Fiji is a little atypical in terms of how to go about surfing because accessibility is such an issue. For one thing, the reefs (and therefore the waves) are so far offshore, it's impossible to paddle out from the beach. We're talking 30 minute boat rides. Plus, all the reefs are "owned" by the nearby villages and the tribal chiefs must grant permission before they can be surfed. Some of the best waves in the islands are leased to specific resorts that have exclusive rights to certain breaks. If you're not staying at one of these resorts, forget about surfing that wave. Frigate's Pass is one break that a few different resorts are allowed to use and that's how I ended up at the Yanuca Island Resort. It's also way more basic and cheap than the decidedly more upscale Tavarua Island Resort (I didn't see any tennis courts on Yanuca), which enjoys exclusive access to one of the world's best left-handers, Cloudbreak. Frigate's Pass was unbelievable to this Texan surfer who had never surfed waves of this caliber. Actually, the first day I got there, there was major swell in the water, yielding devastating double-overhead-plus walls of water that came crashing down on the reef. It was pretty intense, but I paddled out from the boat to get a better look. It was sucking off the reef so hard and the waves walled up so quickly that I decided not to mess around with it. It was literally breathtaking, and not necessarily in a good way. I decided I'd head back toward the boat when I saw a major set looming and closing in fast. There was no way I could paddle to the outside, and I ended up taking three waves on the head in the impact zone before riding across the reef on my belly. Not so fun. Thankfully, I was in one piece when I finally got back to the boat with a healthy respect for the power of the ocean. The next few days at Frigate's were smaller and absolutely stunning. I got some really long, fun rides and it was a spectacular way to finish the trip.
more...

I sent my energy through the cosmic internet waves by asking for advice on planning a round the world trip, and received an answer...from Frans Huber on Yacht Moet! And just a couple months later I hopped a flight to Fiji, the first international stop on my trip!

Frans & Sylvia met while backpacking through New Zealand in 2000. They of course fell in love, bought a yacht, and have been sailing through the South Pacific ever since. A few years ago, they were blessed with a son, Dylan!

I was fortunate enough to spend one month on Moet with this lovely family. They invited me into their family and showed me a Fiji I would never have seen on my own. I went surfing with Frans and windsurfing wit Sylvia. I went wakeboarding with Dylan and held my breath as he began to learn how to swim on his own. We sang and played guitar late into the night and prayed for wind every day. We watched the sun rise and set every day and watched in excitement and awe as storms passed nearby. We lounged in hammocks for entire afternoons and snorkled with the Fijian fish when things got too warm above water. 

more...

Holiday Special - 20% off!

Just enter promo code RLP5MY at checkout. Valid until December 25, 2010 (cannot be combined with other offers)

The MyTripJournal team would like to wish everyone a merry Christmas, happy Hannukah, cheerful Kwanzaa, or joy in whatever you choose to celebrate.

Happy Travels,

The MyTripJournal Team