JAMIE HANCOCK
A
s is the way with adult life and parenthood, I was committed
to a wedding in Portsmouth on the Saturday. With my fiancé
being a bridesmaid I was on a full day of baby duty whilst
painfully checking the buoys. I knew around mid-afternoon
when the group chat went quiet and there was some solid
groundswell showing up on the channel buoys that it could only mean one
thing. The positive of being on dad duty was that there was going to be no
looming hangover nor an all-nighter at the wedding. I did however have
to leave at 4:30 a.m. to make it to Bigbury for sunrise. I saw some images
coming through which looked incredible from the day before. So I knew
my best chance for the swell would be to arrive at first light. When I rocked
up on Sunday morning there were big period sets rolling into the bay with
huge plumes of spray in the sun. I rigged a 4.2m and paired it with a floaty
Tabou wave board and slowly managed to make it out to the lineup. The
wind was in honesty a bit too offshore and it was really hard to catch the
right waves. I had to wait closer in to the peak to have any chance of getting
on a wave which lead to getting steam rolled occasionally from a big set
followed by a big swim. I was pretty exhausted from the 4 hours sleep, long
drive and heavy floggings, but it was worth it to catch up with friends and
share an incredibly rare day with so many other British windsurfers. The
best part about these days is the way it makes me want more. I can’t wait
for the next big swell.
22 JULY 2019
BIGBURY
“THE BEST PART ABOUT THESE
DAYS IS THE WAY IT MAKES
ME WANT MORE.”
Jamie checking the view from above.
Jamie throwing spray.