The level of surfing,
Is always more elevated,
In our minds,
Than in reality.
Irregardless of spot.
Is always more elevated,
In our minds,
Than in reality.
Irregardless of spot.
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Level of surfing on Tavarua
- Thread starter casa_mugrienta
- Start date
I was feeling confident for my second session ever at CB 
one random day on a declining slightly overhead swell with enough tide to cover a lot of the reef, everyone hopped in the boat but me. one boatman stayed behind. i was alone at cloudbreak. i was a bit spooked cause i didn't know where to sit, but the boat dude whistled and i saw it. one pretty damn good one. i almost blew the takeoff, kinda dodged the first barrel, but did get a couple of seconds behind on the second one, and paddled back for a few more. an hour later it was getting that time, and the boat guy whistled me in. he said, "not bad at all." thanks jon roseman. (i was 40 pounds lighter and this was many years ago.) but i did it! i was the best guy out at cloudbreak.
Last time I was there it was mostly 6-8ft the entire time.
Boatloads of kooks would come out from Tav.
First 8ft set and they would be back in the boat.
Had a ball surfing Resturants which looked packed but mostly full of kooks who could'n't make the drop.
Boatloads of kooks would come out from Tav.
First 8ft set and they would be back in the boat.
Had a ball surfing Resturants which looked packed but mostly full of kooks who could'n't make the drop.
Yeah the competition for waves at solid cloud break did not come from the other guests. There is plenty of talent out there on good days that isn’t staying on Tavarua.
i never had issues in the lineup getting waves though, it’s not hostile. Sure you had to move around and make an effort to be in position but everyone is stocked and relatively cooperative. Huge playing field too, when it has size.
i never had issues in the lineup getting waves though, it’s not hostile. Sure you had to move around and make an effort to be in position but everyone is stocked and relatively cooperative. Huge playing field too, when it has size.
Waves that break predictably lend themselves very well to lower level surfers especially if there are sections that offer up easy takeoffs.
There was a Google mega yacht nearby when we were there. Surfed with a few of the deckhands at Wilkes pass. Tavarua has been on the market for years. Wouldnt be surprised if Google bought it. They’ve been using it for corporate retreats for years.
sure hope They keep those families employed. It’s the staff that makes that place so special, above and beyond the face melting amount and variety of surf. Who knows what Google might actually do with it. Probably just make it a Google island. But again- as much as that would be a bummer to never return to tavarua, I still hope they keep the staff, even if it is just to pamper the Google elite. There are plenty of other places to stay now with the same relatively easy access to all those reefs. Tavarua is special for its size, it’s privacy, it’s intimacy, and above all the warmth of the Fijian staff. I hope I get to experience that again, but, if not, there is always Namotu or even the Marriott or a place on the mainland.
How much does a stay run you on Tavarua, Namotu, a boat, or nearby?
A quick look shows that you could do a week at a Marriot in Nadi right now for around 2k USD.
A quick look shows that you could do a week at a Marriot in Nadi right now for around 2k USD.
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Check the Marriott at Momi Bay. Super close to the entire set of reef passes and a boat dock for your water taxi pick up
don’t love that they tore out a bunch of mangrove swamp to build their lagoon resort, but, i think they are also paying to plant a bunch more mangrove to jump start the replenishment. Gorgeous place kind of. Staff is all local so they’re super friendly and genuine. Fijians may have eaten their enemies not too long ago, but nobody takes hospitality more seriously than those folks
pricier that the one in Nadi but WAAAAAAAAAY closer to where you want to be. Not even a decision really, imho. If you’re spending the cheddar to get there, don’t stay hours from the surf. Stay a 20 minute motor boat ride from the reefs.
this is the ride to cloud break from Momi Marriott
And sunset at Momi
don’t love that they tore out a bunch of mangrove swamp to build their lagoon resort, but, i think they are also paying to plant a bunch more mangrove to jump start the replenishment. Gorgeous place kind of. Staff is all local so they’re super friendly and genuine. Fijians may have eaten their enemies not too long ago, but nobody takes hospitality more seriously than those folks
pricier that the one in Nadi but WAAAAAAAAAY closer to where you want to be. Not even a decision really, imho. If you’re spending the cheddar to get there, don’t stay hours from the surf. Stay a 20 minute motor boat ride from the reefs.
this is the ride to cloud break from Momi Marriott
And sunset at Momi
may not have that unique vibe of a 19 acre private island but it’s a pretty sick resort for what it is. Don’t pay more than $200 for a 4 hour trip to the reefs. They’ll ask for $400 and expect you to haggle politely. In 2019 you could often get a driver for $100 for 4 hours on the water, but that’s probably gone up, especially with their island completely cut off for many months, and the price of fuel etc
A friend was trying to start a surf/golf resort in one of the less sheltered zones of Fiji at one point. They were in the early stages of construction (working on a marina, running plumbing and electrical) when he sold his share. They did a trip with Ross Williams and a few others in the late 00's. I wonder what happed to it. I think some of the Fish family (Tavarua staff) were partners.
If you look up Inia with dream surf Fiji, he’s probably the single best home grown Fijian surfer of this era. Multiple national championships. Real gentleman, his surfing will blow your mind, and if you hire him to drive and guide- he may be worth closer to the $400 for the outing.
He jumped in to the lineup with me, knowing it was my first time there. Pointed me towards peaks I never in a million years thought would bend back, Jack up, and send me off on a 100+ yard screamer. He is worth the extra cheddar because not only is he helpful and friendly, he is a god amongst men there, humbly, so his clients get treated appropriately by other locals.
That’s worth some extra ducats too. If I didn’t go out with him those first two sessions, especially given the size and crowd, I wouldn’t have had those first two confidence boosting days with the local slater, which made my week on Tavarua all the better.
better @keenfish
He jumped in to the lineup with me, knowing it was my first time there. Pointed me towards peaks I never in a million years thought would bend back, Jack up, and send me off on a 100+ yard screamer. He is worth the extra cheddar because not only is he helpful and friendly, he is a god amongst men there, humbly, so his clients get treated appropriately by other locals.
That’s worth some extra ducats too. If I didn’t go out with him those first two sessions, especially given the size and crowd, I wouldn’t have had those first two confidence boosting days with the local slater, which made my week on Tavarua all the better.
better @keenfish
Friend #3 went.
Said pretty much the exact same thing, except it was 8-10 ft for two days and Restaurants was bigger than most could handle, including himself on one bad tumble that left some scars....still came out the next day though.
Gosh dammit dude. I thought we got over this. You were doing so good with paragraphs and now this.
#comeonman
This pic is so epic subster! did you get any good poundings?