Trippers: 3 surfers and 1 beginner
Duration: 2 weeks.
Waves: ranging from overhead to well-overhead

Sponsors: Small Planet, Calimasurf

look carefully to Spot Duncan on the wave (above)

The canaries are so dirt cheap to eat, drink and live I'm surprised that we don't get over there more often. The flight was £130 and the apartment by Famara beach, £40 each a week. Sergio from calimasurf sorted out the accommodation and picked us up from the airport. The hire car was outside the apartment the next morning and Sergio gave us rundown of the spots to surf.

The swell was coming from the north most of the time we were there. Jameos del Agua on the north-west never dropped below waist high and was the spot we surfed most frequently. A point break with nice long rides but would slam you onto bare reef at the end if you didn't kick out. On day one Duncs didn't! The board was lucky to still be in one piece but it had a pretty hefty crease.

Duncs was lucky to get away with a sprain and some cuts. We surfed El Golfo in the south the next day without him. He put his board in to be mended and took time out to recover.

              No Bathing!
As a deep low sat over England causing the worst flooding ever it also continued to pump bigger and bigger waves south to the canaries. The sets went from huge to, "sit on the beach and just watch." The Slab at La Santa was pumping and Gary Elkerton was the only man out. Andy who'd come along for the ride and to try his hand at surfing was waiting for Famara beach (where we were staying and the only beach break on the island) to drop below double overhead on-shore mush! He tried it a couple of times but we told him not to be disappointed that he didn't get outback!!

Famara is a small fishing village with only a couple of local bars and restaurants. Not ideal for those who want to party all night but after a heavy session in the waves a few pints (of rioja wine) in a bar is all that's needed and most of us would be asleep by 11. One day we had a big night out in Puerta Del Carmen. 3 Miles of bars, clubs and restaurants in one long line. One night of this a year is all you need (am I getting old).

The landscape in Lanzarote is like "out of this world". They say that NASA tested their buggies on the terrain here before going to the moon. There is a national park that everyone must go to in Lanza where the landscape is untouched - We got to see it, but only from the car as we passed driving from beach to beach.

The second half of the holiday the waves got to a more manageable, head-high size and Duncs got his board back. He'd been borrowing boards for a few days because the local shaper who was mending the board had been surfing every day and had not opened the shop since.

Surfing in Lanzarote, like most of the Canary Islands is ideal because if you hunt around there's usually a decent wave somewhere on the island whatever the conditions. The island is small and only takes half an hour to get to the other side. Hire cars are dirt cheap. You don't get much hassle from the locals (just the odd glare). However, it's not ideal for beginners as Famara is the only ideal beach to learn and if this is maxed out then there is nowhere else to go.
Take time off and book your trip (with Calimasurf) now.(Does this mean I get a free week next year Sergio?)

:Duncs at
Jameos Del Agua.

Making up for lost time out of the water

Some pictures enlarge (click them)