The Gul Blog

Dear Gul Bude blog readers.
We've decided to change the way we do things a bit. From now on, all Gul news and info will go through our main facebook page and the official Gul Blog. This will allow us to communicate with you all in a much more organised and effective way. There will still be store specific info about promotions, deals and general goings on but all from one big Gul platform. If you haven't done so already, click 'facebook' to like our facebook page and click 'Blog' to read and follow our blog.

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Blog

Thanks

Cai, and all at Gul Bude.

Something Strange has Occurred

She was off sick yesterday... a migraine she said!

She assured me she was better...

I'm not so sure her head's straight at all...

I'm a little scared! HELP?!

R&E x

Bluffing

Dear Mother,
I'm having a great time out here in Tasmania, or as they call it round here 'TAZZY'! Whilst "supping a cold stubby" at a genuine Australian pub yesterday, I got talking to some upstanding locals about our recent resounding Ashes win in the cricket. There was no bitterness from their end, I'm glad to say! In fact, they were so agreeable, they've suggested taking me to a little beauty spot called "Shipstern Bluff" to try out some 'surfing', which sounds like a jolly hoot. How exciting! As you know, the closest I've ever come to seawater was when I bought that Parrot fish for little Tommys' fish bowl.
They've said I'll pick it up pretty quick. I know you'll worry when you get this Mother as of course I never did learn to swim, but my friends have said it's very shallow so I needn't worry about swimming. They've also said they'll all make sure they're watching me on my first wave, which was awfully sweet of them. They even said they'll probably film it, so maybe I'll be able to show you my first wave as a 'surfer'.
My new chums did say it was probably worth letting my immediate loved ones know that I was going surfing at Shipstern Bluff - this place really must be special!
Anyway, must go and wax my wetsuit in preparation for my first ever surf!
Wish me luck!
With love and oodles of hugs,
from your dear boy,
Tarquin.
xxx
p.s. They all seem very giggly - jolly high spirits all round!

The Sunny Hours

Yet another day of beautiful sunshine here in the North of the county. Find a sunny corner, sheltered from the cool Easterly, and you could almost imagine the Summertime. I'm savouring every sweet moment, as this Winter has felt much longer than most. I'm going to make the most of every sunny second I can get involved in, from now until November. Pact made. Here's a couple of shots I took when a milder wind was blowing, a few days back. C

Craicing vid

I was drinking endless cups of tea at my mates place the other day.
It was a wet day so we were scouting various surf videos to make us feel better and came across this one, featuring our very own rider Tom Butler. It's a great Irish vid, proving were proof needed that heavy lips and stomach-flipping drops are not by any means just the reserve of a few over-exposed breaks around the globe.
Enjoy. C.

Start as you mean to go on...... from Tim Boydell on Vimeo.

Sofa so good.

Apologies, no blog today because we've been hard at work picking up and scrubbing up our Bobby Dazzler new sofa. It's going to be part of the new look we're working on at the back of the store. Shan't show you a picture yet, better we do it when we're finished.
But isn't the weather just amazing? If it doesn't rain now until October, I shan't moan.... C

The Booth Fairy

Been enjoying the Photobooth app for my iPhone of late. Fun to play with in and out of the office. C

Separated at birth

Here at Gul, we buy our Assistant Managers from the same Retail Accessory Wholesaler.
Fairly reasonably priced, fairly reliable - sure, they're not the top spec model but with careful guidance they seem to be able to do the job. C

Weymouth

Bude

Gul Bude's Staff

It's quiet today . . . We decided to keep busy!
E x

Mick Kavanagh

Mick is a really good photographer, his portfolio is stacked with shots from beautiful vistas to edgy war zones across the globe. There's a few wisened profiles in there too. I'm stoked that he's been teaching me some stuff of late. Mick is also for hire, just like the A-Team - if you need an event photographed by a pro, drop us a line here and we'll put you in touch.

