The Sunrise Boat to Cloudbreak: Nate Zoller Scores In Fiji

Photos by Isaac Zoller

Surfing and words by Nate Zoller

There are few places in this world that stop me in my tracks every time, day in day out. The sunrise boat out to Cloudbreak is at the top of that list. As a surfer it is widely agreed upon that Tavarua island resort is the holy grail of perfection. Nothing to do but think about the surf, eat fresh fish and drink out of coconuts. Us weathered travelers are used to taking trips to the tropics with mosquitos and ceviche you probably shouldn’t eat but are too hungry not to. But the basis of Tavarua's charm is its ability to get you relaxed and in the moment, to focus on one thing: surf.

I pride myself as a surfer's surfer and when the opportunity presented itself to jump on a flight and spend the next 9 weeks as a surf guide on Tavarua, I booked the ticket within minutes. Everything seems like a religious experience in this part of the world. From the airport bus ride with Amit to the mangrove harbor, to the Tavarua boat ride with Namanu, to the Cloudbreak express boat with Aca, it is a series of micro experiences that lead you down the path of surf bliss.

Around 7 weeks into my trip my brother Isaac came out to see what the island and its waves were all about. On day three of his trip we jumped on the early boat, just us two (and Abo the driver) were greeted with clean overhead Cloudbreak with not another soul in sight for hours.

This is what we dreamt of as kids, this is why we surf; to be in the moment and to realize how special nature is, especially the sunrise boat out to Cloudbreak. The type of stuff you never forget.