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Photos by Ben Thouard (All captions by the photographer)
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Denizens of thronged surf hubs maintain sanity by establishing and developing escape routes. For Californians, the Baja Peninsula offers one such solution. For Australians, it’s essentially anywhere outside of Perth, Sydney, or the Gold Coast. For Europeans, North Africa is a known release valve. For South Africans, empty desert and jungle points await around the Horn, either way, up the east or west coasts of the continent. Of course crowded and trodden are relative descriptors. If one hails from a French-held island paradise—as is the case for Michel Bourez, Kauli Vaast, and Jeremy Flores—escape may come in the form of islets and atolls scattered even further into the empty pockets of the world’s oceans. The following photo package is from a foray made into the sprawling Tuamotu Archipelago, roughly 80 specs of land spread across a patch of water the size of Western Europe.
The mix of white sand and dead coral heads on land creates such a strong reflection that, even under the shade of the coconut trees, you’ll get sunburned. We usually avoid surfing at midday to escape from insolation, but we’ve also found you have to be ready to surf any time the conditions dictate. Young Tahitian charger Kauli Vaast, on the tricky upper section of wave that eventually runs onto dry reef.Michel Bourez, as seen from the comforts of our breakfast table.Michel, again, in an enviable patch of shade.During our favorite time of year here, the Northern Hemisphere is pumping. Cyclones are sweeping the area. Some swells, sent from way up north in the Pacific Ocean, manage to filter through this gigantic region, providing clean and overlooked opportunities. Assessing the next session from the lagoon.Jeremy Flores leveraging the prospects.When you go on a trip like this, especially in this kind of location, your mind boils. You start wondering about the potential for the next island, whether there might be a wave right around the corner. If it’s flat, you start torturing yourself about whether you should go home or take another plane to explore the next atoll. If you stay calm, you can find the right balance. Jeremy operating in the moment.Overview of a complex swell window.Today’s technology has changed the game of exploring new waves, especially in remote locations. Google Earth, forecasts, blogs, and online sailors’ journals definitely make it more accessible. Some will claim that exploration is over and there’s no more room for luck or happenstance. Except it all plays into a new era. With advancements like drones, when we do arrive in these new places, we’re now able to capture a different perspective. Michel Bourez, at the nexus of technology and desolation.
[Feature image: These atolls of reef and sand in the South Pacific are the perfect hunting ground for hidden waves. However, the complexity of getting the right swell and wind might lead you to chase a mirage, not to mention the tide issues. Those huge lagoons are enormous tanks of water that spend half the day pouring out their contents. They can make conditions impossible—or, with the right combination, perfect.]
