Broke down and dirty Bude blues

Believe it or not "blues man" Seasick Steve broke down in his bus just down the road from Gul Bude today.

Just saying, so you all know... even mechanical failure is cool round here.

But just like the last time a famous celeb was in and around the shop (Vic Reeves), we unfortunately have no hard photographic evidence to prove it. But we like to think he'll remember his experience in our friendly little town and there might even be "Bude breakdown blues" on his next album? Oh yeah... then you'll all see...

T

Roots suits me

Here's a few pictures from the day of the mini surf contest mentioned below (no shots, you'll be sad to hear, of my very exaggerated soul arch that I think secured my win. I'm kind of glad - it was more like an accidental pelvic pump.)
I guess what stood out most from this contest were the people who attended. Some are already my very close friends, some I barely met before but got to know better. Good people, all. Just imagine participating in an event like this with strangers who had no interest in talking to each other or hooting as another caught a choppy sloppy wave or just laughing and smiling and putting the good vibe out there. It wouldn't work would it?
Events like these - small, familiar, fun. They're all about the person you're paddling out with, or watching it with from the cliff tops.
Long live homegrown surf contests.
C

hhhhmmmm...?

It gets hard to keep all this blogging up you know.... I've been out of the loop.

I promise I'll try harder next time. x T

The Smell of a WIN

I'm quite stoked this morning. I won a surf competition yesterday. Ok, it was no ASP tour, it was a little contest amongst friends and locals at the beach I've surfed my whole life. But still, after a pretty horrible weekend with little sleep and big blues, I managed to pull off 1st place in the 12 person longboard division. So I'm better at it than at least 11 people in the world. Cool.

The organisers, a couple of RNLI lifeguards, had made some great trophies from driftwood and assorted beach treasures. Mine now adorns the spot above the woodburner, right where it was always meant to be. It was so sweet - scoring was on a scrappy piece of paper with an unforgiving biro and heats were thrown together around peoples Sunday schedule. Contestants were judges. It was rounded off with an intense curry, plus naan, poppadoms and (as befits and compliments every good indian meal) lots of pizza. Beers were half price. Everyone was exhausted and smiling for the prize giving, just as the sun set. All as it should be. Ace. C

Discombobulated!

It's been a strange old day... We've been attacked by knife wielding Mannequins (It's true! Don't worry, we wrestled it to the floor and disarmed it - we'll never see or hear of him again). The weather appears to be more akin to January than September and Bude appears to have been deserted!

It really is quite a Topsy Turvy day, enjoy your discombobulation... we have!

R

Irish Dogs

Friend of the shop and author of the Camper Van Cookbook, Martin Dorey, had a little break to Ireland recently. He took this snap of this cute little canine something at Easkey, and it left us wondering whether he'd caught her in the midst of quite a private moment dealing with, ahem, 'doggy business' or whether he'd just snuck up and taken her by suprise. Asked, he replied, "Both. A fine comedy dog moment catching a dainty dogette in the act."

We agree. If you fancy giving us a funny catchphrase to go with the shot, we'd be mightily amused to hear them. We'll even publish it if it's good.

Meantime, check out what we reckon is a clean, 3-4ft swell in the background. We were so busy chuckling we almost didn't notice... C

StringerBessant

We've mentioned Stringerbessant a few times before. We'd choose them to serenade any of you beautiful readers, every time.
Here's a chance to see them live on Glastonbury FM, playing a track from their album 'Yard'. C

Gul Winter Wetsuits

Following on from the post yesterday regarding the lovely big discounts on our Summer wetsuit range, well, guess what came in the post today... the rest of our WINTER RANGE!
Of course, we've already had Lewis in. He pretty much drooled over the new Vortex 5/3. We asked him to clean it up before he left. Can't be too careful these days. All it takes is some unfortunate member of the public to slip in drool and we're liable for it. So no drool on the shop floor - it's a rule.
You'll find it hard though. Even writing this, I'm over-salivating a little. C

20% OFF Gul Summer Wetsuits

Bude!

You asked for a discount on Summer wetsuits, so we obliged. Come and see us for bargain Summer steamers, shorties, shortjohns and cake (n.b. we have no cake.) C

Sunset Surf Classic - Team Gul dominates!

