“It’s all about confidence,” my friend said to me, as I sat looking at the waves roll past me, legs dangling into the clear water below my foamy. “Don’t hesitate, keep your toes together, weight back, and paddle, paddle, paddle.” As a native Londoner, this was my first surf trip abroad. Teenage summers had involved day trips to Cornwall, whilst my family waited patiently on the beach for me to have my fill of picking up white water waves. Needless to say, two days a year does not a professional make. When I saw a surf trip to Morocco advertised with my university surf club, I jumped at the chance to spend a week in the water. Come January, and I was saying goodbye to the grey English skies, in pursuit of my first proper wave.

Surf Berbere was the destination of choice, located in the small surf town of Taghazout, a few kilometers up the Atlantic coast from Agadir. It is probably the only town in the world that has a surf shop attached to the local mosque. Apart from surfers milling around with their boards and tousled hair, it’s populated by market sellers and goatherds, dressed in local gowns called djellaba, making everyone look oddly like Obi Wan Kenobi.

The Moroccan coast has a range of breaks, from the world famous Anka Point to the much tamer sand bar at Crocodiles. For many though, the chance of catching waves in 22°c sunshine in the middle of January, just three and a half hours from the UK, is more than enough motivation to pay a visit to North Africa.

Surf Berbere itself is made up of a mish-mash of apartments, set right on the waterfront, overlooking the azure ocean. Climb the steep steps to the top of the camp and you’ll find a rooftop terrace, where a three-course dinner is served every night under the multi-coloured Moroccan tent, cooked on the open barbeque or in tagine pots, balanced on the alcohol-free bar. Morocco is a dry country, but this doesn’t mean nighttime entertainment is limited to playing Scrabble and singing along to the guitar. Beer-runs to Agadir happen every few days; you just need to place your order in advance. Parties on the rooftop are never a quiet affair, with the surf camp organisers and Moroccan guides joining in with the reveling until the early hours of the morning.

Breakfast is held on the café terrace, where you can bask in the morning sun with a cup of Moroccan mint tea and fill your boots with fresh baguettes covered in Nutella, boiled eggs and fruit before bundling into the vans with your surfboard, leash and wetsuit for a day at the beach.

For beginners, Crocodiles is a dream. Just ten minutes south of Surf Berbere, it is supposedly named after the crocodile shape of the headland. Low tide creates long stretches of white water that roll towards the shore, easing those who are still finding their feet up onto their first wave. The accommodating Moroccan surf guides are always there to give you a few tips, in case you’ve forgotten which foot you pop up on. If, like me, you’ve had those initial lessons and are looking to charge something a little bigger, Crocs is an easy break to paddle out on and await your first real wave.

Forty minutes north of the camp, you will find another rougher sand bar break, Tamri, suitable for the more experienced surfers. Being an oblivious rookie, I managed to paddle out back, pleased that my arm muscles had withstood me so far, only for a big set to come through and dump its load on me. If you are heading out back, make sure you’ve got the confidence to get up, otherwise you’ll emerge from the surf with your head feeling like a saltwater washing machine to the sound of slow claps coming from your pals on the shore.

If you fancy some relaxation post-surf, then try one of the yoga sessions Surf Berbere has to offer. For just 80 DH (£6) for an hour’s class, you’ll find yourself in a glass-walled studio perched on a cliff edge, the instructor silhouetted against the setting sun as you sit cross-legged in half-lotus. It could not be a more perfect location for a yoga class.

Sometimes even the most enthusiastic surfers need a day’s respite. Head up to Paradise Valley, a mountainous region in the Moroccan hills, described by the guide as “like Jurassic Park but without the dinosaurs”, where you can clamber across sandy rock faces and dive into cool freshwater pools.

Visiting Taghazout is not just about broadening your horizons and visiting a new culture, it’s a chance to get your first taste of the surf lifestyle and escape the January blues for a very reasonable price. Spend all day in the water, and come back with chipped nails, stubbed toes, red raw kneecaps, yet still wanting more. Ceilidh dance with Moroccans on the rooftop under the stars. Get up early, even when your muscles ache like you’ve run a marathon, throw on a t-shirt and bikini, and plunge into the salty water to wash away the morning’s hangover. This is one place where you don’t need a watch; days are dictated by the tide and the sun, rather than clocks and deadlines. After a week in the waves, you’ll never want to return.

