Set on the periphery of paradise, the Island Shamaal sees skis gliding across translucent tropical water, with paddlers linking runs and taking advantage of world-class downwind conditions as they skim around some super-challenging reef passes. Well most of them anyway.

Although it pulls in an elite crowd, there’s something for all levels of paddler at this race. And that’s a good thing, because I’m a complete amateur with limited abilities and my colleague, Sean Smith (aka The Fat Paddler, founder of Team Fat Paddler), first paddled a ski about six months prior to us washing up on the idyllic beaches of Mauritius.

What had started as a bit of a bet in the comfort of Sydney had, just seven months later, resulted in us taking lessons in managing reef passes from world champions, with a view to racing them the following day. It was all a little bit surreal.

The Shamaal itself is broken into a week of activity that involves instruction and group paddling with some of the best in the game, including Dawid Mocke, Barry Lewin, Hank McGregor, Matt Bouman, Dean Gardiner and Jeremy Cotter.

Arriving midweek we missed some crucial paddle time, but despite these concerns we immediately set about reinforcing South African and Australian diplomatic relations by getting ‘acquainted’ with some fellow competitors with the assistance of local rum in the resort bar. This was an ideal recovery strategy after our 22-hour commute and the perfect pre-race preparation plan. Surely.

Two total rookies attempting a leg of the Ocean Paddler World Series and surviving to tell the tale? Fat chance… Taking gonzo adventure journalism to a whole new level, Nat Bradford and Sean Smith, aka Team Fat Paddler,

have a crack at the Island Shamaal Mauritius Ocean Classic!

Words & Images: N

THE RUM

DIARY

Bel Ombre Beach at sunset. Opposite page: Team Fat Paddler get into some first night rums. 045044

Varsity Surf School’s Barry Lewin, after watching us for a bit, noticed our stability in the chop wasn’t great and our confidence was somewhat lacking. He was shocked to learn that the group paddle we were currently undertaking was our first reef pass crossing ever, and that we’d be backing it up with our virgin attempt at open-ocean downwind paddling.

After getting through the pass we immediately faced our first real downwind conditions, with a small swell of about two to three metres and a slight tailwind. It was exhilarating and terrifying in equal measure. Taking a run a little too long would see you perilously close to the reef, where the waves were breaking in about two feet of water above jagged coral.

The following day, with one full hour of experience under our belts, we set off to take on our first race, Sporty’s Downwind Dash. With safety and survival being our primary goals, Sean and I determined to set our own pace. There was some starting line banter with World Champion Dawid Mocke, who claimed that, when it comes to surf-ski race starts, Australians are the best – due to our apparent tendency to start whenever the hell we feel like it, as evidenced at races such as The Doctor and the Bridge to Beach – and then we were away.

For the Dash, we needn't have worried quite so much. The support boats were plentiful and provided a clear guideline to the Le Morne pass finish. From the ocean it looks like a complete line of breakers crashing into the reef, but there is a relatively easy way through, paddling diagonally to the swell. Easy if you know where to look that is. If the boats hadn’t been there, we’d probably still be circling the island looking for a way back to shore.

Along the way we actually managed to link some runs and have a blast doing it. Given our pace, we were also able to enjoy the stunning coastal scenery from the comfort of our skis, paddling about a kilometre offshore. The end result was no spills, lots of thrills and finish-line bragging rights of second last and dead last. We were stoked to have finished some 55 minutes behind the winner, South African machine Hank McGregor, and even won a dolphin dive for our effort.

Team Fat Paddler get off to a flying start, in last place, for the Island Shamaal.

Photo- Josh Bucholtz

“At the base of the rising

wave, four full paddle strokes at the

maximum effort I could muster got me over the

largest wall of water I’ve ever encountered

on a ski.”

The beach at Tamassa Resort – it just makes you want to paddle.

Nat gives World Champ Dawid Mocke some tips before

Sporty's Downwind Dash

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THE AMAALTwo days later we faced the real deal. Due to the light ocean conditions it was decided to run the Shamaal from Sancho, to the east of our resort, to Le Morne. Having been seeded for a Le Mans–style start, we were right at the pointy end of the field…oh no, that’s right, we were dead last.

