Morning Set Waves, Tavarua

Tavarua, Fiji seascape surf painting, available as a Limited Edition Giclee Print signed and numbered by the artist, Caroline Zimmermann.

Heart-shaped indeed, Tavarua is an island like no other I have been to. Much like a beautiful star in a distant sky, I often imagined what it was like to be on one of those thousands of pristine tropical islands that grace our seven seas. The Fijians are well aware of the beauty of their islands, and we were so fortunate to be able to visit there many moons ago. We were invited to cover a surf contest, which included master surfers Tom Curren, Gerry Lopez and Shaun Tomson – that tells you how long ago it was. 

"Morning Set Waves" is a recollection of a sunrise walk I took around the island when all was quiet after a night of typical Fijian feasting and kava drinking.There is nothing like a walk on the beach at sunrise... any beach. The shoreline is swept clean, there are no traces of the previous day's trespassers... just the smell and sounds of a morning tide coming in or going out. One of the simplest pleasures in my Life is to beach comb at dawn. Alone with the majesty of the great sea, looking for last night's swept up treasures, be it flotsam, jetsam, beautiful shells or the occasional piece of heart-shaped coral. 

Now this part of the world is not without its edge: In all my travels I have learned that Paradise of any kind would not be complete without some little menace or terror or… in this case, venomous sea snakes.

Yikes! We were told to fear not: they are nocturnal, only feed out in the waters at night and there are no known incidents of sea snake bites. I’ve heard it said that their mouths are too small to bite a human, they could get their fangs around your pinkie finger, but I dismissed that thought. What I discovered in my pre-dawn venture was that the snakes return to land before sunrise to sleep during the day. Fortunately I don't have a visceral fear of snakes, so when I did see their beautiful imprints on the fresh sand I followed them up into the palm groves to where they slept... at the foot of the resort’s power generator! There they were, all cozy and snoozing away, heaps of still black & white striped glistening serpents lying like lap dogs in front of a fireplace. They paid me no mind as I marveled at their beautiful patterns, from a distance of course, I was not willing to disturb them. After a few minutes, my curiosity completely satisfied, I left them in peace and continued my walk.

The sun was higher as I rounded the turn to the east side of the island on the way to Restaurant's, the local surf break. None of the other guests had yet awakened, but once again I was startled by a presence...in amongst the shrubbery, sitting alone, I saw someone, seated, in lotus position, facing the surf. It was Gerry Lopez was practicing his Pranayama breathing with his face, Buddha-like, bathed in the rising sun. He was the epitome of peace & serenity. No snakes would dare bother him, nor would I, and walked on. Now the surf was coming up! It was a beautiful, clean swell and the wind just right…now my heart raced. I returned to our cabana and grabbed my board. My stomach in a nervous knot, I would skip breakfast and feast after I had caught some waves out at Restaurant’s. I knew better to catch a few as the swell was increasing, the tide still high. By mid day the waves were much too big for me, with great excitement they held the contest as the tide went out. At low tide, Restaurant’s reef is horrifying, exposed and vicious, the coral’s bite as savage as any snake’s fangs could be. Only the experts, or those who did not know better dared brave the waves. I was content to watch, sketch with watercolors, and continue to take my walks on the beach, always glancing inland, mindful of the content and slumbering serpents.

Nature Sublime! Tremendous waves or dangerous reptiles, I never cease to be amazed by the wonder and beauty of it all!

Caroline Zimmermann