One week’s stay at Surf Berbere costs £200 including all meals, accommodation, transport, surf and wetsuit hire. Flights from £150 – Easy Jet fly directly from London Gatwick to Agadir. For more information, visit the Surf Berbere Facebook Page

Tip: Make sure you get enough Moroccan dirham out before you arrive in Taghazout, as there is no ATM in town.

The Nixon Art Mosh will make its 2012 debut with a two-night installation located in the heart of Munich. In partnership with ISPO, Planet Sports, Factory Media and Pleasure Mag.

Beginning Sunday January 29, this invitation-only art exhibition will showcase the works of Brett Walker, George Morton-Clark, Orlando Campbell, Matt Small, Cheryl Dunn, David Bray, Greg Eason, Mc Bess, LG White, Best Ever, Crista Léonard, Adam Bricusse, Danny Burrows, Lee Colwill, Anders Gjennestad, Stohead, Anton Unai, Shorvon & Hunter, Mox, Kutmah, Alex Laurel, Mathias Fennetaux, SatOne, Thesigner and C100.
The Nixon Art Mosh supports emerging and established talent in the field of art and music with once again a strong contingent of influential artists all of which are renowned in Germany. Berlin urban artist and street art activist Stohead will be doing a solo live painting performance on the first night. On the second night illustrator and graffiti writer SatOne will be collaborating with Munich based artists C100 and Thesigner sponsored by Montana Cans Germany.

DJ Kutmah will be on-hand both evenings with a live performance and visual collaboration with moving image-maker and producer, Mox. Paris’ DJ Lod will round out the night with additional entertainment on the turntables.

First launched in 2007 in Nixon’s hometown of Encinitas, California, The Art Mosh began as a small, one-night only grassroots event showcasing the artwork of local Nixon team riders and friends of the brand. Since its inception, The Art Mosh has grown into a global pop up art gallery tour with stops in Singapore, New York, Dublin, Paris, London, Vancouver and beyond. The works shown at any of The Art Mosh stops feature film, paint, sculpture, photography and music from artists, employees, industry friends of the brand. First conceptualized as a “party with a purpose” the core ideals of The Art Mosh have remained intact since the original event took place over 5 years ago.

“The Nixon Art Mosh first began as a way to bring our local community of talented friends, team riders and employees together for one night of good art, good times and good company”, said Nixon co-founder and VP of Marketing, Chad DiNenna. “The original Art Mosh idea is still very much the same today as it was back when we created it 5+ years ago. We’re fortunate enough to have caught the attention of large group of talented individuals from around the world who want to take part in this event and continue sharing different perspectives at each new stop, city-to-city, year-after-year.”

Woolacombe is a great place to visit and surf and we’ve a reader discount at the Southover Beach Surf Apartments overlooking the break.

About Woolacombe
Woolacombe has a long beach with plenty of peaks and is not as busy as Croyde to the south. It’s a popular, west-facing beachbreak, works at all stages of the tide and is suitable for all surfing abilities. It needs a clean swell plus easterly winds to be really good. At high tide, surf right at the northern end. Coombesgate Beach, to the north, can offer good waves at low tide. Putsborough, the southern end of Woolacombe beach, offers good protection from southerly winds and bigger swells and it faces north-west so can be worth a look if Woolcombe is onshore.

Woolacombe has been voted one of Britain’s best beaches, with great surf, golden sand and stunning scenery and a visit here is a definite must for any surf holiday. It is a lively village with great pubs, shops, restaurants and places to stay. Visitors of all ages will find plenty to do away from the beach if the surf is flat or onshore.

Surf Information
• Break type: Sand
• Offshore wind direction: Easterly
• Swell direction: Westerly
• Wave direction: Lefts and rights
• Ability: All
• Water quality: Good – EU award for high water quality
• Lifeguard service: From 1st May to 30th Sept

Stay at
Southover Beach Luxury Surf Apartments Woolacombe Devon

Just a stone’s throw from the surf this WOW holiday development of self catering apartments is without a doubt a touch of class and well worth the extra cost, so why not indulge yourself?

This outstanding self catering redevelopment boasts of being the most up to date in comfort as well as providing the best apartment location in Woolacombe, North Devon for the beach and surf. The Southover Beach holiday apartments have 7 units (Apts 2-8) available for self catering including an open plan garden penthouse, a duplex with spiral staircase and very large decking balcony, 2/4 & 4/6 person en-suite units and our family garden apartment, which can sleep 6 to 8. Most with French windows leading to a balcony or patio overlooking Woolacombe Bay in Glorious North Devon.

