10 Things Only Scottish Surfers Will Understand.

 

10 Things only Scottish Surfers will understand. 

Hey everyone ! Welcome back to empty peaks surf, If you're new round here, be sure to go and look at my previous posts ! In my last post, I chatted about my recent trip to Cornwall and the differences between surfing in competitions and free surfing, so be sure to give that a read !

Todays post is inspired by my latest surf trip on the east coast of Scotland. Surfing in Scotland can be tricky sometimes, in this particular trip we spend the day trying to find a good spot in a big but messy swell. There were definitely surfable waves around however Scotland's quickly changing tides and cold weather made us work hard to get the few waves we got. With hectic paddle outs, clean up sets and funny locals, this particular session was something all Scottish surfers know all to well. 

While the trip wasn't the most fruitful, it's made me think about the unique things us Scottish surfers see, hear and experience on a regular basis - Here's ten things I think are somewhat unique to surfing round these parts  !

• Freezing cold wet wetsuits

A lot of people know what it's like getting into a wet wetsuit, but in Scotland this already horrible feeling is so much worse when temps outside are in the single figures. I usually sit in the car for ten minutes plucking up the courage to get into my icy wetsuit. I do try and dry my suit outside when I'm at home, but there's only so much drying that goes on when you live in rainy Glasgow !

• Boots that WON'T come off

After your surf you run back to the car and try and get changed quickly for some sort of warmth out of your dry clothes. Your boots have got to come off first in order to get your suit off, but this is easier said then done when you cant feel your own fingers ! It seems such an easy task when you're warm, but when you've got no sensation in your hands, the battle with my boots can last 5 minutes, hobbling round the car park, trying not to fall over. 

• That person without boots or gloves 

I know I've complained about my boots, but they do keep me warm in Scotland's winter water temps ! On the odd occasion though, there's someone who's decided gloves and boots aren't for them, despite the fact its 8 degrees outside, and their hands and feet are bright red. These people make me feel cold just looking at them, weirdly this doesn't seem to bother them, they always seem to be the warmest people in the line up !

• The old guy that rips

Whenever I'm surfing around the east coast, whatever beach I surf at, there always seems to be an older chap who you might underestimate. However they're always in the right place at the right time, getting all the best waves. I remember a session I had a few months ago where this older gent must have caught 60 waves in a two hour session. If he wasn't on a wave, he was paddling back out after catching one. I guess the saying never judge a book by its cover is all too true !

• The same old faces 

The locals are what make surfing in Scotland so good. After surfing in Scotland for over two years you become familiar with the various faces at each of the beaches. I rarely ever have a conversation with these people, a smile and a nod seems to do the trick. Even if we don't say anything, I still feel there's a sense of community amongst Scottish surfers !

• That time you surfed with a pro

Everyone's got that story of the time they surfed with a pro or a local legend. These stories are often heavily embellished to make them sound like you were surfing with each other, trading waves and  exchanging high fives. When in reality you were surfing at different ends of the beach and saw the back of their head as they got changed in the car park ! But hey, what's a good story without a little bending of the truth ?

• Holey wetsuits and bashed up boards. 

Surfing gets a reputation for being 'super cool' and trendy. Sometimes it feels like you should look a certain way or be riding the shortest new board possible. But in Scotland, this seems to go out the window. In single figure temperatures and messy swells, there's only so cool you can be. No body cares if you're in an old wetsuit or if your boards sun bleached and dinged up. I feel there's an instant level of respect you can get round here, just for being brave enough to paddle out in the coldest, trickiest conditions regardless of what your kit looks like. 

• Becoming a local weather expert 

Scotland's surf isn't as predictable as other places in the world, meaning you have to constantly check the ever changing surf reports in order to find a good day to surf. You'll become infatuated with various forecasting platforms, analysing swell, wind, period and tides and you learn how to comprehend weird charts that make you feel like you're doing complicated scientific research. Even after all this, you'll rock up to the beach and the waves could still be crap ! 

• Nearly crashing your car trying to check the waves

On the drive to the beach you sometimes get a little peek at the waves you've waited so desperately for. There's a specific road I'm thinking of just after a beach called Thornton Loch where you can see the waves from your car window. Sometimes the excitement of seeing the waves for the first time can get a little distracting. You might look out your window for a little bit too long and found that you've veered out of your lane just slightly ! I know it can be exciting focus on your driving ! You've got to get there in one piece in order to be able to surf the waves you've been looking at !

• Facebook market place trawling

Facebook market place is a treasure trove for second hand surf equipment. You can spend hours scrolling through various selling pages, picking out your favourite boards, wishing you could buy all of them.  There are some absolute steals on that site. Even when I have no intention of getting a board I spend vast amounts of time scrolling through and admiring all the deals !

So there you go, that's 10 things Scottish surfers will get !

Let me know in the comments what I've missed out from this list. 

Thanks for reading, see you next time, 

Oli, 

Empty Peaks Surf.