Cornish Surfing Culture
It was 1935 when the first British person got hold of a ‘real’ surfboard. Jimmy Dix, a dentist from Nuneaton who was fascinated by Hawaiian surfers he’d seen in magazines, decided to build himself a hollow wooden surfboard. So he wrote a letter to the at-the-time famous Hawaiian surfer Duke Kahanamoku asking for board specifications.
To his amazement, Dix not only received an enthusiastic reply but also a 13-foot Tom Blake surfboard as a gift from Kahanamoku. Dix drove down to Newquay, Cornwall, with the 13-foot longboard strapped to the roof of his car and attempted to surf. His attempts were noticed by a young ice-cream vendor named Pip Stafferi.
Stafferi had also been fascinated by the Hawaiian surfers he’d seen in the magazines and asked Dix if he could have a closer look at the board. Making mental notes of the specifications (width, length, girth, rocker, fins, etc), Pip then set to work building a replica, and later that summer he learned how to ride it, becoming one of the first surfers in Cornwall.
The idea of surfing in England is often poorly received by those who do not surf. ‘Are there even waves in England?’ and ‘Isn’t it a bit cold for surfing there?’ are two of the most frequent responses. Stereotypically, surfing consists of beautiful weather with a light, off-shore breeze forming perfectly A-framed, head-high waves, and young, fit, healthy people to enjoy them. This is almost certainly not the case. In fact, all three of those previous stereotypes are almost completely subverted when talking about English surfing. You do have perfect weather and perfect waves, but rarely at the same time. Low air pressure usually means no wind and warm weather, and no wind means no waves for us. So, when the sun is out, we take out what we call a ‘fun board’ or ‘foamie’ or simply go fishing.
Secondly, most year-round surfers are middle-aged men and women, hunting some bigger waves on either coastline before, during, or after work. The drastic contrast of surfing conditions can be experienced through a typical Cornish summer. For example, one day, Sennen Cove - the southernmost surfing beach of Cornwall - can be a pristine, glassy millpond and look like this:
While the next day, it can look like this:
Storm at Sennen Cove, Land’s End, Cornwall – Photograph by David Clapp
This is what drives Cornish surfing: the challenge. The sideways rain and 30-minute long paddle out to catch one, singular, sloppy on-shore lump that makes it worthwhile, followed by a poorly rolled and slightly damp cigarette in the rain. Cornwall owes all of this to its location. Jutting straight out into the Atlantic Ocean, it’s a magnet for swell. Combined with its milder climate and access to both the north and south coastlines, Cornwall is a true opportunity, and test, for a surfer.
by Stanley Hall