Features include:
Open plan living, stylish leather sofas, LCD flat screen TV, Freesat, DVD, S/Sound – High spec. fully kitted kitchens, King size beds and luxury en-suite bath & shower rooms, a 6 person Steam Room, secure surf wet/dry store, BBQ’s, own balconies & patios plus a massive communal garden all with amazing full-length beach views. Digitally controlled central heating as open all year. Private Parking and security intercom entrance.

- Special 3 & 4 Night Breaks -

Friday to Monday or Monday to Friday

from £95 per person inclusive
Special price is based on full occupancy of a minimum 4 person apartment

Web: www.southoverapartments.co.uk

Please contact: 01271 870199 / 07967 125297 Tom Phillips, enquiries@southoverapartments.co.uk

Viva Lost Vegans!

As a special end to the trip the crew headed to Las Vegas to catch the Cirque du Soleil Beatles Love show, which was mindblowing.  However, it was equally devastasting to uncover that captive dolphins are held in The Mirage hotel in Sigfreid and Roy’s secret garden.

We made it our mission to stage a protest, and the sadness that hit me when leaving the strange city in the desert was nothing compared to what the dolphins must feel on a daily basis, day in day out, going round and round their tiny tank.  As surfers we can feel out of sorts if we don’t get wet for a while, but imagine being a dolphin and never experiencing the ocean, these marine mammals may well be born in captivity but they belong in the wild.

Captivity issues are something Women for Whales will be focussing on once our campaign for the South Atlantic Whale Sanctuary finishes in July 2012.  Thankfully the UK banned dolphinariums in 1993 but almost 300 whales and dolphins are held captive in European dolphinarims and zoos still to this day.  And worldwide there are nearly 200 establishments, of which the US, Mexico and Japan are the biggest culprits with the largest number of captive facilities.  Take a look at the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society for more information.

Wendy and I reunited in the jungle

Out of Vegas I took a one way ticket to Central America, where I would be spending the next 6 months in preparation for the International Whale Celebration #2.  Sincerely grateful to glimpse the ocean again, I was looking for warm water, challenging breaks and environmental projects and knew Costa Rica would be the place to start.  On arrival I was completely spoilt by my friend Nancy of Rica Surf, who took me surfing with her extensive local knowledge, introduced me to the local cuisine (gallo-pinto) and led me to some amazing waterfalls.  From there I headed onto Santa Teresa to be reunited with Wendy, who I used to team up with to run Roxy Girls Weeks in Morocco.  I settled into life here in Mal Pais, and have been teaching yoga, surfing my new Bing board, enjoying the nature overflowing all around and moving forward with the Women for Whales initiative (painting murals, visiting schools and holding events).

Tropico Latino's beautiful yoga shala

Wendy and I are excited to announce that we will be teaching retreats together at Tropico Latino featuring yoga, surfing and adventures in this magical place.  We can’t wait to share the amazing lifestyle, waves, surroundings and food the Nicoya Penninsular has to offer, we believe this to be the perfect setting for healing, relaxing and rejuvenating.  Whether its taking your yoga practice to the next level, giving some time back to your self or taking a leap of faith into something new – this retreat is suitable for both beginners and practicing yogis alike!  The dates are:

• April 8-14 & April 14-20 2012
• May 6-12 & May 12-17 2012

Picture perfect beach on your doorstep

The retreats will focus primarily on Quantum Yoga™ where students will learn about their own individual mind-body type (dosha) according to the ancient Indian healing system of Ayurveda, accompanied by yoga sequences to balance their dosha.

This will be teamed with restorative sunset yoga, incredible organic food, surfing lessons and sessions, and all situated one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.

If you have any inquiries, you can drop me an email at natalievfox@hotmail.com or for more info go to Wendys Yoga.  We hope to see lots of SurfGirls there!

Until then I’m packing my bag and heading off into the jungle for a meditation course, then following my heart to where the whales are in the Osa penninsular!  Stay warm ladies, and if you can’t face the surf then check out the flights to Costa Rica where it’s always HOT!  Pura Vida xx

Russ gave me a lot of help with my surfing technique. It was really helpful to have him in the water with us because you got feedback straight after you’d had a wave. Also with Russ surfing around you, you pick up a lot of things just by watching the way he surfs. Russ has obviously had a lot of experience in competitive surfing, and he told us how he prepares for surfs and wins the comps! He trains hard physically and mentally and is very focused. It was a real eye opener as to how hard we would have to work to get to the same level as Russ.

Here’s a few of the tips Russ gave me – they definitely improved my surfing.

