North Sea Holes

North Sea Holes

Brought up on the shores of one of the UK’s cold dark shores that was a winter shelter and training ground for Veitch, the Davies brothers, Sam Lamiroy and others Sandy Kerr had a surf shop named after him when he was knee high to Alan Shearer. This is his story.

WU-TANG CLAN AT BOARDMASTERS

WU-TANG CLAN AT BOARDMASTERS

Boardmasters has today revealed legendary hip-hop pioneers Wu-Tang Clan as their Friday headliner. Wu-Tang Clan are heading for Watergate Bay’s Main Stage, alongside headliners Florence + The Machine and Foals; whilst The Wombats have been announced as a Land Of Saints stage headliner. After 2018’s most sustainable Boardmasters yet, the festival returns to the sun-soaked Cornish coastline for another year of the most exhilarating surf and music action in the UK. Boardmasters takes place Wednesday 7 – Sunday 11 August 2019 across two stunning sites – Fistral Beach and Watergate Bay. Tickets are on sale NOW via the website from £30 deposit.

This year, Wu-Tang Clan are celebrating 25 years since the release of their ground-breaking debut album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). New York’s genre-defining rap collective shot to fame following their 1993 debut, and have since been considered one of the all-time great hip-hop groups. With a string of huge hits including ‘Protect Ya Neck’, ‘Gravel Pit’ and ‘C.R.E.A.M.’, and over 40 million album sales worldwide, Wu-Tang Clan are set to deliver an epic set leaving fans at Watergate Bay enraptured.

Headlining the Land Of Saints stage are The Wombats. Over a decade since the release of A Guide To Love, Loss And Desperation, The Wombats continue to soar, with the recent release of their fourth studio album Beautiful People Will Ruin Your Life. Liverpudlian indie-rock three-piece The Wombats will bring their relentless energy to Watergate Bay, with timeless hits including ‘Let’s Dance To Joy Division’ sure to draw huge crowds at Boardmasters this August. Other acts added today include Bear’s Den, Mahalia, SG Lewis, Sunset Sons, Elderbrook, Mella Dee, and Heidi, joining Giggs, Dizzee Rascal, Jorja Smith, Plan B, DJ EZ, Jax Jones & Martin Solveig, Wilkinson b2b Sub Focus, Franz Ferdinand, Razorlight, Mabel, Sam Fender, Slaves, The Hunna and many more for five unforgettable days in the most breathtaking festival setting in the UK.

Boardmasters will continue its tremendous work to keep the festival and the Cornish coastline, cleaner than ever before. Long-term supporters of Surfers Against Sewage for over 20 years the festival will once more collaboarate on a series of beach cleans throughout the year as well as during the festival. Other sustainability initiatives will continue, including the hugely successful re-useable cup scheme, the litter bond, Cornwall’s ‘Final Straw’ scheme and more to make Boardmasters as clean, environmentally-friendly and enjoyable as possible. This is all part of the mission to have eradicated all non-essential single use plastics from Boardmasters by 2020.

Boardmasters epic surf competition is back, as part of the World Surf League Qualifying Series. The biggest names on the international surf scene will battle it out on the waves at Fistral Beach. Boardmasters last week announced that its 2019 surf ambassadors will be Luke Dillon, Lucy Campbell and Tassy Swallow – some of the most exciting names on the UK and international surf scenes.

The Zennor Haven Wellbeing Area will return to Watergate Bay. The perfect place to unwind and relax, with yoga, mental health workshops, healthy food offerings, meditation and more. The UK’s largest Silent Disco will also return on Wednesday 7 and Thursday 8 August as scores of festivalgoers kick start 2019 proceedings at the main stage.

Inspired by the freedom, adventure and creativity of surfing and music, Boardmasters was born in 1981. Expect parties that run late into the night and a beautiful beach to recuperate on during the day. The five-day event is situated across two stunning locations in Cornwall – UK surfing mecca, Fistral Beach, where world class International Surf Competitions take place, and the most stunning location in the country to watch live music, Watergate Bay.

