Formerly a fisherman from Fraserburgh, Chris started surfing when he was 13. He once spent an entire February at sea but moved eight years ago to Thurso for its surf. He lives in a house overlooking the legendary reef, never misses a swell and knows the reef like the back of his hand. Wiry and laconic, Chris sums up the appeal of Thurso East: “Sure, we get blocks of ice going ‘clunk clunk’ on your board in the winter – the ice floats down the frozen River Thurso and into the line-up – but we get seals, dolphins, sea otters and waves that are just perfect. All I want to do is surf those waves.” (Source: Highland Open PR)