PNG - Nusa Island Retreat (Kavieng)

[312T4]

Hello there,

first of all thank you for all your past advises.

I've spent a week in PNG and it was fantastic.
The trip itself from Brisbane is short and easy enough so that even carrying longboards it wasn't too much of a pain.
The retreat is great, as good as in the pictures. Bungalows are amazing and food is good.

Surf boats go out every 2 hours from 6am to 4pm. You just have a chat with the boat manager, see what you like and arrange it with your mates or other surfers. We went out twice a day almost every day .

It was our first time surfing on the reef so we didn't know what to expect.
NIR has 6 spots nearby, both left and right. Two are kind of nasty, the others were ok. Long long in particular is a long right that reminded me of surfing National Park in Noosa, QLD.
We didn't get big swells. It was about from 2/3 to 6/7ft, very variable.
We got plenty of waves.

Kavieng has a surf cap restriction to 20 surfers a day. You have to register before hand. If you book with an agency you don't have to do anything. The restriction (for tourists) is a blessing! It should be used everywhere!
Only once we got to be 12 surfers in one spot, but scettered on 3 peaks.
Twice I surfed alone!!
Most of the time we were 3 longboarders, while shortboarders were somewhere else.

I'd definitely recommend this place. It's not cheap, but the price and the surf cap keep trash away, you know what I mean.

[312T4]

ps: quick link to my blog here: http://serendipitysurf.blogspot.com.au/

[RinkyDink]

Thanks for leaving a review. Sounds like a great trip. I have a few questions for you. Do the boats that take you to the break drop you off and leave or do they stick around? What were the currents like? Did you have to constantly paddle to stay in one place? Was paddling into shore easy to do or even possible? If you needed a rescue, what kind of emergency services were available? How was the food? What did you do when you weren't surfing? Were there things to do and see outside of surfing? Thanks again for leaving some info.

[dtc]

Great to hear from you again. Everyone I know who has been to Nusa Island has had a great time. Have to add it to my birthday wish list

[surf patrol]

It's great to hear you had a good trip, thanks for posting the update.

[312T4]

Hello RinkyDink,
here's my answers:

Do the boats that take you to the break drop you off and leave or do they stick around?
They stick around. They are driven by local boys and if surf is good they surf with you. They are good surfers and super fun.
If surf is average they wait on the boat.
What were the currents like? Did you have to constantly paddle to stay in one place?
There was a bit of constant rip along the reef taking you out to sea. We had to paddle back every few minutes. But as mentioned we didn't score big swell and I didn't find it a problem at all. In similar conditions the Gold Coast has a much more powerful rip going north.
Was paddling into shore easy to do or even possible?
I'm not sure what you mean. You surf in front of islands. You could catch some white water and "land" on the reef than walk to the shore. If you must. You could also paddle around the islands and toward mainland, which is near. Again, if you must!
If you needed a rescue, what kind of emergency services were available?
Rescue would be the boat waiting 50m from the breaks. Then 10 minutes rides to mainland, then 5min car to the hospital.
That's the reason we didn't surf 2 spots with shallow/sharp reef and tubing waves. All the others are fun. We had longboards!
How was the food?
Good!
What did you do when you weren't surfing? Were there things to do and see outside of surfing?
You can snorkel, scuba dive, do the walks, arrange some day trips. Relax. I had food and slept when not surfing. That's all. No clubs, no easy sex. If you need party, than that's the wrong place.

[jaffa1949]

Good reporting , Kavieng has been on my bucket list for a while. In another time on another reef off another island I surfed off Port Moresby.
Very happy that all NewGuinea surf camps have taken beneficial responsibility for their surf and the people who,live nearby!

Nice Jaffa

[RinkyDink]

Hello RinkyDink,
here's my answers:

Great post, thanks.