Guest favourite, Ulai Niunitoga is synonymous with Namotu Island. He’s spent over two decades as a surf guide and boatman and has an innate ability to predict good conditions. When Ulai says go, you listen.
Last week an 8ft swell greeted the island accompanied by light winds. Ulai was on hand to witness an incredible session go down at Namotu Left. One wave stood out above the rest so we asked him a few questions about it…
We had a big swell last week, were there any sessions that stood out to you?
I came out to the left (Namotu Left) Wednesday afternoon. I was on the ski running safety.
The waves were breaking on the ledge which only happens when it’s big.
Usually its a fun spot, good for turns and long waves, but that day it was angry, barrelling like Cloudbreak.
I saw our guest, Alanna Parra paddle for a big one, I screamed, “GOOOO GOOOOOO” and she went. She made the steep drop and pulled up into the barrel. I didn’t believe it. Nobody gets barrelled like that on the left! When she came out I heard the people cheering on the boat and I said to them, “That’s a perfect 10!”
Tell me, what does it take to catch a wave like that at the Left?
It’s very hard. There was a big current and people on smaller boards were struggling to stay in the spot. Alanna had a great sized board, she looked like she was ready that session to push her limits and that’s exactly what she did.
That wave was a once in a lifetime kind of moment. I’ve been to that wave (Namotu Left) thousands of times and that was the best wave I’ve ever seen at the Left.
There was a big celebration when she caught it, I could hear everyone on the boat shouting for joy. I came over to the boat after I picked up Alanna on the ski and she was filled with emotion. You couldn’t wipe the smile off her face and I could see how much that wave meant to her dad who was there – long time Namotu guest Kevin Parra. I tell you one thing, the camera man (Josh Bystrom) was lucky to be in the spot for that wave. If he missed that shot could be a big problem for him. He might be looking for a new job [laughs….].
Ulai is one of our local surf guides and a key part of the Namotu family.
Words and images by Josh Bystrom.