Escape Magazine ESCAPE 29 | Page 65

dad then brought the family to the Cook Islands to stay where they had been planning on living. Straight away he got onto the reef breaks, and says, that moment changed everything. “I instantly fell in love with what a reef break was like, and what the waves were like on the reef.” Selam says he was first inspired by a local kid who was already taking on the world’s best in Tahiti. Turns out that Rarotonga based bodyboarder was Dominic Ruther, whose parents run Chillis in Tupapa.“That kid inspired me so much growing up, as he was doing the most amazing things you could see on the reef breaks. The biggest and deepest barrels, just pure skill.” While still a grom, Selam adds, Ruther’s talent drove him to also reach the top in Rarotonga bodyboarding, but after winning a bunch of contests he made the switch to stand-up. Hospital grounds The born-again surfing convert says straight away it gave him a feeling of extra speed and a greater appreciation for the size of the barrel standing up. He immediately stopped bodyboarding and focused all his attention on riding short boards. Selam has let us in on the handful of excellent local breaks that he cut his teeth on, becoming the experienced surfer he is today. At Nikao’s Social Centre beach, known as “Social’s”, is a wave he’s surfed a lot, as well as Rutaki on the southwest, and Matavera on the eastern side of the Island. The various left and right breaking ten plus foot waves afford challenges with differing weather conditions and tides. The best time to surf is usually on the rising tide, he says, but on the dropping tide some breaks can dish up even more powerful barrels. “The wave gets hollower and hollower, because there is less water on the reef, and the barrel gets nice and round.” As someone who likes to push the limits in the surf, Selam admits his boards don’t last long, punishing them to the max on the reef, and says he quickly adapts to whatever shorty he rides. He says on Raro, you don’t get to be really picky when it comes to boards because we snap them like biscuits. “So whatever boards come our way you just have to be flexible and ride whatever you get your hands on, because they’re not going to last long.” When asked if there is rivalry amongst local surfers, Selam says a small group of experienced surfers push each other out on the waves, but without any real competitiveness. “We’re just happy if we all make it out of the water safely without a scratch. More often than not, we take someone to the hospital. So, one day it’s going to be your turn, and you don’t want to be a rival with anyone, cause there’s no point. But we do push the limits. If someone gets a big barrel you’re going to try and get a bigger barrel.” Reflecting on the deep tissue damage, bone fractures, and deep cuts he sustained on his back, hip, and pelvis, after missing an “air drop” and being slammed by a wave onto the reef recently, Selam adds, Rarotonga is not a place you come to learn to ride waves. If you come here to surf, he says you should already be skilled, as straight up you’re on the sharp reef with powerful waves offloading heavy barrels. “So, if you can’t air drop, don’t know how to air drop, you’re looking at being careful.” Air dropping is just one of those things you need under your belt he says, because the wave is square, top to bottom. Being able to radically surf the local Rarotonga breaks means Selam can also smoke it out on one of the world’s most iconic waves, Tahiti’s Teahupoo. Renowned for producing some of the biggest and most powerful barrels on the professional world Kevin - fishing. surf tour, it’s a break that could have made a young Selam turn pro. Back in 2006, the then 21-year-old landed himself in the Tahiti Billabong Pro trials as a wild-card entry, coming up third in the Taapuna Masters, after dispensing some seasoned professional surfers in monster waves. Although Selam says he enjoyed the experience of mixing it up against the best, he never went on to compete at that level again. So, after not hitting the bigtime of world surfing, and settling down with his own family, he naturally fell into his second love of the ocean, fishing, pelagic style. His daily catch of tuna, mahi mahi, wahoo or marlin, supply local hotels and restaurants to satisfy the insatiable seafood appetites of tourists and locals alike. But, when fishing outside the reef, he still keeps one eye on the breaks in the distance, to see if any of his mates are out in the line-up. And, when the waves are pumping, you can’t keep him out of the water on his days off. Selam says he has made the most of his time surfing in Rarotonga, with a few other kids along the way. “The truth is, I’ve just been a lucky guy, fortunate enough to be brought up here with waves like this. And it’s been my surf journey so far. You only take what you can while you’re here. But these waves will keep breaking for the next few million years and there will be many like me that will come and go.” In the meantime, following his last recent serious injury, Selam adds, he gets “to live another day, to ride some more waves, and catch another fish.” And when asked if he’s worried about the gnarly breaks one day not being Rarotonga’s best kept surf secret, he just shakes his head and says visitors are welcome. But adds, when tourists do occasionally bravely paddle out, most end up just watching the locals do their thing on the reef anyway. So, if you’re out cruising around Rarotonga, keep an eye out on the horizon, as you may just spot one of the Island’s secret surf breaks in the distance - with a loan surfer getting another massive barrel. And if they’re flashing a trademark surfer hang-loose hand sign and a massive smile back at you, that will probably be Selam… having “the best day ever”, again. Escape Magazine • 65