FRIDAY 9 AUGUST

WU-TANG CLAN
THE WOMBATS / DJ EZ
RAZORLIGHT / MABEL / THE HUNNA / BEAR’S DEN / CLAUDE VONSTROKE
OCEAN WISDOM / SG LEWIS / DENNIS FERRER / PROBLEM CENTRAL/ JAMES HYPE/ THE MAGIC GANG / MELÉ / SOAK SUNSET SONS / BODEGA / EASY LIFE / QUEEN ZEE / JOSH BARRY / OCEAN ALLEY / SAM TOMPKINS / MASON MAYNARD B2B ELI BROWN / ARTFUL DODGER / CRISSY CRISS / THE MENENDEZ BROTHERS / SO FRESH SO CLEAN / ALICE JEMIMA / IMPERIAL WAX / SALTWATER SUN / THE SUNDAY SHIFT/ TOMMY ASHBY / JVCK JAMES / APRE / RACHEL CHINOURIRl / MONTY TAFT /BRONX CHEER / BIKINI BEACH BAND / COMPANY B / THE EYELIDS / SOUND OF THE SIRENS / SOMEONE ANYONE / YAZZY / CLUB PEEL / PAPA DO SWING
Special guest GIGGS

SATURDAY 10 AUGUST

FLORENCE + THE MACHINE
DIZZEE RASCAL / JAX JONES & MARTIN SOLVEIG
FRANZ FERDINAND / MY NU LENG & DREAD MC / SAM FENDER
SLEAFORD MODS / RICHY AHMED / IBIBIO SOUND MACHINE / ELDERBROOK/ MAHALIA / LADY LESHURR / HEIDI / DARKZY FEAT WINDOW KID / MELLA DEE / SINEAD HARNETT / TODD EDWARDS / WEISS / PETE MURRAY / SELF ESTEEM / BARELY LEGAL CARAVANA SUN / FEET / LAUREL / INHALER / HOCKEYSMITH / SEA GIRLS
GOLDIE LOOKIN CHAIN / FERRIS & SYLVESTER / KAREN HARDING / SHAPES / JACK VALLIER / JAGUAR / RYAN PLATTS / JAZ KARIS / RYAN MCMULLAN / THE STALKS / BIG BOSS MAN / PIRATE COPY RUDI’S MESSAGE / BAILEY TOMKINSON / FIN HENDERSON / MILES GOODALL / CAKEBOY / THE ALIVE

SUNDAY 11 AUGUST

FOALS
JORJA SMITH / PLAN B / WILKINSON B2B SUB FOCUS
SLAVES / MICHAEL FRANTI & SPEARHEAD / BUGZY MALONE
IDLES / DERMOT KENNEDY / MALL GRAB / LEWIS CAPALDI / GABRIELLE APLIN / DERRICK CARTER / FLAVA D ARTWORK / ROSS FROM FRIENDS (DJ) / HOUSE GOSPEL CHOIR / DIMENSION
LADY LESHURR / GRACE CARTER / PETE MURRAY / BOY AZOOGA / GEORGIA / BRADLEY ZERO /
NATHAN DAWE / PROSPA / SKEGGS / CRAWFORD / SMOOVE & TURRELL
THE DUNWELLS / CASSIA / MUSH / PENELOPE ISLES / PARA FICTION / ECHO TOWN / THOMAS OLIVER PALOOKA 5 / HEDLUV & PASSMAN / DISCO ROCOCO / SHAGRAT/ SMALL WONDER / LEIGH DELAMERE & THE GORDANOS / BOCA 45 / LUCY GALLANT / JORDAN LEE COLLINS / SEB HEART / DJ PROOF

PLUS MANY MORE ACTS STILL TO BE ANNOUNCED…

Surfability, Inclusive and adaptive surf school

Surfability, Inclusive and adaptive surf school

Caswell Bay, Wales is not only the proud home of Surfability UK CIC, the UK’s first fully inclusive and adaptive surf school, it is soon to the first Gower beach to have a disability changing place. And the team here at Surfability UK CIC HQ could not be more delighted about this news.
The changing place will be located in close proximity to the current toilet facilities and the blue badge parking spaces.  Specialist equipment such as an electric hoist, shower, toilet and changing bed will be available to ensure that individuals with even the most severe disabilities will be able to access the beach and all it has to offer with dignity and privacy.

Local business woman and parent, Suzanne Morrison, who runs the award winning Bramwood Accessible Holiday Home on Gower has been a driving force behind this project. Suzanne has a son with quadriplegic spastic cerebral palsy and has said: “John requires 24/7 care, we therefore know what it takes to book a holiday without equipment and care. He is the inspiration behind this project.
“It is wonderful news for all the disabled people who need these facilities. We are so privileged to have the people with the expertise to give my son and others a wonderful experience. I am passionate about Gower and Swansea and about promoting what we have here and I am grateful to everyone from Swansea Council for their support through this process.”

With support from the Welsh Government’s Tourism Amenity Investment Scheme (TAIS), construction is expected in 2019. The Swansea Council expect that the changing facility will offer increased choice to around 250,000 disabled visitors looking for holiday destinations in the UK (read more here).
Feeling ready to catch your first wave or relive the stoke of your last? Surfability UK CIC surf all year round with disabled surfers of every skill level. There’s never been a better time to get in touch!