Bringing a Surf Board on a Mauritius Holiday
Mauritius is a natural destination for surfing. Well-known for the wave of “Tamarin”, Mauritius is another Indian Ocean surf paradise. The main surf spots in Mauritius are concentrated on the south and south west side of the island. The swell size on Mauritius is generally about 1 m smaller than that on Reunion, this being attributed to the less steep coral reef drop-offs, and the fact that Reunion blocks off the swells moving in a north easterly direction from the Southern Oceans. The best months for surfing are between April and September.
With this in mind, it is but natural for surfers to want to bring their own surfboards to experience the waters of Mauritius. So rather than worry the entire flight about how your surfboard is faring and whether or not the vacation ahead is set to be a good one, the answer lies in packing the surfboard well.
There are several ways to protect your board, so you can arrive ready to disembark and head straight to surfing on your Mauritius holiday.
Buy or borrow a heavy-duty, appropriately sized board bag. Have a bag that is six inches or 15cm longer than your longest board. The additional length leaves room for cushioning. You may wish to get a bag with wheels so that it’s easier to bring with you through long airport queues and getting to and from your accommodations While some people claim you can travel safely without a board bag, it’s debatable and is certainly a moot point when you receive a damaged board at the other end of your flight.
Remove the fins from your board. If you have removable travel fins, it makes good sense to remove them to prevent the possibility of getting caught on surrounding objects. Wrap the removed fins in a towel and keep them with your board, along with the fin key. If you forget the fin key, your efforts are in vain, so double check it is in there before zipping up.
Do not forget to take the old wax off your board. Skipping this step will usually cause your cold water surf wax to melt all over your board bag when you land in the tropics.
Protect the ding prone areas of your board such as the nose and tail. Do this by duct taping items that you’re already traveling with, such as wet-suits, towels, and clothes around the board. Bubble wrap is also a great choice as it is lightweight and cushions impacts well. Bubble wrap with larger bubbles work better for this purpose.
Finally, write “top load” or “fragile” on the bag with a marker or acrylic paint. You’re set to go, reach and enjoy your Mauritius holiday with the board in one piece.