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Photo by Stefan Pause

Surfs up Mann

Ranulph Mackenzie Thorpe

Newquay, California or Hawaii, no this is local surfer Ranulph Mackenzie Thorpe dropping in at the Point, Port St Mary.

Surf photographs from around the island

Surfs Up Mann >

I moved to the island from the Lake District when I was twelve and soon became obsessed with both skateboarding and in-line skating.

I have always been fascinated by the sea and I soon acquired a body board and felt instantly at home, but you never get used to the cold water.

Surfing lets you see the island from an entirely new perspective, it is extremely addictive.

Things are looking up

I really enjoy the feeling of riding skateboards so surfing seemed like the natural progression for me. That and the complete lack of skate parks, although I have to say the new Ramsey Skate Park is very good.

The feeling I get when I catch a wave is impossible to explain. It is you versus nature, there is no feeling like it.

You do have to be physically fit and strong to surf.

If you imagine how heavy a bucket of water is, then times it by a thousand you can begin to understand what it feels like to be hit by a big wave.

"The feeling I get when I catch a wave is impossible to explain. It is you versus nature, there is no feeling like it."
Ranulph 'Kenzie' Thorpe

Then you have to fight your way back to the surface. It can be scary at times and not for the faint hearted.

I think a lot of people would be surprised by the size and the quality of the waves we get to ride on the island, up to ten feet at The Point.

Having said that you do have to be prepared for six month flat spells, you can’t predict nature and it can get very frustrating.

For as long as I can remember now I have dreamt of travelling to surf and this year it is finally going to happen, I would recommend surfing to anyone.

last updated: 04/04/2008 at 14:06
created: 13/07/2007

Have Your Say

Have you tried surfing on the island?

Jacko
You (Milky Jooe) think you have water full of sharks you should try my surf area here in Perth, Australia. Lots of sharks and very very big ones.....Thats why you have to be a good surfer.

Milky Joe
Surfing is overrated. Especially on the IoM, water is full of sharks and deadly jellyfish.

Me3
Me2, Rich and Katie. Guys, do like the rest of us. Order a board and suit off the internet and get out there and teach yourself. Find out what conditions work where by trial and error. It's what everyone else has done. Seek and ye shall find. It won't be handed to you on a plate.

me2
katie if u find out where to rent surfboards and wetsuits i will teach u.I heard that ther´s a surfshop near Gansey beach but went there and did´t find it.Another place is Port Erin.I´m trying to get some surf but isn´t easy to find...

katie
Can anyone please tell me if theres any place i can learn to surf in the iom?

me2
Can anyone tell me how to find out when it´s gonna break some waves on the IOM?i´m living in Douglas and i would like to get some surf on this cold water. :) Cheers

rich
does anyone kow the right condions for laxey bay to work?i seen it one day perfect 4ft offshore and nobody out but didn,t have my board.gutted!

Real Skier
You need three legs and no tail to surf on the Island all pointing in the same direction.

manxtreme
there is stuff going on in the island that is great! there are kitesurfers, surfers and all manner of extreme stuff so I started manxtreme.com Needless to say the support from the manx has been....extreme!Got some wkd videos of all the action going on in the island so upload your extreme evolution! Theres a whole lot more than just the TT

jake.o
Never surfed before. never seen it in the IOM either. I prefer the skateboards, but due to what was said in this article and is infact completely true, the lack of (good) skateparks puts me off, and living in colby doesn't help either.I'd love to get good at it but I guess I can't since the summers are pretty short here. mostly wind and rain :(

sasurfer
hey guys im moving to Isle of Man in March next year. Would love to get in touch with some local surfers. prob should post my email address. Let me know how. Later

manxcoastie
Never surfed, but spent lots of hours watching as a Coastguard. It's VERY worrying though, that RickL doesn't know how to get from Castletown to The Point at PsM! Could he find his way from the water to the beach??

Rick L
if i'm in castletown how do i get to The Point, Port St Mary? tks.

G
bbs - it may have something to do with the fact that the irish sea happens to be the most radioactive body of water in the world!

bodyboardsurfer
Does anyone have an opinion on the cleanliness of our waters?? Peel in particular. Personally i would like to see something done about it because i am sick of it. I have been ill a few times from surfing peel, and so have my mates, this is not good.....

