_Waterfront View 2017: New wave thinking
“Even if it’s six or seven hours each way to get down to Newquay and we only manage an hour’s surfing, it’s still worth it,” he says. “I try to plan long weekends but it’s not always possible, so we have to make do with a day or so on the beach and hope that the wave gods smile on us.”
When asked what it is about surfing that pulls him so strongly, he goes quiet for a few moments to gather his thoughts. “It’s difficult to sum it up. That first initial hit of the cold water; it clears the mind instantly. You might have had a stressful week, but as soon as you’re in it’s just you and the water. From that first wave you’re transported – it’s pure relaxation.”
He explains that his surfing trips have become an essential part of his approach to his work too, acting like a kind of re-set switch.
"If it’s six or seven hours each way to get down to Newquay, and we only manage an hour’s surfing, it’s still worth it"
“My mental space is so much clearer when I’ve spent a few days surfing,” he says. “I feel totally recharged when I get back to the office. I can put a lot more into my work and get more out of it too. I don’t think I’d be exaggerating to say that I need it to do my job.
"There’s also the physical dimension to it. You certainly feel like you’ve had a week of gym sessions by the time you get back to your desk after a weekend in the waves.”
Daniel’s a real advocate for the all-round benefits of the sea in general and surfing in particular, and believes more people need to find the time to get out there as a balance to their city lives.
“It might be an effort but it pays you back in so many ways,” he says. “I genuinely believe if more people made it to the coast more often, our cities would be happier, more relaxed places to be.”