Let me explain: Teahupoo is a reef break, one of the biggest and heaviest waves in the world. Nestled at what is termed the 'end of the road' for a good reason - it is simply at the end of a long and winding road. This awe-inspiring coral reef not only creates phenomenal waves but also allows you to sit in a boat very close and watch. Being able to get so close means that at times it can be a little chaotic, with boats jostling for position, all trying to be the closest, in the 'right spot'. Normally if you arrive by boat, you wait in the channel for your turn, slowly moving into position and then you do your best to stay in 'the spot'.
We met our captain Daniel on the wharf. He spoke very little English; we spoke very little French. Teahupoo is a small place, and there is kudos attached to being a captain and being able to take your boat out in such giant waves and putting your clients on 'the spot'. Daniel comes from a long line of surfers, a giant of a man both in size and reputation, and we explained as best we could where we would like to be, he just smiled and nodded. As we approached the line-up of boats watching the surfing, he slowed, as you would expect, but then simply pushed his way to the front of the pack. We were feeling a little like we had just jumped the queue at the movies; I expressed my concern, but he just pointed at a small green flag flying from our boat and said “federation”, which meant a handful of boats had priority. Seemed entirely fair, as this was his job and we were his clients.
This story is from the October - November 2019 edition of Adventure Magazine.
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This story is from the October - November 2019 edition of Adventure Magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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