Widen your stance
One of the main things Russ would tell me was, “Laura you stand too tall!” Heaven knows how many times I heard him say it but it paid off. By the end of the trip I wasn’t standing so tall and I was feeling like, through widening my stance, I had much more control over my board.

Maximum drive
Russ was always plugging at me to put more weight on my front foot. This was so I could drive off the bottom and the top of the wave better so that I had more control through my turns – which in contests is very important as you get no points for falling off!

Extending and compressing
Extending and compressing is very important for creating speed and completing manoeuvres successfully. This was a huge fault in my surfing as I stood so tall that I had nothing to extend from as I wasn’t compressed. I had to start to really emphasise my extension and compression so I could really feel the difference. And it worked – I could feel my turns were more powerful and that I had more control over my board when in a top turn. Plus the more that I compressed when I landed moves, the lower centre of gravity I had and the better balance I had coming out of my turns.

Power turns
Russ told me to compress through my turns at the top of the wave so that I had enough power to push away from the lip or carve off the top and create a better turn. The extra power makes the turn more powerful and moves more spray – which the judges like.

Catching more waves
At the start of the trip I was holding back a little with fighting for waves as the boys on the trip seemed to be pretty dominant in the water. So I kind of sat back and waited till there was a free wave and tried to jump on that. After the first few surfs Russ could see that that’s what I was doing and he told me that I should be the one catching all the waves, “Laura you’re a girl, the worst they can do is shout at you!” He said. “They can’t hit you so get out there, flutter your eyelashes, and you’ll be on every wave going!” After this little pep talk I went back out and made friends with a few locals and then they began calling me into waves — so Russ was right once again!

Check out Laura’s website at http://www.lauracranesurfer.co.uk/

SURF

G-day Mate!
Australia is the obvious place to get some water time in during our winter, with everything from world class points to fun beach breaks, there’s plenty of variety and surfing’s pretty much the national sport over there. Most Brit surfers head straight to the Goldie, but it’s a big country and if you want to find an empty peak then head out of town. North of the Gold Coast the mid coast is a bit more laid back and rural, in the west around Margret River it’s a bit wilder with heavier surf and, if you head further north, you can have a proper uncrowded desert surfing adventure. So, decide what kind of trip you want and go for it!
www.surfing-waves.com

Island Style
Barbados is one of the coolest winter destinations. It’s got a laid back vibe, has turquoise water and empty white sand beaches. And from October to January there’s consistently good weather and waves. The south coast offers fun, rolling waves; the east coast has some heavier stuff but is pretty uncrowded, whereas the west coast, although busier, has picture perfect scenery. Head for post-surf grub at Oistins fish market for their amazing open air grills.
www.zedsurftravel.com

Lavaland
For a cheap, warm water trip during our winter head to Lanzarote. On this Canarian Island you can go from the disco paradise or hell (depending on your outlook) of Puerto Del Carmen to the more remote surfing haven of Famara in under an hour. Waves can be found on the NE, N and W coasts and vary from the super-heavy at La Santa, to the more intermediate friendly at Famara. Or if you want a bit of adventure, then catch a boat to the neighbouring island of Grasciosa. Expect fun times and good surf.
www.lanzarote.com/surf

Portugal
A classic winter getaway for Brits – although most are heading for the package tour horrors of the Algarve. For surfers, Portugal’s south-western corner lets you eke out the warmest weather that mainland Europe has to offer through the winter months. Hot spots to stay include Sagres (perfect location) and Lagos (party town), and there are plenty of options for surfing – including smaller sheltered spots on the south coast if the Atlantic facing west coast is too big. And with plenty of cheap flights to Faro, which is only a couple of hours from surfing nirvana, there really isn’t any excuse…
www.surf-experience.com

California Dreamin
Combine surfing with fun in California. When you’re in LA, it’s simple: just do everything! Check out Hollywood, take in a movie, go to a diner, and surf Malibu. If cities aren’t your thing then go south to San Clemente, it’s a charming town with good waves like Trestles and San Onofre and a great atmosphere. Or head north towards San Francisco along the Pacific Coast Highway, here the coastline becomes more rugged and the waves heavier. Camp out amongst the redwoods and then get in for a dawnie for a real back-to-nature experience.
www.surfingcal.com

Mellow Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is beautifully chilled out and has great waves, scrumptious food, lovely scenery and it’s very cheap. Sri Lanka gets the same swells as Indo and from November to March the southwest side of the coast is the most consistent which means heading to breaks like Hikkaduwa and Midigama. There’s a variety of mellow reefs and beach breaks along all along the coast which are good for intermediates. And you’re never sure what wildlife you’re going to bump into next – from elephants to crocodiles – it’s the full David Attenborough surf experience!
www.surfinginsrilanka.com

