BIG WAVE SURFING

TEAHUPOO.

SURFING TEAHUPOO. Chopes, Chopes, Teupoo, Cheapoo, Teahapoo, Teowpoo, Choopoo. Heaps of ways to spell it, do it as you like, pronounced cho-poo. It'll squeeze the poo out of you.

TEAHUPOO

The small town of Teahupoo lies at the end of the
Tahiti south road at Tahiti-iti. Three hundred meters
to the south of the offshore passage here lies the
left hand break the world has come to know as Teahupoo
pronounced cho-poo

HOW TO GET TO TEAHUPOO

The closest big city is papeete
Closest Int. airport faa'a
Le Truck , the local transport, costs around $2 to
Teahupoo
Takes about an hour.

FAVORABLE CONDITIONS

Slight winds less than 5 knots and Teahupoo can be
surfed. However a Southwest swell coupled with a wind
that has some west in it and it's in its optimum.

BEST TIME TO GO

Teahupoo is surfed throughout the year however most
frequent surf days are between April to October. Other
times the winds and rain are more frequent especially
during cyclone season Nov.- march

THE "DEMONIC" WAVE, HOW TO SURF TEAHUPOO.

Teahupoo faces the dominant southwest groundswell making it consistently the biggest wave in the area, and with a lack of continental shelf little refraction of the swell exists. The shallowness of the reef sees the that the lip ends up as thick as it is high.

Teahupoo breaks in the same spot no matter how big it gets. It's a heavy short lefthander and gives you the rush of facing death and surviving. It's probably best surfed at around six to eight feet. Any bigger than that and it really lives up to its title as the heaviest wave in the world.
The easiest entry into a Teahupoo barrel is going deep. It lets you in , well sometimes, but if you miss
you are kissing coral. The outer shoulder allows you to say to your mates you have surfed Teahupoo, but you might get a wiggle or two in before your ride is over and you wont take home the memory of the barrel of your life. The shoulder section still closer to the peak section is the steeper of the two best take off points. Harder to negotiate the drop but it isn't so dangerous if you fall. If you try and go too deep the wave can bottom out. As the break gets more attention, more frustration and
more toe-ins, Teahupoo will claim more lives. It already has had a few sent to the after life.

WHAT SURFBOARDS TO TAKE TO TEAHUPOO, TAHITI.

When faced with a wave like Teahupoo you need paddling
power. But forget the Indo gun or the sunset plank.
You need a board with some meat in it, but hidden. No
fat rails , hide the foam in the curve of the deck and
a bit in the nose. Keep a good rocker throughout and
not too much tail area.
The surfboard has to fit into the extreme curve of
Teahupoo. So too much length is a no no. If you are
riding a short board back home in the low six footers
as most of us are, then a 6'9"x 18.1/4" with the
hidden foam as said before is a good base.
Take yourself 3 boards. Your shorty for other breaks a
6'9" and a 7 footer for backup.

OTHER EQUIPMENT TO TAKE.

Money, rashies, spare leggies- good and thick,
sunscreen, powder for reef cuts , spare undies and a
mate to take your photo.

HAZARDS

coral cuts, Lip launches, Tiger sharks, running out of money

PLACES TO STAY IN TEAHUPOO.

With the ever growing interest shown for Teahupoo where to stay whilst you share its waves. Here a few good run places in and around the area.

Middle end.

Pension Bonjouir (www.bonjouir.com)

4 km south of Teahupoo accesible only by boat or walk in from Teahupoo. Boat trips to eef passes for around $10-$15 U.S. Food is a bit expensive $20-$30 per meal but accomodation is reasonabley priced from $50 a night. vanira lodge (www.vaniralodge.com) Is situated right in Teahupoo. Not cheap on your own but good value if
you have a group of people going with you so you can share the bungalows.

Tauhanihani Village Lodge (email kotyvaguebleue@mail.pf)

is right on the beach in Teahupoo. This is a good place to stay, comfortable and priced between $65 and $80u.s. a night. Teahupoo, Te Ava Ino, Te Ava Iti, and Vairao are all easily accesed here with Te Ava Ino right out in front.

LOWER END.

Some surfers get homestays in Teahupoo. The best option if you want the local feel. Staying in a family run hostel or camping in someones yard can be very rewarding. You get to engage with the locals, help their income and make lifelong friends. NOTE: They don't take credit cards

Moana David has a camp also. Because he is a local surfer you can have a surfers point of view as you
drum him about spots around the islands.

MOANA SURF TOURS
PK. 8 , 3 Punaauia, P.O. Box 6734 Faaa- TAHITI
5 bed dorm. Telephone/ Fax - (689) 43.70.70

MEHERIO ITI
Telephone - (689) 57.74.31 Contact: Mrs. Maria MAITERE
3 bungalows on Tahiti -Iti peninsula

TE PARI VILLAGE
Teahupoo, Le Pari PO. Box 967 Papeete Telephone/ Fax
- (689) 53.46.22
3 overwater bungalows located on Tahiti- Iti
Peninsula.

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