The Environmental Impact of Surfing and How to Surf Responsibly It is a grey Tuesday morning in Croyde, North Devon. The Atlantic swell has been running at four feet overnight, and by seven o’clock the car park at the beach is already half full of vans with boards strapped to the roofs. Wetsuits hang from…
Understanding UK Beach Flags and Surf Safety Signs Every year, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) coordinates hundreds of rescues on UK beaches, many of which involve swimmers and surfers who were unaware of, or chose to ignore, the flag and sign systems put in place to keep them safe. In 2022 alone, RNLI lifeguards…
Understanding Surf Etiquette and Right of Way Whether you are paddling out for the very first time at Croyde Bay in Devon or working up the courage to join the line-up at Fistral Beach in Newquay, one thing stands between you and a genuinely enjoyable session in the water: understanding surf etiquette. The unwritten rules…
How to Carry a Surfboard Safely You’ve just bought your first surfboard. It’s enormous, it’s awkward, and you’re standing in the car park at Croyde or Polzeath wondering how on earth you’re supposed to get it down to the water without taking out a row of strangers. Don’t worry — every surfer has been exactly…
Surfing with Children: Safety and Starter Tips Taking your children surfing for the first time is one of the most rewarding things you can do as a family on the British coast. The UK has a genuinely impressive surfing scene – from the world-class breaks of Newquay in Cornwall to the gentler beach breaks of…
Cold Water Surfing Safety: Avoiding Hypothermia The United Kingdom is not the first place most people picture when they think of surfing. Yet from the thundering beach breaks of Newquay to the remote reef waves of Thurso East, British surfers ride waves year-round in some of the coldest, most challenging water in Europe. The North…
Rip Currents in the UK: How to Spot and Escape Them Every year, rip currents are responsible for the majority of lifeguard rescues on British beaches. The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) estimates that rip currents account for around 60% of all lifeguard interventions in the UK, making them the single greatest hazard faced by…