Mark Boyd grew up on Scotland’s Moray coast. Growing up, there weren’t too many other surfers around–he was the only surfer at his school, and only ever saw other surfers on the weekends. With Scotland’s short days and long winters, progression didn’t come quickly to Boydie, but with a sponsorship from ESP, one of Scotland’s premiere boardsports shops, he was able to take things up a notch.
Soon, Boydie found himself among some of the best and most dedicated surfers in Scotland. He spent as much time as he could on the North Coast, chasing Thurso’s fabled and fickle perfection. In his teens, he started competing in the Broch Winter League, which at the time was the center of Scotland’s competitive surf scene. He started winning more and more, eventually carving out a name for himself with a Longboard title. Despite his log-riding prowess, however, he almost exclusively rides a shortboard, unless the waves are too small.
At 17, he started studying at Aberdeen, which is a stone’s throw from Thurso. It was then that he really began to hone his skills. Now, he lives in Thurso and is on every swell that runs into the rocky coastline.
Boydie from Off The Boat on Vimeo.
