The vast, rippling expanse of blue at Kuta beach, Bali, is peppered with over a 100 surfers. In its midst, Charu Rawat, a financial analyst from Hyderabad, sits patiently on her board, waiting for a wave. In the distance, the surf rises; Rawat quickly clambers up, and cruises the breaker effortlessly. The high, she says, is indescribable. A growing tribe of surfing enthusiasts (and, no, we don’t mean the professionals) are now travelling to catch the perfect wave. From Sri Lanka to Puri and Kovalam to Morocco, vacations pivot on point breaks. “When we started (surfing came to India with Jack Hebner, who founded India’s first surf club, Mantra, in the ’70s), there were just a handful. Today there are close to 200 serious surfers, half of whom compete,” says Rammohan Paranjape, VP - Surfing Federation of India. “During season, a couple of thousand people make their way to surf schools on both coasts. And with more surf festivals now, there is plenty of action” As surfing season opens along the West coast — think Varkala, Mangaluru and Goa, from October through May — we catch up with people who are taking a break from their day jobs to cutback on a surfboard.
Hyderabad
Charu Rawat, financial analyst
Most weeks, Charu Rawat works at a hedge fund company in Hyderabad. But every couple of months, she packs her Roxy rash guards and board shorts and sets out in search of a wave. The 23-year-old takes her passion quite seriously — besides trips to Gokarna, Mulki and Puducherry, she also plans international holidays around surfing. “Once every six months, I travel for 10-15 days and pitch my base somewhere with ample surfing. Right now, my agenda is to travel as much of Asia as I can, and I’ve been to Thailand, Cambodia and Indonesia,” she says, adding that the only exception was Jamaica a little while ago, “where I surfed at the beaches in Oracabessa”.
Rawat first got on a surfboard when she was 10. “My father is in the navy and we were posted in Visakhapatnam when I saw someone riding a wave. I remember thinking it was the coolest thing ever,” she chuckles. Though a transfer to Delhi put her early lessons on hold, moving to Hyderabad two years ago changed everything. “It’s close to the East and the West coast, so the opportunities are more,” says the surfer, who is planning a trip to the Philippines next March, and has Fiji on her to-do list.
When abroad, Rawat looks for places where there are good waves and reasonably-priced surf lessons. “It takes me a day or two to get into it. And as the waves are different in different countries, it helps to have someone help you push through,” she shares. Her trip to Bali has been her best so far: she caught her biggest wave, an 11-footer, there. Of course, as a woman surfer from India, she often raises eyebrows, too. “Most people are still unaware that we have an up and coming surf scene here,” she concludes, stating that she loves breaking the stereotype.
Brand protocol: “Billabong and Quiksilver are the biggies. For more affordable gear, try Adidas or your local Decathlon store. For boards, there’s NSP and Hurley, too.”
Mumbai
Ishani Chaudhary, medical student
For this Mumbai-based post graduate medical student, surfing isn’t a solo passion; rather, it is a family sport. Her family of five — including 50-something surgeon parents and two siblings — hit the waves together. “While in Australia for a medical conference, my mother saw people surfing and decided we must all learn. So the following year, in 2009, we planned a family vacation there,” begins Ishani Chaudhary.
Back home, on the lookout for local surf spots, they discovered Mantra Surf Club in Mulki, Mangaluru, and Arambol in Goa. “This then became our thing. We’d strap a surf board, which we’d picked up in Australia, to the roof of our Innova and drive down for a relaxing yet exciting few days,” she says. In 2014, the family did a Konkan recce, along the west coast of Maharashtra, to find more surf spots. “We found many, but the waves were really big — better suited for professionals.” In the last few years, they have been travelling the world, taking surf vacations — from Sri Lanka and Hawaii to Costa Rica. “The latter was actually for a destination wedding last year, but the family was more excited about the waves than the function,” she smiles. Her last surf break was in Bali this June, where she lived by the beach for a month and surfed.
“I am not an expert, but I can catch my own wave. In Bali, I tried riding six-footers. I often wiped out, but it was exhilarating,” says Chaudhary, who admits to not being a big fan of surfing hotspots like Waikiki in Hawaii or Manly in Sydney, Australia. “It is populated with surfers and the atmosphere is very competitive, with everyone out to get their own wave,” she states. With plans for a surfcation to Mulki next month, and Morocco and Portugal in the pipeline, she says, “The way we look at it, the family who surfs together stays together.”
