On the crest of a wave

This weekend, we went for a socially distanced visit to see Roy's Dad and his wife.  It is very odd to sit in someone's garden and share a cup of tea, with separate entrances for bathrooms set up if needed.  Although we came prepared, with our own flask of tea, chairs and portaloo, just some of the perks of having a campervan.

As it was Father's Day, our appointment was from 1030-1230, to allow the other children to visit later on.  So we headed to nearby Bigbury beach for lunch, and if the weather perked up maybe a swell afternoon of fun in the sea.  It was a bit overcast when we first arrived, so we had lunch indoors before heading down to the sand for some football and gymnastics.  

The beach wasn't too busy, the tide was out so there was plenty of space, and the clouds overhead had probably discouraged too many from venturing out.  Thankfully these cleared and we were treated to a glorious afternoon.

Expanse of sand at low tide looking towards Burgh Island

Incoming tide starting to cover the causeway

Bigbury on Sea is a great beach to visit, with the infamous Burgh Island, of Agatha Christie fame, its Art Deco Hotel, the Pilchard Inn and the sea tractor that carries passengers across the causeway at high tide.   You can walk up to the top of Burgh Island, to the Huer's lookout, offering a panoramic view out to sea and back along the coastline.

There are 2 car parks, the closest providing toilet facilities, a shop, watersports hire and lessons, and a take away coffee/snack bar.  Mobile signal is very limited, so best to bring coins rather than using the app to pay for parking.  Dogs are permitted on parts of Sedgewell Cove all year round (area towards the river).

View towards Sedgewell Cove

We decided to head back to the van to get changed into our wetsuits and venture into the water, the sea looked nice for us to try and catch some waves.  The children dug the compulsory big hole in the sand until we were all ready to go.  

View towards Bigbury beach

There was quite a breeze and it was hard work making our way out to the waves, but we all had several goes.  The waves were rolling in so we didn't have to wait long between attempts at catching them, although certainly in my case there were more attempts than catches.

I don't think I have much elegance or grace when attempting to surf, I feel as though I'm fighting the wind and the waves to get out, often getting bashed by the surfboard, due to my poor positioning.  Then there is the task of jumping onto the board, as by now you're out to some depth and it takes a bit of a leap, that more often than not doesn't end up in me landing nice and squarely on the board.  So now I'm wriggling myself into a slightly more stable position on the board before the impending wave crashes over me (and quite often washes me off again).  Off I go with my arms wind-milling around trying to get some speed so the wave takes me with it rather than speeding under me and leaving me behind, having missed the train and still standing on the platform while the train carries on, a deflating disappointment after all that work to get there.  But more waves follow behind, so I'll (try to) get the next one.  Today I did manage to catch some on my own, other times Roy gave me a push to catch it, but once you catch one it's all worthwhile, you're laid on the board with the deluge of water thundering all around and underneath you and carrying you towards the shore at tumultuous speed.  The rush of the wave, carrying you away, no more effort required on your part, it would take you all the way to the shore.  But now to try and stand up, this is equally ungraceful, hands grasping the sides of the board and trying to 'jump' your knees up in between them, I think this probably is more of a dragging my knee through, then raising onto your feet with the board wobbling beneath your unsteady weight.   A few times I have made it to standing before crashing off to one side or the other.  It doesn't really matter; you still get up, turn around and resolutely go back for more, another go at breaking the waves.  The sea always wins in the end, but we all got to ride on the crest of a wave for a (short) time, and we all had fun.

Oliver is less confident in the sea, not that you could tell from this photo.  Perhaps the unpredictability of the waves crashing and pulling away the sand from under your feet, seaweed fragments wrapping around your legs, and the bitter, salty tang when the water inevitably splashes into your mouth.  It's a very different experience to the stillness of the swimming pool, the canal or the reservoirs where we kayak, or to the rivers that are shallow and contained by their banks when we go wild swimming.  A very different beast, that is wild and unrestrained, powerful and vast, he's right to give it his respect, we hope he'll learn to love the sea as we do, in his own time.

By now we have settled on a bit of a system for visiting the beach:

• Food and drink, and the cooker, with a stock of tea/coffee/hot chocolate/sugar sachets
• Warm clothing
• Towels
• Swimgear, wetsuits, boots and gloves, goggles and scuba masks
• Beach games - cricket/rounders, frisbee, football, buckets and spades
• Surf board/Body boards/Skim board/Sup/Kayaks

All the swimgear is stowed in a big box that is ready to go and we have a gardening tub to take all the wet gear when we take it off.

Warming up after our surf, enjoying the view

Surf

noun: The swell of the sea that breaks upon a shore.  The mass or line of foamy water caused by the breaking of the sea upon a shore, especially a shallow or sloping shore.

verb: To ride a surfboard.  To float on the crest of a wave toward shore.