Carpe Vita Is The Surf Charter Fit For Surfing Legends
Built by some of the most experienced Maldivian craftsmen, this luxurious 38m (125ft.) charter boat is all about full service surf and dive experiences in the Maldives. When we give our surf ambassadors the pick the fleet for cruising around and surfing their way through the Maldives, from Barton Lynch to Bob McTavish, Matt Griggs and Taylor Knox they all choose the Carpe Vita.
An 18.5m (61ft.) Dhoni tender accompanies the Carpe Vita to shuttle your entire crew from the main boat to the spot of the day in comfort, with a 4.5m (15ft.) dinghy to drop surfers off as close as possible to the reef. Although, the captains and surf guides rotate between the Carpe Vita and its sister boats the Carpe Diem and Carpe Novo, they are all amongst the most experienced in the Maldives charter fleet and will make sure you’re surfing the best possible conditions on the day.
Of course, the boat offers all the modern comforts, spacious air-conditioned cabins, indoor and outdoor lounge areas, full bar, dining room, flat screen TV, DVD and surround sound. Non-surfing family members are well looked after with plenty of activities, including snorkeling, diving and relaxing in the rooftop spa. With two talented chefs dishing up a mix of Asian and Western dishes everyone loves the wining and dining experience, too. As far as the actual surfing is concerned, as the list of surfing royalty who’ve been aboard can attests the Carpe Vita truly caters to all but complete beginning surfers.
Legendary longboarder and shaper Bob McTavish describes one of his experiences aboard saying, “NEVER have I seen waves as good as my last trip to the Maldives!
Ruler edge perfection, 4 guys from our boat only ones out. The famous Maldivian water was so clear that as each set approached, the coral scrolled up the face as clear hi-def. The wave had already peeled 200 meters down the point, but this end section was so friendly, so welcoming. Drop in, top turn for speed, accelerate down the reef as maximum speed, and the bowl threw out a perfect thin lip you should reach out and trail your fingers in it. The coral below was perfect, if a touch scary, but then you were spat out into a sand bottom channel in kerosene coloured water. Hair dry. Paddle back up the point. Plunge in to cool off a bit, as the next set came wheeling down the point.
“I just love being on the boat, the Carpe Vita to me is the best thing ever… the concept of having nothing to do, just surf and hunt perfect waves, to me that is living. I’ve been to all these contests and competed and travelled my brains out, now I just want to chill and surf perfect waves and make up for what I didn’t get to do before. That’s why, when the opportunity came to host these kinds of trips, I was pretty stoked and thought – let’s do that! I remember the first trip, I didn’t know what to expect when you put 12 different people together you’ve never met, but everyone on that trip just got along so well. I don’t know whether it was because they were all great people and so we got on so well, or if it was that common froth and excitement to be on that boat and surf perfect waves that we all had… Holly was teaching yoga. So, we’d get up every morning and all be on the deck doing yoga as the sun was rising. Then we’d hit the water for surfing. Finish the session, get back on the boat, enjoy the breakfast, lay down for a bit, do some coaching and go surfing again. Then have lunch, rest up some more, go surfing again, have dinner, talk story and go to bed. Heaven!”
And last but definitely not least, former Top 5 surfer on the World Championship Tour and winner of the Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy, Taylor Knox knows a thing or two about competition and surfing in the Maldives. He and another former pro turned high-performance coach to the stars, Matt Griggs now host their Nature of Success tour events on the Carpe Vita. Immerse yourself in daily Kelee Meditation, as well as surf and life coaching as you float from spot to spot in the lap of luxury with nothing but time on your hands…above and below 50 shades of blue with the most precious of all ingredients… Time to surf, dive, read and reflect on your personal and professional life and create the actions for change with the help of your coaches.
No matter with whom you may find yourself sharing the best breaks in the Maldives, aboard the Carpe Vita it will surely be the experience of a lifetime.
All photos by Andy Potts
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