Riding the Icy Waves of Nova Scotia

by Neil Woodburn on

Surfing, it seems, is no longer tied down to warm weather climates.

Long the sport of the South Pacific and other tropical locations, surfing is popping up in the strangest of places. In the last year here at Gadling, we’ve posted about surfing in Ireland, England, Germany, Cleveland, New Jersey, and Alaska. And today, I run across an article in The Toronto Star about a group of die-hard surf fanatics who ride the waves in the frosty waters off Halifax, Nova Scotia. Brrr…..

Are these people crazy? Well, apparently the waves are world-class and the breaks are yours to own–there’s usually not another surfer for miles. Of course, according to journalist Kelly Toughill, this is all impossible without the advent of super wet suits which keep surfers alive in water temperatures which can dip below freezing. And then, there is the post-surfing dash through the snow back to your car–something which needs to be done quickly or you may just freeze up like a statue and die.

So what’s it like? Toughill points us to two resources to see for ourselves: Magicseaweed.com and the Red Bull Ice Break Surf Competition. Check it out.

One for the Road (04/06/07)

by Kelly Amabile on

In honor of Tartan Week, a Scottish selection for our book of the day:

Over 60 years ago, George Orwell came to the Isle of Jura to write 1984. He left crowded London for the remote Scottish island, remaining there until 1950, when illness forced him to return to mainland Britain. Could a stay at this secluded place prove successful for other writers?

The Scottish Trust seems to think so. In late 2006 it launched the Isle of Jura Retreat program, a unique opportunity for three writers per year to spend a month on the idyllic island off the west coast of Scotland.

To celebrate the kickoff of this program, the Trust, along with Jura Whiskey, has produced Jura: Taste Island Life, a collection of stunning photography and works inspired by time spent on the writers haven. It includes a foreword from Alexander McCall Smith and an essay on Orwell on Jura by his biographer Sir Bernard Crick. The featured writing is all a direct response to having spent time on the island, is only available from the Scottish Book Trust or Jura Whiskey.

Black Sheep of Britain Needs Your Love Poems

by Kelly Amabile on

April is National Poetry month here in the US, and it seems the town of Luton, outside London, is getting in on the fun, in an attempt to inspire the muses.

In 2004, Luton, a former millinery and car manufacturing center, was declared the worst town in Britian. Since then local agencies have worked to change that image. And now a promotional consortium called Luton First has announced a creative way to sweeten the image of their home. The group, which includes among them, the Luton Airport and the University of Luton, is seeking poetic odes about the town that will eventually be published in a paperback titled Love Luton. Performance poet and Luton’s own hometown hero, John Hegley, is also backing the project.

Will Lutonites put pen to paper and produce poetic prasie for their ego-injured city? As one local put it when the worst town rating came out back in ’04: “Whether it is Newark, Coventry, Salford or Stoke, crap towns have always inspired and motivated those with bigger dreams.” I guess it must be possible that the next great work of literature could indeed emerge from good old Luton. If you feel inspired to visit and do some writing of your own, why not head over for the annual Luton Carnival, which takes place on May 28.

Photo of the Day (3/31/07)

by Adrienne Wilson on

Don’t ask me what it is about this particular photo that grabbed me after looking through this collection of London snaps taken by Teal Moss. When I look at the others they scream “London, London!” When I look at this one I’m left scratching my head on where I might be? That goes to show how many times I’ve been over the pond to visit the area. Anyhow, Moss apparently took this photo in Camden right after being stopped by the police. He was being fitted for the description of a purse snatcher in the area, but the police had to carry on with their day and Moss with taking his photos. Check out the entire gallery.

UK Pub Finder. Is this Really Necessary?!?!

by Neil Woodburn on

Interested in finding a pub in the United Kingdom or Ireland? Head on over to PubFinder.com where all you need to do is type in a postal code and up pops every pub within two drunken miles of your location. Or, you can search by county or city. Pubfinder claims to have 18,873 pubs in its data base, all of which will happily pour you a pint.

Actually, it all seems a little silly to me. With 18,873 pubs in the area, all one needs to do is walk out the door and a pub will fall out of the sky and hit you on the head. Pubs are like sand at the beach in England and Ireland. They’re everywhere! But in case you think you might be missing one or two, then PubFinder is just for you.