Maldives: Just Surf Villa

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DAY1:
Our solid 10 hour sleep was disrupted by a 7am knock at the door - "breakfast Mr Duncan!" Omelete and baked beans followed by fresh fruit. The maldivians present their silverware at room temperature, which took a bit of getting used to but the scran was good.

Jailbreak, AKA Jails - was cranking out head high sets. Only 10-15 guys out workin 2 sections - waves galore. I stopped counting at zero - well this is a blog not a brag. Besides i kept losing my count and it was interferring with my concentration. We'd agreed to just 'go easy' on the first session so maybe 60-90 mins max would get the release the cobwebs.

So, 2 1/2 hours later we returned to shore to a warm welcome from the midday sun. Andy was by now wearing his tanline wifebeater and looking fine. I was beginning to look native in every way, bar the surf moves. We chose not to spend too long regailing over our best waves - as its not a competition. Besides the greatest pleasure comes in watching other's catch waves when you get to our age. Oh and watching your mates take waves on the head. I did learn a thing or two though. If you're gonna paddle for a wave always make it the wave immediately after the girl in the bikini thong just caught one. Even if you take it in the face, duck diving back out to the point is a thing to behold. I think neil from the Inbetweeners has a phrase for what he does with such sights - but i dont think i need to repeat it here.

A 5 minute walk back to the surf lodge and a bite to eat before the siesta kicked in with a vengeance. No point in overdoing it.

We raised from our pits about 430 for a sundown surf where i discovered the board i had been riding in the morning wasn't actually broken, it was just jet lagged.

Paddling into a perfect set wave and cheered on with a whoop whoop from a dreadlocked Israeli dude calling me into the wave i took a beautiful, head-high right hander to the beach. My day was done. Ross, sorry i mean Andy, spent the next hour with "justonemorewave-itis" while i smoothed it out on the beach and watched him take a couple on the head before getting washed up on the reef. Life does not get better.

Ross has just told me he saw it as a total result that i didn't get dragged over the reef and shredded to bits. But the quote of the day actually came from some local dude gettin frustrated surfing next to kirbs, who said "if you're not going to make it (catch it) why dont you let someone know" - ha - thats hard to do when you're upside down with your face heading for the reef and your legs breaching for air! He paddled off in a huff.

Having found a gorgeous shell upon exiting the reef tonight i thought i'd pick up a shell for each of the waves i catch out here. For most surfers that would be a real problem with only a 25k baggage allowance - not me!

Tuna steak and papaya for dinner. Top drawer.

Until next time ...

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