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LE MORNE SESSIONS: MAURITIUS

Arthur Arutkin and Nikos Kaklamanakis share their impressions of the wave SUP scene in the beautiful area of Le Morne in Mauritius.

Words: Arthur Arutkin and Nikos Kaklamanakis

Photos: John Carter

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ARTHUR ARUTKIN

LE MORNE

I headed out to Mauritius quite early in their season in early May 2023 and was taking part in a Duotone and Fanatic windsurfing photoshoot. Of course, I packed my new Infinity SUP board as I like to combine my sports and I knew there would be plenty of opportunities to score some waves. We were based in La Gualette, which is just a short drive from the main spot Le Morne.

Le Morne located on the southwest of the island, is such a beautiful spot and pretty much has all bases covered as far as water sports go. There is plenty of shade in the parking area and food stalls which serve excellent lunches. The beach is stunning with white sand, leading to the turquoise water of the lagoon, with the distant crashing waves of the reef in the background. From the water, you get the best view of the rugged mountains, which are truly spectacular.

Mauritius is an amazing place for SUP, for both waves and flat water paddling. The first time I went out for a wave session I just paddled out after we had scored an epic windsurf session. The waves were epic and I was alone in the water. The funny thing with the stand up is that you can paddle to the reef relatively quickly. Most of the waves are pretty far out so it is a long paddle for surfing. With the SUP I could be out there in five to ten minutes. I usually try to avoid the crowds and paddle on my own, so I didn’t experience any attitude towards SUP during any of my sessions. I always try to be careful and respect local spots, obey the rules and leave waves for everybody.

SCORING

I surfed left and right-hand breaks so it was a good variety. I prefer right hand waves and the wave I paddled out between Chamoix and Little Reef was pretty incredible for SUP. I could link turns and hit the lip a few times. It was super fun, my teammate from windsurfing, Victor Fernandez, was surfing and Maria Andrés was on her longboard. There were two other SUP guys out there but there were plenty of waves. Everybody was really having fun. It was just a beautiful day with no wind and perfect waves. What more could you want?

SUP PARADISE

We were on the island for just over two weeks, and we were on the water a lot. We had a lot of windsurfing also, but we could also SUP in the waves when it was glassy. The waves were amazing. In the mornings there is usually no wind before 9 or 10am. You can SUP in the waves every day. Mauritius is just an amazing place. To be in board shorts and be out there in the blue water looking back at the incredible mountains was very special. Everything is luscious green on the land and it is very tropical. It is a ‘one of a kind’ type of a place. Sadly, we only saw a small part of the island, but what we saw was just incredible. Le Morne is just a water sports ad SUP paradise. There is so much you can do in two weeks. We were busy on the water all the time. When I do trips, I usually try and mix my sports with windsurfing and SUP. I take both sets of equipment together, so I would definitely come back to Mauritius. It was so much fun, and the waves were pumping every day.

I used my new Infinity SUP which is a 7’8 by 23.5. It is from Dave Boehne, who shaped it for me. On my way to Maui, I stopped in California and asked him to make me a board for Mauritius. So luckily, I was able to pick it up on the way back. I knew it was going to be reef waves so I asked him for a board that could be fun in these conditions. He made me a great board and I am glad he did it.

NIKOS KAKLAMANAKIS

I love SUP since it perfectly returns the stoke on the no wind days for a wave sailor like me, I normally go to Mauritius for windsurfing, but when there is no wind I am just as happy to SUP those epic waves. I feel with SUP, I can improve myself physically, training the core and legs even more and balance especially on the smaller boards that I use. I usually ride my 7’2 starboard surf pro, which is 72 litres. That is nearly same volume as my windsurf wave board. I also feel SUP helps improve my wave choice and wave reading ability, since I can’t use the sail as a propulsion apart from the wave itself.

THE SPOTS

My SUP is a perfect tool for no wind days if you want to enjoy the outer breaks without crowds! There are many spots and they are so diverse from one to the other! SUP is such a bonus, especially if you can’t afford a motorboat to take you to the reefs, which is usually my case!

All of the outer reefs are tide and swell size dependant, so make sure you do your homework before visiting and paddling out, which can take ten to twenty minutes. I mainly love Samau Right, which is a fourteen-minute paddle from the beach. This wave has a relatively easy drop then a medium accelerating section, which is perfect for multiple turns. Also, Manawa is a very long left, but a twenty-minute paddle which ends in a hollower section. It is a perfect wave when the period of wave is 11 to 14 max and 1.5 to 2.5 metre waves. Manawa can easily get up to double or triple overhead on a forecast of 12-13 seconds period with a 2-metre swell from the SSW. Sometimes the currents are very strong and you should take a new big wave leash and make sure you never SUP alone there!

Black Rock, the right in Tamarin Bay, is also good if the swell is big enough with enough west in it. This wave is a dream! Also, Little Reef at Le Morne is a ten-minute paddle and is smaller, but great quality in average swells and around low tide. It can be too busy most of the time – even at 7am!

I normally take a 7’3 SUP, but most days, I need a mini step up 7’7 to 7’10 long. Ideally, I would like a custom-built SUP for when the waves are double overhead with shifting peaks.

When I first came to Mauritius, the surfers were more of an issue, but now I don’t have any problems. There are quality waves for all in the end, but avoid One Eye and Tamarin that are heavily surf localised. Enjoying glassy Mauritian waves is not an issue for a nearly ”local” like me anymore”! I have done twenty-two trips to Le Morne in the last fourteen years. If we keep it fair, share a smile and respect each other in the waves, we can all enjoy the amazing waves Mauritius has to offer. Give respect to gain it and catch the waves of your life!