In Bude he's been indulging his love of surf photography. Here's a few:

The shot above is of Bobby. Bobby has a bit of a reputation around Bude. Despite that, he's also known for shredding deep and hard, as shown here at our very own spot 'M'. After this session, he came in moaning about the cold water. Bobby now wears a Gul Viper.

I really like this shot. This shot is at my own local break, the surf was actually about 4ft and very hollow. I was walking the dog on this day, regretting the timing of a fresh tattoo, and saw Mick taking the shot. These are my friends, Olly and James. I have a few good snaps of my own of Olly in various barrels this day. Olly wears a Gul Vortex.

Here's Olly again, also at spot 'M'.

C

StringerBessant

No doubt we've mentioned StringerBessant before. We've certainly mentioned Reef in our blogs, the hit band from which Jack and Gary (above) originally heralded.

I've seen them play as Stringerbessant many times now and it's always a mellow, feel-good affair. Very intimate and friendly too. Myself and a number of friends on the Gul payroll are heading to the Koola Bar in Newquay tomorrow night to watch them play. Looking forward to it. Be great if you can join us. Mine's a Guinness. C

Shifty

We've temporarily closed our book swap. But fear not, it's for a good cause. You see, we're having a bit of a re-arrange instore.

Which reminds me - if you, or anyone you know happens to have any unwanted 'sixites' furniture or items hanging around their house or garage, please do let us know. It's all part of the new look we're gradually undergoing. Drop by and we'll explain more.

Meanwhile, we've still got a healthy amount of stock at 70% off, Winter wetsuits at 25% off, Boards at 25% off and many other deals to be had. We've also got an awful lot of the new seasons range in - we're rocking it ourselves. C

Tom, yesterday (n.b. not really...)

Gourmet Pizza. Gourmet Friends.

My friend Kate brought me in a slice of her homemade pizza, that she'd cooked last night. It's topped with chorizo, goats cheese, caramelised onion, garlic butter, mozzarella, cheddar, chilli and a healthy fistful of Rocket leaves.
Tom had to go out and buy a pasty (again).
Tom needs better friends.
Thanks Kate!
C

I know it's an oldie but it is a goonie

http://gul-bude.blogspot.com/2010/07/hey-you-guys.html

Just like "One Eyed Willy's" hidden fortune, our blog has a wealth of treasures in it's past!

Hips don't lie

I'm not a fan of Shakira.
Don't get me wrong - I appreciate she's loved by millions. It's just that I, personally, would rather hum and tap my feet to the gentle background gurgle of a sewage pipe than to a Shakira CD.
I accept my taste in music may not be everyone's cup of tea (quite why is unclear) so I allow the whole shop access to our instore music player. We have a limit - 10 tracks a day can be added, amongst the staff who are working. These tracks need to be generally upbeat, not anti-social, and in good taste.
So when a particularly galling Shakira track came on the player - forcing back the gag reflex - I stared into Emma's pop-loving soul and solemnly asked her if she'd mind me deleting this track. Wrongly, it turned out, assuming she was the culprit who'd soiled our beloved playlist.
But it wasn't. And she snitched: The culprit, bizarrely, was Tom.
Yes it turns out that Tom, whom I'm already aware is a big Dolly Parton fan (he has tickets for her upcoming Liverpool show) is also a zealous Shakira fan. Obsessed, apparently. He'd let Emma know. But he'd neglected to tell me.
See you Monday, Tom.... C

Weapon Of Choice

Tom leant me some of his Tiger spray.

At £1.50 a can, I should have been more wary.

I'm going home for a bath. C

Nearly a year old - Youngsters snapping at our heels.

Well, come the 13th of March, we'll be a whole year old. Sure, we got plans to celebrate our birthday, cupcakes most certainly playing a part, but one thing we thought needed a bit of a Spring Spruce was our beloved blog. We've been tapping away at keys for almost a year now, filling these pages with observations, offers and embarassing pictures of each other and other members of the Gul team, so it was high time. More importantly though, we spotted the new blog by our latest sister store, Yeovil, and realised theirs far out-shone ours.
Not gonna happen Yeovil.
So here we have our new, improved Gul Bude Blog.... do enjoy!

