Surfing Social 2014

What better way to initiate the year’s programme than a Surfing Social set to celebrate a plethora of exciting society events?

18 King’s medics, nurses and allied course students set out in an enormous minibus, heading west to enjoy the last warmth of the summer’s ocean.

Despite being capped at a measly 63 mph, we successfully arrived at the Ocean Backpacker’s Hostel in Ilfrecombe, Devon on the Friday night, welcomed with hot brews, midnight snacks and comfy beds.

Saturday we travelled to Woolacombe beach, which delivered expert tuition for those bodacious beginners amongst us, while the 3-4 footers provided a perfect warm-up for the experienced.

After a fun packed day of catching some gnarly peels, we chilled out at the hostel grabbing well earned showers and gobbling an almighty chilli. After sucking on some sweet suds and draining any remaining dignity with destructive drinking games, we headed out to Devon’s finest (and only) nightclub – The Club. Slipping up and down the dance pole and slurping on cocktail buckets was too much fun for some – one of our team retiring for a four hour nap in the toilet cubicles.

With a hefty hangover and wobbly bus ride back to Woolacombe, Sunday’s surf was up. Really up. Some of us braved the 5-6 foot swell whilst others nursed their own stormy headaches in one of the towns many cafes.

A satisfyingly sleepy return to London on Sunday afternoon concluded a truly radical weekend ride. An awesome start to the year’s activities, whetting our appetite for more KCL Wilderness Medicine Society events.