TAHITI - CHOMPIN' 'CHOPES

Fearless Moroccan charger Boujmaa Guilloul, 29, loves nothing more than a mid-year trip to the Polynesian paradise of Tahiti and, more specifically, to windsurf the

bone-crunching super-slab at Teahupo’o.
Story Boujmaa Guilloul // Photos Ben Thouard

(This feature originally appeared in the July 2013 issue of Windsurf Magazine. Print and digital subscriptions for readers worldwide are available HERE.)

With longtime buddy Baptiste Gossein based in the island’s South West, Bouj is unlikely to miss his annual June jaunt to flirt with the razor sharp reef at ‘the end of the road’. Most may know Boujmaa as a double-looping aerial Hellman, or even as a one of Morocco’s most stylish surfers. But it’s when he marries the two elements together and starts pitching his jumping skills against the thick, barreling lip at Chopes that things start to get really interesting. The man himself talks us through what the place means to him.

SMILING IN THE SUN

To me Tahiti has amazing windsurfing potential. Pure magic, paradise, is the only way I can describe the place regardless of the whole scene at Teahupo’o. The waves around the main island are not super crowded or anything and you can still score lots of sessions just between friends in some of the most perfect waves on the planet. The locals are really nice, on and off the water, and even when you sail around a line-up of surfers they’re surprisingly kind and often so stoked to see you getting some turns or airs – as long as you respect them they will always smile at you during the long hours on the water.

Most of the breaks are not long, wall-ride setups, more just everything a surfer or windsurfer dreams of. Often, surfing, you’ll drop straight into a barrel. The ride might be short and intense but produces the best feelings ever. Most places, even outside of a good swell are very powerful and heavy. The more you get the more you want no matter what your level. It’s all relative though. You might pull off a high forward off-the-lip or slot into a wide barrel, but you will always want to push further to a deeper tube or maybe try a pushloop tabletop after getting projected by the lip. For some just making the drop and notching a turn on that kind of wave is enough of a thrill.

UNFORGIVING

At Teahupo’o no mistakes are allowed. The hammering is pretty heavy and will cost a lot, if not a board or a sail or a mast it could be everything that’s crushed. Your body might also ‘go local’ and gain some of the reputed ‘Tahiti tattoo’ scars from the gnarly sharp reef. It’s fun to ride some of those big and heavy waves, but you don’t want to risk too much because there’s no forgiveness.

At Chopes the reef is dry maybe 20 metres away from where you drop in and most of the waves are barreling.

If you want to score the sickest shots of your life, you have to have so much gear on the boat to not miss the rest of the session, and be ready to suffer days of discomfort with reef cuts that can take ages to heal, plus be ready to experience some painful antiseptic lemon juice treatment that the locals use to kill reef bacteria.LOCAL KNOWLEDGE

I had great time there being hosted by a very good friend Baptiste Gossein who always looks after me when I visit him. We had fun going around the various spots and it‘s always good to see him happy, busy and making the most of everything since his tragic accident a few years ago. (Gossein lost the use of his legs after an horrendous wipeout at Chopes, but continues to shine through with his positive attitude and now assists visitors to the island and is local legend Raimana Van Bastolaer’s safety cover and tow-in ski driver.)

Baptiste knows all the breaks, all the locals and many, many of the famous visiting surfers. He knows all the secrets about every wave in Tahiti and all about the local way of life. I hope I will be back there every year. Baptiste is very motivated by his guesthouse project. His situation is still the same but he never stops pushing forward and looking for new adventures and projects and he never gave up on a life of happiness. He made up a surf ski to go in the waves and is keen to go on it and charge some day.I am in Tahiti again as I write this and hopefully will be able to score some heavy waves. I was a day late for the big swell but have still scored some good waves so far ! BG

KEEP CLICKING THROUGH FOR A TAHITI SPOT GUIDE AND SOME SICK SEQUENCES AND CHOMPIN’ ‘CHOPES SNAPS

TAHITI GUIDE

South to West Coast

The meanest spots are port tack
(wind from left):

Chopes – pretty heavy and fast when the waves are big. Even if its windy on the bottom turn you never have enough wind but can ride surf style with the speed of the wave. It’s not the best looking position but it’s an amazing sensation – you can almost get barreled when the wave is huge – but I’m not sure you’ll make it safely with your gear!

Vairao is another pass about 4 miles away from Chopes where the wave doesn’t handle the bigger swells but it’s super fun when it’s about 4 feet and a little easier but still sketchy and you still have to be careful with the reef and never be too deep. A few good sections to hit but for expert wave riders only.

Mara is another wave, maybe 10 miles away from Vairao, that’s pretty heavy. It does hold size, but is super close to dry reef and is very fast and does not allow mistakes – for expert wavesailors only too.

North to East Coast

More accessible and easier spots.

Papeno l’Embauchure, a river mouth jumping spot (starboard tack) that’s windy when it’s Maram (southeast). A small wave but so much fun.

You can freeride is all over the island inside the lagoons with both wind directions - north east or south east – which is loads of fun over beautiful coral, you just have to be careful with shallow areas.

Overall there are a lot of other spots for average levels to sail on the northeast side of the island where most of the windsurfing and kitesurfing happens, such as at famous local spot Motu Martin which is very popular.

When the Wind Blows

Best time for wind is from May to September.

Getting Around

It’s best to rent a car and there is accommodation almost everywhere with small guesthouses such as the one Baptiste runs in the village of Vairao, which does an ‘all-inclusive’ service for surfers, SUPers and windsurfers. It’s the best spot to be and you get the best package with taxi boat etc. This is great value as Tahiti can be quite expensive.