Cloudbreak Surf Guide

Cloudbreak Surf Guide

Sitting a mile south of Tavarua, the world-class lefthander named Cloudbreak is actually the eastern edge of an expansive, shallow coral reef pass that receives the undiminished force of Southern Hemisphere swells. Surfers with little travel experience should note that outer-reef waves like Cloudbreak travel much faster than their continental-land-mass counterparts, and if you don't concentrate on getting to your feet quickly, chances are that you will find yourself picking coral from your back.

Despite what you may have heard, Cloudbreak can be relatively sectiony, and the lineup involves a large playing field. The swell sweeping toward the reef generally focuses on one of three general areas: the Point (aka The Top), the Middle, and the Inside (aka Shish Kabobs). Because the introductory perspective to Cloudbreak is from a boat in the channel, guests often assume that the inside is the best and safest place to park oneself because of its proximity to deeper water. The truth is that although the inside section can offer some nice tubes and can be a faster escape route to the channel, it's actually the Point and the Middle that have the more forgiving, rippable waves. The inside section is known as Shish Kabobs for a reason: a standard visitor's tax is paid in flesh to the sharp, skewer-like reef that lies just below the surface.

Even for the experienced surfer, sizable Cloudbreak can represent a significantly intimidating experience. Thick, fast-moving lefts can hit different parts of the reef at a number of different angles, and it can often be a difficult task figuring out where to be to catch the best waves. Once you get it wired, a good session at Cloudbreak is nothing short of a complete barrel-fest. On fairly rare occasions, large, clean long-interval swells turn Cloudbreak into an astonishing one-section wave that breaks on a part of the reef known affectionately as the Ledge (actually the outside of the inside). If you're lucky enough to surf or simply watch this magnificent leviathan, you've witnessed one of the great wonders of the world.

Note: Boats serving Cloudbreak and local breaks have portable surf kits containing rescue supplies provided through the Adopt a Cove program. Learn more here.

LINEUP TIPS: Etiquette | Surf Safety Basics