To tow or not to tow, that is the question.
For Koa Rothman, he went with the latter option during Teahupo’o, Tahiti’s recent season-opener swell. However, many surfers opted for the jetski assist – and that sparked the ongoing debate of what warrants a tow wave versus a paddle wave.
On the day of the swell, Rothman was convinced it was going to be a tow day. But, as we previously reported, perhaps the swell was a little bit overhyped.
“Today is the huge, supposed-to-be tow day at Teahupo’o, Tahiti,” Koa said, prepping for the day to come. “We came here to tow, because the forecast is saying that it’s going to be nuts. We’re probably on for a big, big day of surf. This is what we came for.”
But then, once they motored out to the channel at Teahupo’o, Koa’s tow plans went out the window.
“We’re paddling!” he yelled from the ski. “We’re not gonna tow.”
And that’s what he did, despite the tow teams making it a bit difficult for those who opted to paddle. When a surfer is being whipped in via jetski, from all the way out the back, the surfers sitting in the lineup can’t do much but get out of the way.
“There’s, I’d say, 20 tow teams right now,” Koa said. “And it’s perfect for paddling right now. They’re towing smaller waves than we’re paddling.”
Regardless of the tow vs. paddle dilemma, Koa (and everyone else) still snagged some solid tubes, whetting their appetites for the incoming South Pacific surf season.
“We got some sick waves this morning, paddle waves. I just couldn’t bring myself to tow on any of those. It was kinda not big enough, not worth it.
“It was a crazy day, and a bit of a bummer. I saw some of the smallest rides ever towed in out here. But whatever, we’re here. We got barreled. It was a good day.”
As a reminder, the following day saw catastrophic flooding at Teahupo’o; to donate to the relief funds, head here.
Teahupo’o, Tahiti Stats/Info
Wave Type: Lefthand slab
Season: Spring – Fall
Skill Level: Experts only
Best Board to Ride: Shortboard, bodyboard
Ideal Swell Direction: South, Southwest
Access: By boat
Upcoming Events: Shiseido Tahiti Pro (August 11th-20th); Paris 2024 Olympics (July 26th-August 11th, 2024)
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