Are pioneers really pioneers?

Simba, I might be able to help out with a bit more info about Tavarua. I did a few trips there in the mid 80's & asked a lot of questions about who discovered it etc. I was told that Dave Clarke was a school teacher in Samoa & was told by a yachtie (sounds like John Ritter) about the waves & that many yachties had dropped in over the years. Dave then told Scott Funk about it when they exchanged 'secret' spots, Scott had found waves at Isla Natividad, I know who benefited most in that swap!
Whilst I'm sure John Ritter did surf Cloudbreak/Restaurants in 1978, was he the first, sounds a bit late(?) Fiji has been a tourist destination for ages, big cruise ships come in through the reef pass just South of Cloudbreak enroute to Lautoka & many international flights to Nadi fly past with a birdseye view of the whole setup there. Apparently Tavarua had been bypassed many years earlier (than Clarke/Funk camp) for use as a resort island, like many in close proximity, due to the wave action in the lagoon. I'm thinking there would be too many eyewitnesses to keep it a secret that long.
I heard John Roseman was a cashed up regular visitor that loved the place so much he wanted to buy in.

Hi Gasher yeah who knows really who was the first to surf Tavarua but like all stories they must start somewhere and i havent heard of any one claiming to have surfed it earlier than 78 ....yet.....anyway your story is pretty much the same as ive heard,lucky bastards but to give them credit they also made it happen....the old story ...to keep it a secret or take control of it ie Pasta point,Tavarua....etc all pioneer stuff.

Hey Gasher,

Yeah but you can be in close proximity and not know it's there. Bill Finnegan says as much in Barbarian Days; he and Bryan di Salvatore camped on Tavarua island many times, surfing Restaurants every time it broke, and they had no idea Cloudbreak was there. 

Also, when I was surfing Cloudbreak last July I got chatting to an old yachtie who sailed through Fiji a few times in the 70s and also missed Cloudbreak. 

Also, off topic: what are the odds that of all the tens of thousands of reef passes in Fiji, the two best ones (by a long shot) would lay right next to each other?

Considering the whole Yasawa chain and western fringe reef traps a lot of water . Its a fair no brainer that the best reef pass would also have the strongest currents . When i first went to Fiji in the 90's , i had no idea where Cloudbreak was , i didn't ask anyone - hence know anyone that had been .
I looked at the map , knew the size of the island would increase its trade winds so pretty much decided to stay as close to the SW tip as possible . Just Nth enough to be protected from the strongest trades .
Its not exactly a spot that would ever be categorised as remotely secret . The miracle of it being open in to a narrow window or refracted - greater circle path swell that can often be invigorated by an ECL is the real miracle here . Truly unique . But its not alone , watch the WAM charts .

Yeah Simba, of course until anyone has evidence to the contrary John & his mate are the first, I'm just very surprised at how late that seems & Stunet I'll check out that book, sounds like a good read. With the benefit of hindsight... how the hell could you miss Cloudbreak but spot Restaurants!