FILEY
10.15 a.m.: After a six-hour drive we finally roll into the traditional seaside town of Filey, North Yorkshire. I’m always a bit excited when I first get a glimpse of a new spot, treading into unknown territory is always part of the fun of breaking away from your home patch. As a photographer, I look out for the opportunities to work with the landscapes and foregrounds while for the sailor new sailing venues present a gateway to ride in a different playground, hit steeper ramps and draw new lines on waves, all while taking in the natural surroundings. Located just north of Bridlington, Filey boats a population of a mere 7000 and was traditionally a fishing village before becoming a popular tourist resort. The bay is bookmarked by Filey Brigg to the North and the awesome Bempton Cliffs and Flamborough Head to the south. First view of the beach is promising as we look down on an amphitheatre of swell lines pulsing into the bay, with gale-force winds hammering plumes of spray from the tops of the waves. It’s decision time. The swell’s forecast to pick up through the day, so we make the call to head down the coast to Fraisthorpe in search of bigger waves with a plan to return later.