Surfing landscapes of western Cornwall a user’s guide
The depiction of approaches to the surfing spots of Britain and Ireland is an ongoing project for Cook. His drawings reference the obsession and significance that surfers attach to the often mundane and unrecorded landscapes that lead to surf spots; places that become defined by the activity that occurs when the surf is up and surfers arrive en masse.
Each surfing landscape is painstakingly rendered in pencil, focusing on the details of the area, by which, the surfer makes their way to the beach, cove or reef that has the potential for producing the perfect wave. Before the activity of surfing begins, the surfer is filled with anticipation for what quality of waves the ocean may provide, and of their own ability to catch and ride those waves.
Good surfing conditions are fickle, susceptible to the vagaries of tide, wind and swell direction. In the time it takes for a surfer to arrive at a surf spot, get changed and make their way to the ocean, conditions may change for the better or worse. Surf spots are defined by their approaches, (the littoral regions, in which the act of surfing takes place, are often visually repetitive –sea, rocks, sand etc.). Therefore, a surfer memorises, defines, and interprets a surf spot by the approach route.
The issue of secrecy surrounding the exact location of surf spots adds mystique to the surfing landscapes. Some surf spots are more secret than others. Due to the current popularity of surfing, and the huge amount of information available on-line, most surf spots do not remain secret for long. This ‘virtual knowledge’ can create overcrowding in the water that leads to expressions of disquiet amongst locals and sometimes even surf rage. The locations of Cook’s drawings are not revealed in the book, leaving the spectator to ponder their whereabouts and the respective levels of secrecy.
