Rediscovering the Joy of Surf

On a sparkling winter morning at Ha'atafu Beach on the northwestern tip of Tongatapu, the Kingdom of Tonga's main island, Sokoi Liava'a crouches on the shore and eyes the building swell with visible excitement. The forecasts that have been buzzing about the beach were right. After a week of flat or messy seas, clean 2-m waves are rolling in. The tall 25-year-old took up surfing eight months ago. He's unemployed now - a friend chips in that this is because Liava'a kept taking sick days to catch waves. Liava'a laughs this off, but without diverting...