Surfing, windsurfing and a CUSTOM 58!!

We have had a few sessions recently, more surfing than windsurfing as usual as it hasn't been all that windy. We had some really good after work surf sessions at Whitsands when it was really cold and SE wind-the North shore was going off but we couldn't get up there in time. We have also had more surf sessions at weekends, mainly Godrevy and this weekend a triple session at Whitsands, then Praa, then Godrevy-see the Go Pro stills below.

Windsurfing wise we had a quick session after work at Bigbury-but it was onshore and the waves were pretty fat, nothing amazing. We did have a really good session at Gwithian though last Saturday, horrible weather-cross on windy 4.7 weather and raining! It scared most away apart from the windsurfers who were loving it! Great to get out again after so long for a windy jumping and riding session! I did however snap my UJ in a big closeout and had to swim in with my rig, with my board narrowly missing the rocks floating in.

I think its great that I can now surf as well as windsurf-there is normally enough swell down here to get something and if it is too windy or onshore to surf I can normally windsurf, getting out every weekend!

I am also sooooo excited as my sponsor Puravida Boardriders is making me a small custom for Chile (I leave in three weeks now...). I am so excited to ride a board my size having never had one below my weight. It should rip in mast high and I hope it will be a lot less bouncy for me! Pictures to follow when I have it, but here are a couple he has made already, a 98 and 95:




Anyway here are some pics below of the latest sessions, mostly Go Pro surf I'm afraid...

Praa:



Godrevy:





And... there are seals at Godrevy!

A few photos from this weekend at Daymer...

A couple of photos from Hylton when we sailed Daymer this weekend. We were hoping for some good port tack jumping, but the wind died a little so instead we had some float and ride over the far side. These were from the beginning of the session when it was just about windy enough for a 4.2. Not epic, but good to get out!

Stoked to be Sponsored by NoLimitz Masts!

I have been using NoLimitz masts for a while now and have been really impressed by their toughness, feel and durability. I am really pleased to have joined their team and will now use their masts all the time! They are handmade in America, with 3 mast types available. Their website is: 'NoLimitz'. I am looking forward to trying out my new masts this weekend!

Surfing Godrevy

Last weekend we took the van down to Godrevy and surfed Saturday and Sunday. Saturday was offshore, but the swell wasn't meant to be very big, so I didn't have any high expectations. I took my Adams 6'4'' board and it was really fun, about up to head high and peeling nicely.


Sunday the swell was much better, but the offshore wind stronger. We debated whether to windsurf on the South, but thought there wouldn't be many waves there and the waves at Godrevy were looking really nice! Plus the fact, it was about 5 degrees and South Easterly-I thought my hands would go numb in an instant windsurfing but surfing I could wear 5mm gloves! So we stuck at Godrevy, taking our time to get in at mid to low tide, though perhaps we should have gone in earlier when it was less windy?!
So it was offshore, over head high and peeling right down the line, the trouble was, you had to take off super late, otherwise the wind would blow you back off the top. You also couldn't see anything when taking off-it was like being in a storm cloud! Anyway, I took my Deviant 5'10'' which was perfect for ducking the bigger waves, and for the first time the Go Pro on the front-so here are the stills and a little video of slow motion ducking!



Hylton taking off:


Bit late!

Nice and clean...


Stef taking off:

You can just about see Stef's head dropping through the lip:

A bad still of me on a wave-the spray was ridiculous so didn't really make any good shots. My best two waves I mucked up and put the GoPro on timer!

Hylton, Stef and my sister Ruth:



Forgot to add: After surfing, on the way home, my toes swelled up, went very red and became the itchiest thing I have ever experienced in my life!! I couldn't concentrate or sit still! Chill blanes apparently, though why I haven't had these before I have no idea, my feet have gone very numb before... Anyway, I ended up putting anti itch mosquito cream on them I was so desperate, and sat in the bath having self diagnosed off the internet to put cold water, hot water, cold water, hot water etc on them... It then came back the next day at work-uh oh! Got some cream at lunch and it seems to be ok now. Hope it doesn't happen again!

Ski Video!

So here it is, our ski and snowboard video from Andorra. As I said, not amazing conditions but we made the most of what was there! Hopefully you like it!


Sarah Bibby and Stef Hilder Skiing and Boarding in Andorra 2011 >>


Had a good surf on Sunday in turquoise water in deepest darkest Cornwall! First time I have surfed in a couple of months as I had my eyes done, and I surprised myself-I wasn't as rusty as I thought I would be! So good not to be wearing contacts-it was fairly heavy for its size and I got squashed to the floor occaisionally! Also managed to duck dive and then squash my head on my board and crack my neck which was scary, but it seems to be ok! It did highlight how fit I need to be for Chile though, you forget you are launching yourself into doing at least 5 hours exercise a day for 3 weeks when you barely do a couple of hours every few days here. And its big and heavy there... So lots of gym and climbing during the week and surfing/windsurfing at the weekends!

