Friday 31 July 2009
After watching Occy tearing up the long, fast and barrelling lefts of St Leu in Reunion, Chris Bertish finally got his turn to tick it off his list.
From the moment you arrive, you will notice something special about Reunion. Yes, the quaint island bustles with first world progress. Sure, the traffic can be busy. Certainly, there are traces of French urban culture.
But Reunion has managed to keep its small island feel. The relaxed charm of the people combine with mellow weather to bring a languid aura. The evenings have a soft warmth about them, even though it is winter, apparently the dry season.
The water this time of the year is a super warm 22-26 degrees, perfect for boardies and a thin vest top. Many are more than content with boardshorts. Arriving in the evening and getting an airport transfer was my first shock to the realisation that this little island was definitely part of France, as I got stung a hefty 85 euros to get to the other side of the island and St Leu, where I was to be staying for most of the trip.
My advice, which I will clearly remember for next time, is that you can rent an older car for the entire week, for about the same amount you pay for an airport transfer!
As you arrive in the quaint, quiet town of St Leu, the wave is right there to greet you. If you are staying at The Big Bird Lodge, it is literally across the road. Access to the wave is easy; the paddle out also. The wave itself is special.
It changes moods daily. St Leu seems to have a different mood for every hour of the day and tidal range. The only thing that is consistent is the wave itself. It breaks all the time and through pretty much all conditions. It starts out at the back slightly slower and in order to get through to the punchy inside bowl, you better not waste any time or you'll be quickly reminded you've made a serious mistake as the wave starts lurching in front of you, with shallow coral becoming clearly visible the further you move onto the inside.
The unique and surprising aspect of the inside bowl is that by the time you get there the wave can almost have doubled in size and it suddenly has a whole lot of power and bite to it.
The outside is fun and workable and once you get to the inside bowl, it's fast and furious with a warping and wrapping shallow barrel section which is punchy with a quick wall to work with before the wave quickly dissipates into the channel 100 metres from shore.
The wave is super consistent and on many average size swells, it is world class. The local contingent can get heavy, but if you show respect, always have a friendly smile and try speaking a little French, they are all normally pretty cool.
However, be prepared to have bodyboarders and numerous locals paddling around and past you at most times of the day, without a word.
The best times of the day to get waves out at St Leu are early mornings, I called it "the golden hours", as people don't seem to get up before 8am. Six till eight, you can be the only guy in the water almost every morning if you in at six and then four or five others will follow suit within the hour, which is unreal.
If this was Supers at J-Bay, there would be twenty five guys on it at first light. During the day the crowds filter in quick and thick but the good news is when you’re finished your early morning sesh, you can relax and have a coffee at the little rustic coffee bar/shop overlooking the break as it peels methodically down this world class point.
Content after an hour or two of epic uncrowded St Leu, you jump in your rent a car, grab your map and head out exploring. This is when the true diversity and many hidden treasures of this magical little Indian Ocean island jewel are truly revealed. The island is littered with so many other surf spots of all various levels, which barely have anyone surfing on them.
There are live and solidified lava flows, cascading tropical waterfalls, crystal clear mystical pools. Live steaming craters, breathtaking hikes, and mystical little hidden villages only accessible by foot. Churches which have parted lava flows, stunning, picture perfect white sand beaches with overhanging palm trees, buffered only by the turquoise blue of warm Indian ocean.
Glassy picturesque lagoons, ancient, peaceful little local fishing villages and consistent, world class, crystal clear, warm water waves. Truly, if you looking for anything else, you might have to wait till you've died and gone to Heaven!
Reunion is a phenomenal option for South African's thinking of taking an exotic holiday which is not too expensive, but pretty close to home. Whether your taking your girl, or just going with a couple of your mates, it's a quick flight from JHB and you’re in a remote tropical Island 5 hours from home, with crystal clear coral reefs, under tropical warm blue skies and with luke warm water and world class surf.
The best part is many people think it is very expensive and the surf is very crowded and that's where everyone's got it all wrong!
You can really do Reunion relatively cheaply and if you have the correct inside info, like saving on taxi's from the airport and renting a cheap car, and staying in bright sunshiny little lodges, right in front of world class perfection that are even cheap by RSA standards.
You can eat local food at cosy little spots and save on eating out, by shopping at the local supermarket. Reunion can be a cheaper option than Indo, except you will get many 1st world services, roads, restaurants and a really pleasant mix of French and island culture.
So, when you thinking of your next exotic holiday/surf destination, don't forget the prize jewel of the Indian Ocean. Sometimes you need to just take a chance and go somewhere different and you'll be amazed at what you'll find. Paradise is often closer than you think and only a short flight away!
For more info on Reunion and great Travel specials, check out: www.truebluetravel.co.za
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