Surf school

Mileage: unchanged

The alarm clock rang at 6:30 a.m., …

… 6:30 a.m. … That was quite reminiscent of work.

We just had time for a coffee and a biscuit before squeezing into our wetsuits and then heading over to the surf school.

Our surf instructor, Yoann, seemed more awake than most of the eight students at 8:30 a.m. After being equipped with softboards (7.6'; 63 L), we marched single file to the beginner spot. There, we first received some theoretical information about the ocean: how to recognize a suitable spot for our skill level, how waves work, why the sandbar is crucial, and why it's important to know the current tide and how it will develop. This was followed by information about surfing itself: how to get on the board, how to steer it, and what we could achieve that day. Then it was finally time for the first practical session in the water. The first goal was "planing," which meant choosing the right whitewater, paddling, and then learning how to steer the board while lying down. The second theory session covered how to stand up using the classic, proper technique without touching the board with your knees, but there was also instruction for those who preferred to stand using their knees. Yoann immediately warned us that standing up on the board would be difficult today; the waves were very close together, nice and low, but quite energetic for beginners. And so, for us, standing up on the board was out of the question during our first lesson today.

When we sat down to breakfast with Gary at 11:30 after almost two hours of training, we were pretty exhausted. Since it was already lunchtime, and it was Saturday, and all that, we took a long nap.

Late in the afternoon, Ines discovered a pair of grasshoppers in the hedge behind Gary.

For dinner, we made another one of our salads with arugula, bell peppers, garlic, and mushrooms. We'd also bought some frozen chicken strips from the corner store to add to the salad. Unfortunately, when we opened the package, they turned out to be chicken liver pâté. Perhaps we should have used our phone to translate after all.

Ines even found a few more people to play beach volleyball with later, so despite the loud music we skipped the mussel and chips party on the beach promenade and frolicked a bit in the other sand.