I have just returned from an eventful week in the Maldives. I stayed at CHaaya Dhonvelli Island which has exclusive rights to the Pasta Point surf break. On day one conditions were pretty good...1m+ swell and cross off shore winds.. I went for 3 sessions first two at Pasta Point and last session at Sultans. Pasta limits numbers at the resort so that wasn't too crowded. Just loved it. Sultans was a different story. There were 40+ people at the main take area. Not a place for a SUP. I found a spot on the shoulder 50m away which was fantastic. Unfortunately late in the day on was on a nice wall doing a cut back from the top of a wave when the wave closed out, my board fell below me and I landed on the rail on my side chest wall. Very painful and difficult to breath because of pain. Ended up going to Male Island (capital) to E.D....confirmed a fractured rib and haemopneumothorax. (Lung was 20% deflated and blood in the chest cavity between the chest wall and the lung) It wasn't bad enough to warrant admission or a chest tube. The pain relief offered by ED was panadiene and an anti -inflammatory. Not enough for a soft westerner like me. Luckily some of the guys in our group had some Panadiene Forte. Next sufing trip I go on I will definetly take some heavy duty painkillers.
I did go out surfing again 3-4 times later during the week , loaded up with anti-inflammatories and Panadiene , however I struggled.
Of the 7 days there ..first 2 days were good conditions, then we had 4 1/2 days of unrelenting 15-20knt winds..Still surfable at some breaks but poor by Maldivian standards. As I left conditions were looking good for the next week
Despite my fractured rib I had a fantastic time in the Maldives. Magic place. My 25yo son came with me . He hadn't done much surfing before but got right into it. Food was fantastic. Snorkelling brilliant. Great group of friends.
I would love to go back...April apparently is less windy but not as consistent for swell. There seems to be plenty of breaks suitable for SUP.
You lucky bugger.. 
.. Great shots.. What board is that?
Bummer about the haemopneumothorax.. Ouch!
I've had a collapsed lung myself and you're lucky that they didn't have to put a tube and an intercostal unit to help re inflate the lung.
DJ
I did my rib cartilage once - and knew it too. A good old sneeze will test out your pain threshold big time.
Good pics. Looks like fun in the surf.
Bummer about your accident. Maldives is great eh, we did a boat trip last year and had 6 out of 7 days of cooking surf and seemded to avoid the crowds - advantage of a boat I guess.
