Pig Chase '07
The Gloucester early morning put pressure on the convoy and Mart lost us at some point, Plumby and Jamie were still in bed together when we left and didn't get across the river, they decided on a West bank assault.
We arrived with not much time to spare, Mart hadn't even arrived by the time I was heading into the water, but more homing pigeon than Gull like navigation skills got him there in the nick of time.
I hit the water first and paddled far down stream as had been suggested, the rest of Attack Team 1 remained further up, Plumby and Jamie were further up again having entered via the West bank.
Down where I was there was only one guy sitting there waiting, he reckoned the wave had been head high at this point yesterday, I sat and waited.
Eventually a pretty nice 2ft wave pushed its way around the bend in the river it looked like it was forming midstream rather on the far side where I was positioned.
I paddled like hell for the middle at which point it completely dissipated and no more than a big uncatchable ripple pushed through.
I was gutted, there was little in the way of success from Attack Teams 1 or 2, Plumby did get a ride but grounded on a sandbank.
I had a horrible job getting back to the side and then had to sprint across the sandbank to get out of the river's surging rip, followed by a long windblown walk back to the van.
We all arrived at roughly the same time and hurriedly headed off to point 2. We barely had time to park and get in the water at point 2, spectators shouting "hurry up, it's coming!" as we made our way to the bank.
Oafie, Sharkbuoy, Mart and I hurriedly, vaulted the fence, entered the water and struck out for the far bank, the wave was in clear view a few hundred yards down stream, with 12-15 people on it.
We got to our take off points and waited for the shortest of moments. The wave was walling right across the river, a 2ft wall of foam where we were, a nice clean face in the middle and breaking on the opposite bank.
Sharkbuoy positioned himself for the clean face, a mistake as there wasn't enough power in it to get him going, Oafie, Mart and I were hit by the foam.
Mart was first to his feet followed by Oafie I proned for a moment or two to make sure I was in the right part of the wave, then popped up!
We were up and riding together!! Only about 8-10 people on it now the crowd had thinned, we rode tall for a good while.
Oafie was the first casualty - an interference from another surfer took him out, I wiped out just after but as I fell, managed to throw myself forward onto the deck which gave just enough forward impetus to get the board back on the wave!
Relieved I proned it for a good long way, Mart had also gone prone, it felt like we were flying along, a real sense of speed as the banks rushed by.
My 10' Bic was zinging because of the speed, it felt unending and soon there was just Mart, myself, a sponger and a guy on a board obviously made for the bore, about 4" thick and 12' long, he made no attempt to stand.
A nice clean shoulder opened up on my left so I manoeuvred over to it and felt the board accelerate and so it continued, I popped up again and had another long standing ride.
Mart was wiped out by an unsporting, sponger holding on to his leash for a tow, as karma would have it the guy on the huge mal did for the sponger by riding across him.
It was only him and me now, I had room to carve slightly but made my way too far to the left where the wave, when it rounded the next right hand bend, just died, end of play for me about 100 or so feet further on from Mart.
We were bang centre of the river about 100 yds from shore, getting across the current to our exit bank was a nightmare and took a lot of effort and a fair amount of time.
The incredible surging current causing nasty swirling whirlpools, cross rips and the chop made paddling out hard.
We managed it eventually, climbed the heavily reeded bank, dropped the boards, high fived, hooted and headed back to our starting point.
The walk back was long but full of stoke. The weather was beautiful and our spirits were high!
Attack Team 1 met back up shook hands, headed off for a roadside brekky of cups of tea, sausage, egg and bacon baps, then separated and headed for home.
About the same time Attack Team 2 were going for their second attempt at The Severn Bore Inn
THE LONGEST RIDE OF OUR LIVES!!!
It looks close to 1.5+ miles on the O/S map.
Ah...sweet adventures!
Good call Bigfeller, your time was not wasted, Gareth, Tony, Jamie, Plumby and James it was a pleasure that needs to be repeated.
Thanks to Mark Humpage from for some of the images used.
