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Tucked away on the Isle of Tiree, Marti and Iona Larg have built something pretty special. Together they run Blackhouse Watersports, a low-key but well-loved surf and kite school that’s become a fixture on the island. Their kids, Ben, Robyn, and Lily, have grown up in the sea, on motorbikes, and sometimes halfway around the world chasing waves. Ben and Robyn, in particular, have made names for themselves in the Scottish surf scene and beyond. This year, Robyn became the youngest British woman to surf NazareWe sat down with Marti and Iona to talk about how it all started, what life’s really like running a watersports business in the Hebrides, and what it means to raise a surf-stoked family in one of the most remote corners of the UK.
Marti :
Well, we both grew up in Scotland. I grew up in Dundee, and Iona grew up in Glasgow. I was a carpenter running my own business in Dundee, doing all sorts of joinery work, but I was always passionate about windsurfing. I actually got into windsurfing through an old promotion from Sun-Kissed juice. If you collected enough ring pulls, you could send them to the local council and get a free windsurfing lesson. It was wild, I'd see those adverts on TV showing people windsurfing at cool beaches, and I thought, "That looks amazing. I want to try that!" So, we collected the ring pulls, sent them off, and got our free lesson at a local country park near Dundee called Clato Country Park. After that, we were hooked.
Windsurfing led us to other sports, and then Tiree came up on our radar because of the Tiree Wave Classic, a windsurfing competition. I came out here with a bunch of friends, and we kept coming back. I had my joinery business on the side, and people started calling me to do jobs around Tiree, so it just snowballed from there. What I really loved about Tiree was the pace of life. It's so laid-back, and you can live a bit of a wild existence. For example, you want to light a fire on the beach? You can. You want to catch some fish? Go ahead. The kids were driving around on motorbikes and cars as soon as they could reach the pedals.
Iona :
I'm from Glasgow, but my family is originally from Tiree; my grandparents are from here. Growing up, I’d spend a lot of time here visiting family. Even when I was young, I was up here often. After I finished uni, I came back here to visit my family, and that’s when I met Marti. I was the barmaid at the pub, and Marti was a regular. I wasn't exactly working there because of him, though!
Iona :
It goes back to that Sun-Kissed juice advert! I mean, I did some water sports when I was younger, like water skiing with my uncle, but I really didn’t get into it properly until I met Marti.
Marti :
Yeah, I did a little bit of windsurfing before, just pottering around at a local spot here in Tiree. But it was after meeting Iona that we really dived into watersports. We had a kite school every winter, and we’d travel to places like Indonesia or Africa to escape the Scottish winter. We always went to surf or kite surf, and we brought the kids along too. Ben was just a baby when we took him to South Africa, he was maybe one or two, and Robyn was just a few weeks old when we went. We were lucky to be able to travel with them.
Marti :
Well, we already had a kite school going, and I had started that with another local guy here on Tiree. We eventually went our separate ways, but there was another surf school here run by a guy named Suds (Craig Sutherland). He and I were good friends. I had the kite school, another guy had a windsurfing school, and Suds ran the surf school. Suds eventually decided to move away with his partner, who was a doctor, and they wanted to live on the east coast. Before he left, Suds asked us if we could cover his lessons, so we began taking on more and more surf lessons.
Eventually, Suds decided to fully step back, and that’s when we took over. He had called his surf school “Suds Surf School,” and we decided to stick with the name Blackhouse Watersports. The Blackhouse is a traditional type of house on Tiree; small stone buildings with thatched roofs. It seemed like the perfect name to reflect the island’s heritage.
Iona:
We’ve stayed good friends with Suds ever since. I actually remember we also built a beach hut years ago. It was just after Suds left, and we got permission to build this wooden shack right on the beach. The media caught wind of it, and the hut became really popular. But the planners hated it and they wanted to tear it down. We fought it for over two years, went through public hearings, and even appealed to the government. The support we received from the community was incredible. In the end, we won the appeal, and the hut was allowed to stay. It became a fantastic facility for surfing, and we’ve been able to give free lessons to kids on Tiree. It really helped us build a great reputation.
Marti :
Good question! Tiree’s got something special. Andy Hadden, who’s been here recently for the first time, said, “I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to come here, it’s just beautiful.” We’re lucky that the weather here is usually pretty good compared to other Hebridean islands. Tiree is geographically situated perfectly for swell, so we get the best conditions for surfing, especially in the summer when southerly swells come in. We’ve got a south-facing beach here with nothing blocking the swell, which is rare in the Hebrides. Other islands may have beaches facing south, but they’re often sheltered by other islands.
