Published on: 25 July 2014





Seven Year 12 boys and two staff members experienced the ultimate surfing trip during the July holidays on a week-long stay in the Maldives. It was the School’s first surf tour in more than a decade.

The tour was co-ordinated by Michael Ralph with staff member Dominic Hodnett also accompanying the group. Mr Hodnett said the decision to visit the Maldive Islands rather than Bali proved decisive. “So many West Australian surfers are familiar with Indonesia but few have ventured 400km southwest of India,” he said.

In the days leading up to the tour all eyes were on the surf report and it did not disappoint. The first two days were in the two to three-foot range with the swell reaching five foot and over for the remainder of the week.

The group was based at Hudhuranfushi Island Resort with direct access to Lohi’s, a fast left-hand break, and daily boat trips to six other breaks. “The boys were spoilt for choice,” Mr Hodnett said.

Each day started with the option of a short walk to surf Lohi’s before a huge breakfast to set the boys up for the morning boat trips. Cokes, Jailbreaks, Sultans and Ninjas were the preferred surfing options from the boats, offering something for each surfer’s own ability. “It was great to share waves in an idyllic tropical setting with surfers from all over the globe,” Mr Hodnett said.

The food at the resort was outstanding and after lunch, the boys were back on the boats for an afternoon session and then the option to surf Lohi’s at dusk if they still had the energy. By late afternoon they were often happy just to relax in the pool before dinner and turning in for much needed sleep.

The resort island offered snorkelling and fishing as well as the surf. Aside from about 20 surfers with exclusive access to Lohi’s and boats through World Surfaris, the rest of the guests were mostly honeymooning couples. The boys soon earned the respect of surf guide Richard Kotch who often sat in the impact zone taking pictures of the group.

“At times, we felt like pinching ourselves to check that it was actually real,” Mr Hodnett said. “The tour was successful beyond anything we could have hoped for and all of us felt privileged to be a part of it. With luck, CCGS surfers will return to the Maldives in April 2016.”

Photographs courtesy of Richard Kotch and Dominic Hodnett