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D U S T Y DAYS & L O B I T O S W A V E S / O L E R O N MAGIC //// SEASOUL

SHELTER / // F E S T I V A L GOES OFF!! // . . . E N J O Y !

#29 APRIL 2015 ISSUEEaster weekend saw the sun shining with all its might and the beaches were buzzing with tourists here in Cornwall. However the water has not warmed up just yet. Still got the full kit on, but it won’t be long now before we can start shedding neoprene and putting it back in the cupboard for another year...

Editor -Gemma Chalmers.

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Big Swell - Watergate Bay, Cornwall.

In October 2013, I quit my job, packed a bag and waved goodbye to sunny Cornwall. Armed with a one way ticket to Peru, I touched down in the country’s misty capital, Lima, and spent the next 52 glorious days travelling north along the coast.

Time went by in a blur of bus journeys, ceviche and leg-burning left handers. Eventually I found myself in Lobitos, a near perfect surf town in the north of Peru and one of my last stops in the country as I journeyed north to Ecuador. Before and during my travels I’d heard lots of good things about the place

Photo: Antonio Russo/Mr.-Yeti www.mr-yeti.com

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Photos: Antonio Russo/Mr.-Yeti www.mr-yeti.com

so expectations were high as I rolled into town on a tuk tuk from nearby Talara.

A remote village on the coast, Lobitos used to be a mixed British and American colony with oil having been discov-ered there in the early 1900’s and the town and surround-ing lands subsequently leased from the Peruvian Govern-ment. These days, oil plat-forms sit out to sea and nod-ding donkeys continue the mining, but all that’s left of the majestic buildings of old are crumbling ruins alluding to their former grandeur.

La Casona is one such build-ing, previously housing the General. It is now a hippy hangout offering a free bed and feed to volunteers who spend a few hours a day help-ing to clean, paint and restore the place back to its former glory. The house has the best view in town, perched high on a bluff overlooking the beach. Colourful murals of waves and mythical sea creatures adorn the walls, while outside ham-mocks swing from the trees.

Living in Lobitos is a taste of the simple life; there’s just sun,

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sand and surf. It’s somewhat of a mecca for surfers and in fact, there were more people surfing there than I’d encountered in the rest of Peru put together. Howev-er, I can admit the attraction; there are five different waves that break, all within walking distance, and the sea is a balmy 23 degrees.

The main challenge in Lobitos is that it does not have a proper water supply. The highlight of the week is the couple of hours when water is pumped into town, meaning you can fill up your water tank and assure yourself that you’ll be able to take a shower for a few more days. In Lobitos water is gold and when it’s gone, it’s gone.

The dusty little town offers a smorgasbord of waves, hollow and powerful to varying degrees but pretty much all sand bottomed making it safe for all abilities.

The main attraction is Punta Lobitos, also known as La Frontera, a reeling left hand point break that offers up long, racy walls and frequent barrels. This is the busi-est wave in town and when there’s a good swell run-ning it’s not unusual to find the best part of 50 guys on the peak, even at daybreak.

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To the south of this is El Hueco, a challenging, barrel-ling left hander with lots of rocks dotted through the line up, so it’s known as a wave for kamikaze surfers.

North of the point is another wave, known as ‘The Generals’ because it peaks in front of La Casona. This is a fun performance left, with a shifty peak, racy walls and some hollow sections. This wave is right out front of where I was staying and I had a lot of fun surfs here with just a few other people out.

Further north along the beach is El Muelle which breaks next to the pier. This is a fast, hollow shore-break for those who don’t mind getting the occasional face full of sand.

And finally, breaking off a spit of rocks, is a spot called Piscinas which is named after the salt-water swimming pool that existed there before it filled up with sand. This is another fun left hander which makes the most of a small swell and offers some wind protection.

Spoiled for choice in this goofy footers paradise, my days in Lobitos were filled with the simple necessities of life: surfing, eating and sleeping – before heading onwards in search of a new slice of paradise.

Originally published at www.cornishcarp.wordpress.com and re-written for The Slideshow, by Fern Cargill, South Australia.

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A typical sunny summer morning session at my local spot - the magic Oleron Island (off the At-lantic coat of France, on the southern side of the Pertuis d’Antioche strait). Perfect times with my boyfriend and my friends.

- Elodie Miane.

Oleron Magic

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Last month we heard from Concha and Killa on how they started Seasoul Shelter. There is still time to book on to their next guided surf week here in the UK. The next Seasoul session takes place in the small seaside town of Perranporth, located on the rugged North Coast of Cornwall, 15th-22nd May.

“Come and join us, together with Chicks On Waves on our guided surf week. Explore the stunning landscapes and beaches that the UK’s most magical area has to offer. Benefit from the local knowlege of your surf guides who have had the pleasure to live and surf on this beautiful costline.

Surf unspoiled and empty breaks and watch the sunset from the line up. You will stay in a cottage right by the stunning beach at Perranporth. The town is in walking distance and has all the stores and surfshops you could need. Enjoy local food and ale in a Cornish pub on the beach and chat to the local surf community. Visit the biggest indoor skatepark in the area to improve your turning skills.

