Bonkers Bridlington and Fabulous Fraisthorpe

21st Jun 2010 @ 10:49:07 AM

sSs Team Rider, Carl Tomlinson crossed the breadth of the country last weekend to enjoy the brilliant east coast conditions. Carl tells the story....

''Finally a classic wave day in the middle of Summer. Gaz calls me on Friday…..”bye eck its lookin’g good f’ Brid’ on Sat’de”. “Oh yeah” I reply, thinking about the options for a get out jail free card when its “’er in doors” birthday, we’ve just moved house and there’s a shed load of decorating to be done and we have made an appointment with the guy to design the kitchen on Saturday at 9am. Sure enough after a quick check on the forecast shows a deep pulse of swell and 20kts of wind in the North Sea.

Somehow I wangle it to leave the kitchen man and “’er in doors” at 10:30 to head over to Aloha Sailboards to meet up with Len and load up his van. We’re off for 11am and excited by a text from Steve “head high lines, windy”, plenty of time yet as low tide is a 5pm so as long as the swell holds up we’re in for a classic day.

Sure enough we arrive at about 1330 and the wind is cracking at Bf 6-7 and slightly cross off, with logo high sets peaking up on the sand bars and smoking off the tops….perfect. The water has just pulled back from the cliffs enough to make it safe. I rig my RRD 68 Wave Thruster and a 4.5m Ezzy expecting to be just a tad underpowered going out through the break but maxed out the back. There are about 8 of us out and we’re all hyped up as we’ve not been out in conditions like this for a while, but there’s plenty of space on the water and a really nice atmosphere that comes with sailing with a great crew.

Everyone’s tired by 1630, and I pull off the water at 1730 and by that time the swell had dropped with only the occasional head high set coming through. Some of the guys decide to stay over, but the forecast is fading and Len & I set off for a long drive home every bone in our bodies aching ….a classic day for sure.''

Unbeknown to Carl, team rider Connor Bainbridge was having some early morning Fraisthorpe Fun just hours before he arrived - see photo's.

All in all a jolly good trip to the coast for all concerned.

Carl Cut Back

Carl Slide Out

Carl bottom turn