New Year, New Routes, New Waves

Mid-January saw a sunny and calm period with light winds, if a little on the cold side. That, combined with some decent ground swell, provided some perfect surfing conditions. As a warm up to the North Coast, a cheeky little early morning surf was had down Bantham in 3'+ clean waves, with some super fun waves to be had. Two days later, and I was up at 0430 for the long drive down to Perranporth in Cornwall. I arrived just before 0700 and was over the moon to find the surf forecasts correct, with clean overhead waves in the six foot plus range. I couldn't get changed fast enough, and was soon jumping off the rocks for the paddle out before first light. With fantastic surf, and no one else out, I had an amazing two hour surf to myself - with every wave to choose from, I was like a kid in a candy store! Wave after wave, I surfed the solid powerful waves, and had some insane rides - steep drops, cranking bottom turns, high speed down the line rides and gouging cutbacks. I was in heaven! Stoked for sure! :)

The calm, dry, and sunny conditions were also perfect for a spot of climbing too, and once the surf had gone flat, I wasted no time in heading over to Anstey's Cove in Torquay to get my climbing fix. Having already pre-inspected a route called 'The Lumpy Universe', an E3 5c, I could barely contain myself to actually send it. Without a doubt, this is my new 'favourite route' - with some amazing climbing snaking its way up a huge, fairly blank looking, impressive wall in a kind of massive amphitheatre high above the cove. The whole route was fantastic, providing good hard technical climbing, broken up by some nice rest spots, which was perfect for me. The route was a delight from start to finish, due in part to my very relaxed state of mind (the surfing maybe?), and as a result my climbing flowed really well, and I enjoyed every minute of it. Well, until I'd completed the route and it was over, anyway. ;)

On a couple of other days, I on-sighted an HVS 5a called 'Acheron', and an E1 5b called 'Moonshot'. Both were good routes, but not a patch on 'The Lumpy Universe'! :)