Tonga Riki
There is nowhere on earth that can match the bay of Tonga Riki on the south-east coast of Rapa Nui. On a bright autumn morning, we are waiting for the RFWO to appear on the horizon. The bay is also known for having one of the island’s most spectacular line ups. The large and stunning horse-shoe shaped bay marked by lava rocks on one side and thousand feet high cliffs on the other melts into a fluorescent green pasture where wild horses play. In the background, Rano Raraku volcano stands proudly in front of the intense look of fifteen, ten meter high Moai that are perfectly lined up, a few meters from the shore line. These mysterious and huge sculptures, most likely representing the ancestors of the community complete a scene that would give chicken skin to any visitor before they can take their first selfie. That is a statement on how powerful the scenery is! Nonetheless what makes Tonga Riki, for us surfers, the spot with the most “Mana“ on earth (energy or force in Hawaiian) is that, on the right south swell, a long right hander with a steep drop over shallow rocks would handle any size while peeling across the bay. The short and intense left on the other side of the peak is only manageable when smaller.
