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DA YOOF…
RUARAIDH SOMERVILLE
PROFILE
INTERVIEW: WSUK
PHOTOGRAPHY: BY DUTCH-ENGELS,
FIND THEM ON INSTAGRAM @DUTCH_ENGELS
THIS IS WHAT WE LIKE TO SEE AT WSUK
HQ; A YOUNG SAILOR WHO’S
ABSOLUTELY FROTHING ON
WINDSURFING. Read Ruaraidh’s
profile and you can just feel the
enthusiasm brimming…And we salute
this. If you’re a young up and coming
windsurfer then take a leaf out of Mr
Somerville’s book.
Where did you start windsurfing and what
appealed?
I learnt to windsurf at Loch Bhasapol on Tiree on my summer
holidays. I think I was four at the time. The Loch is arguably one
of the best places to learn windsurfing in the world. The water is
warm (for Scotland!), shallow and it has a sandy bottom. The
wind is very clean, and if you drift anywhere you’ll inevitably
end up in shallow water and be able to walk onto a grassy
edge. The water isn’t deep, the bottom isn’t rocky and the
sides aren’t metal or concrete! It’s beginners’ heaven.
Tell us about your local spot and what makes it
so good.
My nearest spot is Troon, and it doesn’t have all that much
going for it; it works in a South Westerly, which is cross-
onshore (more onshore than cross!) with small, wind-
blown chop that occasionally turns into small mushy
waves. It sounds pretty rubbish but I really do like it!
My other local spot, and the place I’ve probably spent
the most time sailing in, is Tiree. My favourite spots
are Balephuil and Crossapol – two very different
places, but they’ve given me some of the best
sessions I’ve ever had in my life.
uk
WIND
SURFING