Skiing in Andorra

I had a great Christmas back home with my family, it was the biggest Christmas in a long time with my 3 sisters, brother in law, boyfriend, gran and her friend! On boxing day morning me and Stef got an early flight to Arinsal, Andorra for a holiday with Neilson. The snow in the Pyrenees wasn't great, it had had one dump and then rained just before we went, so we decided to head on a 40 minute bus ride to Arcalis instead of skiing Arinsal where we were based. The lift pass still covered it and the snow was much better there as it was a bowl rather than a face (and less slushy!). We skiied a few days there but for advanced skiers it was a little small. We headed to Gran Valira for a day instead, the other resort in Andorra, and it was sooooo much bigger! Gutted! (Should have paid more attention when booking!) The forecast was for a little more snow and then some rain, so we ended up paying for another day lift pass and a taxi to the other resort, which was much higher. Windy, but we found some powder! We had an amazing time though, even meeting up with an old uni friend, Ed Sinclair, for New Years which was great-we didn't even know we were in the same resort! I wouldn't go back to Arinsal skiing again, as it was too small for us, but Gran Valira was pretty good. It was partly due to the lack of snow though, as a few pistes were closed and crucially the lift to the other resort Pal too, which would have increased the area, its probably pretty good with a lot more snow!

So there is my review of Andorra's skiing if you could be bothered to read it! I don't want to paint a bad picture of Andorra though, it had some advantages: Very little people on the slopes-in fact the least busy resort I have been to; tax free-so less expensive than all French resorts; and much cheaper lift passes! Still, we had some really fun days and a little powder, making the most of what was there! We did go pretty early in the season, so I can't complain about the snow too much! I will put out a small video soon, but for now some photos!

In the water again at Whitsands!

I was so keen to get in the water again this weekend! 5 weeks out of the water and I couldn't wait for a session no matter the weather! Though it felt cold with NW winds I was pretty surprised how warm it was (with suit, boots and hood!). Whitsands has real potential for an amzing down the line place, but it needs a good wind due to the rip and some south swell. It is a mission walking down and up the cliff though, I still have a badly pulled shoulder from the walk carrying my rig up the cliff! Its like Highcliff on steroids! Anyway the session wasn't great due to the complete lack of wind (it was coming and going), and the rip taking away any wind there was! But it was nice to be out with the sun setting. Here are some go pro shots from the headcam:







Finally, a bit late coming, but a pic of the new Simmer Icons, they are awesome and light!


Next week I am off skiing to Andorra, I can't wait! Merry Christmas everyone!

Bigbury photos

More photos of other people! It seems this past month the wind and the waves have not stopped coming while I sacrificed, though everyone knows someone has to for a good forecast! So I took photos at Whitsands one weekend, then the following weekend I ran up and down the cliffs at Bigbury while everyone surfed, and this weekend took pictures of a pretty fun looking cross on session at Bigbury! Jealous! I also went to the student windsurf event party in Exeter, which was epic! So here are some photos of Stef and Will Rodgers at Bigbury on Saturday. There was about 20 guys and girls out, nice to see! Looking forward to getting back on the water soon!







Also, here is the official Franklin and Marshall and Puravida BWA Wave competition video in Cornwall from Boardseeker.com!

New Eyes!

Wow-I can see amazingly! I've had my surgery, and my eyes are now 20:20 in my right and better in my left! Absolutely incredible! I had it done at Centre for Sight in Kent, so a bit of a trek from Plymouth. They gave me a sedative before to calm me down and some anaesthetic eye drops, and luckily some happy squeezy balls to squeeze while I was having it done! The worst part was the rings they push into your eyes to hold them open while they are lasered-there is quite a lot of pressure and its pretty uncomfortable. I couldn't feel the laser at all though, just a faint smell of burning eye, nice! It also worryingly sounded like a tattoo pen! The process was over in 5-10 minutes though and then I got given some funky goggles which I have to wear for a month in bed and for the first 24 hours to stop me rubbing my eyes and disloging the flap they had cut. I have lots of drops to put in and can't go in the water for a month, so this weekend I took photos of Stef and Doug surfing at Whitsands:

Stef:

Doug:


A bodyboarder:


My sisters came and visited for the weekend too which was really good, so we ended up playing around with funny photos on the beach!