Life's a Beach III

Week 2 in the Maldives. I could seriously get used to this. Feels like you’ve dropped off the edge of the world. Your only concerns are finding surf and fish. And hoping the wind behaves itself.

Ironically the spot we enjoy surfing likes a SW, and is cross shore in a west. Just like home. Travel halfway round the world and the devil wind remains the devil wind! The devils in the detail and the detail means sheet glass versus a side-chop. Personally I’m all for sheet glass.

Water so clear that you can’t see the curve of the wave face at all, it’s like you’re surfing on air. Glance down and the coral heads are flying by underneath you, an angel fish lazily glides by and some parrot-fish are looking up at you quizzically.

Crystal clear water has it’s downfalls too – like when you’re about to take off on the ledge and you look straight down at all the coral heads rubbing their hands in glee at your impending arrival should you blow the take-off. Certainly sows a seed of doubt when it’s bigger.

Garth got attacked by a fish. Genuine. Sitting in the line-up, just the 2 of us, and next thing he’s yelping “Something’s biting me!” Turns out it was a Trigger fish, which are territorial lil bastards. Unluckily he’d chosen to sit right above this critters “home” and ended up getting his leg munched. Proper chunk outta the side of his leg, drew blood and everything! I spent the rest of the sesh lying on my board with my legs in the air!

As its monsoon season you get some good days with the bad. So we were expecting to have a few days off. That’s OK, a bad day in the Maldives still works out better than a good day at home. Go fishing, snorkelling, read a book, take photos, have a nap.

Fishing been a bit slow, a coupla Groupers, a few tuna here and there. When the wind switched yesterday in the arvo we picked up sticks and went trawling. Turned out to be a good call. Landed a yellowfin tuna (carrot Rapala), and a decent sized wahoo (multi-coloured skirt). Wahoo’s the best fish ever, tastes like chicken. Seriously.

Bit of a lay day today, wind up to shite. Looks like some serious swell at the end of the week if the charts hold. Here’s hoping the wind is right…..