Can I get a WOOT WOOT?

Polzeath Surf Report and Forecast

When Mizzle Parts...

It was mizzly yesterday at home. I'd sat around waiting for it to clear and it didn't and it came time to walk the dog or I'd miss the last light, so I decided to head to the beach. At least there I could watch the grand swell that had arrived, watch it tearing up a secret little bay I like to head to when I need to clear my head. I left my SLR at home, assuming it'd be wet at the beach too. Frustratingly, not only did the rain and cloud stop within metres of the beach, revealing a certain amount of blue sky, but the light was also fantastic: perfect photographic conditions even. It was annoying, but with my trusty iPhone and one of the little cheater apps, I got this nice shot from the shore. The original itself is pretty special. The clouds were dramatic right up until the dark set in and we headed up the hill to home. Goes to show though, I need to be carrying that camera everywhere. Lesson learnt. C

Mid-Feb Feelgood

It's been a good day.
The sun is out, the surf is up and Bude feels like life has once again returned. The tills have been ringing and we've had some good friends drop by to visit, including the lovely Sam and Glen and Martin Dorey and his family.
I also got this in the post....

Very sweet of you Mum, thankyou.

C

Check it out

My Bobby Dazzler camera is, frankly, my new love affair.

Sadly, now the rains come back in, I can only take indoor shots. So here's a little snap of me modelling the new Diggory shirt, fresh through the doors of Gul Bude.

Nice isn't it. C

25% Off Winter Wetsuits!

It's 25% Off our winter wetsuit range....

Save a bundle and surf your wave of cash!

Seasons greetings.

Well we're pretty happy right now. New dresses, skirts, tees, hoodies, polos and....mmmmmm... check shirts. That's right, the start of our new seasons range is now instore and looking just dandy. Come by and we'll model some for you. Tom is particularly fond of the Maxi-dress.

One Man (Martin) and his Campervan

We've mentioned our friend Martin Dorey and his excellent book 'The Campervan Cookbook' before, several times. It's been out for some time now, having been very well received by critics, foodies and surf shop managers along the way. Copies of the book made up about 40% of my entire Christmas shopping list, and were a hit with those who received it. And about 40% of them know (knew) nothing about camper vans, which proves how versatile and enjoyable the book itself is.
Which is why you want to make sure you're in with the telly this Monday.
Because this Monday evening, Martin's TV series, 'One Man and his Campervan' begins on BBC2, at 6.30pm. It's then showing every weekday night at the same time for 2 whole weeks. Jamie, Rick, Hugh... yesterdays roaming television cooks: We like ours in a dapper check shirt and carrying a surfboard that isn't just a prop.
Here's a few links to whet your appetite...

www.hattrick.co.uk/hattrick-international/int_shows/show-detail/?show_id=70

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00yndpc

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00yltdc

Winter licks

I took this shot the other day - a reminder that, although it's returned to quite milder air these last couple of days, Winter still hides in the wings. These ice-coated pebbles were below a very cold waterfall. It was only the thought of being drenched by the freezing water flowing from above that stopped me from having one of these as a novelty lolly. In the meantime, as Winter plods on, we've just reduced the price of our most popular ladies jacket, the Stratus, by 25%. Just for a few weeks until Spring properly starts.

Lewis. Extra chilli sauce. No onions.

Our little shop mascot Lewis Stritch (now a fully-fledged member of the Gul team) came in for a new wetsuit today. As with all sponsored riders, a brand expects a certain amount of return from riders it invests in. This is often in the form of massive media exposure wherever possible.
However, here at Gul Bude, we expect a little more.
Here, we expect our sponsored riders to don the suit when they're given it, and do a circuit of the block, no matter the weather or conditions. It's also stipulated that they round off the circuit by buying a kebab that we can all share.
Sadly, KJ's was shut.
But we don't forget Lewis... When there's a free donner involved, we never forget....