The other great thing is how small Tiree is, it’s like a little circular island, and it takes no time to drive from one side to the other. That means we’ve got beaches facing every direction, so no matter what the weather’s doing, you can usually find a good spot to surf or kite. For kite surfing, Tiree’s a paradise and there’s very few places that compare. The spot we use for lessons is mellow on smaller days, but when the waves pick up, it’s fantastic.
We’ve had kids like Ben, Robyn, and Finn McDonald, who grew up here, become incredible surfers. It’s all about learning to read tricky waves, and the kids get used to it pretty quickly.
Iona :
And even though we’re remote, that’s part of the appeal. People who come here are dedicated and they know they’re not just popping by for a quick visit. It’s a long trip, so the people who make it here are serious about it. And we get the best kind of customers, people who are always ready to get out there, no matter the conditions. It’s fantastic.
Of course, it’s not all perfect. The ferry can be a bottleneck and it’s not always easy to get booked on, and being so far away means things can be a little more complicated. But for us, the isolation is a big part of why we love it here. People come for the adventure, and we’re lucky to be part of it.
Iona:
The ferries are basically killing our business. The issue is we physically can’t get more people here because they can’t get to us. The ferries just don’t run reliably enough.
Marti:
And it’s not just the ferries. There’s been this growing negativity lately, especially over the past couple of years, toward people who own second homes. When I first came to Tiree, I was working in construction. Back then, there were maybe 20 people working in the building trade here. Now? There are probably around 100, and that’s thanks almost entirely to second homes. That’s just the truth from where I’m standing. The surf school, the carpentry business, the house we built 20-odd years ago, none of that would’ve happened without the money those homeowners brought in.
Iona:
What’s wild is that the people who come here, the second-home owners, they’re genuinely lovely. I know pretty much all of them. So yeah, between the ferries and the attitude shift towards outsiders, those are the biggest challenges we’re facing now. And it’s such a shame, because we’ve got this beautiful plot of land right next to the beach, and we’ve even got planning permission to build a surf shop. But how can we justify the investment when we’re not even sure we can get people here?
Iona:
They’ve always just been part of it. It was always there. Marty used to go kite surfing a lot, and Ben would always say, “Dad, can I come? Can I come?” They had this game that Ben actually invented. It was called "rescue" or something like that. Marty would strap Ben onto his back, like piggyback style, and kite surf out to sea. Then Ben would just jump off miles out in the ocean.
He had a life jacket on, of course, and he'd say, “Leave me here, go away!” I don’t know why, but from a really young age, Ben was incredibly persuasive. He could convince you to let him do the craziest things.
It was so funny. And Robyn and Lily just followed suit. They were wild too. They always had motorbikes and were constantly building jumps and doing all sorts of mad stuff like that. As they got older, especially Ben, they got really confident with things like jet skis. They were just super comfortable in the water. Robyn too. She’s very calm in the sea. They don’t act scared even in big waves.
Looking back, some of the things they did might seem wild now, but years ago, kids did that kind of stuff all the time. They’d be out building jumps, running around like little feral creatures. Maybe the difference is that now we know about it.
Marti:
To answer your question, yes, being in and around the water has always just been part of our lives. We've really encouraged it. Robyn and Ben absolutely love it. It’s part of who they are.
And then there’s Lily, our youngest. She’s turning 16 soon. She’ll surf if she has to, but she’s not really into it. She’s into horses. She’s got a couple of horses in a field, not ours, one of them on loan, and a pony. She’s got a motorbike too.
She gets up early, rides the bike down to the field, feeds the horses, rides them, then comes back. And she works. Lily always has some kind of project on the go. We tried to get her into surfing more, but it’s just not her thing. She used to surf with Ben and Robyn, but she’s definitely more into horses.
Marti:
Ben was surfing up in Thurso one year. He was about 10 and catching some pretty heavy waves, even getting barreled. A buddy of mine from South Africa said, “Marti, you’ve got to get Ben into a surf community. He’s got potential.” He suggested we move somewhere like France, maybe Hossegor, where there's a real surfing culture. But we didn’t want to move. Neither did the kids. Instead, we started getting him some coaching.
