PRESS RELEASE

Our first proper trip to the islands was to North Uist in the Outer Hebrides. We had already clocked up some miles in the van driving to the east coast – mainly St Andrews – and the west coast – Machrihanish – in search of any summer swell we could get! We set off, van piled high with windsurf kit, a surfboard and the SUP. We drove through the night and camped up on the Isle of Skye in some sketchy wee lay-by before continuing to the Calmac ferry at Uig in the morning. We sailed across to North Uist – taking in the obligatory fat ba$tard calmac fry up – and quickly drove around to check out the lagoon at Sollas. This, I thought, was my only opportunity for a windsurf as the breeze was forecast to die off for the whole trip. It dually did and the trip became all about the SUP from then on…

We camped up in the dunes at a spot called Hosta on the west coast. After looking around this place probably had the best waves and better still we had it to ourselves. We also had an unbelievable high setting above the beach in the dunes for our camp spot. The next day started slow with the tide already in. This place seemed to work best on the right hand side near the rocks at lower tides. There was a nice wee out current helping you out close to the rocks if you timed it right…

So for the next few days we just surfed first thing in the morning until the tide came in. We then waited all day long in the sunshine and burnt our wee white Scottish bodies which hadn’t seen the sun since this time last year…  Then later in the day we stuck our dry wetsuits on (our sunburnt shoulders, which felt awful) and had a sunset session when the tide went back out. Some of the bigger sets were about shoulder to head high and were super fun to ride. There was nobody else on the water apart from one day a really friendly local surfer was out. He chatted away out back about the local spot and where to be for the best waves.

So we surfed every day in amazing sunshine on our private beach with waves to ourselves for 5 days all the time wondering why this place wasn’t busier with other like-minded individuals. Its always hard leaving the island on the ferry after such a great trip, but with the Islay boat booked in a week’s time and plans for North coast/Thuso with the Loco lads & the annual Tiree pilgrimage yet to come, then there’s plenty to be excited about…