Zachary Keenan Checks in from the South Pacific
Hello everyone,
I have been down here in the South Pacific for almost three months now, and it has been an amazing trip so far. Huge props go out to my good friend for pioneering out to the fringes and setting up his tour business and allowing me to come down here and work for him. I am so grateful for the opportunity to help my friend out with his tours, taking guests out for surfs on the boat, or on snorkel and waterfall trips to the best spots on the island, definitely psyching to see people get so stoked while on their vacations.
The weather has been quite varied, what you would expect for a little speck of green earth floating amongst the vast blue Pacific. The amazing three day stretch of glassy sunny barrels that greeted me upon my arrival returned to the familiar pattern of howling tradewinds with scattered rain squalls and thunderstorms for the next month, but thankfully the sun didn’t stay hidden for too long. This last month though has seen a lot more glassy and clean days, with light offshores and groomed groundswells, the conditions have been quite spectacular. A couple of beautiful reef passes have been delivering the goods, with a peeling left barrel and a wedging backless right to pick from close by, among other fun breaks a little bit more of a mission away.
Doing Work
A couple of recent clean mornings resulted in nice glassy barrels at the left reef pass, with amazing sunrise colors in the sky and rainbow visions out over the ocean, while sharing the lineup with some sea turtles, pretty magical setting to be surrounded by while pulling in with my trunks on, feeling blessed. Enjoying the occasional raking across the reef as well to keep me humble, can’t let too many good barrels go to my head. Getting to surf quality waves on a consistent basis has really helped me get my equipment dialed in, and helped to fill up my memory banks with countless turquoise bubble visions.
Went on a couple of stellar snorkel tours recently, spotting a solid black tip reef shark hiding between coral heads amongst a plethora of colorful fish, along with some epic waterfall hikes with double pools to jump and swim in, enjoying this work for sure. Super stoked to have a couple friends show up too from California and Hawai’i, nice to have familiar faces and friends to hang with for a little visit during my journey.
Psyching on all of the amazing fresh fruit down here, living everyday on coconuts, papayas, and bananas, while mixing in some atemoya and soursop, and making some avocado, bok choy, cabbage, and watercress salads, loving life! Also sampling some traditional local food, a mix of young taro leaves in coconut cream steamed in the aboveground natural oven of hot lava rocks covered by banana leaves (Hawai’ian style emu) and served on a slice of baked taro root, SO good!
I am so grateful to be in such a beautiful place and able to spend so much time in the turquoise ocean. I hope everyone is well and loving life as much as I am, best wishes to all and keep smiling. Stay positive and take care.
Love and Light,
Zachary