Iona:
There was a French coach whose son was a pro surfer. He said, “I think your son should go to Lanzarote and train with another coach there.” So when Ben was about 11, we took him out to Lanzarote. It’s a great place for big waves in the winter. The coach, José Maria, was a high-level competitive surfer. Not a big wave guy, but very technically strong. Ben trained with him for two weeks. I honestly think that’s where he really developed his backhand turn. Even now, I’d say that influence still shows. He’s picked up bits and pieces from lots of people, but Lanzarote became kind of a base for us after that. There were lots of high-level kids surfing there. Funny enough, many of the best surfers in Europe now come from that island.
Marti:
Looking back, it was a lucky move. When Ben was 10, he was surfing solid waves, and the next youngest kid in the water was about 15 or 16. So there was a huge age gap. But Ben didn’t care. He had no fear. When we went to Lanzarote, he was right up there with the top kids his age. It was a bit surreal, but very telling. What always stood out with Ben was his determination to push into more challenging waves, not just to compete, but to really test himself.
There’s a wave in Lanzarote called El Quemao. By the time Ben was 12, he was paddling into it comfortably. One of the local dads, whose son was a pro, came up to me and said, “Your son is the best kid surfing that wave right now. There’s no one his age surfing it like he is.” We honestly didn’t even want him surfing it. But Ben made that decision. He just said, “I’m doing it.”
At 14, during the filming of a documentary called Ride the Wave, we were in Ireland trying to surf a spot called Aliens , which is still Ben’s favorite wave. But it didn’t break that month. Instead, Mullaghmore broke, and a few big wave surfers took Ben to have a look. He ended up surfing it. That’s when he got on Red Bull’s radar.
Unfortunately, he broke his foot at the end of that season. A Lisfranc fracture. He had a metal plate put in and was out of the water for nearly a year. On crutches, multiple surgeries. That injury probably delayed things a bit.
Iona:
But sometimes it’s just serendipity. You don’t know how things would’ve played out otherwise.
Robyn, on the other hand, was also always in the water. She made the Scottish team pretty early on. She was a regular-footer in surfing, but she skated goofy, so eventually she had to switch her surf stance. She basically had to relearn everything. She was also an amazing bowl skater. She had a standout season at Nazaré . She caught some incredible waves, and there’s amazing footage that will come to light eventually. She’s heading to Portugal next week with the Scottish team.
Iona:
As a parent, watching them surf, especially big waves, is hard. It’s really hard. Especially with Ben. They say young guys' frontal lobes don’t fully develop until they’re about 25, and that definitely checks out. They don’t have the fear, which I guess is why they can do what they do, but as a mum, it’s hard to watch.
I’ve seen him surf in Lanzarote with 30-foot waves rolling over jet skis. One time, the ski flipped, and instead of letting go, Ben held onto the rope, climbed back on while it was upside down, got washed off again, and then still managed to ride it back. The ski ended up on the rocks. That kind of stuff is intense. You just sit there watching, trying to breathe.
I do feel a bit better about things now. When he surfs Nazare, for example, I know he’s got a team. Robyn’s there; it’s organised. People think Nazare’s easy because it’s towed, "just get pulled into the wave", but that’s nonsense. It’s terrifying. It’s a massive team effort. That makes me feel safer.
But when he’s out on his own, somewhere remote, like G-Land or other reefs, that’s what really scares me. Those waves are heavy and powerful, and it’s easy to become complacent. At Nazare, everyone’s on alert. But out in the middle of nowhere, one knock to the head and you’re in trouble. That’s the stuff that keeps me up.
Marti:
I do try to talk to Ben about moderation. He’s so capable in 30-foot barreling waves. He could make a life out of that. But there’s always the temptation to push it bigger. There’s a piece out right now in Beach Grit and Red Bulletin Magazine about him, and even in there, someone says Ben should start thinking about being the best in the world. But he’s not wired like that. He just loves surfing. He’s happy to be there, doing it, enjoying it. And I’m okay with that.
I just want him to be safe. If he finds joy in it, amazing. But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t hold my breath every time he paddles out.
Dave actually asked me recently how I felt watching him at Nazare, and I said something weird: I feel less anxious watching him in 40-foot waves there than I do when he’s surfing smaller but heavier reefs. At least at Nazare, there’s a full team on standby. But when he’s off somewhere remote? That terrifies me.
We never tried to stop him, though. I don’t think we could’ve. Ben’s determined. He’d have done it anyway, with or without our support. So it’s better to be there for him, guide him where we can, and just hope that he keeps safe.
