Can You Spot the Sea Bird?

Posted on by Web Team

It’s a sad fact that there can’t be swell every single day. Which is why the team at Surfability UK have decided to turn our attention (well at least some of it) to learning about the beautiful birds that inhabit our coastline. Understanding and caring for our avian allies, is an important part of enjoying, protecting and respecting our seas.

Part 1 Spring

The March Equinox has passed. We’ve gleefully waved goodbye to winter (so vigorously in some cases that our gloves may have flown off and hit it on it’s way out!) and now we’re ready to welcome Spring!

So, the first bird that we’ve decided to spot this Easter weekend, is the Black-headed Gull. (Or the Curiously-named Gull as we’ve been referring to it since we discovered that it’s head is only dark in summer! But I digress…)

With over 2.2 million of them squawking around the UK, not least in our coastal towns, we felt confident we couldn’t fail to spot one of these birds!

Famous for their screeching quarrels and scandalous chip stealing swoops, we’ve decided that everyone should be able to take a snap of a sea gull this week!

So break out your phones, your cameras or even your easel and oils if you feel inclined, and join us in celebrating these great British birds.

For further identification information, including a full profile on the Black-headed Gull, click on the image below.

And once you’ve spotted and snapped a few gulls, visit us on the Surfability Facebook and Instagram pages where we’ll be posting this weeks gull pictures!

Are You Ready for the Rip Curl Pros to Blow Up Bells Beach?

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The tension is mounting! Excited surf contest fans worldwide are eagerly awaiting the start of the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach 2018 surf contest. And the team at Surfability UK are no exception!

Hosted at the beautiful Bells Beach in Victoria, Australia, this next stop of the surfing World Tour isn’t likely to disappoint.

With Filipe Toledo, Griffin Colapinto and Michael February kicking off the first round of the competition, viewers should be tuned in for the next call at 8:30pm GMT.

Not sure where on the web to watch the comp? No worries! Click on the link below and join us on the edge of our seats for tonight’s event!

Seaweed- Super Stinky or Supercool?

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Seeking Saltwater- Seaweed Week

Now, I can’t speak for anyone else but one of my surfing pet peeves is getting tangled in seaweed. Especially when I wipe out. The sensation of its slippery stipe and the weight of it wrapped around my ankles…well it just irks me!

Fortunately, seaweed contributes so much more to the world than a selection of sour-faced surfers.

Love it or loathe it, the scent of seaweed is intimately intertwined with our associations of the sea. Whether you approach from the gravel of a car park, the sways of grassland or the dust of sandy dunes, the smell of seaweed will always be waiting you.

Acting as a source of food, shelter and protection for an abundance of marine life, the virtues of seaweed can seem limitless. Not only is it an integral part of the ocean’s ecosystem, seaweed also has a lot to offer humans.

Rich in iron, calcium, vitamin D and iodine, seaweed is a nutritious and readily available human food. In fact, the name for seaweed actually translates as sea vegetable in other cultures. With a huge range of pleasantly sweet and edible varieties, consumption of seaweed is particularly popular in Japan and other parts of Asia. And acting as the source of a fantastic gut healing prebiotic to boot, it’s not surprising that seaweed is increasingly being referred to as a superfood!

So, the next time you find yourself in a fight with a frond, try to take a deep breath and remember how amazing our favourite sea vegetable really is! Without it, the ocean wouldn’t be the place we know and love.

How Do We Do It?

Posted on by Web Team

Getting the surfboard to the waters’ edge is not always easy for our participants. So how do you manage it, you might ask?

Well, the answer is surprisingly simple. With the use of our surfboard transport trolley! A truly ingenious piece of kit, the transport trolley puts our surfboards on wheels. This enables us to move multiple boards down the beach at once.

Of course, some of our superhero surfers prefer to carry their own boards and this ok by us too!

Sunny Springtime Surfs

Posted on by Web Team

As the spring season starts at Caswell Bay, the team at Surfability UK have been enjoying some surfs in the sunshine! Here are some of the highlights of the week.

Seeking Saltwater

Posted on by Web Team

The significance the ocean holds for each of us is deeply individual. With the intensity of its textures, sights and sounds, standing at the waters’ edge is an experience that shouldn’t be missed.

