Maldives swell of the season - photos and videos
Too often the Maldives is seen as the thin-lipped little brother to Indonesia. Both sit in the same ocean basin just a 1,000 or so clicks apart so proximity gives way to comparisons, and they rarely favour the Maldives. However, earlier this month the li'l bro got one up on his kin.
In the first week of the month a flat-topped high pressure system stalled not far off the West Australian coast. The stationary high sat below the trade wind belt pulling the pressure gradient tight and increasing the wind speeds. The result was a turbocharged trade wind swell aimed back across the Indian Ocean to the north-west, brushing Indonesia, and hitting Sri Lanka and the Maldives square on. And because it was created off a slow moving high, those in the firing line could expect a swell of unusual duration. This would be no one day wonder.
Cokes Surf Camp surf guide, Paul Breakey, says the swell fitrst hit on Tuesday the 11th and slowly built over a couple of days. Wednesday was a steady 6 foot, and by Thursday, "Cokes was absolutely firing with regular 6-8 foot triple overhead bombs reeling down the point."
"The swell was the perfect size and direction. Our surf guides experienced a day of big, long barrels, heavy beatings and sessions with as few as four others guys out."
Similar reports came in from all across the Maldives, including from Louis Harris who was traipsing well off the beaten track with Asher Pacey on board his boat. Louis and Asher - and the other guests on Louis' boat - gorged themselves silly on a bunch of little-known waves.
The swell peaked on the Thursday and Friday but the sustained nature of it meant there was gonna be a long tail to enjoy - by Monday it was stil 4 foot and firing.
Asher Pacey (Photo: Liquid Destination)
Asher again... (Photo: Liquid Destination)
And one more from Asher... (Photo: Liquid Destination)
Louis Harris (Photo: Liquid Destination)
(Photo: Liquid Destination)
Pasta Point (Photo: Dara Ahmed/Atoll Travel)
Pasta Point barrel (Video Atoll Travel)
(Photo: Dara Ahmed/Atoll Travel)
More Pasta Point, here and below (Photo: Dara Ahmed/Atoll Travel)
(Photo: Dara Ahmed/Atoll Travel)
(Photo: Dara Ahmed/Atoll Travel)
Rights...(Photos: Rob Underwood & Bob Fawcett/The Perfect Wave)
...and lefts (Photos: Rob Underwood & Bob Fawcett/The Perfect Wave)
(Photos: Rob Underwood & Bob Fawcett/The Perfect Wave)
(Photos: Rob Underwood & Bob Fawcett/The Perfect Wave)
(Photos: Rob Underwood & Bob Fawcett/The Perfect Wave)
(Photos: Rob Underwood & Bob Fawcett/The Perfect Wave)
(Photos: Rob Underwood & Bob Fawcett/The Perfect Wave)
(Photos: Rob Underwood & Bob Fawcett/The Perfect Wave)
Maldives Super Session (Video Noam Eshel)
Comments
Good stuff! Not sure why all surf vids must have a soundtrack though. That last vid was sounding great until overlaid with obscenity. I mean, the song was alright but I just want to see one well produced surf movie with ambient instead of someone else's idea of good music. The movie Campaign had it sorta right. They offered multiple soundtracks, although they were all shit.
...ambiance