I can fill you in now on how Lewis did at the final of the BLU championships in Gwithian last weekend.
I've left this a bit late but I was waiting to hear the final word from Lewis on what happened. Turns out, he was popped for a little interference call, thus denying him the top spot in the Under 18's that he'd been tipped for. Still, overall he came a very respectable 2nd in England and 3rd in the UK. No bad result at all, and we're stoked more than ever that he's riding for us! Good work Lewis! Great work also from all the others on the Gul team who placed high including James Parry (the winner, doesn't get much better than that really...) Ben Haworth, Becky Stanhope and Matt Travis. All placed great. What a team. Here's a couple of shots of Lewis in action. C

Throwing Shapes with Paul

My friend Paul lives in West Wales.
Lately he's been indulging in a few pastimes that give him the opportunity to live and surf and strim the garden - on occasions, he's a well-received Wedding DJ (strictly on an 'A-Team' basis - if you can find him, then maybe you can hire him.) Pictured are the results of another of Pauls enjoyable undertakings - that of birthing and carving innovative surfboards. We're hoping he's going to keep us updated with the latest from his little chamber of creativity. Below is his accompanying email which explains the little nugget better than I could. Lovely to note that he's made use of his old tea towels too. C
"Morning
Better late than never, here are the shots of Sea Biscuit, the worlds first 5'11" noserider, started off at 6'6" but kept getting smaller. 23" wide and about 3" thick.
Very loose and it really is best surfed from the middle of the board up. Made the board bag too in case you wondered where I managed to get such a stylish looking thing. I'll send pics of the longboard when I've glassed it, this should be a lot better as I know a bit more about what makes longboards work, well, in theory.
Paul"

Polar Bears and September Sun

Having spent the day being a tourist myself in a very sunny Port Isaac I came back to Bude yesterday only to hear on the news that a Polar Bear had been washed up on a beach near Bude!!! I kid you not, this was ITV!!!

So armed with the essentials; a day off, my trusty camera and an idea as to which beach it was. I set off in search of the elusive creature.

Unfortunately the beast had been moved by the time we got to Maer Beach leaving only vehicular tracks and a large piece of wood as evidence to it's existence.

Many questions ran through my head last night concerning this story... how did it reach Cornwall in a relatively good state of repair? Why had it washed up on a Bude beach? Or had it just been taking a nap on it's journey to France?!?!

It transpired this morning, that our Polar Bear was, in fact, simply an unfortunate cow who's skin had been bleached in the water. Mystery solved, even if a little embarrassing for the ITV!!

So you can imagine my surprise when I came to work this morning to find our very own Polar Bear on the Gul Bude beach - is this going to be a regular occurrence?!

It appears not.... Even we can make a mistake...

...it was simply a mouse!

R

Ear ring fishing

A very quick blog today as I've spent most of it sawing wood, running cable and hanging around in my own ceiling. Here's a video with a few friends in, made by my buddy Lee. They went off fishing with earrings. You know, as you do. C

Ear ring fishing competition from Lee Robertson on Vimeo.

Lazy sunday

Poor Abi is feeling rather sorry for herself this morning!

Being a sunday (a day of rest) i felt it was only fair to allow her to have a snooze on the sofa!

Luckily, we found everything she needed for a full recovery-

Some very comfortable pyjama bottoms, fluffly socks, a cosy hoody, a wooly hat, Ted, a detox book that was kindly donated to our ever popular book swap and even a mars milkshake that we found sitting out the back! Yummy . . . ?

Lets hope Abi gets better soon! E

The Merits of a Small World

Here's a few shots I took within 12 hours and 1 mile. The beach is the beach that I've been playing on as long as I can remember. The maize field has a wooden gate that's seen better days (I park my derrier on it often) but as far back as I can recall, it was always that way. I've lived in this area nearly my whole life. And although I've left it many times, I've always returned.

I said to my girlfriend last night that, as I get older, I seem to appreciate the merits of my small world more. I never used to. At least not so much. I couldn't get far enough away sometimes, for fear of an insular life not led - Australia was beautiful, New Zealand dramatic, Sri Lanka hot, Los Angeles exciting. And they still are and probably always will be. But with each walk deep through the local woods; each and every bewitching sunset over my wedge of the North Atlantic - I see something slightly different to it. And I'm not just saying that for philosophical effect - I genuinely do. It's a different hue, a persepctive that's new to me - an angle that brings an object out of my periphery and into a clearer focus. Maybe it's just that, with a smaller area to zoom in upon, I'm forced to notice more. But if beauty lies therein, small worlds aren't so bad (until you start marrying family members. Then it's definitely time to leave.) C

Conjuring up trouble

Ever been to Tintagel?

It's an odd place. Oh, it's very enticing, don't get me wrong. The dramatic cliffs that fall away to an often torrid sea, seagulls circling on the breeze between. The foothills to Bodmin Moor that rise gently up behind the town. The castle, or that which remains, on the steep, craggy sides of the island that sits proud of the mainland, a bullet point to the chaotic Cornish coastline.

