A Winter's day surf session at Polzeath Beach, North Cornwall
18 October 2017
After eight months of surf travel in predominately tropical climates, my fiancé and I were nervous about what a winters surf session in Cornwall would be like.
Armed with new fleecy wetsuits, hoods, boots and “lobster claw” style gloves we arrived at Polzeath beach in North Cornwall on a crisp but gloriously sunny Wednesday afternoon. With just a few dog walkers on the beach and the turquoise ocean beckoning, we splashed through the shallows out through the waves to the surf, waiting for the ice cold water to chill us to the bone…..but it didn’t! Our wetsuits worked so well I felt as warm as I was surfing in the tropics. With the smell of coconut surfboard wax in the air and the sun shining onto our faces, the paddle through the waves was exhilarating.
Sitting on my board behind breaking waves is my favourite way to see the beauty of a landscape and Cornwall’s raw, green beauty is breathtaking from the clean Atlantic Ocean. Adrenalin coursed through my veins as we glided along the waves, whooping and cheering each other on, paddling feverishly back out for more surf. The dull ache in my arms secondary to the freedom in my heart and the essence of time lost in the pure joy of surfing.
Back on Polzeath beach afterwards, we peeled back our wetsuits, the air was fresh and we dived into the car regaling stories of our favourite surf rides. In just 10 minutes, we were back at our cosy holiday cottage at Green Door Cottages in Port Gaverne, near Port Isaac, anticipating a hot bath and an evening in front of the warming, crackling fire. Ahhh…. a perfect day!