Maldives A Surfing Sojourn
A trip to the Inner Atolls of the Maldives Phorgraphed by
Greg McCarthy
The Trip The trip to the Maldives was a concept conceived by Bruce Channon, editor of Australian Longboard Magazine (ALB), to take advantage of an offer from the owner of a surf charter boat based in the Maldives called Haira. The idea was to gather a crew of longboarders to travel to and surf the various reefs that abound in the inner atolls of the Maldives. The crew consisted of Josh Constable, one time world longboard champion, Beau Nixon who coincidentally had worked as a surf guide in the Maldives a year or two earlier as work experience for his sports management degree. Also along for the ride was Isaac Fields who was on a break from teaching kindergarten in his home town of Evans Head as well as Hayden Emery from the Central Coast, Jarrod Neal from Coffs Harbour and master surfboard craftsman Steve Del Rosso formerly from WA but now residing on the Gold Coast. Bruce Channon was tour organiser, trip chronicler and senior surfer for the trip. Of course I was tagging along as photographer and was also hopping to grab a few waves along the way. Also on board for the trip was “Razor” a mate of Josh’s. With the exception of Josh and Razor the rest of the crew rendezvoused at Brisbane airport. Josh and Razor met us at Singapore where we boarded the final flight to Male, the capital of the Maldives and where we would be collected and ferried to the Haria to begin our 7 days in paradise. 2
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The Maldives The Maldives consists of approximately 1,190 coral islands grouped in a double chain of 26 atolls, along the north-south direction, spread over roughly 90,000 square kilometres (35,000 sq mi), making this one of the world’s most dispersed countries The atolls are composed of live coral reefs and sand bars, situated atop a submarine ridge 960 kilometres (600 mi) long that rises abruptly from the depths of the Indian Ocean and runs north to south. Only near the southern end of this natural coral barricade do two open passages permit safe ship navigation from one side of the Indian Ocean to the other through the territorial waters of Maldives. For administrative purposes the Maldivian government organized these atolls into twenty one Administrative divisions. The largest island of Maldives is Gan, which belongs to Laamu Atoll or Hahdhummathi Maldives. In Addu Atoll the westernmost islands are connected by roads over the reef (collectively called Link Road) and the total length of the road is 14 km (9 mi). The Maldives is the lowest country in the world, with a maximum natural ground level of only 2.3 metres (7 ft 7 in), with the average being only 1.5 metres (4 ft 11 in) above sea level, although in areas where construction exists, this has been increased to several metres. However, more than 80 per cent of the country’s land is composed of coral islands that rise less than one metre above sea level. The reef is composed of coral debris and living coral. This acts as a natural barrier against the sea, forming lagoons. Other islands, set at a distance and parallel to the reef, have their own protective fringe of reef. An opening in the surrounding coral barrier allows access to the calmer lagoon waters. The barrier reefs of the islands protect them from the storms and high waves of the Indian Ocean. A 15 centimetres (6 in) thick layer of humus forms the top layer of soil. Below the humus layer are 60 centimetres (2 ft) of sandstone, followed by sand and then fresh water. Due to high levels of salt in the soil near the beach, vegetation is limited there to a few plants such as shrubs, flowering plants, and small hedges. In the interior of the islands, more vegetation such as mangrove and banyan grow. Coconut palms, the national tree, are able to grow almost everywhere on the islands and are integral to the lifestyle of the population. The limited vegetation and land wildlife is supplemented by the abundance of marine life. The waters around the Maldives are abundant in rare species of biological and commercial value. Tuna fisheries are one of the main commercial resources. The Maldives have an amazing diversity of sea life, with corals and over 2,000 species of fish, ranging from reef fish to reef sharks, moray eels, and a wide variety of rays: Manta Rays, Stingray and Eagle ray. The Maldivian waters also host whale sharks and hawksbill and green sea turtles.
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Josh with Male the capital of the Maldives in the background
The break known as Jails with Male in the background
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Josh Constable This image of Josh ran on the cover of ALB in the edition that was the prelude to the issue that covered the trip. The photo was taken at Sultans during a rain storm. I was sitting in the dingy trying to keep my camera gear dry. Shot details: Canon EOS 1D Mk IV, 300mm f2.8L plus 1.4x teleconverter. Shutter speed 1/800th @ f4.0. ISO 200.
