Bula !! Welcome to the Fiji Surf Tour of the
Forbidden Islands
- A life Changing Experience !
Firstly I would like to congratulate you on selecting the Fiji surf tour as your choice of vacation. These tours are the latest in a new venture to discover un-surfed, un-crowded waves in some of Fiji’s hidden paradises.
My name is Ian Ravouvou Muller from Fiji and I’m proud to be your host and surf guide for the tour. I decided late in 2003 to take the risk and explore these areas where not many boats have been before due to restricted access into the Lau Island group with only few permits granted. I have flown over these Islands many years ago and saw the potential but did not have the means to search for the waves that I began dreaming about. Now with the Tour running we are providing you with the opportunity that only a small fraction of the surfing community have had the chance to experience.
These Forbidden areas have been off limits to many outsiders for years it has un-tapped potential waiting for new discoveries on each tour. For me, each tour is different from the next because these Islands are very exposed therefore variables - weather, wind, swell. and tides will be in different modes. I have a fair idea of what wave is best at different conditions and I will guide you in accordance with my past experiences. But I will ask you on a daily basis what your preferences are so I can customize the tour around that. Please do not hesitate to let me know that you are not comfortable with an area so we can work around that with the consensus of the group as a whole. At times we will need to make certain decisions that will not be in favor of everyone and I’m sorry if that will inconvenience you.
Since the tour is new, we will be visiting only 3 large Islands : Gau, Totoya and Matuku and a few various reefs within their ownership. The tour is constantly exploring for new waves that may exist around the corner so please keep your eyes peeled as you may have the chance to name a wave if you feel it worthy enough.
I will give you a brief run down on what each wave is called and their characteristics to familiarize yourself :
1) Mambu’s or shipwrecks : an isolated reef near the Island of Gau and has a fun, long left that can get sectiony if the swell direction gets too west. Can be surfed at low and high tides and is side off shore with the S/E trade winds.
2) Vinaka’s : which is on Matuku and is a fast barreling left that once you get locked in you can have the ride of your life. Gets very shallow and is best at 3 - 2 hours either side of the high tide and is Offshore with the trades. Works best on S - S/W swells.
3) Ratu’s : On Matuku, has a quick barreling right that works best on S/W swells and is side on shore with the trades. At times when the trades are blowing it is still sheltered enough to perform. Only surfable at 3 - 2 hours either side of high tide.
4) Deepers or chuckies : On Matuku, is a punchy short right barrel that can be surfed at all tides except extreme lows and is offshore to the trades.
5) Kanaka’s : On Matuku, a short left that has a few sections with an end bowl that lets you off into a channel. Can be surfed at any tide and is side on shore to the S/E trades but side offshore with east trades.
6) Cannabals : on Totoya, is a fast left that can only be surfed at mid to high tides with the trades offshore.
7) Vuniwai’s ( Doc’s ) is a long fast heavy tubing right on Totoya that wraps up the reef and onto a deep reef end. It is best with a East - South Swell and South ? West winds, which in Fiji, is hard to find a wave that can accept these conditions … but now Vuniwai’s will step up the pace … definitely !!
8) Bogle’s a wave in memory of the surfer that past away towards the end of 2004. Some of his dedicated friends came here shortly after his death, in search of a wave that they could spread part of his ashes near. It is a small break in the reef on Matuku that builds a short, hollow left that has fun rippeable sections as well. Side off shore with trades and can only be surfed at mid- high tides. His Legend lives on in Fiji !!
9) Bula Bowls is a wave named by a surfer who had a great deal of the “Bula spirit” to share with us Islanders. On Totoya, it is a lengthy fun left hander that wraps a reef passage and breaks into a deep channel, so it has a safe exit. It can get a good wrap going with a punchy tube and a skatey ramp of a shoulder to give it your best shot at. Offshore with trades and surfable at all tides, but only for experienced surfers at low.
Most of these waves I recommend you wear booties and if you normally wear helmets than it is advisable to wear them as well. I am a certified lifeguard so I will be with you at all times to ensure your safety, it may be difficult for me at times when two boats want to surf different areas but we will be in contact through radio.
Another exciting area of the Fiji Surf Tour is that we will make visits to various villages that have never had regular outsiders before in their villages. You will have the chance to experience a sevusevu - Kava ceremony (traditional protocol to seek permission) as well as the villagers will perform their own singing and dancing that is unique to each village. I will be providing the Yagona for the sevu sevu, some groceries and medical / educational supplies to assist them but you are quite welcome to donate in any way you feel. There is one request I ask, is that when the village does their dancing and singing if we all could kindly give a little cash donation to help them with their village community fund.
Prior to entering the village you will be provided with Sulus ( traditional wrap arounds) complimentary of the Fiji Surf Tour. We will have a briefing on protocol and what to expect before we enter the village.
I hope that you enjoy The Fiji Surf Tour and take many wonderful memories back with you.
Vinaka vaka Levu !! Ian R. Muller