South Coast Surfers

[cornishseagull]

Hello Everyone,

I appreciate this is a bit of a long shot but worth a try nevertheless.

I am currently writing my dissertation on the commercialisation of surfing within the UK over the past 50 years, looking specifically to interview surfers on their personal opinions on how they perceive surfing as a whole and if that has changed over time. Is it a sport or a lifestyle? I already have made contact and interviewed two people from Cornwall/Devon and would therefore like make comparisons from surfers along the south coast.

If anyone would like more information or would like to register their interest please do not hesitate to contact me via PM.

Much appreciated

 

[Shy Talk]

Brighton Swimming Club may be able to help. When I were a lad most of the Brighton-based surfers were members and would keep their boards in the club arch just west of the Palace Pier.

 

[Nibble]

Go to the East of the Marina on any windy day and you'll find dozens there.

 

[Sompting_Seagull]

You could try this lot, Lancing seems to be kite surfing HQ for the south coast.

http://www.lancingkitesurfingclub.com/

http://www.britishkitesurfingassociation.co.uk/

 

[Kumquat]

I'm reasonably good at left-hand surfing. At least when the Wi-Fi is working.

 

[MattBackHome]

Caught my first tube today. Sir.

 

[skipper734]

48 Years ago I had a long board and a pair of Bilbo shorts, that was all there was in those days. There was only surf on Fistral Beach or up the coast at Bude. With the advent of sinkers and better technique there seems to be surf all round the coast now.

 

[robynsdad]

Best place on line to go looking for surfers in Brighton: The Surfer's Sharkboard surfing forum Index page
There was a surfing museum down the front near the pier somehwere. Assume it's still there.
There is good(ish) surfing to be had in and around brighton and lots of people doing it. But it is quite hard core (for me it was anyway). You have to watch the tides and weather, get your timing right and be prepared to surf in mid-winter.
North Devon in autumn more my thing these days...

 

[Birdie Boy]

Hello Everyone,

I appreciate this is a bit of a long shot but worth a try nevertheless.

I am currently writing my dissertation on the commercialisation of surfing within the UK over the past 50 years, looking specifically to interview surfers on their personal opinions on how they perceive surfing as a whole and if that has changed over time. Is it a sport or a lifestyle? I already have made contact and interviewed two people from Cornwall/Devon and would therefore like make comparisons from surfers along the south coast.

If anyone would like more information or would like to register their interest please do not hesitate to contact me via PM.

Much appreciated

You could try Hove Lagoon, they teach windsurfing, kites etc. Not sure how often Nik Baker is down there but they may be able to put you in contact with him.

 

[So.CalGull]

I am in.

Born in Seaford, started surfing the south coast in 1980 all the way along, mostly from Peacehaven to Eastbourne. I m oved from there in 2001 to my current location in Southern California, purely for Surf reasons. No more winters in a 6/4 mm suit, I did 20 winters in total...brutal as you get older.

What ever questions you have I should be able to answer, shapers, locations (perhaps not the secret ones) locals and best places at the right time on the right wind conditions.

I am off now for a paddle, and will be running around for most of the day, and tomorrow I am flying back to England for a few days to attend a family funeral, taking in the Huddersfield game on Saturday of course.

Just to wet your appetite, I will be here for the next two hours.

HB Pier, Southside - Surf Report and HD Surf Cam | SURFLINE.COM

 

[skipper734]

HB Pier, Southside - Surf Report and HD Surf Cam | SURFLINE.COM

How nice is that!

 

[Sk8er]

My friends and I have been surfing the south coast for over 30 years.
I have tried to upload a picture of one mate in indo with very fine surf shorts on.
Also we all enter a surf comp held in Cornwall every year in memory of a good friend who died, a very well known face in the the surfing community. He used to make surfing movies for Lost. The comp is held between the Brighton surfers and the local Cornish surfers.
I'm just about to go out but will pm you later in the week.

 

[So.CalGull]

View attachment 39909
Also we all enter a surf comp held in Cornwall every year in memory of a good friend who died, a very well known face in the the surfing community. He used to make surfing movies for Lost. The comp is held between the Brighton surfers and the local Cornish surfers.

In memory of Spike?
We probably know the same people, Johnson, Jock the late Nige etc.

 

[Vegas Seagull]

Best local bet is the living legend, my mate Cliff Cox who runs the Pure Spirit surf school (google) out of the hot pipes Shoreham Harbour and elsewhere. He could tell you a LOT

 

[The Spanish]

Best local bet is the living legend, my mate Cliff Cox who runs the Pure Spirit surf school (google) out of the hot pipes Shoreham Harbour and elsewhere. He could tell you a LOT

took the words out of my mouth, speak to Cliff.

 

[So.CalGull]

took the words out of my mouth, speak to Cliff.

Third that motion. Euro Masters Champ, and all round top bloke.

 

[Sk8er]

Yes mate, along with all the others. Brighton has always had a good surf scene.
Has any one spotted the BHA away shorts as boardies?

 

[Jesus Gul]

I worked the summer season in Newquay in 1990 serving Northern holiday makers in their Fat Willy's Surf Shack tee shirts.

Did a bit of surfing in spare time. Got my car stuck on Fistral beach one night after overshooting the car park looking for a beach party. Managed to make a road using chestnut pale fencing but had visions of my car on the beach surrounded by wind breaks the following day.

If I went back to Newquay now it would be with my sticks - great links course there, also St Endoc and Trevose up the road.

 

[Butch Willykins]

Go to the East of the Marina on any windy day and you'll find dozens there.

This. Or try the "Hot Pipe" (this is the hot water pipe from Shoreham Power Station, not a huge wave!!) off Basin Road at Shoreham Port. The Witterings down by Bracklesham Bay can also get pretty busy too. Good luck.

 

[Beezer]

When I started surfing in brighton in 78-79 most of the guys as stated above on previous post were members of brighton swimming club and water polo players. You would get strange looks from people when walking thru the town with your board under your arm towards the palace pier and getting changed under the arches with a force 7 sw wind blowing .the only reference you could find about surfing would be if you managed to acquire a copy of the American surf magazine, Surfer.the other big difference was there were not as many weather forecasts,so you would have to become amateur meteologists.