SNOW

For post-Olympic perfection…
Whistler Blackcomb, Canada
After last year’s Winter Olympics, Whistler comes back for the 2010/11 season with all new facilities, lifts, the “Peak 2 Peak” gondola, and trails – but without the crowds and stress. Located on Canada’s northwest coast, Whistler is a snow trap with stunning trees, high class parks, an Olympic size Superpipe and long, snow-heavy seasons (it’s already been dumping since October!). If you’re brave, then venture further into British Columbia for incredible, easy access backcountry. And, if you fly into Vancouver, you can bookend your trip with a visit to Vancouver Island and immerse yourself in the high quality, but cold, breaks of Tofino, Long Beach or Jordan River.
www.whistlerblackcomb.com

For more than just snow…
La Plagne, France
La Plagne is at the heart of the Paradaski area which lives up to its name: surrounded by beautiful, chocolate box villages, La Plagne is perfect for beginners and intermediates, with mellow slopes and miles of easily accessible off piste. It’s an all round alpine heaven, with delicious local food, plus there’s the option of bobsleighing or ice climbing, or you can sleepover in an igloo, or even learn to drive your own husky driven sled.
www.La-plagne.com

Endless Powder…
Niseko, Japan
A Mecca for anyone with an addiction to freshies, the Niseko area is renowned for being drenched in the deepest ‘white gold’ you’ll ever experience. From December to May across all five resorts (Annupuri, Higashiyama, Hirafu, Hanazono and Moiwa) you can ride untracked powder until it’s all too much, and you’re crying out for a nice icy red run. Favourites include magical tree runs like Strawberry Fields and Miharashi. So, that inimitable powder-riding feeling of flying, topped off with an incredible culture fix, sushi and, of course, karaoke for afters!
www.niseko.ne.jp

Mellow park, parties & powder…
North Lake Tahoe, US
For chilled out Californian cruising you can’t beat North Lake Tahoe where there are a cluster of resorts around the stunning lake. Head to North Star to perfect your park skills on immaculately built features that grow gradually from baby sized to pro, or, on a powder day, sink into fairy like, mellow tree runs. For something more challenging you can explore the cliffs and chutes of Sugar Bowl or the steeps, trees, and natural halfpipes of Squaw.  Want more? Boreal is one big, nocturnal park for jibbers and jumpers.
www.northstarattahoe.com
www.sugarbowl.com
www.squaw.com

Cowboy bars & amazing backcountry…
Jackson Hole, US
If natural features are your forte, then J’Hole is heaven. Home to the likes of Travis Rice and Bryan Iguchi, the Teton Mountains erupt suddenly from Wyoming like a mini Chamonix, bang on the border of the beautiful Yellowstone National Park. With gondolas taking you from base to peak, and an infinite amount of routes through powder fields like Casper Bowl, natural halfpipes like Dick’s Ditch, and easy trees back to base, you can lap all day but still find something new every run. Then grab a beer and ride a bucking bronco with a cowboy after dark: in the summer many of the local ‘pros’ double up as cattle ranchers.
www.jacksonhole.com

Ride with pros and party…
Mayrhofen, Austria
Just an hour from Innsbruck by train, Mayrhofen has become the base of choice for European pros. At the bottom of the Zillertal valley (a brilliant thread of resorts), the Hof’s high altitude guarantees great snow, matched by massive open fields, intimidating steeps and pretty forests. The park is one of Europe’s best – sprinkled with fun rails and kicker lines. But be warned: they’re massive, so expect to share a chair with one of many pros practising for films or comps. It’s also a big party town, with a renowned Jager fuelled full-on après scene, and the home to Snowbombing. Good times guaranteed…
www.mayrhofen.at

http://www.surfgirlmag.com/surfgirl-35-calander.pdf

The latest issue of SurfGirl is available to buy on iTunes featuring Lea Brassy surfing in Iceland, the Rip Curl girls team in Indo, plus lots of top tips for snowboarding and surfing.

There’s an extended DIY issue so if your work wasn’t in the print version you’re probably in this one. Plus lots of snow and surf vids to keep you stoked during these long, dark winter nights. Hit the link and download it to your iPhone, iPad, Kindle Fire, Android, PC, Mac – most things digital.

Click here to download from the iTunes App Store