Yesterday In Fiji With Chippa Wilson

The wind blew all night. Gail force trades rocked our sailboat out of the southeast. The morning was cold. We looked towards the islands of the Fijian archipelago wondering why we were all in sweatpants and sweaters. The day prior, Restaurants had its moments. Harrison Roach, Tai “Buddha” Graham and Ari Browne had theirs too. Chippa Wilson has been on this trip filming for the launch of Vonu Beer, however, we hadn’t seen much of him until yesterday. He’s been below deck, sweating through silk sheets, sick with a nasty little cold. 

When we pulled up to Cloudbreak yesterday morning it was big. Clean up sets were washing out the lineup, but occasionally through the large playing field off the coast of Tavarua, there were some caves. “Tens and twos” was the consensus.

Chip, for the first time on this trip (we’ve been here since Saturday), grabbed his channel bottomed twin fin and paddled out. Within the hour he’d got the three best waves of the day. Photog, Woody Gooch lined up this shot from the water. When I paddled out with Ari, Chippa met us in the channel. He looked at his imaginary wristwatch and said, “It’s time to take my antibiotics.”