With doom and gloom in the media at the moment and the R word looming, we at Saltrock were after a little inspiration this week! Last year a few of us scored an epic time on a trip on a trip to the little known Cape Verde island of Maio in a fast westernising archipelago off the coast of Senegal. This island has missed out on the tourism that is changing some of the more well known destinations mainly due to an erratic and oft canceled plane timetable! We were the only travelers on the island, there was only the sound of us playing a hand or two of black jack in the evenings and the waves breaking on the shore.There was miles and miles of empty waves and only the 4 of us to surf them.

Treks across barren landscapes yielding hidden coves with peeling right hand point breaks. Trips through ravines and over tiny crumbling cliff paths opening into a view of the prefect off shore reef break. Evening sat on the deck, contented and surfed out -watching the moon glint on the water and the biggest night sky we have ever seen. The waves were too numerous and epic for individual details.But suffice to say we are saving our pennies for a return trip to pick up our hearts from wear we left them!

This poem was on the wall in a little beach side hideaway that we stayed in and keeps us going till we can return to the next perfect wave.

Dance on Edges

Stretch

Listen in on shells

Put living things back

Cultivate Quiet

Boogie

Practice Simplicity

Sugar yourself with Sand

Float

Carry a bucket

Ride Rusty Bikes - go with the wind

Walk tender

Respect

Leave no wake

Tune up your senses

Build sandcastles and leave them for the moon to find

Ride waves

Discover treasure

Remember yourself

Keep off the rocks

Ebb and Flow

Laugh like a gull

Thank

Gingrass

A little romantic we know - but we all need some romance in our lives every now and again!

A week in the life of... at Saltrock

Empty Waves

Who says there are no empty waves left in North Devon. Scored 2ft offshore Combesgate on Saturday morning this week – totally empty except for the seagulls and myself. Riding the Saltrock Fish, the left hand bank was ‘suckey’ but fun with some nice little moments stored away for the long winter ahead. By mid morning the peak had filled up with some of the other locals and a good banter was enjoyed to fill the gaps in the swell. A fantastic sunset and finally a dry evening saw the family and friends down the bottom of the garden. Deck chairs out, beer in hand, bonfire burning it felt like summer had finally made an appearance! Joel had caught a bass snorkelling off Baggy Point in the afternoon so we wrapped in foil, added some sliced lemons and fresh thyme from the garden and struck it on the BBQ. Mmmmm nothing like the taste of freshly caught fish to the accompaniment of a little bit of Jack Johnson in the background watching the sun go down.

Sunday was dry enough for the kids to skate the quarter pipe in the garden – no chance for a quiet read of the Sunday papers. Words was out in the Neighbourhood that the ramp was in use and the entire population of mini ‘skater dudes’ turned up to chew the fat and pull some moves…. Knarly stuff! New mountain bike arrived mid –week and the evenings are still light enough to get out and about. Took four bikes, two kids and one dog down to Marine drive and cycled along the path the Putsborough for a hot chocolate in the beach café before cycling back again. Everyone slept well that night! A spot of rock pooling on Friday afternoon and a chance to pick up some driftwood washed up by the summer storms. Looking for Lobster on Grunta reef, no luck with the lobsters but disturbed a very grumpy spidercrab! Took the driftwood home to add to our collection. At least that’s one thing the wet and wild summer has provided – a good selection of wood washed up by the summer storms to keep us warm through the winter ahead!