PERFECT WAVES
We knew there was a solid swell arriving in a couple of days so we proceeded to check another atoll where it looked like the swell could really push in. We made the right call, the waves were insane and there were just three local boogey boarders out there. I could just not believe myself, very long rides barreling over some crazy shallow reef, perfect wave after perfect wave. So I simply had no choice but grab my 7’4” SUP and join the fun.
People are so kind in this part of the world; they really apply in their actions the true aloha spirit. We were made to feel very at home, surfing all day long and then afterwards there was delicious coconut water waiting for us on the beach while listening to locals playing their Ukuleles.
Soon though, it was time to pull up the sails and head to the next atoll. We were already running a bit low on supplies, so we decided to look for a bigger town in the next harbor and stock up. We had been counting on catching some fish but we were warned that most fish had ‘ciguatera’, a toxin caused by algae, in these atolls so we decided to play safe and not eat fresh fish! Some friends from shore came with some great news, they said that on the next atoll the waves wore firing since the swell direction was much better. After sailing overnight we arrived to the reef break; it was like one of those drawings on paper that I always dreamt about, a perfect wave! It wasn’t big, but it was just insane; I scored so many barrels I did not want to get out of the water. I probably stood out there on my SUP for about 6 hours, and to finish the day there was a huge cloud of birds that came to the lineup following a school of small fish that were swimming through the break. Everywhere in Tahiti you feel blessed to be so close to nature.