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Pasta Point Pasta Point is the left hander that breaks on the island Chaaya Dhonveli, a five star resort island, that has exclusive use of this famous surf break. I have been fortunate enough to have been able to spend time on this resort island during previous trips. This day there were only two surfers enjoying these waves while the break opposite, Sultans, had about 30 surfers crawling all over it. Shot details: Canon PowerShot G12, lens focal length 30.5mm, shutter speed 1/250th @ f5.6. ISO 100
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Josh Constable Josh, above, on the nose at Sultans during the lunch break session that sees most of the Euro surfers break for lunch leaving only a handful of surfers to enjoy these clean peelers. Apart from being six time Australian longboard champion Josh has also won the ASP World Longboarding title as well as probably more longboard mag covers than anyone. Shot details: Canon 1Ds Mk III, 70-200mm f2.8 L. Shutter speed 1/800th @ f4.0. ISO 100. Josh at left in the dinghy on the way to Sultans with our home for the trip the Haira in the background. Shot details: Canon 1D Mk IV, 15mm f2.8 fisheye. Shutter speed 1/1600th @ f5.6. ISO 200.
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Beau Nixon
Beau slices off the top at Sultans. Beau has a sports management degree and works for Queensland Surfi helping to run their contests and training programs. Not a bad job for someone as keen on surfing as Be
Shot details: Canon 1D Mk IV, 300mm f2.8 plus 1.4x teleconverter. Shutter speed 1/2500th @ f4.0. ISO 200
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fing eau is.
0.
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Hayden
Isaac
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Isaac Fields Isaac cross stepping towards the nose at Sultans. Isaac is from Evans Head where he works as a kindergarten teacher at the local primary school. He prefers riding heavy logs and retro shortboards either newly made retro designs from his board maker at Bennetts or old boards from the 70 and 80s. He brought with him on the trip a six channel single fin shaped in the 80s by my shaper, Jim Parkinson, from Jackson surfboards. Shot details: Canon 1D Mk IV, 15 mm f2.8 fisheye. Shutter speed 1/2500th @ f5.6. ISO 200.
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Jarrod Neal Jarrod hails from around Coffs Harbour. He does pretty well on the longboard comp circuit but can pretty much rip it up on all forms of surfboard designs from a modern shortboard like the one in this shot to retros and his quiver of longboards that he brought with him on the trip. Shot details: Canon 1D Mk IV, 85mm f1.8. Shutter speed 1/1600th @ f5.6. ISO 200. Aquatech Housing.
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Hayden Emery Hayden off the bottom at Sultans. Hayden is a chippy from the Central Coast of NSW. His love of surfing is second only to his love of partying. I should know I am a Facebook friend. It was a toss up on the trip between Hayden and Isaac as to who was in the water the most. Shot details: Canon 1D Mk IV, 15mm f2.8 fisheye. Shutter speed 1/2000th @ f5.6. ISO 200. Aquatech Waterhousing
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Steve Del Rosso Steve is originally from WA but recently has also been operating his Clearwater Surfboard business from the Gold Coast. where he has been garnering a reputation as the go man for both shortboards and longboards. Steve, even though of more mature age than the other surfers on the trip, was always frothing every time we pulled up a surf break and was always the first one out. Shot details: Canon 1D Mk IV, 15mm f2.8 mm fisheye. Shutter speed 1/1250th @ f5.6. ISO 200. Aquatech Waterhousing.
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Jail Break
Sultans 24
Josh gets ten at Tombstones 25
Bananas ripen on the back of the boat
Tombstones
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Old style yacht at anchor
Sunset
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Jarrod Neal
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Steve at Sultans Josh drops in at Jails
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Hayden off the bottom at Tombstones Isaac roundhouse at Tombstones riding his Jackson 6 channel single fin
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Isaac Fields Isaac Fields
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Steve Del Ross
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so
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Josh Constable
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e
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Beau Nixon
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Isaac with his quiver 41
Josh with his quiver. How he got away without having to pay excess bagage is be 42
eyond me. 43
Isaac’s fin on his log
Hayden & his quiver The ferry to our yacht
On board the ferry with all the bo
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oards
Hayden ten over at Jails
Steve Del Rosso
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Razor
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Jarrod drives hard off the bottom at Jail Break.
