The Surf and Adventure crew is definitely accustomed to serving Sandbridge visitors and locals that want to get active on the water.
Most people from out of town that we take on our waterway tours and surf lessons are from Virginia communities or states to our north. But this week, we were paid a visit by some folks from MUCH further north and east of Virginia Beach.
Coming from the United Kingdom into Naval Station Norfolk were the crews from the HMS Sutherland and the HMS Ark Royal. The guys shipped in from across the pond as part of a joint naval training program between American, British and French forces.
But instead of knocking around the naval station during their leave, the crews decided to hit us up for three days of surf lessons, kayak and stand-up paddling tours.
And we were as stoked to have them as they were to get down on the water.
It takes between a week and two weeks to make the chug across the mighty Atlantic. For our guys, the trip took about a week since the seas behaved for the most part (told you it was flat).
According to a couple of SUP tour-takers, Dennis and Malcolm, with whom I paddled around the waterway on Saturday, the trip is chock-full of tasks and training exercises. So when the ships docked in Norfolk, the guys and gals were ready to cut loose and have a great time enjoying our area's best natural attractions.
These folks came in from a place that's more known for cool, misty weather, pints at the pub and football hooligans than surfing, stand-up paddling and kayaking; but they were total naturals. Nearly all of the student surfers were up and riding within minutes of their beach instruction and weren't afraid to paddle around the lineup and go for it on their own. The kayakers explored the various nooks and crannies of Back Bay and its tributaries while the SUP adventurers displayed great balance and style for it being such a different type of cruising to which they were accustomed.
Check out the photos of the HMS Ark Royal's crew having a blast with us in Sandbridge on Saturday, May 15.
Cheers!
- John Streit
Great story. Keep up the terrific work!
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