Located in the far west of the UK on a peninsula sliding into the ocean,
Cornwall’s coastline consists of 300 miles of sand and sea.
Cornwall’s coastline consists of 300 miles of sand and sea.
From any point in Cornwall, you are never farther than a short drive from the Atlantic Ocean. During the months of winter water temperatures are a cool 7 degrees C rising to 18 degrees C during the summer months, reaching its warmest in late August when we can realistically swap our wetsuits for board shorts and bikinis, albeit for a short while.
If you fly out of Cornwall or land in Cornwall and the waves are good, you’ll see this unfold from the plane, it’s fair to say that after landing, you could be in the water surfing within 30 minutes.
During the summer, high pressure typically dominates during the peak months of July and August, the surf can be so much fun with daylight lasting well into the late evening. I love to ride the more experimental boards I have shaped like the Mini Simmons, Single Fins etc, and to hand plane with my kids.
And then we hit September, surfers favourite month? Definitely mine!
The holiday season is over, the town is a little quieter, the water is still warm, the Single Fin is pulled out and if we are lucky the waves begin to turn on with size and consistency.
The holiday season is over, the town is a little quieter, the water is still warm, the Single Fin is pulled out and if we are lucky the waves begin to turn on with size and consistency.
I travel a lot with my work, often in places where the surf is idyllic and consistent, however, there’s something about coming home that gets me pumped to paddle out, I study the huge cliffs on all sides as if I've never seen them before and smile. I often wonder who else has this feeling! 10 years ago I would travel all around Cornwall searching for waves and new ocean experiences, today I surf 3 breaks mostly; Fistral beach, Whipsiderry and Watergate Bay, all within a 3-mile radius of each other and close to my home on the north coast.
Shooting coastal images on film, for me, there is no better medium than dated old film to capture the essence of what makes surfing in Cornwall so special. Even the process of waiting for the film to be developed and scanned seems aptly appropriate, given the type of environment we have here, the right thing to do.
See you out there.
Karl Mackie