G
I've been surfing on the IoM for about 3 years now, mostly Gansey as it seems to be the most consistent. The most enjoyable thing for me is the lack of crowds! I've surfed in a few different places in a few different countries and the thing that always seems to leave a nasty taste is localism and overcrowded breaks. Can anyone tell me me what conditions you need for these other spots to work? Cheers

someone
Magic seaweed. Anglesey report closest

richard quayle
does anyone know a good site to get a surf report for the i.o.m?cheers

someone
Have to admit 24Fortys growing on me.... Good comeback...lets all just surf and be happy, 2ft 10ft who cares.... i love it Peace to all.....

24Forty
Hahaha...Belive me, I don't have rich parents. Im just good at saving and willing to leave the Island and use my money to do something I enjoy, instead of sitting in the pub talking about it. Try it, you might find that you have loosend up a bit by the time you return.

Lucifer
Oh dear mr 'me' and mr 24forty. I think we have a bit of a superiority complex, think we're better than this Island do we. Well if you don't like it, next time you swan off to around the world dont come back. Oh and if you do and care to put any time in to surfing the island then you will find there are some really good waves, try looking further than the end of your nose. get real.

mike fanning
well said kelly, i think he needs to pull his head from between his legs and smell the air, "not all of us have rich daddys mate"

24Forty
Thank you, I do like to think I am a super kinda guy. Im glad to hear that I'm your hero, I think it's great for kids to have a role model, I'm happy to be yours. You can also be a bit like me, if you study hard, eat your greens and drink lots of milk. Don't forget to go to church on Sundays, remember Jesus saves all!I'm sorry to dissapoint you but I have not yet surfed the whole world, I'm working on that one. If you would like to make an appointment for a little life coaching, I will speak to my P.A and see if I have a window spare for the near future.You take care now, and remember to respect your parents!P.S - I will speak to my tailor and see if he can make me a pair of boardies, a gift from me to you.

Me
Dear "Kelly", I don't think someone who pretends to be the great one should start lecturing on the anal comments below. Everyone has always got balls the size of coconuts when it comes to leaving bitchy response comments on blogs aint they? 24forty has gotta point - 10ft waves on IOM? Doubt you've ever been out in waves that size so perhaps you should sit back down and pretend to be someone else huh? Perhaps it might be wise for you to maybe travel and leave the IOM to rid yourself of you xenophobia; definitely an IOM yokel arent you? Have you even been to Liverpool? 24forty only said he's been to Lennox Heads and dont blame him for wanting to get some decent warm waves uninfected by persons like yourself. Also you seem to just have discovered sarcasm, well done - lowest form of wit as far as I can recall. Witty retort anyone?

Kelly Slater
Oh 24Forty - I wish I was as clever and as well travelled as you. Perhaps next time when you deign to visit the Isle of Man I could maybe talc up your wetsuit for you? In fact, perhaps you could come and give everyone a lecture about how you've surfed the world. You could maybe drop in a few more places you've been and see just how impressed we really are. You sound like a super kind of guy. I wish I could be like you. Tell me, do you do your own highlights? What sort of board shorts should I wear and when we locals see you, do we avert our eyes from your greatness to avoid being instantly evaporated (like in Raiders of the Lost Ark). Will we have to make an appointment to speak to you? You're my hero. I wish I could be just a bit like you.

Naomi
I tried for the first time at Peel at the weekend and a basking shark popped up right next to me.

yarrrr
i think thats 10 ft faces a 20 ft face on the island would be most inprobable

24Forty
Just read the comment from IOM Local. This is what makes me laugh, what is the point in getting all agro over Manx waves, it aint worth it. He should try Kirra Point on a weekend, then he will know what busy is, and who the kook is......Ova

