Winter morning routine of cold water surfers // Laurie

I know that for some of you this may seem incredible, but in many parts of the world (South-West of France included) it's still winter-ish. The water is cold and the weather not so friendly to our morning sessions.
In some other parts of the world this is even worse and you better wear some thick neoprene until summer if you want to enjoy your surf!

But these places are well know for having a strong and passionate surf community. Like Tofino, the surf mecca of Canada that Laurie Boudreault from Highwaters now calls her home.

She already shared with us her Canadian surf life in the previous article Surfing in Canada. Today she is here to tell us more about her winter morning routine in the amazing coastal town of Tofino.

"My name is Laurie, I’m living in Tofino, a coastal surf town of Canada surrounded by rugged seas and tall trees.

I definitely have a morning winter routine lately.

I basically wake up between 6.30 and 7.30 because our 8 months old goldendoodle puppy, named Ebbi, jumps in the bed to cuddle and to let us know it’s time to get the day started. I have to say, I am definitely a morning person haha. 

I feed the cat and the dog and I start a fire in our woodstove that will hopefully last until the next morning. I then hit the kitchen to start the kettle for some coffee. While waiting, I check the surf report, a couple of photography and surf blogs for various inspirations and will probably check my Instagram and emails too. I then serve my boyfriend, if he is out of bed, and I a good cup of coffee with cream (of course !) and sit down at my desk for some Laurie time, which means: drawing for whatever projects I have going on or just for my own fun. :)

When Chris and I are both ready, we go for a beach dog walk and depending of the schedule, I go work in my store for the day or go for a surf or for some more Laurie time.

With big swells, colder water and cold air, the warmth of our house is sometimes the most appealing thing and it’s a perfect time of the year for me to sit at my desk and work on my art. I’m focussing on some illustration and graphic design work as I would love do that as a more serious job. But when summer will be coming, I’ll be out surfing once or twice a day, especially if Ebbi will be waking me up for a dawn patrol. :)

Stay cozy

XO

Laurie"

Follow Laurie and check her work out here @laurieb.illustrations



Photography: pic 1 by Marcus Paladino, pics 2-3 courtesy of Laurie Boudreault