chile factors
I’m a surfer from the east of England and I was just wondering if you could give me a little help. I want to go to Chile in November and I need some relevant information. Where do I fly to? How do I get to the best waves i.e. the southern pointbreaks? How much is accommodation and food over there.
Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Chris via carvemag.com

Chile is a great place. Nice people, good waves and relatively easy travel. You'll need to know some Spanish though. Fly into Santiago and head south, or way up north, and enjoy! Check which carriers will take surfboards without any extra charge as some will try and rip you off. Ask about travel tickets ‘Explorers’ that will let you have internal flights as well. The Chilean currency is the peso but they also accept US dollars. Accommodation is plentiful for backpackers but varies in price. There are loads of buses which are really reliable, safe and quite clean. They are the easiest way to get around and will take your board. Hire cars are expensive. Check the Lonely Planet guidebook for more info.

For details about waves check out the World Stormrider Guide (you can get one online at Carvemag.com) it'll tell you everything you need to know. The waves we scored on a Carve trip are pictured on the opening South America spread! - SE

HEADING FOR HAWAII
I'm not sure if you're the people to ask about surfing advice but as one of the few decent surf mags out there I didn't really have many other places to turn. I have recently had the good fortune of becoming employed by the University of Hawaii, doing my chosen subject of Oceanography — a dream come true without a doubt. But now the reality is starting to dawn on me that I'm going to be hitting Oahu just before winter. I'm not a beginner, but what I need is some good down-to-earth advice on things like boards, and the beaches I should surf. I'm going to be out there for at least a year, so I don't need to rush into anything (i.e. Backdoor!) Any advice would be appreciated.
Oliver, via e-mail

Get ready to swim for your life! That’s our advice. Get fit and learn how to hold your breath for a very long time! Actually there are plenty of breaks on the various coasts that don’t require Greg Noll’s brass nads to take on (for detailed info get The Surfer’s Guide To Hawaii; see ad on page 110), but it’ll pay to be at peak fitness when you arrive. The waves in Hawaii are the most powerful in the world so it’ll take a little time to get used to them. Check out a few breaks, decide which you’re able to surf, then stick with them until you really get to know them and the local crew. As far as boards are concerned, buy them over there. Check out the surf shops in Haleiwa — they have a wide range of new and secondhand boards and you’ll be able to get lots of helpful advice from the shop assistant. Good luck! —SE

WHATEVER FLOATS YOUR BOAT
Me and my mates want to organise a surf trip on a sailing boat. Could you point me in the direction of some good websites? We’d like to find something fairly cheap, but there will be loads of us as it’s a Plymouth Uni’ reunion. Any help would be cool.
Paul Bettelley, via CarveMag.com

Visit The Surf Travel Company’s website at www.surftravel.com.au for a full range of Pacific and Indian Ocean trips; sometimes they do discounts on early or late season bookings. Also try Wave Hunters at www.wavehunters.com — they operate a luxury catamaran called Freedom which is crewed by some of the Jersey lads; it sails around some of the more remote regions of the Mentawais so you’re less likely to bump into other charter boats. — SE

“CAN I SHRED IN THE MED?”
Ever since I got the idea of going surfing in Europe in my head, I can’t stop thinking about it. I’m just a skint student but I really want to get out there this summer! I'm basically a total beginner and unfortunately I don’t have any surfer friends who I could tag along with. But I'd really love to get out there ASAP! So where can I go? Is Europe a bad idea at this stage in my learning curve? Also, I'm just learning Italian and have relatives there, so if there was somewhere in Italy that would be ideal! My uncle doesn't seem to think you can surf in Italy. Please tell me he's wrong!
Thanks so much for your help!
Emily, via CarveMag.com

It’s cool to travel whatever your ability, and the good news is that when you’re a student it’s really cheap! You’ll find tons of info at the Student Travel Centre on your campus, and you’ll be able to get a student travel card which will get you lots of discounts. They will also have advice for women travelling abroad alone, if that’s the route you want to take. Personally I think it’s much more fun to travel with a couple of mates and the best way to meet other surfers is to join your university surf club; most uni’s have one these days, even the inland ones, so ask at the Students Union and find out. There is surf in Italy, but it’s very inconsistent; you may score a few days of rideable surf per fortnight...or you may get completely skunked. Get yourself a copy of the Stormrider Guide To Europe if you want to find out more. France is a much safer bet for waves in the summer, or you could try southwest Portugal (cheap flights to Faro, plenty of nightlife and some great surf on the Atlantic coast). Both countries have English-speaking surf schools where you can get proper tuition — try The Surf Experience (www.surf-experience.com) or Wave Tours (www.wavetours.com). Just remember that the waves in those countries tend to be more powerful than those we get here. Stay safe and have fun! —SE

IS THERE SURF ON CYPRUS?
I’m a solder in the British Army currently serving in Northern Ireland for six months. My next posting is to Cyprus and I’d like to know if there’s any possibility of surf there, and if so where? After Cyprus I’m going to do six months in the Falklands, which hopefully will give me a chance to catch some big Antarctic swells. That’s if the headsheds (Army talk) let me take my board. Thanks for the advice, and for a great mag.
Craig, Armagh, Northern Ireland

Take your board Craig, because you should definitely be able to score a few waves in Cyprus. Although relatively small, the Mediterranean has enough fetch to generate waves up to five or six feet when there’s a strong westerly wind blowing. Israel and Italy both get quite a bit of surf during the winter, so there’s no reason why Cyprus shouldn’t too. The beaches on the west facing coast will probably be your best bet, and the geology of the Paphos area suggests there could be a few reefs there. Let us know if you find anything. — CP

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