry that could supply balsa from managed forests. And the rest - with a lot of effort - fell into place.

ScotiaSurfer.com: How much do the boards cost?

Stuart Thomson: In Nicaragua, the EcoFoils range from $550 to $1,100; in the U.K. prices range from £550 to £1,100. The BioFoils (available in the U.K. only) are £400 to £750.

ScotiaSurfer.com: How would someone on the East Coast of Canada get an Ocean Green surfboard?

Stuart Thomson: At present we are concentrating sales in Nicaragua and the U.K. We hope to develop distribution in North America in the near future. The best option for a dweller in Eastern Canada would be to holiday in San Juan del Sur or maybe Morgans Rock (Nicaragua) and buy one to take home!

ScotiaSurfer.com: Overall, how is your venture doing and what are your plans for the future?

Stuart Thomson: We are currently at a very interesting point. The production of boards is underway and expanding in the workshop. The full range of EcoFoils is available in Nicaragua, and with continued growth, we’ll be in the U.S. by the end of the year.

A small number of EcoFoils are available in the U.K. Again, in the latter half of the year, we’ll see full availability. The BioFoils range is only in the U.K.

We are still looking to improve the green content of our boards and have plans to make the first fully bio-performance boards by the end of the year, initially in the U.K.

ScotiaSurfer.com: Where do you surf?

Stuart Thomson: Newquay area, North coast Cornwall. Southwest Nicaragua, when I can get there.

Ocean Green Surfboards come in a range of different shapes and sizes. For more information, check out the Ocean Green website.

Photo courtesy of Shelagh Duffett | PLEASE POST YOUR PHOTOS

A lot of Nova Scotians have been cursing the rainy, foggy, overcast weather we’ve been having, but not surfers. The lingering weather system has blessed the province with a full week of surf, something that’s normally unheard of at this time of the year. Photo: Reed Holmes | PLEASE POST YOUR PHOTOS

The stormy weather has brought some long-awaited surf. | PLEASE POST YOUR PHOTOS

Photo courtesy of www.ForelockPhoto.com | PLEASE POST YOUR PHOTOS

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Surf: 3.5/5 = Above Average
Price: 2/5 = Quite expensive!
Party: 4/5 = Great pubs and better people.
Localism: 4/5 = It’s anyone’s wave!
Thieves: 1/5 = Pick pockets & car break-ins are common.
Time frame: January-March 2008

We started off by flying into Shannon Airport, a small airport outside Limerick (stab city), Ireland.  My stay would be for four months, but my mates were only here for three weeks, so we headed straight for a place to sleep and check the surf forecast.

The first thing we noticed was how expensive everything was compared to back home in Canada. A pint of beer is about $7, however, at least it is a real beer not some semi-American stuff sold and “brewed” in Canada.

A place to stay is about the same as in Canada but the quality is nowhere near comparable. Most motels/rooms are much smaller; old pipes and finicky electricity is common, especially near the surf, which is almost always in rural areas.

If you are looking to save some major $$, fly into one of Europe’s major airports (i.e., London, Frankfurt, Dublin, etc.) then buy a separate flight with one of Europe’s low cost carries.  Check www.ryanair.com for $25 flights between airports you may save a boatload when flying from Canada.

My next bit of advise would be to rent a car or truck once your there. It is not that expensive when you consider the convenience of a vehicle in Ireland.

The buses are reliably unreliable. I only had a vehicle for the three weeks while my mates were there as it was too expensive for me to rent one by myself every time there was surf.

Once my pals left, most of the time, I would take a bus to the closest point and hitchhike from there.  In my four months I can’t remember more than a handful of times where the bus was remotely (within 15 minuntes) on time.

That being said, the bus rates are quite cheap (the only thing I found cheap!) compared to home, but this goes to show that you get what you pay for.  At least there is no surcharge for the bus to carry your board in the hold, as is common practice to charge an extra $5 in most Central American countries.

Also, I usually advise against hitchhiking in a country you are not too sure about, but Ireland turned out to be quite the exception from my experience.  The people were great company and most were friendlier than most Newfoundlanders.  However, if you are female and solo, I would still strongly recommend against it.

Typical Irish beach weather

The roads in Ireland are treacherous. You have to keep in mind that families have had stonewalls in place for hundreds of years and the roads were built around these walls, not the other way around.

You are able to see the surf 10 km in front of you on the horizon but the road may take you through three towns adding anther 20 km to your route in order to get there.

If you have a 4×4 you could cut through farmers fields, but I would strongly advise against this as most farmers have a pretty good shot and there are no laws against how trespassers are dealt with while you are on their property in Ireland. Ask the knackers (more on them below).

A really swell sunset

Ireland’s coast is quite similar to eastern Canada’s, in particular Newfoundland.  It is mostly rock with some sandy/cobble stone beaches scattered in between, which makes for a great variety of surf.  There is beach break, rock reef and rock slabs usually within five kilometres of each other.

