Sando was good at portraying the moment you find yourself at your limit, when things multiplied around you like an hallucination. He could describe the weird, reptilian thing that happened to you: the cold supercharged certainty which overtook your usually dithering mind, the rest of the world in a slow-motion blur around you, the tunnel vision, the surrender that confidence finally became. And he talked about the final rush, the sense of release you felt at the end, skittering out to safety in the beautiful deep channel...It's like you come pouring back into yourself, said Sando one afternoon. Like you've exploded and all the pieces of you are reassembling themselves. You're new. Shimmering. Alive.
This past week a few of us decided to sail down to San Sebastian -- as one does -- for a few good tapas and some Rioja wine. We set off from Port de Medoc and sailed to Cap Ferret and Arcachon to spend the first night. Sailing into the Arcachon Basin at dusk - entre chien et loup -- was breathtakingly beautiful. The oyster beds were submerged but the poles around them were piercing the pink evening skies and the pine trees on the Cap Ferret peninsula silhouetted in varying shades of black and grey -- brush strokes in Chinese ink -- subtle, changing, mesmerizing.
The next day we set off early to leave the Basin and continue to Spain. Well, we never got much further than the first sand bank! Suffice to say that the result was that we did not get to Spain after all, but we did have a good time!
The coast line from Port de Medoc down to Biarritz, the Cote d'Argent or the Silver Coast, is stunning and must be quite unique. It is one long, white, sandy beach that stretches down for 90 kilometres. Hour after hour, sailing along the coast, there is this beautiful beach -- and of course, where the beach is this long and uninterrupted, you also have some of the best surfing waves in the world. All along we saw the camps of the surfers -- splashes of colour on the white sand, surf boards and towels and surfers -- and one wonders how they discover these spots, as there are no roads to these remote areas and behind the dunes, stretching almost as far as the Cote d'Argent, stretches La forêt des Landes -- the biggest forest in France, covering almost one million hectares of Maritime Pines.
The Silver Coast is dotted with a string of fabulous surf spots such as Lacanau, Arcachon, Biscarosse, Capbreton, Boucau and Hossegor, annual venue of the WCT Quiksilver Pro. Extending form the Gironde to the Adour estuary, this almost straight ruler on the Atlantic boasts 160 miles of uninterrupted sandy beach, ideal for surfing and bordered by dunes and pine forests. From Easter to All Saint's Day, the coast has the best potential for surf, with good unridden barrels and the steadiest swell anywhere in Europe.
The surfing quality of the wave is due to the depth and funnel shape of the Bay of Biscay, that rises abruptly in front of the coast, and the numerous small rivers and stream mouths dotting its length shaping good sand breaks. Due to the changing winds and the huge tidal range, the waves can evolve with incredible speed. The sandbars orientation favour rights, while lefts tend to be very hollow because of the consistent North to South undertow. But the good sandbars can be destroyed by the winter storms and the main surfing problem is the lack of shelter when the sea gets rough.
The best surfing spotsThere are waves all year round. Even during the summer when these are small, the area around Hossegor is exposed to the swell which makes surfing possible almost every day. All these spots are beach breaks, so it’s safe to walk within hitting rocks, and waves can break right or left. They are exposed to the same offshore winds: East, Southeast and Northeast.
Most famous spots:
Les Casernes: Can be ridden until 2m-2m50 (6-7ft) according to sandbars. Some long rides. Works all tides.
Le Prevent: Can be ridden until 2m-2m50 (6-7ft). Breaks between jetties. Catches less swell than Seignosse or Hossegor. Hollow and short waves. Best at mid tide
La Piste: Can be ridden until 2.5m-3m (7-8ft.) Best at mid tide. Be careful with the blockhaus from WW II ...
Le Penon: Can be ridden until 2m-2m50 (6-7ft) according to sandbars. Works all tides. Some very long rides. The sandbars use to be improved by a small wooden jetty.
La Sud: Starts at 2m (6 ft) on the over spot. Works only at low tide
Les Bourdaines: Can be ridden until 2m-2m50 (6-7ft) according to sandbars. Some long rides. Works all tides
L’Agréou: Can be ridden until 2m-2m50 (6-7ft) according to the sandbars . Some long rides. Works all tides
Silver Coast & La Foret des Landes: In a nutshellExtending from the Gironde estuary - near Bordeaux, to the Adour estuary - near Biarritz, the Côte d'Argent (Silver Coast) is a top surfing destination as well as a protected stretch of pristine coastline bordered by the huge pine forests of the Landes. Its shore is formed by a 200km long beach only interrupted by the string of tidal lakes doting the coast. At the heart of the coast, Arcachon is a turn of the century seaside resort located on the major tidal lake of the coast - a favourite windsurfing spot. This seaside resort is reputed for its oysters and the Dune du Pyla, Europe's highest sand dunes culminating at 118 metres and perfect to try some sand boarding. Behind this sand bar and stretching inland from the Atlantic coast, the forest of the Landes (Moors) is a vast expense of pines, cork oaks, broom and heather. Late French President Mitterand favourite retreat, this region was once a sandy and marshy area, unhealthy and unfit for farming. But in the 18th century and under the leadership of Napoleon, the area was planted with pine trees to drain the soil and stop the progression of the sand dunes, creating one of the largest and richest forest in Europe. A perfect place for hiking, biking and riding.
Hossegor
Nestling amidst the emerald pine forest of the Landes, caressed by the ocean breeze, lined with endless fine sandy beaches and a 250 hectare tidal lake, Hossegor reflects the image of an old traditional seaside resort. Hossegor is situated in the heart of a region where nature rhymes with culture all year round, a place which lives on the rhythm of events, Classical music festival, Harley Davidson festival, golf competitions, WCT surf championship, European kite festival, Enduro on the beach and Pelote Basque Open, plus a summer season in full swing where music of all types drifts across the evening air. The atmosphere in the Pubs, Piano bars, Cafes, Restaurants and Disco's are as in the rest of the South of France, very friendly but with a definite surfing atmosphere. Climate
Southern Atlantic climate, with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers.
There is a Surf School located on the famous beach and surf spot of Les Bourdaines, in Hossegor. Open to all and ideal for the intermediate and advanced surfers who want to improve or polish their technique while surfing Hossegor’s world famous waves. Instructors are BSA (British Surf Association) qualified coaches and approved lifeguards, besides being competent and well-travelled surfers. They are passionate about their sports, respect their roles as surf guides and live the surfing lifestyle to the full.
Head coach Kevin has 20 years of surfing experience and has been coaching South African National surfers. The school’s objectives are to teach you to surf quickly, efficiently and safely, while providing an insight and understanding of every aspect of surfing ... as well as having as much fun as possible on this amazing spot !
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