…isn’t something you’ll catch me doing but lots of people do venture out into the sea during the winter: the waves are generally better, the beaches less crowded and the parking is often free!  As I’ve been finding out recently from chatting with Giles, our gardening contractor, there are some hidden dangers and not as obvious as you might think.

These serious surfers all have thick winter wetsuits, boots, hoods and gloves to keep themselves warm but there is a real danger of damaging your hearing through continuous immersion in cold water.  Over a period of time the bone in the ear canal grows and blocks things up and this can only be rectified with surgery, which Giles has just had on one of his ears.  I was quite surprised to see Giles back at work last Saturday so soon after his operation but it is good to see him up and about again.

As well as telling me what he’s been up to he has also been talking to our local reporter, there was quite a story in yesterday’s Cornish Guardian about it with a fantastic big picture of Giles surfing at Harlyn, this is also available on line so do please have a look and read the full details:

Giles story

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