Monthly Archive for October, 2013

Hauling across the waves of Arugam Bay

Published on 24/10/2013 in Arugam Surf Club, Arugambay Surf Club, Blogs, Facebook Fan Club: Arugam Surf, front page, surf, Surf Federation News and the bay. 0 Comments

The Sunday Times:

Well before the sun makes its patient ascent into the skya??s magnificent canvas of crimson, blue and white, Gabriel Villarana??s silhouette is etched against Arugam Baya??s Zoloft versus generic think sand dunes.

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Ready for the swell in Arugam's crystal clear waters

With his sleek surf board tucked like a wand under his arm, one of the worlda??s top surf stars makes a beeline to the brilliant blue sea, to conjure his unique magic on the rising tide.

Gliding majestically across the waves, Gabriel evokes two powerful and distinctly different emotions.

First there is the passion which seems to constantly linger over him during his entire time in the water, mottled with boyish exuberance and excitement.

And then a sort of naked aggression, present in each graceful twist of his lithe and muscle-bound body, as he battles to master the raging waters.

The 29-year-old Peruvian has now had plenty of opportunities to size up the seas of Arugam Bay and has seemingly blended seamlessly with its surroundings.

When he first arrived at the popular surf destination in 2010 for official competition, Gabriel realised that the waters near A-Bay possessed huge potential for the adrenaline-fueled acrobatic maneuvers he regularly pulls off.

This understanding prompted Gabriel to respond positively when Red Bull searched its pool of surfers for a suitable candidate to lead its Local Hero Tour in Sri Lanka and the Maldives, and unearth a top surfer from each country.

a??When they asked for a volunteer athlete from Red Bull I was like, a??Yea I want to comea??.

Thata??s why it is so important to have international contests because then you show the world that you guys have good waves and a nice country,a?? Gabriel explains.

Gabriel quickly re-immersed himself in the waters and ways of Arugam Bay, mentoring the gifted local surfers on the finer points of the sport while grabbing every possible chance to test his own considerable powers in the waters.

His artistry at the crest of each wave and his rugged good looks easily communicate why Gabriel is such a top-ranked surfer on the international circuit as well as a global poster child for the sport.

His fearlessness while surfing is exemplified by his regular participation in Big Wave events, which pit participants against tsunami-sized walls of water.

Surf sites across the internet are littered with videos of Gabriel navigating these gigantic waves, which would leave most people paralyzed with fear.

For Gabriel though, these monstrous bodies of water are enormous caches of adrenaline and once on them he is a sight to behold.

His arms confidently outstretched and eyes aflame with focus, he waits crouched in anticipation for the right moment to unleash his own flood of creativity.

Back at Arugam Bay, the waves, although smaller, propose their own unique field of obstacles to Gabriel and a battalion of other surfers from Sri Lanka and the rest of the world.

“Ita??s a really good wave. Ita??s a proper wave. Ita??s long and has good sections which you can do a lot of stuff on. Ita??s really hard to find a wave like this. There is a lot of potential here and a lot of potential for the near future,a?? Gabriel opines.

This environment has fashioned a fine bevy of Lankan surfers, and the Red Bull Local Hero Tour threw a bright spotlight on the best of them.

After several rounds of competition and a series of lectures from Gabriel, Praneeth Sadaruwan was crowned the countrya??s Local Hero, after he was found to be the surfer who demonstrated the most promise in the water while also proving to be the most receptive to the advice given.

Praneeth, who is now in the Maldives with Gabriel helping him search for their Local Hero, says that he benefited greatly from Gabriela??s guidance and would continue to adorn his style and preparation with the technical nuggets and training tips he received.

a??Everyone learnt a lot from Gabriel. He kept saying youa??re doing good but you need to keep trying new things and do them properly. So he taught us very well,a?? Praneeth revealed.

After he is done with the pristine beaches of the Maldives, Gabriel will pick up his board and head back into Big Wave competition in his continual quest for the perfect wave and a top place finish.

“The Big Wave event has five contests a year with the biggest waves in the world. Right now Ia??m in the top six in the world and in the near future I would like to make it into top three and eventually go on to win the title.a??

His career is likely to haul him across varying pattern of waves, cultures and people.

If the unrestrained love he expresses for the Arugam Bay surfing landscape is a suitable barometer for his future travel plans, Sri Lanka is likely to see a lot more of Gabriel Villaran and his exhilarating brand of surfing.

http://www.sundaytimes.lk/sport-news/35650-surfing-hauling-across-the-varying-pattern-of-waves-of-arugam-bay.html

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Arugam Bay: An exotic, eclectic experience

Published on 20/10/2013 in From our own Correspondent, front page and Traveler's Reports. 0 Comments

Clozaril online

By David Stephens
Why travellers from around the world flock to this surfersa?? paradise

The unusually large waves, bellowing like blue behemoths performing a roaring symphony to an enraptured audience of the suna??s finest rays, draped in gold and crimson garments.