Beaches to try: “Try the less frequented ones to get great waves and more privacy — like Cascais in Portugal, Rockaway beach in New York City and Taghazout in Morocco.”
Bengaluru
Rajeev Krishnan, techie, investment banking
Twenty years ago, as part of a college adventure club, Rajeev Krishnan first tried surfing in Manipal, Karnataka. Since then, there has been no looking back. Moving to New York shortly thereafter gave him more access to the sport, and he spent most days surfing at East Hampton, Long Island. He also travelled to Hawaii with his family. For Krishnan, vacations was are mostly about riding waves. “It's amazing to surf in Maui; the waves are at regular intervals. And they are almost the same kind — 3 to 4 ft high but gentle.” When he moved back to India, the 45-year-old came across Hebner’s Mantra Surf Club in Mulki, and became a regular. His 13-year-old daughter has also taken to surfing now, competing in the Indian Open of Surfing in Mangaluru earlier this year, reaching the semi-finals. He is now in the process of planning a vacation with his surfing buddies, to the Andamans and Sri Lanka next year.
Money talk: “It’s mainly surf classes you have to pay for, which is around ₹1,000 per day, including a board.”
Vellore
Dr Meet Sheth, ENT surgeon
The 31-year-old surgeon has broken his ribs (a surfboard struck his chest while surfing in Australia) and hurt his back (he fell off his board in Pondicherry), but that hasn’t stopped him from searching for the next big wave. “Surfing is a tough sport, and there is risk of injury. But when you ride a wave, it’s a feeling next to none,” he says. He picked up the basics at multiple surf schools — from Manipal and Goa to Kovalam and Mahabalipuram. “The great thing about it is that anywhere you travel, you have a hobby,” says Sheth, who watches surfing videos to improve his form. His best surfing memory is from a recent trip to Australia. “I surfed at the Gold Coast, riding six-foot waves. I got washed out a few times, but I caught three to four epic waves, so it was totally worth it.” Up next, he is planning a surfcation to Sri Lanka.
Rent culture: “A regular surfer can break a board every six months, so renting is advisable for amateurs. It is also cumbersome to travel with one.”
Chennai
Deepak Kapur, investor and visiting faculty at IIM Indore
“My first memory of surfing is from Archie comics,” begins Deepak Kapur, who tried riding the waves three years ago, at Mulki, Karnataka. Later, a teaching assignment at a management institute along the East Coast Road gave him an opportunity to learn the sport at Kovalam. “I went for seven to eight continuous sessions and that really gave me confidence,” says the 39-year-old. Today, he admits to being so hooked that the last thing he does every night is look at the surf forecast for the next day. “If it’s good, I’m up by 4 am and at the beach by 5 am,” he says. While he has not exclusively travelled to surf yet, he is planning a big trip this year. “Bali is somewhere every surfer hopes to visit,” he says, adding, “I’m waiting to up my level so I can surf in other spots.”
Fitness first: “As surfing is a physically tough sport and requires a lot of core-strength, I work out through the week. I do yoga and strength training.”
Chennai
Karun Ramani, sound engineer
Between his day job as a sound engineer and his music production, Karun Ramani makes time for surfing on the weekends — at Covelong, Varkala and Kovalam in Kerala. But what does one do when tourists and beginners take up all the boards and sea-space? Plan a trip to Sri Lanka, of course. “I started surfing three years ago, but have been seriously into it for the past 18 months. That’s why I took time off, travelling to six different places in Sri Lanka — Hikkaduwa, Midigama, Weligama, Mirissa, Kabalana and Tangalle — just to surf,” he says. While India has an extensive coastline, he feels surfers from the country travel abroad for a number of reasons. “The biggest difference is the availability of products — like clothing and rash guards. There’s also plenty of access to surfboards, and it’s easy to transport them, too. Most rental bikes come with mounts, so you can pack your board and travel along the coast, just surfing.”
No expense spared: “Some of my favourite brands are Volcom, Hurley, Billabong, Rip Curl, RVCA, Vans and Body Glove. They’re expensive, but worth it.”