We started out in Lainch, roughly 1.15-hour drive outside of Limerick, then we headed south all the way down to the Dingle Peninsula.

If you’re into camping, it is usually no problem to camp just about anywhere.  Ireland has a travelling culture. Among that culture are people I came to know as pikies or knackers. They seem to set up their caravans at almost any location (on the beach, under a bridge, on top of a bridge, etc.).

A swell sunset or sunset with swell?

These people, not to stereotype, are usually not that trustworthy and will steal the hubcaps off of your car if given the chance. So pick your camping spots carefully and in well-populated surf areas. There are usually a handful of other surfers with the same intentions, so share a beer with them (Irish surfers fancy Gold Dutch, not Guinness) and you’ll usually find yourself better off.

Takeoff

As for the surf, the best season is from October to February.  Quite similar to Eastern Canada but the water and air temperatures never get nearly as cold as in Canada. I got by the whole winter season with a 5/3mm suit, no hood, 5mm gloves and booties.

Also, the surf is much more consistent and bigger than in Eastern Canada, but there is also more wind. If you’re good and don’t leave your common sense at home, you should be able to easily find some sheltered breaks as most of the coastline is protected by high cliffs which are perfect for keeping the wind off just enough to clean up the sets.

Of the 20+ breaks I’ve been to between Lainch and the Dingle Peninsula, I would strongly recommend making sure you go and see the Dingle Peninsula.  It is a 16 km long peninsula of white sand that has breaks on all three sides so it picks up tons of surf.

Result of a nasty yet still friendly drop-in

If you can only afford to take a week off to visit this green country or find yourself strapped for time, make sure Dingle is one of your stops; surf or no surf you won’t be disappointed as you can always wait for the surf to pick up over a pint of the black stuff and some good craic.

If you have any specific questions (e.g. where to stay, who pours the best pint, how to access a spot you see on Google earth, etc.) please comment below and I’ll do my best to answer.

Photo courtesy of www.ForelockPhoto.com | PLEASE POST YOUR PHOTOS

The past two days might have seen clean solid eight-foot swell, light winds and clear blue skies and sunshine, but don’t be deceived. The wildest event in professional surfing looks set to live up to its name.

Locally predicting conditions for the O’Neill Cold Water Classic South Africa is Spike, a local surf forecaster.

“There’s a big storm coming from Monday but we’re in the thick of a very volatile winter episode,” he said. “We’re in for seriously Coldwater Classic conditions.

“Heavy storm weather and strong winds are set to build on Monday but the charts have been fickle and the meat of the storm now seems to arrive on Tuesday.

“We will see wild peaks all over the show, heavy squalls, near gale-force winds, very messy wild and woolly seas, and shocking weather at times.”

It sounds like it could be a contest director’s nightmare, but Matt Wilson is looking forward to the conditions.

“I read the report from Spike and thought this is the wildest event in surfing and it is for sure going to live up to its name,” he said.

“We’ve been enjoying the sunshine here on the Cape the past few days, familiarizing ourselves with all the potential contest locations,” said. Matt. “This is more mobile than any other event on tour. But because it’s a peninsula we will always – almost always – have an option.”

The O’Neill Cold Water Classic South Africa has the potential to make use of up to 10 different surf spots around the peninsula between June 20th and June 24th.

From the open ocean reef break of Outer Kom, to Kalk Bay on the Indian Ocean, the variation of contestable surf breaks in this area is huge.
It is the surfers who are going to face some of the toughest challenges.

“These are difficult and challenging places,” said Matt Wilson. “It’s going to be a physically demanding event. We have raw open ocean swells, the demands of cold water, and it doesn’t look like there are any easy paddle outs.”

Former World Tour surfer and O’Neill South Africa marketing manager, Paul Canning is eagerly anticipating the event start tomorrow.

“The forecast and conditions look pretty radical,” he said. “This is the biggest winter storm of the year. It brings out a different sort of competitor – the guys who push the limits and surf well in these big heavy conditions.”

It is not just anticipation of the wilds that Paul is looking forward to.

“I am looking forward to getting in the water and surfing my heat and not stress about anything,” he said. “I have been doing a lot of preparation for this event so I haven’t got in the water for over a week now. It will be nice just to get in the water.”

The O’Neill Cold Water Classic event is the third stop on the O’Neill Cold Water Classic Series. With its own Series ranking list, there is $50,000 up for grabs for the winner of the Series, and the prize is very much still up in the air.

A 4-Star event on the ASP World Qualifying Series, the CWC South Africa still rewards the surfers with just as many CWC Series points as the other six star CWC events – bringing them ever closer to that $50,000 prize money as the series winner.

Next Stop, Canada.

Source: O’Neill

Photo courtesy of www.ForelockPhoto.com | PLEASE POST YOUR PHOTOS