Australian surf ski legend Dean Gardiner – who was racing in a double – came up for a pre-race chat and told us what to expect and, most importantly, when to start. As a result we didn’t hear the whistle and the race started behind us as our backs were turned while we were talking to him. Last off the beach again.

For me, the scariest moment of the race came in picking and following the racing line out of Sancho (what was I thinking?). From our vantage point at the back of the pack, the line seemed obvious because everyone in front had taken it and the swell looked manageable. But the ocean, being what it is, decided to have the last laugh and pushed a big set right through the line up.

I saw it coming and, screaming expletives through clenched teeth, made frantic dash for the horizon, away from the reef-hugging course I had previously been taking. At the base of the rising wave, four full paddle strokes at the maximum effort I could muster got me over the largest wall of water I’ve ever encountered on a ski. When my heart rate recovered, I looked

around to see Sean on a similar line to Madagascar. Though we laughed about it at the time, it made us both look at what we were doing bit more seriously and we took nothing further for granted on our run to Le Morne.

But beginner’s luck and enforced cautions can only take you so far and, despite the race conditions being calmer overall, the swell through the pass at Le Morne was much bigger than we’d encountered on our previous attempt. After completely missing the line into the pass for the second time, we took the advice of race director Anton Erasmus, who yelled across the water from the course boat, to “head towards the red marker”.

“IT WAS EXHILARATING AND TERRIFYING IN EQUAL MEASURE…TAKING A RUN A LITTLE TOO LONG

WOULD SEE YOU PERILOUSLY CLOSE TO THE REEF, WHERE THE WAVES WERE

BREAKING IN ABOUT TWO FEET OF WATER ABOVE JAGGED CORAL.”

Exhausted but ecstatic, Sean and Nat finally finish the Shamaal at Le Morne. Photo Rob Mousley

Sounds simple, but from our perspective, sat in the cockpit of a ski in a rolling sea, we couldn’t see a red marker – let alone the reef line – for more than two seconds at a time. Following Anton’s arm gestures, I took a punt and set off down the deepest part of the pass I could find.

Everything seemed to be going okay until a wave selected me, rather than the other way round. What followed looked far better on video than it felt on the ski. I cut across the wave in an effort to avoid burying my nose into the footwell or flipping forward and breaking Mr Fenn’s nice Swordfish into two or more pieces – leaving me with a set of embedded reef souvenirs I’d rather not have.

Needless to say, I didn’t quite make it. A short swim and rescue later I was on my way. Happily though, after laughing heartily at my error from a safe distance, Sean ate reef as well.

Unbeknown to us at the time, the race was being commentated back to the crowd assembled at the Le Morne resort finish line. Our eventful pass attempts were met with much laughter, followed by cheers when we resumed our race.

By this stage all that remained was the short run to the finish inside the reef, but even then we managed two further acts of silliness. First I fell out of the ski from laughing so hard while recounting how much fun I’d had being smashed in the waves, and then Sean stopped abruptly before tipping sideways on

the spot, finding himself suspended on a piece of reef the size of a dinner table.

Crossing the line after being out on ocean for just over two hours and 20 minutes was a great feeling. We were both stuffed, but stoked we had accomplished the task. Besides, cold beer, great rum and fantastic curries were waiting and they don’t call us Team Fat Paddler for nothing…

True, we finished last on the water, but later that evening in Tamassa we managed to soundly thrash the South Africans’ media team in bar boat racing, restoring Australian pride and taking the overall score to one all. We’re sure the Saffas are keen to play a decider next year. We’ll be there for sure.

Follow Nat at: www.sydneysurfski.com Follow Sean at: www.fatpaddler.com

More on the Island Shamaal Mauritius Ocean Classic www.mauritiusoceanclassic.com

For travel to the Mauritius Shamaal, contact Nick Savage at Above & Beyond Travel on 1300 362 166 or www.aboveandbeyondholidays.com.au

WATCH TEAM FAT PADDLER IN ACTION

AT THE OTHER END OF THE FIEIn a thrilling finish at the pointy end of the pack, reigning World Champion Dawid Mocke from South Africa won the race with a time of 01:21:42, just seconds ahead of Australian Jeremy Cotter. South African Hank McGregor finished third. The top 20 finishers list was comprised of 11 Australians (including Dean Gardner and Dean Beament who won the doubles race) and eight South Africans, who were joined by one German paddler and one racer from Guadeloupe. For the full results, go here.

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