FIJI supn the south (coral) coast

We had the surf content of the island trip canned, the surfside of it anyway, due to logistic problems.
The boat would have to be in two places at once.

So Skeghead went and I stayed behind.

We've decided to extend our stay here at Mango bay
but to hire a small 4x4 with racks to give us a bit of
scope and a better wave strike chance.

I am down with back cramps .. requiring Wild Turkey with Corona chasers ..
and massarge .. and valium. Seems to be working.

I love Happy Endings.

I'm not saying

I'm off to work and nobody's sharing my fuel costs.

Call Brian & Donna at Matanvusi Resort on Coral Coast if you want to go to Frigates. He has a 20ft Noosa Cat with twin 200s. Takes about 40 minutes as it it 20ks away. Very comfy ride with lunch & beer on the way back.

Girls can lounge around the pool & have lunch.

They have a couple of SUPs which would be good to paddle around the lagoon.

Great resort

Any pics ?

Spent the morning at Dump Truck .. well actually
the lefthander on the opposite side of the DumpTruck passage.

Only 5 in the water with waves going to waste.

Good shape, hollow, clean faces but out the back there was a
15kt. sideshaw which made it difficult for SUP.

Skeghead was sneeking the insiders which were more proteted
from the cross chop.

After a good session I gave the locol boatman a go with my rig.
Paul is his name and he's the Beachouse waterman. Turns out
he's ranked number 3 surfer in fiji. .. really shredded ..
He's got a 7.0 SUP at home .. says he liked the bamboo
Watersport TAS paddle .. it's the best that paddle's ever
performed.

Few little cuts and abraisons and one victim appologised for
bloodieing up the boat .. Paul said this boat has had lots of
blood .. no pain no gain .. paul had extensive reef tattos
and no front teeth.

Gordon, from Aus Sunshine Coast, invited us along.
He's had 3 years up here and is an accomplished surfer
from way back. He says surfing up here is hard work matching
conditions with swells etc. It's definately hard work paddling SUPs
in the side wind and chop.

But we do have a plan to mittigate against this ..

Hopefully to be revealed next issue

Does anybody ?

By the way, I was staying at Shangri-La with the Mrs and kids August 2011.
I took my 14ft Sup with me and cruised around a few villages - great experience.
I noticed when looking out from the lagoon there was this pumping right on the right hand side of the outer reef. Do you know if anybody has surfed that ?
It looked to be a charging 6ft and perhaps not for the faint hearted.
I recall Goatman knew about the break.

Take two to Frigates early tomorrow , after first trip aborted due to me being the only board rider on the boat. Had a great day visiting nearby Yanuca Island including a visit to the village school and surf camp on the other side of the island . 2MT has gone to Sigatoka today for some medicine for his crook back leaving me to paddle out the front of the resort. ( Someone has to do it !) Riverider I will post a photo later today to confirm our location . I don't think Primrose Sands has palm trees and 31 degrees temps and water to match. let you know how it goes tomorrow .

BULA from Fiji

Thank piros

Andrew and Gordon, your old school mates, send their regards.
We asked for a bit of dirt on you but they're not telling .. you've
probably got some blackmail on them anyway.

Yea .. that Pauly brother, he's one solid little unit.

We're getting access to his photo files with the object of posting
shots of him on the breaks we're visiting .. better shots of him than us.

Wave Size

First day just looking from the resort to the reef, 500m away, the sets
looked shoulder high .. we paddled out to 4' overhead peaks .. had to take
a whole bottle full of brave pills .. washed over the reef lots .. that was out
front of Beachouse.
Next day a tad smaller out front of Mango Bay .. but we stuck to a peak
right on the corner of the chanel which had what seemed to be a wedge
effect and was off to the side of the heavy set waves.
Also Sigatoka sand dunes 4' overhead but rough and windy.
Then lately 2 to 3' reefs with better shape but still rough and
windy outside on the lineup.

TOMORROW COULD BE, gulp, FRIGATES

I'll be there, but:

they an take this horse to the water but they can't
make me get in.

Here you go Riverider!

FRIGATES TODAY

WITH A FILM CREW

VERY EXCITING DAY AT FRIGATES

Head high barrels .. double head hight waves ..
about 6 in the water at any one time.

Skeghead and I watched in awsome fear that
we would be expected to participate.

They would have had to chop my fingers off
to release my grip on the boat to get me in the water.

They weren't gunna take us home until we had
at least one wipeout .. thugs !

Skeghead went for a flat water paddle just to have
a peaceful look around .. standing way off to the side
when a huge wide bomb set came through and
smashed him .. my fingers gripped even tighter ..
Skegheads leash leg is now a lot longer.

PHOTOS COMING

CAN'T WORK OUT HOW

TO LOAD THEM yet .. quite

LOTS OF ACTION TO

FOLLOW .. look out for vids

of big killer cleanup sets at

frigates on BIG FRIDAY

I am booking a flight to Fiji to have my hair styled.
ET.