24Forty
As a surfer that spends very little time surfing on the Island, when I do return I find it funny to see more people getting in a strop over nasty 2foot on-shore waves. just glad to be in and getting the exercise, I'm not expecting great waves as I know I aint gonna get em.I'm a little unsure about the point hitting 10ft....Teahupoo/Pipeline/Raglan/Shipsterns Bluff gets this kind of size, and that on a good swell. Having surf Lennox Head numerous times, I got caught out as it was geting bigger and starting to hit 8ft with the odd 10ft set was coming in, me and half the locals got out as a 10ft wave is serious, something I never want to experiance again, best left for Trent Munro (local Lennox Pro). Surley this is a 10ft face, as i have never seen anywhere on the Island bigger than 4-5ft (if that)? On a good day tho, this is a good wave.Anyway, lets keep our finger crossed for some waves in September.Ova & Out

Sir
Yeah bet the water is freezing is there anywhere on the Island that you can buy wetsuits and boards?

Seb
Yeah I am living in Cornwall those pics look brilliant. Can't believe how big some of those waves are.

Ollie
Thanks alot, hopefully will be getting my board soon

Ollie
thanks alot. Hopefully will be getting my board soon, i have given a guy details about my figure and they are guying to pick the best type of board for me.

ahoy hoy
Ollie. Check the wind forcast! 30 mph plus with a good low presure will do!

Ollie
Looks ace. Just come back from cornwall surfing, first time had lessons and now can stand up and turn i no it isn't very much but for first time i am quite glad. Is there anyway you can tell if the surf is going to be good?

Zamon
Photos look cool.

BoB
I have been surfing on the island for years and years and it has never been to busy. I think you have become a bit to local mate.

Jo
What are you talking about there are more than enough waves to go around.

iom super local
re: iom local. you where one of those kooks once, probably still are!! oh and i think you need to learn how to spell. "necessary"

IOM Local
Great nice one people. Why is it necisarry to get even more people on our waves??? Already a bunch of new kooks every time I go out.

jack johnson
Thats amazing didnt realize there would be waves on such a small island,might have to come and surf them some time...enjoy

Benjamin J Horan
Started bodyboarding at 14 years, progressed to full on surfing. Love it here in the IOM, surfs better than most people think. Waves get to 2 times head height and more over here on the best days. 'Once you pop, you just can't stop!'

team hoy
we need more of this type of publicity for the island. go hard or go home is the forward . we need more raahhr!!!.

Gee
I'm not the best surfer but i'm out there doing it for myself and I love it. alot of people are worried about it being too cold, but the best bit about getting cold and wet...is when u get out after a great session you can get dry and warm! no regrets innit.

Kelly Slater
Awesome!

Sara-Jane
Thanks for your help, Stef - I appreciate it. I'll definitely be giving it a try!

Davy
Wow gonna have to try that!

Stef
It's excellent to see some of the local alternative sports covered, I'd love to see the BBC feature more!I've surfed for a little over a year now and it's great fun, though I still consider myself a beginner compared to some of the locals.You do need to be fairly physically fit, though if you get a longboard it makes things a lot easier.Sara-Jane, if you'd like to get into surfing I'd recommend Gansey as the beach to learn on: it's all sand so is a lot safer than some of the shallow reef breaks.Keep an eye on the shipping forecast: for Gansey you want a Force 6 or above SW wind. Turn up a couple of hours before high tide so you steer clear of the rocks. Sometimes the waves are up there under different conditions, though, so it's worth keeping your eyes open and ringing around.If you can afford it, go for a longboard as they're by far the best to learn on. Unfortunately they're also very expensive so a most people settle for a 7"6'-7"10' "minimal" or "egg" instead, which start at around £250. These boards are stable, buoyant and forgiving, which makes them a good choice for beginners.Get a decent 5mm wetsuit along with boots, gloves and headwear, you'll need them as it can get pretty cold!Call around one of the local water activities shops, they're usually very helpful and should be able to help point you in the right direction. Good luck!

Andrew Murgatroyd
I was on the island last week and had a go for myself. It was great fun. If you get the chance grab a board and give it a go.

Ed
It's great that Manx surfing is getting some publicity. I have surfed here. I usually go to Laxey beach and the waves can be absolutely incredible. Water sports in the Isle of Man are under-rated.

Sara-Jane
I'd love to learn how to surf, but don't know where to start!

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