But here at Surfability UK, we’re interested in so much more than power of the crashing waves. The splendor of the sea extends far beyond and beneath it’s frothy top. In a new weekly segment, we aim to explore and share the wonders of the world of the ocean.

You may be interested to know, that on the earths’ surface there’s approximately 333 million cubic miles of water, of which 97.5% is estimated to be salt water. That’s a lot of salt! There are currently 20,000 known species of fish and up to 1.98 million known species of animals and plants living in those vast expanses of saltwater.

While we don’t expect to be able to discuss them all, we are looking forward to having a good crack at it!

If you have any images of the sea, adventures at the aquarium or snaps from scuba diving, that you’d like to see on the segment we’d love you to spam us with them! The email is info@surfabilityukcic.org As always, don’t forget to include the title of your photo, your name if you’d like it published and permission for your image to appear in the blog!

How Do We Do It?

Posted on by Web Team

Ever wondered how we do what we do? In our new Monday series, we’ll be using photos and videos to show you just how.

In this weeks’ segment, we’ll be looking at how the Surfability UK team make the Indoor Wave at the LC Leisure Centre in Swansea, accessible for our wheelchair users.

As you can see in this weeks’ video, our participants are supported at every stage of their surf. This ensures that they can focus on fully enjoying the indoor wave while feeling safe throughout their experience.

Want to ask us a question or know how we do what we do? Drop us an email or send us a Facebook message and we’ll let you know!

Snow win! Surf fail.

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As the air temperature continues to drop, it seems possible that the Beast From the East may have finally made it to Caswell! In the moments before the snow clouds gathered over the bay, we couldn’t resist a sneaky peek to see if there was any snow swell!

The verdict?

Snow win! Surf fail.

If you’re looking for some stoke today, you’re better off to grab your snow gear and head for the hills. Without sufficient swell, the chances are you’ll just make a surfer shaped icicle in the sea!

Finals Day!

Posted on by Web Team

With the Quik Pro finals fast approaching, the team at Surfability UK CIC can’t help reminiscing about the ISA Stance Adaptive Surfing World Championships.

To help us get into the mood for tonight, Surfista has compiled some of our 2016 Stance memories.

Share the stoke and don’t forget to follow the link below and join us for the WSL QuikPro Gold Coast Finals tonight!

Slater Steps Out, February Steps In

Posted on by Web Team

Kelly Slater, 11 times WSL World Champion, has withdrawn from the Quik Pro Gold Coast after aggravating an existing foot injury in the first round. Up and coming South African surfer, Mikey February will be filling his place in Round 2, Heat 3.

As hardcore Slater fans are left saddened by the news. That said, the next round will be momentous for Mikey and we can’t wait to see his stoke!

Join us at 8:30 GMT for the next call by clicking the image below.

Shock Twist in World Surf League Championship Tour!

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With the first round of The World Tour underway last night, the first shocks are out of the bag!

Jaws dropped worldwide as JonJon and Gabriel Medina failed to make it through their first round. Despite surfing an incredible wave, an interference prevented Medina progressing beyond his first surf. JonJon, meanwhile, struggled to find anything that could be considered a good wave during his heat. Both surfers will now have to surf in Round 2 to keep their place in the competition.

The long and short? In an unexpected early turn, there will be appearance from Medina and JonJon in Round 2 of this illustrious surf competition.

Click on the image below to tune in to the World Surf League website for all the replays and at 9pm (GMT) tonight for the next round of action!

If the swell is ripe, the competition will go on! Keep your eyes on the Gold Coast!

Approaching Swell Alert!

Posted on by Web Team

If your surfboard has been gathering dust (or snow as the case may be), it might be time to dust it off and come out for a splash! If the surf reports are to be believed, it looks like there may be some decent swell heading for the Gower on Sunday. There’s likely to be a fair amount of wind coming in with our waves but if you’re able to find a sheltered spot, you could be in for some stoke!

Stay tuned for the Surfability UK Approaching Swell Alerts for further details of where and when to catch your next wave. And as ever, if you don’t fancy going at it alone, get in touch (Contact) and we can get radical together!

Under Construction

Posted on by Surfista

The new, improved Surfability UK CIC website is currently under construction and will be live shortly! In the meantime, please don’t hesitate to get in touch:

Email the team at:

Surfability.uk@gmail.com

Or call Ben on

07517230427