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Sun RISE at Arugam Bay

The droves of surfers, carrying their sea-scarred boards along the deep dunes while gazing toward the water in anticipation of the battles ahead. The uncomplicated cabanas and roadside shops, filled with people wearing bright smiles and colourful beachwear. Nothing at Arugam Bay seems normal to an outsider. It is as though someone switched channels on life and brought the volume down by several decibels.

Yet ironically, it is the outsider who has essentially built and come to define this quaint little beachside community, a few kilometres from the town of Pottuvil. Following the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, much of Arugam Bay, known locally as Ullai, was left in ruins. With its infrastructure in shambles, Arugam Bay banked on its reputation as a surfing hotspot with foreign visitors to rebuild.

As it turned out, this strategy did not just resuscitate local life, but imbued it with a fresh dimension as travellers from all parts of the world, who flocked to Arugam Baya??s pristine beaches, transformed it into one of the worlda??s top surfing destinations.
In a way, according to a cook at one of the many compact restaurants that line the main road (who, in line with the skewed reality of the area, is an economics graduate), these events also isolated Arugam Bay from the rest of the country.
This is felt keenly in every aspect of life here. A careful glance in any direction will quickly reveal to you a large and diverse international population. For the majority of them Arugam Bay is now a regular exotic retreat, a place with which they have integrated seamlessly. Along the beach it is not at all unusual to see Sri Lankans and tourists from everywhere between Australia and America engaged in the animated conversation which only blossoms between close friends.

Getting ready to ride the waves

Along the beach this deep familiarity and friendship is even more conspicuous as local and visiting surfers exchange opinions on the waves and surf techniques as well as personal anecdotes. Their echoes of laughter crescendo with the slap of a back, thigh or arm, a familial gesture in an atmosphere of acceptance. There is an electrifying bolt of camaraderie, which surges as high as the tide, whenever someone, who pulls off a masterful sequence of manoeuvres in the water, is applauded.
After an exhausting spell amidst the waves, most surfers gather at the small restaurant housed at the main Surf Point, the principal battleground where the water is at its most violent.

The sparsely furnished yet charming eating house opens out on to the Surf Point in a way where it has become an essential part of it, a recuperation zone where surfers take stock of their daya??s performance while refuelling for another run of the waves.

Away from this central hubbub, in a quieter corner of the main surfing area, 15-year-old Dixon cradles a board almost thrice his size as he trots enthusiastically through the watera??s white wake. Although particularly pint-sized for his age, Dixon sheds his diminutive stature once he weaves his way among the seaa??s mighty ridges and caverns. With his body tilted, arms aloft and face twisted in concentration, Dixon transforms himself into Prospero, conjuring up a magical repertoire through his board to tame the encroaching tempest.

Although most of life at Arugam Bay is shrouded in a mist of friendship, understanding and respect, it does possess an exploitative underbelly. The main manifestation of this is the exorbitant pricing of food, lodging and transport. Do not be surprised if a plate of rice and curry sets you back over Rs. 1,000 or a ride of a few kilometres from the beach in a tuk-tuk lightens your purse by more than that amount.

But looking away from the huge rippling waves with their hordes of surfers and the crass capitalism of some establishments and individuals, there is one more mask on Arugam Baya??s eclectic visage: a unique nightlife.

By 11.30 p.m. on a Saturday night, beachside clubs are packed like a can of sardines. With strobe lights flashing, beautiful and exotic women gyrating and bare-chested, long-haired Lotharios bordering the dance floor, Arugam Baya??s nocturnal haunts are oftentimes more alive than any of Colomboa??s.

Yet there is no sense of superficiality, no intoxicating clouds of perfume and cologne, no judgmental glances or legions dressed in their Sunday best. There is just music, dancing, conversation and uninhibited fun. You are free to be yourself and are toasted for it.

In a way that pretty much is the underlying philosophy of the entire Arugam Bay experience. It is a soothing brew which calms your senses and speaks to your soul. And much like the cascading waves and procession of picturesque sunsets, it is easily accessible to anyone who wishes to find it.

source:

http://www.sundaytimes.lk/131020/plus/arugam-bay-an-exotic-eclectic-experience-66102.html

Invest? In Asia’s No.1 Resort of the Future?

Published on 04/10/2013 in Facebook Fan Club: Arugam Surf, From our own Correspondent, front page, Ideas, Money Matters and services. 0 Comments

There is NO doubt that many investment opportunities exists on Sri Lanka’s under developed East Coast.
We are certain, that this area has our island’s greatest potential.
And everyone will do well here, specially at ARUGAM BAY
We are often asked to assist in finding investors.

Our mission is to support some small business in the Bay.
(But we are also concerned about investor’s safety & security)
Here is – without our own comment – the most recent and also rather professional one: How much dilantin is fatal

Investment offer.

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This is a matter purely between you and the advertisers!

For confidential, impartial & non commercially minded advice contact:
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