Laamu
The Maldives might just have the bluest water on the planet. We’ve been here a few days now, and it still doesn’t look real. These tiny islands are a bit of a geological freak. They’re the exposed tops of ancient coral reefs that have been growing on sinking volcanoes for tens of millions of years. […]
Sit Tight, Storm’s Here
The talked-about storm has finally rolled in. Rain all day, and it’s not going anywhere for a while… looks like indoor activities are the go. Surf? Bigger, super messy, and definitely not worth writing home about. Dark morning too—so no Bondi shots today. Instead, I’m throwing it back to some gold from my recent trip. […]
Tropical Speedways
A new swell’s landed in our Laamu Atoll and we were up early, hunting reef passes. It’s not just about swell angle or wind here—it’s the current that’ll get you. When these massive lagoons fill or drain, the sweep is wild. Paddle out at the wrong time and you’re halfway to Sri Lanka. We found […]
Laamu
We’ve traded the buzz of South Malé Atoll (hello, Kandooma) for the slow hum of Laamu — a sleepier, more remote corner of the Maldives. Fewer resorts, more local life. We’re now on Mundoo, a tiny island with just 150 legends calling it home. After the 2004 tsunami, most packed up and moved on… but […]
Kandoomaafushi
Tried to hop from Colombo to Malé… but just as we were about to touch down—wheels practically skimming the tarmac—the pilot hit the gas and pulled us back to Sri Lanka. Storm chaos. Classic island welcome. Eventually, we made it. And yep, Kandooma was worth the weather rollercoaster. The wave here is a playful little […]
Como Cocoa
Chapter 3: We’ve switched islands to the tiny Como Cocoa, a stone’s throw from one of Maldives’ surfing jewels, Kandooma. Cocoa is an island so small that you can kick a football across the middle of it…or a lilo circumnavigational will take you around half an hour. At low tide, a 500-metre sand spit emerges […]
Riptides
In the Maldives, the working week is Sunday to Thursday, and Friday & Saturday is the weekend! The waves are still ripable here on Kandooma, and there is not much over head high (perfect for the tykes). Their surf season is May to September, which is good as it is the opposite of the general […]
Kandooma
Welcome back to the Maldives, chapter 2 of my overseas winter odyssey, where I am hunting warm water, waves, and idyllic beaches. After surfing left in the Mentawais for two weeks, it’s time to go right on one of the Maldivian jewels—Kandooma. I’ve been to the Maldives six times and have never scored decent waves […]
Jani
We’ve arrived at the Noonu Atoll, Maldives, searching for the bluest water on the planet. We’re on the island of Medhufaru where Soneva Jani lies. It’s a dreamy, idyllic place where two long jetties into a giant lagoon connect your room to the land. It’s like living on a boat; everywhere you look, there is […]
Away / Mol·deevz
It’s been 14 years since my last visit to the world’s lowest islands – Maldives (mol·deevz). I love this place; it’s a giant aquatic playground with 1192 islands (only a fifth are inhabited). Try scrolling through Instagram without seeing an idyllic image of crystal blue water and tiny islands in the Maldives—impossible. So many come […]
Numbers
5,000 daily Aquabumps emails over 12 years, approximately 250,000 frames shot on 15 cameras using 23 lenses in 5 different water housings, 12 trips to the Mentawais, 2 to the Maldives, a weekend in Thailand, 3 x Singapore(?) visits, 3 trips to crystal clear Fiji, 2 trips to Hawaii, 15 trips to Bali, the Kimberley’s, […]
Where the hell is summer?
It’s not often that rain hinders my morning shoot so much, that I have to show you something else to distract you from your busy day. But hang on, 3 days of rain in a row? It’s real wet and grey outside. Welcome to the first day of summer kids! Where the hell is it […]
Archival Revival
These wet, onshore Sydney mornings give me a good opportunity to sift through archives and find some gold. This morning I worked out that I’ve caught 48 flights this year (no medal please) and covered a lot of ocean from Maldives to Hawaii, shooting thousands of frames, most of which have barely been viewed and […]