Editor’s Note: These pieces are intended to offer a deeper look into each episode of surfer Fergal Smith‘s Line9 series, Growing, a new clip published every two weeks. The series is a year in the life of Smith and his brother. With a new clip published every two weeks, the series follows them as they take a step back from the rat race while spending days tending to a sustainable garden and surfing the readily available Irish slab.
Author’s Note: My main reason for doing this series is for showing the what else I’m passionate about — aside from surfing — and to try to promote all the good, positive things that people are doing.
It has been an epic journey this year. We have so many clips we would still like to do, but we have to stop at some point. We wanted to do a surf trip up the coast, and it might have made for the most exciting installment.
I live in County Clare these days, and I spend most of my time there, that is until I see there is a nice clean chart for up north. Then it’s an early start to make the three hour drive. This particular day was my wife’s birthday. She was nearly due to have our baby girl. But she convinced me to go for it anyway — she is such a legend. Without an understanding parter like Sally, none of these clips would have been possible.
So my brother Kevin and I set off nice and early and got to Mullaghmore just as the sun was coming up. The wind was really nice, and got straight out there. It wasn’t huge, but it was lovely to surf those nice, clean waves. It is rare to get a solid swell and clean winds in Ireland. The swell is often there, but it is often too windy, and simply not possible to paddle. One day I know we will get an even bigger day with clean winds. Perhaps then I’ll find a really special wave out there. It might take a few years until it all comes together… I just hope I am there to give it a go when it happens.
The next and last edit is going to be a cool one: it is a whole round up of the year in the community garden. But don’t worry, we’ll be surfing as well.