It's also got more than its fair share of Wizards.

As a result, oddness prevails. You'll be walking down the street in Tintagel, black cats running everywhere, and then some poor sod gets turned into a toad for no apparent reason. The waft from a dozen cauldrons pervades the sea air (cauldrons would traditionally be considered a Witches kitchen implement of choice. Wizards in Tintagel pride themselves on their gender equality.) Shops are awash with pointy hats and baggy sleeved cloaks. An advert in the Tintagel post office window that says 'STAFF WANTED' means something far different to quite what you'd expect...
Day to day, odd though it may be, generally Tintagel does very well off the back of King Arthurian myth and legend, and the Wizards tend to keep themselves to themselves (save for popping up at the odd car boot sale). Issues arise, however, when less professional Wizards start messing around with weather spells. Invariably, being only a few miles North as the crow flies, Bude is affected by any meddlesome apprentice Wizards who are a little over-confident in their wand-waving abilities when it comes to elemental incantations. Luckily for the rest of the residents of North Cornwall, the Tornado that I witnessed over the cliffs of Tintagel this morning came and went fairly quickly, lasting about half an hour. I don't think it caused much damage - perhaps a few shellshocked mackerel. Still, it was an impressive sight at 7am on an otherwise mundane morning so, dear beardy neighbours, I'll let this little mishap slide. This time. Next time though, I'm calling Cornwall Council - Harry Potter may very well be popular but that's no excuse for this irresponsible, wayward behaviour. C

Hark Bargain Hungry Surfers! Summer Wetsuit Sale now underway!

I feel a day of blogs coming on.

We're now doing 20% OFF our remaining Summer wetsuit range. So to all those canny surfers who've been coming in asking if there are any bargains to be had now the onset of Autumn is beyond doubt, well, guess what... NOW IS YOUR TIME. C

Lewis Stritch enters the finale

Our man in the water, Lewis Stritch, has possibly his most critical contest this weekend. We know that he's capable of a win - this is a young man who cuts his own hair, often really badly. That says all you need to know about his confidence.

Lewis, all of us here in Bude are rooting for you.

Tom's even offered to Riverdance up Belle Vue if you win.

Good luck Welsh. C

Millie Marotta

I'm aware we haven't done a 'Blog Of The Week' for a bit so today I'm going to recommend a past favourite, Morgan Maassens photo blog, as I think he's about to start a little set on Puerto Escondido. Should be tasty. But what I really want to devote your attention to today, if I may, is the website of Millie Marotta. Not only does she have a very cool name, she's also an accomplished artist, with a doodle of hers currently appearing on the back of the lastest Huck magazine. It's simple, hip and we really like it. In fact, it's now our desktop wallpaper here at Gul Bude, but don't tell her we nicked it off her website... C

www.milliemarotta.co.uk

p.s. Look out for our 'Bude Surf Heritage' photo competition, coming later this week x

Lovely Weather for Ducks

It's pretty horrid out there today, positively damp!

As much as ducks love this kind of weather, us human beans use days like this as a perfect excuse to stay locked up indoors, switching the lights on, drinking tea and thinking of it as a perfect day to switch that games console on!

Well don't ... turn off your lights, save your electricity (do your bit for the environment) and visit your local Gul store . We're insane here, we're taking up to £15.00 off selected lines of the brand new Autumn/Winter range.

However, this won't last forever so don your brolly, dig out your wellies and pay us a visit. You can even connect with your inner child and have a good old splosh in a couple of puddles on your way! R

Introducing: MANnequins

MANnequins(TM) are the latest shop POS that you need for your business!

Look at how natural they seem!

They'll pull any shape you want!

Let us tell you about the advantages to having actual, flesh and blood, good looking and virile MANnequins(TM) compared to the usual, static, fibre-glass figures of the past:
1. Real hair (One MANnequin comes with a fully-furnished face blizzard of hair. One comes with it all over his entire body. The other remains unknown but we can probably assume he has his fair share.)
2. No more having to dress your old cumbersome figures! MANnequins dress themselves, and will even go so far as to recommend an outfit to you that they feel will compliment their svelte figures. (Please be aware that MANnequins do come with affixed appendages. Parental discretion advised when under-18's present in your shop.)
3. Contortionisms! Our MANnequins can achieve many shapes that traditional mannequins simply can't. In the photos below we have some classic examples (the 'Smirker', the 'Middle Distance' and the 'Uber-poseur') but you can be far more outlandish with your MANnequins! For larks, why not try the 'Pigface', the 'Window Licker' or the 'Deliverance'!
4. Cleaning - No more dust or cobweb issues with irregularly maintained mannequins - our MANnequins will take themselves off for a shower at least once a month (or twice through the sweaty Summer months!) They also come fully house-trained. (The MANnequin Litter Tray(TM) is available for any necessary prolonged window exhibitions.)

