New: Handpainted surfboard fins

I have just started making these little beauties and am having loads of fun. I now have a selection for sale on my Etsy store or you can always ask for a custom design if you don't see something to suit your surfboard. What's more, these fins are made from 100% recycled material, to make you feel extra good.
Visit my etsy shop here.

Maldives - Day 7

I had a sleep in til 8 o'clock this morning! We went onto the island last night and watched some locals drumming. Then we were waiting for ever for a dinghy because our crew had all gone to bed. So, nice to have a little lie in. Some of the other girls went out at Cokes this morning, but we watched.

Poor Tamara got hit by a set out there and cut her leg on her fin. Needed three stitches from Gobi: Steward/Chef/Medic. :( Luckily it is the last day, and she will only miss one surf or so. She's disappointed though, but will just take it steady this afternoon.

Surf Session # ??
Great day today! Surfed for four and a half hours or so. Before Lunch and after lunch we surfed til about 5. I had a great noseride in my first session! Technology.... GoPro started playing up because the disk was full. Then the battery went flat. So I'm not sure if that wound up on the video or not.

Nice and small, some nice waves again.  Had countless waves. Caught some set waves and shared three party waves with Mikala which were so fun. Got one of them on vid. Got a hang five on the second ride too, but battery was flat again by then. Great fun getting around the section, except when you don't get around it and then take three waves on the fase :P

Happy Friday!!

It's our last afternoon. It has been fabulous! Hopefully surf early in the morn, before chucking the boards in the bags and then getting our boat to the airport. Waiting around for some dinner and then we'll chill out tonight. Catching a fast boat back to the airport around midday tomorrow. A few dramas trying to sort out our transfer as most of the girls don't fly out til 8pm.

We've surfed so much! We were saying we'd need a break... for at least a week or so. i won't miss the sea lice though. Been so itchy. Just like stingers, I come up in welts.

My patented move

All photos are copyright Hannah Katarski except those reproduced with the permission of Mikala Wilbow Photography. 

Maldives - Day 6, waves

Session #9
After lunch we had another surf at Ninjas. Saw a ninja turtle in the line up. I have so many itchy-bunkers, but it's been worth the stings. So many good waves again today. Can't wait to check the GoPro when I get home. Plus Mikala was in the water today, so some great shots to show for it.

So glad I brought the longboard for the friendlier waves.

Ladies in the line up

The size dropped off during the week.

Party wave with Alanna - until I forgot she was there and cutback :/

How clear is the water?!

We are docked at the Harbour at Cokes again tonight before blasting off somewhere new tomorrow. Very surreal experience having a surf in your cabin after a shower as the boat gets underway and takes us to a new destination. We're all checked in for our Saturday flights and will be home Sunday am. Could easily have done a 10 day trip I reckon. Staying on the boat has been so good!!

Home for tonight

Primo resort

Anchoring the Haira

All photos are copyright Hannah Katarski except those reproduced with the permission of Mikala Wilbow Photography. 

Maldives - Day 6, land

Cokes

This morning for brekkie we had pancakes with lime and sugar, watermelon juice... and an omelette. I forget every morning after I've gorged myself on breakfast and fruit, that Gobi is bringing out eggs. Omelette, fried eggs, poached eggs, scrambled. I'm not used to a three course breakfast! 

Immi's birthday today. Leeann got to talk to her so she was a very happy girl. She got her longest ride ever today, so she's a doubly happy girl.

Mona, from high school phoned our guide today to talk to me! She tracked me down because she recognized the boat on facebook! Seems everyone involved in the tourist industry knows everyone. So with any luck I'll message her and be able to meet up with her at the airport on Saturday! It's been 14 years!

We did another island visit this morning. Had a rest after five hours of surfing yesterday. The break here is called Cokes. So huge and critical. Most people get smashed even on the ones they make! So we just watched nicely. Leeann and I are a bit over the gnarly. We will head back to ninjas later on so we are happy to wait. When we were south earlier on in the week, it was so maxed out here that no one was out.

Checking out Cokes... Maybe not.

View from the bow of the Haira

Clean up set

Cokes Surf Camp

The crew

Walking from town to the break

This group of girls are so much fun. We've had the worst conversations. This is the first all girls trip the guide has done so he's enjoyed all the silly things we talk about! So... there's a hose in the bathroom and on the second day we found out that you can't flush toilet paper on the boat, so we've been refining our spray technique along with a lot of coaching from the guide about hosing and then dabbing/drying with the toilet paper. Hahah. Of course this led to countless questions and toilet humour.

The break isn't particularly easy to get to once on the island

and includes crossing an inlet.

Colours of Cokes

Best seat in the house

Fast right, and urchin covered rocks.

All the doors are decorated

The harbour

Brave wahine out at Cokes