Depending on your level we will support you to reach your individual surf improvement. Green wave transition, longboarding tips, beginners or just get some feedback on your surf skills and have some fun”.

- Healthy, sustainable breakfast is included. For dinner there are 2 op-tions: lets get out and try a local roast or fish dish at a nearby restaurant, or, request your dinner at home.

- At the end of the trip you are free to join us to visit the Tunes in the Dunes Festival (22nd–24th) right down the beach. Check out: Tunes in the Dunes with Donovan Fran-kenreiter. It would be great to have you join us at this event. This is not however part of our offer so you will will need to book additional accom-modation for those days. You can book yourself into the YHA close by.

seasoulshelter.com

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Slideshow Art, Gemma Chalmers, Cornwall, UK.ART:

Newquay shone for the Approaching Lines In-ternational Festival of Surf presented by Reef, turning on good waves, good weather and good times for the four day festival celebrating in-ternational surf culture. For three nights the Lighthouse Cinema, Newquay was a beacon of stoke packed to the rafters. Surf communi-ties gathered from across the UK in full force, journeying from Wales, Loughborough, Devon, Scotland and beyond to enjoy a specially curated

Festival of

SurfGoes Off!

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Festival of programme to inspire, enlighten and entertain including 3 world premieres, 4 UK premieres and 6 southwest premieres.

“We were delighted to work with the very best surf filmmaking talent from across the globe to bring such an awesome line up to Cornwall,” says Approaching Lines Director Chris Nelson. “For many of the features we showcased, this was the only opportunity to watch them in the southwest as they were made to be seen - on the big screen, surrounded by a like-minded and amped crowd and we were blown away by the turn out.”

The lure of Cornwall’s surf capital attracted a wealth of international filmmakers to the fes-tival. Award winning Australian filmmaker Kai Neville and South African surfer Brendan Gib-bens hosted the UK Premiere of their new movie ‘Cluster’ showcasing the very pinnacle of modern, performance surfing. New York film-

maker Isabel Freeman presented the southwest Premiere of the award winning ‘Stephanie in the Water’ and captivated the crowd with tales of working with the 6 x world surf champion Stephanie Gilmore.

“We have a wealth of talent here in the UK and were stoked to be able to showcase the work of some of the best homegrown filmmak-ers, including John Eldridge, Chris Case, Patrick Blades and Tim Davies alongside these interna-tional premieres,” says Chris Nelson. “This year, supported by Newquay Bid, we also hosted a special “groms go free” screening on Saturday afternoon, to inspire the up and coming genera-tion and were stoked to hear them hooting and cheering the house down!”

Single Fin Classic. - Sarah Bentley, heading in for her heat.

On the Sunday the celebrations moved to the shore line as 12 of the UK’s most stylish surf-ers assembled at the iconic Fistral Beach for the Reef Single Fin Classic Invitational, the role call reading like a who’s who of surfing: Ben Skinner, Alan Stokes, James Parry, Toby Donachie, Sam Lamiroy, Sarah Bentley, Gee Piper, Neil Hol-land, Sam Boex, Tom Anderson, Archie “Vintage Grom” Cross and John Eldridge. The forecast had promised head high waves, off shore winds and blue skies, and Newquay did not disap-point. With style as the order of the day the invitees headed in for 40 minute heats with the best three waves counting - no priority, no WSL rules, just good vibes, good rides and good times.

No one envied the judges their task. It was Hen-drix vs The Stones, Zeppelin vs Joplin, it was the White Stripes vs Royal. It was speed, power, flow mixed with stoke while balls out going for broke. And it was Alan Stokes who lifted the trophy and pocketed the prize purse, after a backside attack that blew spray high out of the top of the wave, linking turns all the way down the beach into Little Fistral.

After three packed nights, 15 eye widening films, hundreds of bottles of Sharp’s finest ales, votes cast, happy filmmakers, beds slept in at The Headland, Tolcarne Beach and The Carnmarth, a pumping forecast from Magicseaweed, goodies and prizes from our friends at Carve, Surfgirl and Reef and a day of super stylish wave riding, the results are in and the winners are:

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Festival of

SurfGoes Off!

APPROACHING LINES INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF SURF x REEF

Best Film: Cluster Dir. Kai Neville

Viewers Choice: 70 Something Dir. Rafael Mellin

Froth Factor: Expencive Porno Movie Dir. Tin Ojeda

Best Yeeew! K Film: Seeking Ombak Dir. Tim Davies

REEF SINGLE FIN CLASSIC INVITATIONAL

Winner: Alan Stokes

2nd Place: Sam Boex

3rd Place: Sam Lamiroy

4th Place: Toby Donachie

Best Manoeuvre: Sam Lamiroy

Best Wave: Alan Stokes

Festival of

SurfGoes Off!

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Single Fin Classic. - Sarah Bentley, dropping in. - Photo: Martin Jackson.

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