As surfers in our constant pursuit of the perfect wave, a selfish act at times, it can become all to easy to lose sight of the true spirit of surfing and the associated happiness it brings not only to ourselves but to others. Recently pioneering Australian surfers Peter Noone, Ben Strangways-Dixon and Joseph O’Brien embarked on the adventure of a life time to Papua New Guinea in a quest to bring the life changing joys of surfing to this isolated region. This is their story, words and photos by Peter Noone @peteynoone.
It was August 2017 and I had just walked the Kokoda Track with a few mates. We were then spending a few days at my friend Damacius’ house to recover. He lives in a small village about an hour from Namatanai, in the New Ireland Province of Papua New Guinea. During the course of the stay, Damacius suggested that we come back and teach the locals to surf. He works with young people in the area and wanted to give them a healthy alternative to drugs and alcohol abuse. He thought surfing might give them something productive to spend their time and energy on. At the time, there were zero waves. Barely a ripple. But, as a non-surfer, he assured me that the “tides get big and there are waves in November”. So that was it. That was my local knowledge. On a handshake, I committed to return in November 2018.
I spent the rest of the time looking at the coast line. Trying to find spots that might have a wave, if swell ever got to that part of the island. As we all know, time passes very quickly, so by early January decided I had better start trying to plan the trip. I needed equipment and some support. I couldn’t do it alone. They had nothing there. Fortunately, two good mates, Ben and Joe, were willing to take the risk.
I started trying to collect surfboards. I was hoping to get 10, however, I didn’t expect to receive that many. I used Instagram to get my message out there. I wanted to teach some Papuans to surf and if anyone could assist in any way possible, I would really appreciate it. The response was extraordinary. It was shared by mutual friends and then by people I’d never met. There were so many people that were willing to donate I had to turn people down because I couldn’t guarantee that I could get all the boards there!
The total we took was 27. And then the extras; wetsuits, rashies, wax, leg ropes, fins, board repair kits, fibreglass…whatever we could think of that they might need. When calculating the cost of the excess baggage, we realised that it was cheaper to buy a second plane ticket and take the extra boards as normal checked luggage than to pay for the excess. So we planned to do two trips, the first in November 2018 and then a second trip in 2019.
November came, we boarded the flights and miraculously, all of the boards turned up intact! When we arrived at our destination, we eagerly made our way to the beach to see if there were waves. Not only did they have waves, they had world class, empty perfection firing all day with no one to surf them! Paradise. [Continued below]
We scoured the coast to try and find a safe place to start teaching. As it turns out, almost every wave we found breaks over coral reef. We eventually decided to start in a river mouth with a small wave running in. It was chaotic, but so much fun. The locals, ranging from kids to adults picked up the sport with ease and surfed relentlessly. Over the next several days, we watched them progress so quickly that I was almost slightly disappointed, knowing how hard I worked to pick it up. [Continued below]
We quickly moved to a perfect ‘A frame’ left and right hander just down the road and stayed there every subsequent day. Perfect waves, all day, every day and a light offshore to keep it in pristine condition. The way that they encouraged each other to do better was inspirational. The stoke was shared by everyone, whether on a board or bodysurfing. It was contagious and a beautiful reminder of what surfing can do. As we found out later, there were people from different villages, tribes and religious beliefs who all came together as one community. [Continued below]
By the last day, the swell pulsed to a solid 4ft on the sets and the guys were charging! Out on their foamies, they would not let a wave go by unridden, or at least without an attempt to ride it. The fearless nature of the participants was extraordinary. Despite only have a few feet of water over the reef and solid sets rolling through, they would holler and hoot and call each other in to the waves and embrace the whole situation. After each wipeout, they would crunch their barefooted way back to the take off and try again. Some of the surfing done was beyond belief, considering they had only started a week before. There could be a world champ from PNG yet! [Continued below]
Then came the time to say goodbye. We farewelled each other, knowing we would return in the near future to bring more boards and assist them to progress to more challenging waves. During our time, we realised the potential for surfing as a source of change. It could be a source of income for the local people. We discussed this at different stages and resolved to talk more upon our return. [Continued below]
We returned in March 2019 for an 8 day trip. We worked with a smaller group of guys. Our plan was to teach them so they could then pass on the information to the others. Throughout our stay, it became more apparent that starting a surf resort was not simply a dream, but a real possibility. We explored the areas and assisted with information where we could. It seemed that the idea was taking root. Furthermore, Brendan, one of the main surfers was building a new house so he could see the wave that we spent all our time surfing at. As discussions continued, we talked about the kind of place that would be built, basic expectations, and what it could provide for the local people. We explored ways to ensure that the local people did not lose their identity and that it was run by the locals with profits going directly back into the local community. This could assist with access to food, education and healthcare amongst many other things. [Continued below]
Unfortunately, our time was short and when we left, there was a definite excitement about the potential of starting a business, but nothing concrete. Recently, I received news from Damacius that they had secured land and approval to commence clearing for a surf resort! In our current situation, there are not many places left that are still wild. There aren’t many places to go for a real adventure. Fortunately, PNG is still one of those places. A place where the only way to live is to expect the unexpected. Just go!
Finally, I want to say thank you. Thank you to the local people of New Ireland for inviting and embracing us. We truly feel like family. Thank you to all of those people who so generously gave of their time, money and resources. This would have been completely impossible without you. I want you to know that by your contribution, you can without a doubt say that you have changed someone’s life. [Continued below]