An opportunity to hit Ireland with CT surfer, Wade Carmichael, came about recently. Sam Smart and Ollie O’Flaherty rounded off the EU home crew, and Wade came over with his entourage: filmer, Jesse Little, and mate Ben Jones.
A slight shift in focus can feed the soul, especially when that new trajectory leads to surfing some of the heaviest waves in the northern hemisphere. We know Gearoid McDaid's got that competitive streak in him, see here. But the Irishman also has this innate desire to throw himself over (and under) thick-lipped mounds of emerald-coloured water.
Cornishman Mickey Smith first published ‘Dark side of the lens’ in 2011 with Astra Films and is likely to have influenced several surf photographers to come let alone embody the spirit of those behind the lens in our cold Atlantic winter swells.
When you walk along the beach, you don’t want to be fighting your way through litter. Not only is it ugly to look at, but it is damaging to marine and wildlife. Most people are generally good at removing their litter from the beach, but sometimes as we have seen in many places this year it can become a major problem which can be made even worse by the weather. For example, when a blustery storm hits the coast, the litter escapes from public bins (if it is even in the bin) and ends up scattered along our coastline and into the sea.
Ireland has more than its fair share of brilliant beaches and spectacular scenery. The water may be cold, but Ireland is a surfer’s paradise.
