"From a distance, you would think the beach was covered in yellow sand like you would see on a tropical island.”
The price of foodstuffs, as everyone here knows, has trended steadily and uncomfortably upward during the past four-ish years, straining finances and forcing surfers to sacrifice treats. When going out to eat, foregoing egg rolls, for example, or passing on French fries and only ordering a cheeseburger.
Understandable, then, the thrill when British surfers, especially the chonky ones, arrived at the beach a few mornings ago only to be greeted by tons upon tons of “chips,” as they call them.
Onions too.
The fortunate business went down in Eastbourne, on England’s southeastern coast, the entire shore covered in deliciousness.
Local Joel Bonnici and his partner Trisha beheld the wonder, sharing with CNN, “We did not expect to turn the corner and see a new scene of chips (French fries) and chip bags stretching across the beach towards the lighthouse. From a distance, you would think the beach was covered in yellow sand like you would see on a tropical island.”
A container ship had spilled them all earlier in the month, the fries and onions floating around for a bit getting a nice brine before beaching themselves.
The environmental group Plastic Free Eastbourne, looking the gift horse in the mouth, was all bummed on the plastic bags the treasures came in, posting to Facebook, “The mess from a shipping container that has spilled thousands of bags of chips and onions all over this vulnerable stretch of land. Seals and other marine life often mistake plastic for food, especially plastic bags which can look like jellyfish in the water. Plastic pollution is a serious threat to the ocean.”
Boo.
But what is the best thing you’ve ever found on the beach either pre or post surf?
Did Plastic Free Eastbourne get all pissy about?
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Coming out of the surf one time, I found…
your car keys under the bumper, and a stash of Playgirls in your glove compartment.
Found a woman’s torso on a Welsh island.
Thought it was a flaky old ham joint at first glance.
Obviously alerted relevant authorities.
What a whimsical and well written piece, Chas! More like this…
Best thing I’ve ever found at the beach is memories 🥰
U softy.
Mate you don’t find those, you make em….
You need a hug 🤗
Found a surfboard in a Pt. Lobos tide pool. A green and white Doug Haut single fin with a gash from an unforgiving leash near the tail that went to the stringer. Probably lost in Santa Cruz and floated South. 1981.
i have a board of his, rides great
Well my fellow countrymen only a few days left till Straya Day. While its quiet on here I thought I would rev us all up with this old classic. For the sensitive on here who may watch this he is taking the piss so please don’t take it seriously haha
This is gold.
Got me Winny blues, got me Chisel …. hahahah
10-Nil, get fucked!
Gonna hit the town wear me good shirt, pop the collars. Smash some Lebs fucking oath Straya Day hahaha
Wear me good shirt really got me. The imagery is so on point. I need a Southern California gringo equivalent of this
Just go to HB and look for red hats.
Date rape, keggers and singing on Sunday morning baby!
Didn’t see any shrimps on that barbie mate.
They’re called fucking prawns cunt!! haha
Then why did croc dundee call them shrimps?
Also stateside prawns are freshwaterand shrimps are salt.
Trying to appeal to the seppo market mate
Weak….
Not to nit-pick, but they are called “Chips” over there.
Surely you are aware.
Had boxes of red wine and cafe bustelo wash up here. Couldn’t ask for much better than that.
Found a nice white in colour shark tooth in the most unlikely place, made for a gorgeous effeminate jewelry gift.
Xox
Moons and moons ago, storm clouds settled in as the waves pumped a desert point. Too good to leave and the light rain became heavier, but no wind. Empty point break pumping.
I knew I should leave, but I couldn’t. By dark, all the arroyos were running, the dirt road destroyed so i found high ground and settledin for the night. Had 3 packets of peanut butter crackers, one banana and an orange, fresh gallon of water. Early night as the rain got heavier.
Woke up to minor patches of sunlight and 10’ point break. Early afternoon, a tractor stopped to watch. I waved, he waved, then drove off. I was down to one pack of crackers and the orange, maybe half a gallon of water left. But it was sooooooo good.
Surfed entire day, two days in a row, no humans but the tractor who shows up at dusk. He offered me a ride out, tow me through acouple rough spots the opposite way I had come. I made it back to the hotel several hours later, somewhat relieved
Dawn breaks and the river mouth in town had broken free, the estuary bank was going to improve to all time status, but the river was full of snakes and dead goats. Driftwood etc. lineup chocolate brown. As good as it was, the snakes freaked me out. Some were not dead.
Drove over the bridge that looked in danger and paid a panga to take me back to the points and wait. Perfection, and much much cleaner. Hegave me a deal and i booked the next few days till the rivermouth cleaned up. No running water or electricity though, the Presidente had ample supplies of bottled water and I was the only guest left.
One taco stand in town remained open and i bought supplies at the grocery store. Called my mom and told her I was stuck but safe, would extend my trip till airport opened ( it was open!)
Rivermouth became epic, the river estuary pushed a sand bank out 200 hundred yards and the AFrame peak was literal perfection. They built a harbor now so I don’t think that happens anymore but it still gets good. The beach was a mess, but I didn’t care. The desert road was not fixed for several seasons, but the panga guy remembered me and subsequent trips I tipped him with green bud, he was elated.
Still remember my girlfriend’s anger, “ you flew toward a hurricane?”
Sick article you faka
That’s not from one of those artificial reefs done on a shoestring budget, is it?
Found the front half of a seal still bleeding when I got out of the water.
Waves any good?
Nah just a typical grovel session.
Well glad you weren’t BG’s next sharkticle…
That bull shark stuff sounds sketchy. Like I’ve said before on here with the white sharks around here when someone gets bitten it’s a mistake.
Yeah that woman who got breached on had her body found 30 something miles away.
If she was even half tasty that wouldn’t have been the case.
Even though people still die around here it’s somehow more comforting that it’s an “oops my bad” situation.
Yeah even though Great Whites might bite first and ask questions later, Bulls are just so juiced up they will bite a propeller over and over just because it pisses them off.
Maybe it is the abundance of seals keeping them well fed compared to those scrawny and probably really frustrating pack of sardines and other assorted bait balls really revving them up for a meal.
I know when we fished our secret was to mash the chum into a pulverized soup that got the Tuna on the scent and ready to eat once they got to our baited hooks. Imagine it can’t be much different.
And this right here is why I keep coming back to BeachGrit. Who gives a shit about the Backdoor Shootout results or which weird board Mikey February prefers anyways
Whilst doing a beach walk this morning I picked up a fluorescent light tube, asssorted plastic bottles and bottle caps, various shards of plastic and a small toy plastic life-ring with red and white striping which I was tempted to give to the lifesaving club but ultimately couldn’t be arsed and put into the bin with everything else.
I also found a rubber slipper sole covered in algae and barnacles, but chucked that back into the sea as it seemed more like a little micro-community than a micro-plastics threat.
The best thing I’ve found along the high tide mark was a bale of cocaine worth a couple million on the street.
Just kidding.
During surf is another reality. Remember paddling out amongst many dead animals floating. At La Barre and the entrance to Adour river. After ultimate storm conditions in the Spanish Basque mountains across the border. It was quite something. Reckon the recently washed down deceased and formally healthy big arsed sheep were surfing better than I could ever imagine.