Cam vibes

Even though I do a surf report every day (or almost every day, hangover/sleep/general lethargy pending) I'm usually able to convince myself that, once 9am comes and I've started work, that the surf must just turn rubbish. The wind gets on it. The crowds turn up. The swell dies.
It doesn't matter how many people come in and tell me it's on, I basically just assume each and every one of them are shameless liars. It's how I deal with running a surf shop when the surf is on.
Unfortunately, some time ago, Bude council decided to install webcams that give you a regularly updated shot of the surf. From about 3 different angles. And it's like an itch that you're not supposed to scratch.. I tell myself it'll only be bad news for me if I look at it. But look at it I must. And so often I regret it. Today is one of those exact examples of a day where burying my proverbial head in the proverbial sand would have benefitted me more. Where ignorance truly would have been bliss. Instead I chose to flagellate myself by bringing up the picture below....IDIOT. C

70% Sale continues...

STILL rocking our 70% Sale and there are STILL bargains of all sizes to be had. Be sure not to miss out. Even the staff have been stocking up on Christmas presents for next year.
New product is but a stroke of Tom's quiff away. In fact, we're already receiving new pieces: Picnic anyone?

Do drop by!

Optimism

Sorry we haven't been so forthcoming on blogs of late. We've had a stock take that demanded our full attention. We're feeling a little brain fried..!
It's been a long Winter. From the depths of snow and ice to the heavy rains and floods. There have been sunny skies, moody skies, wild skies and occasionally it's been so dark that some days there seemed to be no sky at all.
I was walking along my local break last night, just before it got dark. It was pouring down with rain, a really low tide and bizarrely (as is often not the case) my dog, The Jeepster, seemed to be enjoying himself in the downpour. I kept him keen with blackened sticks that were sporadically littered across the tide marks. I snapped this quick shot with my phone. It's not a cheap phone, so it was a bit of a gamble... but it was so inspiring that I couldn't resist. I was on an empty beach, wandering a deserted shore. There was not a car in the car park, not a wandering soul on the cliff tops, nobody in the sea, and for miles in front and behind me the only signs of life were swooping Guls, taking advantage of the residual daylight to feed their young.
Nobody. Only me and the dog, approaching twilight in a rain storm by a disorderly sea.
Know what I did?
I shouted. All various kind of shouts. Noises, names. It didn't really matter, it was the shouting that was important. Shouting is so often the preserve of anger or attention, or to be heard over noise or other people. Rarely can you get away with just shouting for the sake of shouting, especially in public. Were I spotted, no doubt it would have looked (and certainly sounded) a little odd. But it felt great, my racket resonating off the cliff faces, bouncing back out into the Atlantic. I've had a rubbish couple of weeks, so it was nice to audibly unleash with no preserve. It instantly put me in a better mood. The dog, to be fair, was left confused - no-one else there, I guess he figured he was the target of my outburst. I did my best to reassure him, with the aid of half a chew stick, that he certainly wasn't. With the dying day to my back, I picked up my step to the car, feeling a little less blue. I highly recommend it, just find somewhere empty and be careful not to get spotted - there are people in coats with big nets who are paid to catch people who shout in public. You've been warned.

BUSTED!!!

Imagine my surprise when, on a night out, I glanced into a darkened corner of Rogue night club and saw a familiar figure! It stirred, it cackled, it appeared to be 'enjoying' itself... until it saw me!!!

I've never seen such a kerfuffle! There were glasses flying in every direction, screams from scantily clad women as this scared being realised there was no escape... I had cornered it, it looked like a deer caught in the headlights of a steam train! It snuffled and begged me to let it go quietly!

