Longboard magic. Shot by Chris Churchill.

Barbados; a winter surf trip with Emily Grimes

Northcore Rider Emily Grimes decided to swap her hood, booties, and the North sea chill for something a little warmer. A surf trip in Barbados to be precise. Here’s her write-up on travelling in the wake of COVID, shipping longboards halfway across the globe, and surfing this classic surf destination.

There’s no need for an elaborate spiel about how the pandemic has affected travel. We all know there are new considerations that must be made before embarking on any domestic or international trip. Many of us have been confined to the four walls of the UK for a number of years, which has not necessarily been a bad thing. We have been given a push to explore the beauty of our own country and as a result, domestic tourism has boomed. However, with international borders opening it’s hard for many of us to ignore that little niggle that says “go somewhere really really warm, drink coconuts, surf with next to nothing on, experience some decidedly un-British living, and for the love of God do it quickly, please.”

The stuff winter surf trip dreams are made of. Shot by Chris Churchill.

Winter sun.

My partner and I were fortunate enough to have a few months to play with this winter. Very loosely working remotely but mainly seeking the aforementioned warmth, coconuts, and waves. Choosing a destination was slightly different from normal, first finding places that were safe and logistical to travel to, then comparing surf and coconut prospects. Barbados seemed like a pretty good option after research uncovered fairly consistent surf in beautiful locations, plenty of coconuts, and a green list status. Having never been before we weren’t 100% sure on what to expect, although we did hear rumours that tubs of ice cream cost more than £100 so were more than a little bit worried about embarking on the trip with a tight budget.

As far as the surf goes Barbados has delivered surfable waves of varying quality almost every day throughout our 4 month stay. High-quality, sizeable waves certainly aren’t on tap but the island definitely has its day. Regularly there are waves somewhere in the thigh to head high range, and we have seen a few swells producing double overhead barrels of comparable quality to premiere surf spots around the world. However, if you want to make the most of a surf trip to Barbados, particularly if you are neither going for a particular swell or an extended period of time, come with a willingness to make the most of the waves on offer rather than an expectation to charge world-class waves. We have surfed in some capacity every day, from pumping groundswell over shallow reef to body whomp shore dump barrels, cruisey longboard slides, onshore wind swell grovels, and everything in between.

 

Longboard magic. Shot by Chris Churchill.

Getting there with your sticks.

Having our longboards with us has been a massive bonus, turning many what-would-be average surfs into magical sessions. Travelling with 9ft plus boards can be a costly nightmare and this trip was no exception. Flying out in September we could not find an airline which would take our longboards so decided to send them across as airfreight, this certainly wasn’t cheap at around £500 per board. A good quality longboard would probably recover this cost if you opted to sell it at the end of your trip, but that’s certainly a lot of hassle for a short stay. After much research, I have found one airline which will take longer boards as checked baggage. Tui will take boards up to a maximum length of 12ft, and with a fee of just £32 to add sports equipment to your booking it seems to be a really good deal. They fly directly into Manchester and I am happy to be bringing my longboard back to its North Sea home with them. If flying a board out here isn’t for you there are plenty available to hire on the island, with a weekly hire cost of around $100 USD.

Hiring a car is a must. Shot by Chris Churchill.

Hiring a car.

Another must to make the most of the island’s surf is a car. You could just choose a location and hope for the best but do so at your own peril; stay in the south and don’t be surprised when it’s flat and the east coast is barrelling its tits off, or stay in the east and you’ll kick yourself when it’s blown out 20knts+ onshore wind and the south coast is peppered with perfectly clean peelers. And let’s not forget those sneaky north-west swells which light up the west coast, I’d genuinely cry myself to sleep if I missed those sessions. Thankfully there are plenty of car hire options available and it’s easy to organise when you arrive.

One important consideration is the cost of all these things – is it possible to do a Barbados surf trip on a hardcore surf bum budget? The reality is the cost of flights and car hire add up and the cost of living is sky-high in comparison to somewhere like Indo. If you live as you might on an Indo surf trip, eating out every meal and going into any old grocery shop then expect it to cost a fortune. It is very easy to spend a lot of money in Barbados but if you buy local produce and shop mindful of price then a food shop can cost similar to the UK. Ice cream is not quite £100 a tub but it’s pretty bloody expensive unless you stick to the choc ices which equates to about £2 a pop – winning.

Forget the hood and boots. Shot by Chris Churchill.

Where to stay.

Another difference between Barbados and other surf destinations is the accommodation options. At present Barbados does not cater very well for the lone traveller on a budget. Although there are lots of reasonable Airbnb apartments if a hotel is too flashy, the good old surf hostel is unfortunately just not a thing here. Not only does that make solo travel more costly but also potentially less appealing, as it’s harder to meet other like-minded people. Unless you’re happy with your own company or are gregarious enough to make lasting connections in the surf then the evenings might get a little boring. At present Barbados caters really well to families, couples, and groups of friends. I would expect to see more things pop up in the near future to cater to the inevitable increase in surf tourism as a result of the surf boom and easy travel links with the UK. It’s definitely still worth considering if you’re going away solo.

Fun and easy surf trip. Shot by Vanessa Parker.

The locals.

One of the most awesome things about travel is the connection to different people and, as a result, their lifestyle and culture. Barbados is a small island and everyone seems pretty closely connected (don’t piss people off – news spreads fast!); it’s nye on impossible to embark on a 10 minute drive without being held up by a couple of acquaintances who’ve stopped their cars in the middle of the road for a quick catch up. The island is very welcoming of tourists; locals are extremely friendly, a reflection of their disposition and the scale of the island’s tourism sector. The local surf community reflects this as a tight-knit but friendly and welcoming group. It is super important to remember that there are a lot of transient surfers passing through, sometimes creating busy line ups which can be frustrating at your home break. Surf respectfully, don’t hassle locals for set waves, and surf within your limits. The island provides great surf for beginner/intermediates but there are plenty of waves that should be left for more advanced surfers – do your research, be realistic with your ability, and don’t get caught out.

If you’re looking for an easy, warm and fun place for a surf break then Barbados is a fantastic choice. It definitely isn’t the most adventurous place I’ve been to (adventure and easy don’t tend to go hand in hand) but after a year working as a full-time teacher and managing a business, adventure wasn’t top of my list. It is exactly how you’d imagine a Caribbean surf trip would be; think hammocks and coconuts, playful waves, year-round tropical climate, friendly locals, and a whole lot of rum and watery lager. In the words of almost every surfer ever… can’t complain.

 

Written by Emily Grimes.

Updated on 27th January 2022

Originally published on 7th January 2022 in Surfing

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