France 2005
Surf trip to Lacanau in Sept 2005. The team consisted of Barney, Carnage, Catman, Dangerous Dave, Rattz, Sven and Wilky. All photos by Rattz and Dangerous Dave.
Highlights included...
Our original airline refuse to carry our surfboards so after some hagggling, we end up with a full refund and fly from Birmingham instead at 2am one sunny morning!
An epic session @ Carcans in 3-5ft glassy barrels, Catman scored a nice backhand barrel and snapped his leash, next wave. Sven also reports a barrel on his forehand.
Big Lacanau beach break 4-8ft heavy closeouts with everyone getting punished. Lots of boards dinged or creased as a result and Catman getting a nice board to the head!
Rattz spends a day drinking a local liquer 'Paradis' and a box of cheap red wine for reasons unknown and then attempts to surf monster closeouts, scaring himself in the process!
Wilks and Carnage surfed heavy closeouts later that week in the 6ft+ range with Wilks getting plenty of nice waves and a creased board for his troubles!
The Black and White Club kept us entertained on a couple of occassions, great little bar!
Karaoke - an attempt was made at singing Delilah to the French crowds...they clapped and cheered/jeered at the end so we walked away, pride intact.
Sven and Carnage invested in new 'Fish' surfboards after damaging their boards in the Lacanau lips!
Many Volleyball tournaments went down with Team Canada Rd being overall victors in the doubles by one measley point! Team Red won the next one a few days later...
Sven parading around the 'speedos only' campsite pool in his favourite leisure wear and 'Aviator' sunnies, eventually falling off a sunbed whilst lying down!?!
Catman, Ratt and Dangerous Dave finding an old naked guy wandering about the sand dunes near town on their way back to the camp. Desite their best efforts at pulling his pants back up for him, he continued to stagger off, 'pants a la terre' into the sunset! Four guys had alledgely 'stolen' his trousers, hours before...
Wilks, Sven and Carnage return to camp after tales of surfing 6-8ft Carcans and scoring the rides of their lives. Team Red missed it!
Hourtin Plage delivered 2-3ft fast walling peelers in the sunshine and the boys enjoyed surfing in boardies for the first time of the trip.
Le Porge turned on 2-4ft, for a late afternoon surf, showing great potential until the tide turned and spoilt it but a few nice rides were had.
Barney, having forgotten his entry card to get back into the campsite, decides to try and clamber his way back in over various 7ft high fences and bramble bushes...His trousers next day looked as if they'd spent the night in the jaws of a 'Pitbull' !
Croque Monsieurs and Dilfs. Where would France be without them?!
Until next time...