I'm sorry, I owe it to society to warn of it's presence in an environment it purports to NEVER inhabit.

Luckily I had my camera to PROVE beyond a shadow of a doubt that this creature DOES dwell in such places.

Cai... you're BUSTED, we knew you were into your cheesy pop music!!!!

E x

Guest Blog

One of our favourite photographers here at Gul Bude is the very talented Morgan Maassen, who we've mentioned before. We like him because he appears to spend his life travelling and taking photographs. It's a life we quite like the sound of so it's nice to 'virtually' follow him round. In that respect, we're like a raggedy little orphaned mongrel, being fed visual treats which make us smile and inclined to keep sleeping on his rug...

He's only just updated his website with lots of delicious, new shots.

www.morganmaassen.com

Pictastic

I got a new camera for Christmas. It was a present to myself, as Santa apparently didn't get my little note.
The sun finally came back out yesterday, so I took it out for a bit of a flex. Here's one of the results... I'm happy! C

Saturday Night Fever

You will hear many tales of Burlesque dancers and fire juggling in Bude today after the Rock and Roll Circus and Cabaret Show came to town last night... but not from me!

No... I stayed in, acting my age, and watched a movie...

This movie was AMAZING...

You have to watch it!!!!

"The Book of Eli"

Denzel Washington at his finest, in my opinion (but then I don't think he would ever be at his worst in my eyes)

Buy it, Hire it, Sky it... but for Lord's sake Watch it!!!

R x

Miss Emma's Masterpiece

Our Emma is quite right to be proud of this.


She is "officially" head of all things blackboard related....

Cai with his new camera on his holiday

Have fun Cai and get lots of great snaps! x

Phantom rubbish drivers

The weirdest thing happened on our street yesterday.
I'm not that superstitious (as previously mentioned - I've seen ghosts, a UFO and a 'black cat', but I remain sceptical) but there was something, if not supernatural then very eery about the events yesterday.
At lunchtime, a car parked outside the chemists up the hill from our shop decided that it didn't want to be restricted by the nasty handbrake, so rolled itself back down the hill, which is a one way street heading uphill. Narrowly missing other cars and pedestrians, it finally crashed into a wall between two very big glass windows to the front of shops opposite us. The car suffered serious damage, the wall barely a scratch. As is the tenacity of walls.
In itself, eventful, but not too off-the-wall.
However.
A couple of hours later it happened again. From exactly the same spot up the hill, opposite the chemist. This time it was a little more damaging - this one rolled down and hit someone who was driving up the street, seriously damaging both cars.
What are the odds? Tom got very excited and was eager to purchase a lottery card on the way home.
Me? I'm a little miffed that someone up by the chemists thinks it's ok to throw cars at us.
Emma - well, when she hears about this, no doubt it'll be blamed on the same ghost she thinks resides somewhere in this shop.
Rachel will be miffed that both rogue cars were parked on double yellows before they rolled south.

I'm afraid I don't have photos of either incident. Seemed a little inappropriate to start snapping, both times.
All makes for a great story in the pub tonight though.

It's not so far away....

I've noticed a very slight but significant lengthening in the days of late. I tend to get up and walk in the dark, and I'm also always home after dark. But now those inky book ends to my day are showing delicate signs of twilight. It's not much, but enough to remind me we're on our merry way back to Summer. A little pre-emptive possibly, but it's good to get excited about stuff.
Can't wait. C

Done for another year

Our little friend is really sad Xmas is over ..... So are we, boo hoo *sobs unashamedly*

VAT of the land

Yeah. VAT's got us spinning.
The good news is, our 70% SALE hasn't been affected... what was 70% off a few days ago is still 70% off today.
Some deals are just too good to mess with.

Take Notice

A while back, this little ad appeared on our shop notice board. We have no idea who put it there or whether or not Alan has since found a surf buddy. We sure hope he has. We certainly admire his regard to personal safety and his commitment to getting in the water.

Alan, best of luck.