Police Clear Lineup For Midday Lockdown in Europe’s Surfing Capital

I woke up at 4am today.

Might have had something to do with going to bed at 9, but not just that; I was troubled by the thought of at least two weeks on lockdown.

The forecast for the whole week is pretty much clean and kinda pumping, with warm, sunny skies.

Surely Huey wouldn’t be that much of a dick, would he?

I checked Capbreton around 9, the swell had jumped up from yesterday, as had the crowd. The spot was packed, with at least 50-60 heads bobbing between the jetties, trying to get a lash shred it before the lockdown.

It was a real mix of desperados, too. It’s pretty much too solid for the Hossegor side without a ski, so even the most anti-Capbreton of bitter lemons were out trying to get a last wave. There were a couple of old farts that literally never ever surf between the jetties.

I wasn’t too proud to join em. Pulled the wet 4/3 on and got out there.

I saw French pro and QS standout Jorgann Couzinet aka the actual nicest man in surfing, typically all smiles. If I’d have missed out on the CT three years in a row by like, a single heat, I’d still be angry.

I asked if he knew whether surfing would be banned?

“It’s my job… we’re still allowed to go to work?” he chuckled. He’s got a great point there.

The official ruling is it’s ok to leave home for work, to buy essentials like food, for urgent family matters and for physical exercise and/or to walk a dog, as long as it’s done alone.

But if doing any of the above, you need to take a printed, signed legal form with you, stating precisely why you were out of doors.

Around 11.50am, ten minutes before the lockdown commenced, the Gendarmes showed up at the Capbreton seafront. There were still about 25 people in the lineup.

They started ordering people out of the water about 11.55, at which point I biked home.

I just saw on Facebook post from Voyons Capbreton that stated the cops were stopping crew getting changed. “Surfing is considered a group sport because of the number of people in the lineup,” was the official word from the boys in bleu.

Unless I’ve got this wrong, you can in theory surf, so long as you go to and from alone, and find a spot on your own.

There’s only one way to find out.