A Sri Lankan Soiree: Surfing Madiha Left

We were approximately two months into our Indonesian extravaganza when we heard rumblings of the potential for a Sri Lankan soiree. Jules (AKA Possum), had served out his suit-and-tie sentence in the hustle and bustle of London, shifting his focus to flip-flops and tropical waters. His wandering eye had settled comfortably on the island of Sri Lanka.

Possum is a minimalist, opting for a backpack over a suitcase irrespective of the length and diversity of his travels. In a similar vein, he hates to spend money unnecessarily and went to work securing a volunteering job at one of Sri Lanka’s premium party destinations, The Doctors House. It was at this point that we received word from Jules, urging us to trade perfection for inferior waves and superior dance floors. Confident that one more month in the Mentawai’s would be sufficient to satiate our craving for immaculate surf, we jumped at the opportunity.

(Possum, a long way from London)

We flew out of Padang a month later, feeling, as predicted, that we’d met our quota of high quality surf. We landed in Colombo later that evening. The usual hum of international airports was replaced by an eerie silence, undoubtedly a symptom of the country's economic and political turmoil. Dave and I looked at each other, curious how the desolate landscape would transform as we neared our final destination. A three hour taxi ride brought us to Mirissa, our final destination, and home to Sri Lanka’s best left hand surf break. We greeted Possum, devoured pizza’s and made way to our empty six bed dorm. We woke the next morning to a windswept sea and an empty hostel. It was a combination in stark contrast to what we had hoped to find and we began nervously discussing our expectations for the next three weeks. “shit bru, it’s pretty quite hey,” said Dave. “Ya bru,” I agreed. “Chilled though, it’ll be nice to cruise and take it easy” Dave continued. “No doubt,” I said, “and I’m sure things will pick up soon!”.

(Taking it slow with Possum)

The first week was slow, with few tourists and much rain. We took the time to explore the area, finding a local curry restaurant that would serve as our alternative to the western style burgers and Pizza’s that were the staple of our hostel.

(Some Local graze)

In addition, we used the time to familiarise ourselves with the left-hand reef break known as Madiha left. The wave was a short, two minute scooter ride from the hostel and was suggested to be one of, if not the best wave in the area. The winds were strong and onshore, masking the break’s full potential but we were able to gain a sufficient understanding of the wave’s mechanics. Peaking on the outside, Madiha left provides an easy roll-in before standing up on a shallow inside section, allowing for two or three critical manoeuvres. The wave then typically closes out over thirty centimetres of water, forcing you to sacrifice an enticing end section for the sake of your skin.

(En route to Madiha Left)

Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on which way you look at it, the winds died off as the tourists filled into the area and the nightlife began. Starved of virtually all opportunities to socialise in the remote islands of Indonesia, we prioritised late nights over early mornings. And although many promises were made to wake and surf before 9 am, numerous glassy mornings went begging.

(The night before a glassy sea went begging)

Eventually, with a promising forecast and after many a late night, we committed to an early surf. Luckily for us, we’d picked the best day yet. The swell was coming from the south west, a direction we were told improved the shape of the wave, cupping it out and facilitating several turns. On top of that, the wind was non-existent. We jumped in the water at around 8:30 that morning, taking full advantage of the glassy conditions and improved wave-shape. Thankfully, we’d had the foresight to contact a local videographer, sensing that this would be our best opportunity to gather high quality footage from our time in Sri Lanka. The guy was a legend, giving us free clips of Jules and filming for over three hours, resulting in the clip above. We hope this entices you to enter the turtle infested waters of Sri Lanka and prioritise the odd early morning over late nights!