Previously, demented duo JC and Timo drove six hours through the night to catch a secret east coast slab firing at daybreak. Despite freezing temperatures and ridiculous gusts, they managed to score a couple of hours of epic conditions before the flooding tide spoiled the party and almost drowned JC! Now, after this intense session most ‘normal’ windsurfers would call it a day and head for home. However, the day was still young and, with howling winds and pumping waves still pounding the coastline, Messrs Carter and Mullen made the rash decision to drive two hours further North to check out what the infamous beaches of Redcar had to offer – they were not disappointed!
(The images in this COAST SERIES feature are unseen shots from the story that originally appeared in the September 2012 issue of Windsurf Magazine. Print and digital subscriptions for readers worldwide are available HERE.)
Words Timo Mullen | PHOTOS John Carter
COLD STEEL
Redcar, North Yorkshire is a small seaside resort of around 35,000 inhabitants set midway between the chemical and steel making plants of Teeside and the wild expanses of the Yorkshire Moors National Park. We rolled into town on an icy-cold but sunny-and-windy December’s afternoon, hoping to catch up with the local wave sailing crew to find out a bit more about the area. After a few quick spot-checks we rocked-up on one of the main northern town beaches towards Coatham, but unfortunately there was no sign of any other sailors. This had us asking questions as to whether we were in the right place or not? We knew that this area has a pretty hardy local gang that would be able to point us in the right direction, but with a logo-high beachbreak and cranking cross offshore winds we certainly were not going to look any further for anything better. From the warmth of the van we studied the conditions.
