BEST SEATS IN THE HOUSE
It was with great relief and huge excitement that we finally rolled into Thurso. We’d decided that, due to only two hours left of daylight, we’d just jump in for a surf and not waste time looking for windsurfable options (The East coast may well have been going off with a big SE swell and wind). Thurso East was as good as I’d ever seen it – double-overhead-plus and peeling mechanically with a little man slotted in the barrel on every wave. I couldn’t get in quick enough.
With so much wind this year I have to admit my surfing has suffered. I don’t mind getting a good pasting, but I did feel a bit out my depth and hate nothing more than kooking up a good wave with a face plant in front of those waiting their turn. The level seemed ridiculously high. Whilst scratching towards the horizon with every ounce of strength in my body to get under an approaching and seemingly house-sized rogue set, which I was sure I wasn’t going to get under, the guy next to me on my inside, deeper than me, turned and paddled at the last split second under the lip and was gone. As the spray faded I looked back over my shoulder expecting to see a tombstoning board. But no, he was totally gone. He flicked out 10 seconds later a 100 metres down the line. Gob smacked!