TOTAL DISBELIEF
For the second time in my life I’m stood in the car park at this stunning Welsh Beach looking out over almost flat calm water. It’s a few days before Christmas and, so far today, it doesn’t feel like Santa managed any deliveries. This is hardly the sight you really relish after waking at 1 a.m. and driving through the night to catch a UK winter wave session. But if memory serves me correct, this place is all about the tide and, according to local sailor Ian Pierce, who is confidently rigging up alongside a hardy Welsh crew, it’s going to be firing within half an hour. Even though I’ve experienced this weird phenomenon once before, I still don’t believe it and head back to the comfort of the van to find some warmth and a pillow for a quick snooze. Ross Williams, who is sat beside me in the van, can’t fathom this situation either. His premonition of logo-high, clean offshore waves has been shattered – especially since we were hoping to erase the memory of yesterday’s skunking. You see this story actually emanates over 24 hours prior to this moment of disappointment. A hair-brained scheme of mine to hit two locations in two consecutive days was backfiring in an excruciatingly painful fashion.