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Two different angles of Josh getting his toes over. 51
Beau slices an arc at Sultans 52
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Steve Del Rosso at Honkys for the first surf of the trip 55
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Josh with an old style bottom turn at Sultans 57
Hayden with a perfect ten at Tombstones 58
Sultans
Pasta Point
Isaac putting on a show for the resort
Isaac & Josh head over to Cokes for a surf by themselves while the others surf Chickens
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Hayden off the bottom at Sultans 61
Josh tucks in at Sultans 62
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Jarrod at Jails floating off the top 64
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Jarrod off the top at Jails with a view to Male in background 67
Josh at Jails sliding into a nice little cover up on his 5’ 10� Al Merric 68
ck single fin which is the same board he is riding on the cover. 69
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Josh does not eat fish so he survived on vegemite for the whole trip. I felt sorry for the staff at Burger King when we got back to Singapore
Bruce Channon wearing the now famous Maldivian sun hat
Josh at Sultans, cool as on the nose 71
Beau head dip at Tombstones
Jarrod floats one at Tombstones 72
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Isaac cross steps to the nose at Tombstones. This wave rarely gets much attention and is It proved to be an excellent logging wave and also to be a great way to beat the crow paddling
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s generally only used by the learn to surf tourists from the resort in the background. wds at the more well known breaks. Isaac swears those abs are the result of lots of
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Beau with a head dip toes over combo at Tombstones. It was Beau who suggested we gained whilst doing his work experience for his sports management degree the compa it is really only a small wave break well inside the inner atolls it was perfect for the boy
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e surf this break. With his previous experience as surf guide/instructor that he had any he worked for used this break for the resort tourists and their surf lessons. Whilst ys to show off some style on their logs and old style retro boards.
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All photos shot at Tombstones. Images clockwise L to R: Beau cuts back on small runner. Josh high kick over.
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five. Isaac gets one of the longest ten over rides I have witnessed. Beau again this time getting five
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Tombstones again. Images clockwise from L to R: Hayden five over. Hayden again with ten over. This is u the bottom.
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usually what frequents this break but we only saw them on one day for about an hour. Isaac nice turn off
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Isaac inside a nice clean one at Cokes on his little single fin Barry Bennett. Isaac only b pretty much every session. He spent probably the most time of all the crew in the wat has something to do with his high level of fitness.
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brought with him a heavy log and two small single fin retro boards and he ripped ter. His fitness levels were amazing. Maybe the fact that he does not drink alcohol
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Josh clearly showing that he is riding his 5’ 10� Al Merrick single fin out at Cokes. Ho was riding a traditional modern thruster.
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onestly if you did not see the fin set up on this board you would think for certain he
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The beach at Cokes
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Josh running on one at Cokes
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Mitch Calderwood. You had to feel sorry for Mitch. He comes from up around Kurri K booked his first overseas surf trip ever and ends up on a boat full of pro longboarder a super nice guy and took it all in his stride especially when yours truly dropped in on
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Kurri where he is a train driver hauling coal and was not part of the ALB crew. He had rs. You gotta wonder who he has upset in life for Karma like that to happen. He was n him on his first wave of the trip.
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Steve Del Rosso on the first session we had at Chickens. Steve was just like a young waxed and ready at the back of the boat for the dingy to ferry him to the break. Som than wait for everyone else to get ready.
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g grom, frothing at every break we pulled up, he was always the first with his board me days he was so eager he did not even wait for the dingy and paddled out rather
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Josh hand trail at Sultans
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Jo
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osh inset grabbing a stretch five and main image as he passes me by from underwater on the same wave.
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Josh off the bottom at Sultans. Watching Josh over the week that we spent in the Maldives it is not hard to see why he has been so successful with his career so far in professional surfing. 96
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Jarrod cracks one right around at Sultans. 98
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The ALB Maldives Crew for 2011 All Photos by Greg McCarthy
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