ignoring advice - surfers at looe

I don't think the people we're talking about are neccessarily fools. There are always deaths at the top end of extreme sports and these do not usually result in finger pointing, just acceptance and how it can be avoided next time. I think the inquests and enquiries are instigated by the people who always believe " it must be someone elses fault" and that the world can be sanitised and made risk free. It can't. If you brought in legislation to stop free choice, it would not stop the fools, as you quite rightly say. It would however penalise the experienced.

<hr width=100% size=1>Life's too short- do it now./forums/images/icons/wink.gif
 
Wot a picture

"I had that once when my leash snapped"

Jimi on a leash, wot did Mrs Jimi do when it snapped? Get out the whip and handcuffs? Or maybe she knows nothing of this deviant behaviour?

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How do they close the ports

side issue here, serious question - how does that work when they "close the ports" ?

I've heard of this happening in southern Portugal, frexample, when it was reported that they had "closed the ports in the algarve due to severe southerly winds" but i mean, if you were phew trying to make port, however foolishly towards a lee shore - would they say no no you can't come in here, it's closed? Do they put a boom across the entrance or what? They could of course advise or even command praps all boats to stay in port, i suppose. Dunno.



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Re: How do they close the ports

Think it's more to do with peolple leaving as opposed to coming in. But as you rightly say there are several SW harbours that do have "gates" which are closed in bad weather.

Better to be riding it further out at sea rather than risking a dangerous landfall, in all these ports you're much more likely to come a cropper than actually make a safe entrance.

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Re: How do they close the ports

The local one to us that closes is Porthleven, were they slot big bulks of timber into slots in habour mouth, would have been closed in recent storm.

Brian

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Re: How do they close the ports

I've surfed the reef at Portleven .. one of the best breaks in the UK when its going off! Also fallen down the steps of the Ship Inn.. so presume peeps should be banned from descending pub stairs cos its obviously more dangerous than surfing!

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They should be allowed to do this as long as the RNLI remains a voluntary organisation making its own decisions respecting whether the launch or not.

However, once it is mandatory to rescue regardless of advice given then I think it is a different matter.

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Re: How do they close the ports

Nice surfing photos Jimi- I knew you surfed, but didn't know you were that good. I bet you've got a secret PWC for tow ins.

<hr width=100% size=1>Life's too short- do it now./forums/images/icons/wink.gif
 
Re: How do they close the ports

Fortunately not me! I've taken a couple of 20ft drops but even thinking about the ones pictured causes me to lose a few stone!

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Re: How do they close the ports

As Dralex says, its all relative. The guys in your pictures are probably well practiced in surfing in those waves, doing it every day since they were kids etc. The guys in Looe would be probably be taking on a F9 or whatever it was at the time, as a new experience to them.

Hence they are at a greater risk.

<hr width=100% size=1>There is no such thing as reality, only different people's perceptions of a situation.
 
Re: How do they close the ports

Do'nt think so, these waves are a once in a lifetime experience. Big wave surfers can often wait a long time to get a decent one .. bit like the "kids" in Looe really I suppose.

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Re: How do they close the ports

I still support free choice, but just to put another argument forwards, from what I gather, most good surfers would not really go out in such rough and windy onshore conditions, but wait for the wind to abate or go offshore, then surf the swells coming in after the storm. The waves in Jimis photos at a guess are Pacific and probably come from swells that have travelled thousands of miles before hitting a break, ie not actively Force 9ing it at the time.


BTW- I don't know how surfable the waves at Looe were.
SO- you're probably right BIGNICK.

<hr width=100% size=1>Life's too short- do it now./forums/images/icons/wink.gif
 
Re: Just a difference of opinion.

The blokes way up the risk and go for it and have a blast. If they get into trouble the RNLI go and get them. Yes at personal risk but also at great personal satisfaction. The surfers ain't intending to be rescued and the RNLI don't hesitate to go. Good surfers are going to know more about surfing than the authorities.

The times we've had a bloody good sail when the received opinion was "you must be mad to go out there" are numerous. I'd back my expertise against anyone else. Thats what the surfers were doing.

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Re: Just a difference of opinion.

Reminds me of the days when I raced windsurfers. We would all be out practicing and they would cancel the race because the lifeboat couldn't launch (about F9).

Whats good about windsurfing in a blow is that if you aren't good enough you're unlikely to get out beyond the shorebreak. With surfing you don't get that natural check, as pretty much anyone can paddle out.

What is surprising is that waves are usually crap for surfing in high winds because there are all blown out and mushy.

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Re: How do they close the ports

I dont know if its true or not but one old chesnut is that more people drown in harbours/marinas than at sea.

Make yachting safer by never coming into harbours???

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Re: How do they close the ports

Hang ten, They new what they were doing. My son has been surfing places on this planet that some of us can only dream about, " builders & carpenters are paid to much these days" lucky sod!

<hr width=100% size=1>http://www.jersey-harbours.com
 
Re: Just a difference of opinion.

You have to define what is a good surfer though. Used to live in a place which most won't recognise as surfing mecca, but is well known on the circuits, and the local surf life saving team competed internationally. There was a blizzard one night several years back when I was a youth, cut us off from outside world for days on end. The surfers walked to the beach wearing wet suits, and surfed the extremely good waves, through over a mile of waist deep snow. If they were that keen, you have to give it to them to enjoy the buzz. Some of them the local team knew shouldn't be out there as just not experienced enough

I'm not so convinced about personal satisfaction of rescue teams. In two minds about this as I used to go out with an RAF mountain rescue team. There was great personal satisfaction in being called out on a rescue. Agreed.Though also the thought that going out in those conditions was dangerous - no one ever refused though, it was what you were trained to do. Lost a very good friend who died saving a group of scouts on Pen-y-Fan in the Brecon Beacons. None of us thought he had died needlessly, but we mourned him nontheless, and questioned the competance of the leaders of that particular expedition (all well documented later)



<hr width=100% size=1>Me transmitte sursum, caledoni
 
Re: How do they close the ports

Well given that the wind was Southerly (force 8?) and Looe beach is South facing, then those waves would have been totally blown out and messy. Now if they had been surfing on the North coast it might have made a bit more sense with the wind holding those big waves up. Overall I still think it would be a lunatic place to be when a nice warm pub is beckoning.

(back to my Horlicks)

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