Marti:
That took a while. People from Red Bull Scotland started calling. They were just checking Ben out, having casual conversations. Red Bull is really thorough about who they sponsor. They want to understand the athlete’s personality, not just performance.
Eventually, we had a meeting in St. Andrews with Harry King, who was the UK team manager at the time. He didn’t say it outright, but we knew a deal was on the table.
It’s been an amazing partnership. Of course, with big names like Red Bull and O’Neill, there are pressures too. But Ben’s doing really well, and he’s got such a strong backstory. He’s very marketable. We’re just trying to figure out the right path for him. It might not even be surfing long-term, but surfing will always be part of his story, a solid foundation.
Iona:
Most of it definitely comes externally, but there are some great up and comers on the island. There are only about 70 kids on Tiree, but Reuben is going to be brilliant. He’s totally obsessed. Another up-and-comer. It’s really good to see. The kids that have come out of Tiree, there have only been a handful: Finn McDonald, Ben, Robyn, and now Reuben. And they’re all great. High quality.
You wonder why that is, don’t you? Is it because they’ve really had to want it? Because the conditions are tough and they’ve learned to handle them? Or is it just something in them? Maybe it’s a mix of all those things. It’s unusual to have high-level surfers come out of this kind of environment. Normally, you’d need older, more experienced surfers around to guide you. Finn and Ben didn’t really have that. Most people here are just average surfers. So the fact that those boys have managed to become what they are feels like a total anomaly. Maybe it’s just in their nature, or perhaps something was built into them from the start.
The internet has definitely helped, especially YouTube. Ben used to watch techniques constantly and learned a lot from that. There’s more access to information now. Of course, there are downsides to everything, but for things like learning to surf in a remote place, it’s been incredibly helpful.
Iona:
We had this lovely family come recently, a granny and granddad who’ve been bringing their autistic grandson for ten years. The grandmother waddles down to the water, absolutely determined to get in. They’re just incredible people. And then we had a wee boy from Glasgow, only nine, he was amazing. A great little surfer, full of life.
This job is such a privilege. I know it sounds cheesy, but it really is. You meet so many people; people with stories, struggles, and triumphs, and it’s humbling. People open up here. There’s something about the water, and about being in this environment, that brings out the best in them. We’re open, we talk, and you get to see people at their best. That’s the joy of it.
Of course, by the end of the day, you’ve talked so much you come home, open a bottle of wine, and drink it in about ten seconds. But it’s worth it.
Marti:
If we had a day off work and could go anywhere for a day of surfing or water sports, well, honestly, the best days are still right here. The beaches are magical, and the vibe is great. Outside of home, though, we’ve been to places like Indonesia and South Africa, and I do really like Lanzarote. We’ve had some great times there. You rent a house on the beach, surf in the morning, have lunch on the terrace, surf again, then head to the pub across the road for a few beers and a game of pool. That’s a perfect day. But even then, if I had to choose, I’d still pick home. A sunny day on Tiree, with a fire on the beach at night- that’s the best.
Iona:
I think if you asked Ben, Robyn, or Lily, they’d all say the same thing- that their perfect day would still be here. It’s home.
We go to London a couple of times a year. I love it, being anonymous and blending in. But Paris… Paris is magic. I feel cliché saying it, but I just love it. We’ve talked about taking a trip at the end of the season. We thought about Sardinia, but Paris might come first. We’ll see.
Marti:
As for the future of Blackhouse, I love the idea of growing it. Not necessarily for money, we do fine, but because I’m passionate about building something meaningful. We’ve got planning permission for a kiosk, a chill-out area, and even another little house just 50 meters from the beach. There’s also a sauna planned.
However, the ferries are a huge problem. They’re really hurting us. And the government’s stance on second homes makes everything harder. That’s actually led us to think about selling the plot and maybe doing something somewhere else too. I would have loved to keep it all here, to leave a legacy for the kids, and to create something special for the community. We’ve spent so much time getting planning permission, and the demand is definitely there. We’re well known in the surf community. But it’s tough when logistics keep holding you back. You start to feel like you’ve hit a ceiling.
If we did move elsewhere, we wouldn’t do another surf school. What we’ve built here is so established, it wouldn’t feel right trying to replicate it somewhere else. And honestly, nothing compares to the waves here. Taking people surfing here is the easiest job in the world because it’s just that good.
We hope you enjoyed this glimpse into life on Tiree with the Larg family. Whether you're chasing waves or just love a good story, you can find out more about Blackhouse Water Sports, you can head to their surf school here.
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