Form VI Surf Day June 2010

The longest day of the year dawned to a bright, sunny start, perfect for a day’s surfing at St Ouen’s Beach. Eighteen pupils, some still bleary-eyed, appeared at the Watersplash with assorted wetsuits, rash vests, sunhats, towels and ice cream money!  Fears that the light winds would make for disappointing surf were unfounded as the flood tide, together with the offshore wind, built up a useful surf – not too challenging for the beginners; not too tame for the ’experts’.

Following a safety theory session ashore, the children warmed up with some games on the beach.  Then, in their wetsuits and with their long boards, they set about learning the techniques of catching a wave; paddling to stay on it; leaping to their feet Hawaii-5-0 style and recovering their board after the inevitable ignominious ’wipe-out!’

Even though they had been warned, some children found the sea too cold to stay in for long; some preferred to watch from the shore after they had tried surfing, but most children seemed very at home and were surfing like professionals with great confidence and aplomb.  Parents be warned – I feel a shark-tooth necklace and a VW Camper van featuring on the next birthday list!

Many thanks to Mrs Kiddie and Mrs Smith who ran the trip and to the Jersey Surf School who made it so enjoyable.