January waves, surfing and the environment.

Hi there. It has been a pretty good month of surf here in sunny and windy Bundoran. The swell has been consistent for the last few weeks but there have been quite a few windy days also. The trick is to keep a close eye on the ever changing wind charts and the tides. The water has been cold since Christmas but that does not deter the hardiest Irish surfers. As long as you have got good equipment you are fine for a surf lasting a couple of hours. I have recently ordered an Axxe wetsuit from Japan. These are supposed to be the best wetsuits available so I thought I would out their claims to the test. They only make custom fitted suits and the neoprene is limestone based rather than petroleum based, so they are more environmentally freindly than regular mass produces suits. Anyway, should have the suit by the end of Feb so hope to the be the warmest, most flexible surfer around. Apparently they have already sold 6 suits to Irish customers? Click here

There is a lot of talk about the impact of surfing on the environment. If you are a beginner surfer then you can definitley limit your carbon footprint by using public transport to get your destination and by using a surf school. Most Irish surfing locations are accessible by public transport, such as Bundoran, Strandhill and Lahinch. It becomes more difficult to go to some of the more remote locations such as west Mayo and west kerry, but with planning and persaverence you can do it with public transport. For Bus Eireann click here

Many surf schools are located on the beach so you dont need any transport once you get there. Other schools provide diesel minibus transfers to and from the beach from their students. Many of them have 16 seater buses so this helps reduce the carbon footprint of getting to the beach and back.

Most Irish surfing destinations are small towns where you can walk or cycle to most facilities and services. You could opt to rent a bicycle when you are there, and check the surf conditions that way, or just walk - its usually not too far to the beach. Once you are in the water then you are in a priveleged position of enjoying nature in a way that cannot be explained. If you have never surfed then I urge you to get out there and experience it. The feeling of catching your first wave will stay with you for a long time. You can also see a lot of marine life when surfing. Seals, porpoise and dolphins are regular visitors in the line up. Over Christmas in Bundoran we were treated to an amazing display of big dolphins surfing the waves at the Peak and inside left. You never forget something like that, seeing the dolphin in front of you in the wave. The Irish Surfing Association has a list of all approved surf school and clubs. Click here

Surfboard construction is probably the most environmentally damaging part of our chose sport. The foam and resin used in the construction of the board is non-biodegradable so that is a big drawback. The good news is that surfboards are strong and durable so your first board can last a long time. Most surfers have one board and that does them in most conditions. If you do snap your board then you can use it as a canvas for artwork. Surf art is becoming an increasinlgy popular way of recycling damaged boards. One local Bundoran surfboard shaper provides such a service. Click here

If you are going on a surf trip at the weekend then just get a set of straps and tie all the boards on the roof and you can easily fill the car. You could also consider buying some carbon credits to offset your trip.

Surfing is a great sport and Ireland is a great destination for surfing. There are some environmental drawbacks but overall it is reasonably low impact sport that you can enjoy at home all year round.