Contact us today for your free, no obligation MANnequin trial!

Terms and Conditions apply. The specimens featured may not realistically represent the actual MANnequins you receive.

Chances are they'll be prettier. C

Cashback

£5 off. £10 off. Even £15 off some of the new, sparkly Autumn/Winter range. I know, we're positively certifiable. Come and take advantage of us why don't you?

Guls tweet too...

We're now on Twitter. @GulBude - that's our handle.

Come tweet the friendly skies with us.

Just for the craic.

We've had a request to make a little clearer the subject of our blog yesterday. Please see further below. The subject shall remain nameless.

To Meet at the Bottom of Devon....

We had a good crack at our monthly meeting on Tuesday. It's always productive, and it gives us a chance to really iron out any creases in the Gul game plan. This week, the meeting was moved from the boardroom at Hindquarters, down to the Plymouth store.

From the bottom up, Plymouth is a grand store, that's for sure.

There was a gap in the day where we were able to have a spot of lunch at the rear of the building. Here's a shot of some of the Gul crew enjoying their lunchtime buns.

Harvested Interests

The start of Autumn. It signifies different things to different people.
The end of Summer? It's sad, but the benefits should outweigh any passing melancholy.
Swells? Yeah, we already covered that.
Angry wasps? We could do without them. Makes it very difficult to enjoy my jam sandwich when they're having a moody day.
Significantly less days until Christmas? Yeah, I'm excited too.
To me though, if I'm honest, it's all about the blackberries. To be able to wander off the coast path and gorge myself until I'm sick in the hedge? Pure heaven.
I personally prefer the slightly red ones. Tart, yes, but I prefer the crunch of unripe wild fruit to the crunch of a tubby maggot.
But that's just me. Each to their own.
Cai

Putting the Man in Woman!

Rach wears: Classic Cord Trouser in Brown; Signs SS Tee in Burgundy; Vintage Decal Hoody in Brown and Surf Co. Mesh Cap in Brown
Em wears: Stretch Cotton Boxer Brief in Grey; Classic Cord Trouser in Navy; Lumberjack LS Shirt in Blue and 67 Cap in Grey

Don't worry they said!?!?

Being 30 won't feel that different from your 20's....

Yeah well.. it's only been a day... LOOK AT ME NOW!?! I aged over night!

Thomas @ 30

Guess which Assistant Manager is 30 years old today?

Don't fret Thomas. Feel safe in the knowledge that all that pre-30 angst about not achieving anything has now come to pass (apart from the two beautiful children of course, although we think that's probably more Allie's doing..) Besides, there's still time yet.

A little bit anyway.

Happy Birthday mate, from all of us in the shop!

Here's some of your finer moments, courtesy of your wife...

...and our personal favourite...

"A man thirty years old, I said to myself, should have his field of life all ploughed, and his planting well done; for after that it is summer time." - Lew Wallace

Who just dropped one?....

Tourist Information

Granted, we've been pretty lucky this last week. Hot sunshine, grinding swell, winds varying in strength but continually offshore. And it's all hit just as the holidaymakers reluctantly make their way back to their homes, their jobs, their schools across our country (and, more than ever, to lands more distant.)

So now we get our own mini Summer to enjoy. We know we'll be able to get a parking space at the beach. We have meat, bread and milk left on the supermarket shelves. We can even see the supermarket shelves.

We can drive down lanes knowing that it won't take us half an hour behind a shiny top-down Porsche to drive the few miles to the beach (ditto pavements, but less shiny Porsche, more shiny, agonising sunburn.) And we know that, back on the lanes, the cars coming toward us generally don't mind a bit of hedge surfing.

Seagulls, once again, must learn to eat sealife.

But it's tinged with a touch of melancholy. We know everyone in the bars again. Pasty's are sat under lights for longer. Ice cream parlours close. Some of the lovely characters we've met in the mid-Summer weeks of madness may never walk back into our lives.

Say what you like about the emmits, grockles... what you will. They're so often the lifeblood of this part of the world and I, for one, am grateful for their visits. I'm aware that, with each barbecue, each dawn patrol, each burning sunset I watch off the high cliffs of North Cornwall (even each pristine, snow covered hill I bomb down on a dustbin lid in the winter) - chances are, realistically, none of this would be possible if I had to move elsewhere to make money.

So, fare well transient buddies - hopefully we'll see you, and your friends, next year.