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SCOTLAND'S YARDS
Gabe Kling and Ben Bourgeois go through great lengths to surf in the North Atlantic
Photos: All photos: Ryan Miller/ESM
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October 2, 2006
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Four flights, two lost bags and three hours on the road placed three East Coast explorers at their final stop for the day.
Traveling from one side of the Atlantic to the other, in search of waves and endless possibilities, the surfing duo of Gabe Kling and Ben Bourgeois accompanied photographer Ryan Miller to the green expanse of Scotland. Coinciding with the recent O'Neill Highland Open, their arrival to the northern most point on the mainland United Kingdom promised to be a trip to remember from the very beginning.
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Someone points into the darkness, "What about that place." The car comes to rest in front of a small stone cottage nestled into the top of a gently slopping hill, looking out upon the restless sea. In the morning Miller found a note, previously indiscernible in the void of the past night, which confirms they're in the right place. This is good news, for the warmth from the electric fireplace is so inviting that the group has encircled it and with the thermostat at full blast the little unit cranked out heat in an effort to warm up the light hearted travelers from their battle with the cold water of the Northern Atlantic Ocean. Roughly ten minutes from the contest site is where the trio actually bunked up. "I kind of like being away from contest area, it gives you time to relax and play some bocce ball on the front lawn," said Miller. While deciding which Scottish wave they shall conquer first they take in the scenic beauty of their surroundings. The cottage, set at the middle of a small bay, has a right and a left hand point break on either end. While getting their gear ready, a couple of Aussies are walking towards their own accommodations and share some information with them. The passers by were returning from surfing and told the eager newcomers that a little earlier in the day the right-hander was really fun. "I guess I'll just rest my lens on a pile of rocks to steady it,"
-- Photographer Ryan Miller.
Miller said that the first day they went to take pictures, he was set up on the beach and "within an hour the weather changed from rainy, to fair, to hailing." This probably would not have been such a big deal, if the airline company had not lost Millers' luggage -- which incidentally included all of his clothes and his camera tripod. "I was thinking, I guess I'll just rest my lens on a pile of rocks to steady it," he adds. After the second day of Miller shivering Gabe realized that no luggage meant no jacket for his friend and let him borrow an extra one until the airline delivered the lost bags. The tide fluctuates an average of 21 feet on the beaches of Scotland so it was a chess match between Mother Nature and the surfers. September and October are rumored to hold the best combination for swell and wind conditions, producing great surf conditions. So much potential lies in wait of discovery around every point. There are waves of all shapes and difficulty level. Beach breaks give way to point breaks and river mouths turn into rock slabs that heave upon breaking. There are few local surfers who all seemed very helpful and inviting. Not the same vibe you get from some of the other islands on so many surfers wish lists of places to visit. In fact after the contest was over the group went out in celebration. Guinness was flowing like water and the party ended up moving from one club to another. Whether you are in search of good waves, good times, or a combination of both, Scotland has a beauty all its own. MORE TRAVEL SURFLINE HOME PAGE |
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