Hello again!
The drive to Ponta du Ouro took around 13 hours spread over 2 days. Although this sounds like a nightmare in UK, it's half the fun in Mozambique. The terrain is very much rugged and nothing but a 4×4 will get you anywhere. It's a good job Ryan knew where he was going as there are no signs to help you along the way.
Around 20km before Ponta you truly turn off the beaten track on the sand dunes weaving in and out of the bush. This was great fun, with the boards on the roof and the ocean in the distance you truly feel like you're on a surf adventure. Ponta is a different change of seen to Tofo, situated only 8km from the South African boarder and slightly more built up when compared to Tofo.
Kaya Kweru (our accommodation in Ponta) was fantastic, right on the beach front literally a 30 second walk from our beds to the water. We even had a our own little beach break right out front. Having said this, Ponta is most famous for it's mega right hand point break, just a 5 minute walk up the beach. Ponta is a very similar wave to the one in Tofo and on it's day can give you rides up to 400 meters long. Ryan was telling us a story having the waves so good one day that he had to lie back down on his board twice during his ride just to give his legs a rest…. Waves like that only come once in a life time and Ponta is very much capable of them.
We spent the last few days in Ponta polishing off our surf skills with everyone showing a significant improvement with the help of Ryans coaching in the water. Paul Last who hadn't ever surfed before ticket to ride, was riding along the face of the wave even ripping a turn or two by the the end of the trip. Paul (like all of us) is loving his brand new Clayton Surfboard!
Another stand out was Pippa Indewick who stayed on for the Mozambique leg after completing her 6 weeks in South Africa. She was confident going both left and right and being the only girl in the Mozambique group she did the the girls from her South Africa proud!
Unfortunately all good things must come to an end so we headed back to Durban for our final evening before returning home to reality. On the journey back to Durban we reflected on our favourite moments in Mozambique. The stand outs were swimming with Humpback Whales and Whale Sharks (no teeth – so dont panic eyh) in the line up and then there is the pure perfection of a point break with just you and your friends out to enjoy the ride. Magic!!
We all agreed that Mozambique was truly a special place where you are welcomed by the locals to enjoy their tropical paradise. I have been lucky enough to experience all 3 Ticket to Ride Surfing destinations and each trip can be suitably described as the pinnacle of Surf Adventure!
To all the riders I shared my Mozambique experience with, I wish you the best of luck for the future and have no doubt in saying that you will go on to use your surfing skills and live by the memories you picked with Ticket to Ride as you continue to syrf and travel around the globe.
Thank you for reading
Dave