Comments...

comment by Anonymous, 2009-03-11 17:21:27

BARNSTAPLE!
BARNSTAPLE!

comment by Baggins, 2005-06-28 23:26:36

Croyde - only 3 stars
I think you are being a bit mean giving Croyde three stars. The waves are as good as anything I've surfed in the UK or abroad. If you don't like crowds, go midweek or get up early. The biggest problem with this beach is the sewage. They must surely sort this out soon.

comment by Matt Fom Manly, 2005-03-15 13:31:26

Lost in London
I have a few notes I'd like to add to your noticeboard. I am travelling from Sydney Oz, a place called Manly which you may have heard of and am stuck in London at the moment. Keen to head to the area this weekend as they may be some chilly barrells to be had. I think that a lot of your locals need a swift kick and to go for a surf o/s in a spot like Manly. I understand that our local economy depends on tourism. I also understand that your local has the same dependance. I think that you need to try dealing with 5 or 6 different surf schools that provide surf training to loads of people (uk especially) surfing your local. I am talking about up to 600 people on the one stretch at a time dropping in on your local or just sitting in the perfect barrel spot causing you to miss out on that perfect wave of the day that just rolled through. But without the income these tourists are bringing it is obvious that the local economy will not survive. I actually hate money but think that for the general quality of life of others in my area that it is great that we have people not only bringing in income but converting to the surf industry and joining myself and my local mates in enjoying what the ocean has to offer us. I think that the locals whinging about too many travellers crowding up the breaks should rethink this idea for two points....1 - get over yourselves the ocean is everybodies to share, and 2 - Isn't it more rewarding finding a new secret spot to yourself? Go, travel, hop on a boat and go for an adventure. Who knows you may find a secret island with 8-10 foot perfect barrells off shore a couple of kilometres!!!!

comment by anonymous, 2005-03-14 17:15:06

I agree, I'm one of those that 1) buy my gear there 2) buy my food/drink locally 3) arrange my accomadation locally 4) fill my car up locally etc etc etc. . . . i don't think the owners of shops in croyde would even open in the winter if it wasn't for travelling surfers!! Most don't in the week!! I would put my estimate of money spent in croyde/woolacombe at way over £1000 a year and rarely get troubled with a crowded lineup, middle beach is always empty!!!

comment by garf_0000@hotmail.com, 2004-06-01 13:00:00

Imbecile
You inbred moron.. Of course the local economy depends on travelling surfers. The majority of people in Devon are employed in the service industry (Shops, Restaurants, Pubs, Hotels/ B&B's/ Guest Houses etc.) or are directly effected by it e.g. Builders. I would say that your limited experience of working in a Croyde surf shop does not represent the complete picture of tourism spending for the whole of Devon

If it wasn't for the tourists (including surfers) spending around £1,000m+ a year in Devon alone I think you may very well be spending the majority of your time in a doll queue or having to move away somewhere else to work. Instead you are lucky enough to live and work where there is surf. I on the other hand have to travel for over four hours, and then subsidise a load of ingrates such as the person who posted below by paying over the odds for goods and services. If people know about secret spots, I say who gives a toss (except a few selfish wankers obviously....).

comment by EM, 2004-03-12 15:07:11

Whats the point in spoiling it
Although I know that the Stormrider guide has exposed alot of the 'secret spots' along the north devon coast I just want to know why do you have to support them in advertising the secret spots even further? Its not like the local economy depends on non local surfers as has been suggested. Most of them come down for a weekend at the most and they buy all their gear from the innercity surf shops. I used to work in a surfshop in croyde and woolacombe and 90% of people buying the clothes and the goods had no intention of going into the water. I can remember about 6 or 7 years ago when you could surf at Bucks Mills on a weekend and share it with a maximum 10 other people, you go down there now on a sunday and its rammed, and I blame the likes of those in charge of these websites and books who are just in it for a quick buck! Why dont you give us all a break and stop exposing these spots, especially the ones for more experienced surfers. I will always have this image in my head of the two dickheads I saw splashing around and cutting everyone up at Bucks Mills, They couldnt even sit on their boards let alone ride them! Have a nice day.

comment by anonymous, 2004-02-17 22:52:36

Wannasurf, maps rip off...........
Funny how these maps show the same spots as "The Stormrider Guide" you have even included the spelling mistakes.........

comment by Edd Dennis - specialforces007@hotmail.com, 2003-10-20 17:26:46

INTERNET SURF FORUM MEET
For those in the UK or planning on being in the UK over Christmas, would you like to join some people from A1surf.com's forum for a surf and drink? Perhaps the more well travelled could show photos etc.

We are meeting on Esplanade Road, South Fistral, 12 noon Saturday 3rd Jan 2004. Near a Newquay surf shop owners blue Mercedes Vito van which will be parked opposite the Esplanade hotel. All welcome.

We had a meet in September and had the pleasure of welcoming over 20 people. A throughly good time was had by most and we were even blessed with 6 foot offshore conditions on the Sunday. About 10 have confirmed already that they will be there this time. It would be particularly good to see the northerners amoungst you.

If you have any other surfers email addresses, then please forward this invite and hope to see you there, hopefully we are not as rude and obnoxious face to face as our internet characters would have us believe! Free BBQ if we get enough people interested.

comment by robbie - surferbob@boardermail.com, 2003-09-04 15:56:10

some rambling thoughts on localism
just a few points while i'm bored at work. i sympathise with the locals that it is annoying to see your local break crowd up with out of towners, but there are several reasons why it is wrong to begrudge non locals. For a start, the south west is not exactly a hot bed of industry and without the tourist trade a lot of locals would be very broke locals. Whatever you do to earn a living it is almost definatly dependant, somewhere along the chain, on the regular influx of people into the area. As a climber and snowboarder i have spent several years living in the Alps, and also found myself pissed off at weekend and school holiday crowds, but without them i would have not had a job and not been able to live there and enjoy the rare quiet times. In the climbing world people who drive a long way every weekend just to climb are generally given respect for their dedication and not respect just because they were fortunate enough to be born in a ceratin location. WHy is this not so for surfing. I understand the theory that if you are dedicated then you will move. I intend to move to the coast as soon as possible, however at the moment i have some large debts to pay off, hence i will be living in Birmingham where i can earn higher wages. Does this mean that i have no right to surf until i have paid off my debts and can afford tolive near the coast? I have surfed extensively throughout the world and recently spent two months in the outer hebredes where the locals were genuinly pleased that we had made the effort to go to their waves and are keen for more people to go there and bring much needed money into a poor community. I would be happy to discuss this issue further with any locals who disagree as i think it is a difficult and interesting agenda. sorry for the length of this - i am REALLY bored and looking forward to the weekend 4ft and offshore!!

comment by Gav, 2003-06-26 17:26:02

Good on him
I reckon its a good job someone is gonna put an end to this localism shit. you should shut up buy the book and go and find some other places to surf.