The Eco Surfari Expedition
Our plan is simple - to paddle the northern edge of the Turks and Caicos islands on standup
surfboards, catching our food along the way, camping on remote islands, and exploring the natural beauty
in a eco-friendly and original way. This pioneering adventure has never been done before, and will be one
of the longest distances ever covered on standup surfboards. We’ll troll a lure behind us to catch fish,
freedive using only a mask to catch conch and lobster, and catch open ocean swells using only our muscle
power and endurance to cover the over 40 miles of ocean wilderness. The Turks and Caicos are ideal for
such an adventure, a tropical paradise of blue water, vibrant ecosystems, untouched islands, empty reef
passes, steady tradewinds, and friendly people.
Total Distance - approximately 40 Miles
PAUL MENTA
Home: Key West, Florida
Currently building a house in the Turks and Caicos
Birthdate: March 1, 1966
Profession: Professional Kiteboarder, Master Instructor for PASA (trains kiteboarding instructors), Chef
Accomplishments Red Bull Team for World Record Distance Run on a kite from Key West to Cuba
Narrator and Personality in "Into The Air" Movie,
shown all over the world
Writer and Advisor for:
Kiteboarding Magazine, USA
The Kiteboarder, USA
SBC Kiteworld, Canada
KiteWorld, UK
Writer of two manuals for PASA on Water
and Snow Kiteboarding for the USA
Considered "Guru" and "Pioneer" in the sport of Kiteboarding
Has traveled around the world extensively
Paul paddle surfing off Sand Key, in the Florida Keys
Paul attempting to break the world speed record on a kiteboard
Paul with a black grouper speared in the Florida Keys
Paul kitesurfing the barrier reef in the Turks and Caicos
JESSE ANDERSON
Home: Key West, FL
Birthday: May 13, 1979
Profession: Clothing and Jewelry designer and retailer
Team rider for the Kitehouse
Photographer published in:
National Geographic Adventure Magazine
Kiteboarding Magazine
The Kiteboarder
Grew up and lived on a sailboat for 15 years, sailed across the Atlantic, and traveled extensively around the
world.
Jesse Standup surfing and kitesurfing in the waves
Jesse standup surfing and riding a leopard shark in the Mamanuca Islands, Fiji
What is Standup Paddling?
To go standup paddling you need two things – a big surfboard, and an oversized outrigger canoe
paddle. Standup boards usually range in the 11 to 12 foot range, are at least 25 inches wide, and at least 4
inches thick. The paddle is about 7 feet long, is made of wood or carbon fiber, and must be light, stiff, and
strong.
A Brief History of Standup Paddle Boarding
Standup paddling is not new; it
originated years ago when the ancient
Hawaiians would paddle their outrigger canoes
standing up through the surf. In the 1960’s,
“beachboys” in Waikiki started standup
paddling on their large boards to take photos of
tourists. For the next 40 years the sport faded
out with the development of higher
performance, smaller, and lighter boards.
However, interest in standup paddling has
recently been exploding around the world, with
a few outstanding surfers from Maui leading
the way. Laird Hamilton has probably been the
most influential in popularizing the sport,
paddling into huge waves at Teahupoo, Jaws,
and even paddling across the English Channel.
Standup Paddling is Diverse and Fun
Today, standup paddling appeals to many different people because of the diversity of activities
possible, which include surfing, long distance traverses, downwinders, and enjoying nature in an ecofriendly way. On a standup board, even the tiniest waves become a playground. The power of the paddle
also allows you to generate enough speed to paddle into massive waves.
You don’t even need waves to have a blast, however. On a “downwinder,” you travel with the
wind at your back and can cover long distances. If it’s windy enough, you can even catch open ocean
swells and ride unbroken waves for hundreds of yards at a time.
Cruising around on a standup board also allows you to experience nature in a very primeval way.
Dolphins will often come and play, attracted by this silent, graceful craft. The high vantage point makes it
much easier to see all the sea life underneath, such as rays, sharks, fish, and colorful corals. The board can
be used as a diving or fishing platform, and allows you to travel silently into secluded and sensitive areas,
such as mangrove estuaries, without disturbing the natural ecosystem.
The Core Benefits
Balancing on the board constantly engages and challenges every muscle in the body, from the legs
to the arms, but especially the core. This unique combination of strength, balance, and endurance results in
a phenomenal all-body workout that is great cross-training for any sport.
Laird Hamilton at Teahupoo, Tahiti
Itinerary:
Our paddle trip will take us from Middle Caicos, the most rugged island in the Turks and Caicos,
to the lush landscape of North Caicos and the luxurious Parrot Cay, to the hub of activity on Grace Bay,
Providenciales.
Day 1: Middle Caicos to North Caicos. Distance approximately 15 miles.
Before starting out on our paddling expedition, we will take the opportunity to explore the area
around Conch Bar, surf the waves on the barrier reef, paddle through the famous caves, and load up on
protein-rich conch salad.
The first leg of our trip would take us from the little town of Conch Bar on Middle Caicos along
the exposed north shore all the way to North Caicos, a distance of about 15 miles. Middle Caicos is the
largest, most rugged, and least inhabited island of the chain. A distinctive feature of this island are the
limestone caves in and around Conch Bar, which are the largest and best known in the entire Bahamian
chain, and were once home the Lucayan Indians.
This is the longest leg of our journey, and we plan on using the tradewinds to our benefit, going
downwind and catching the open ocean swells on the outside of the barrier reef. Here we’ll troll our lures
behind us to catch our dinner, fighting the fish from the board. Our path will take us near the East Bay
Islands National park, and we’ll make camp for the night on one of the deserted beaches of North Caicos.
Conch Bar to North Caicos
Day 2: North Caicos to Parrot Cay. Distance Approximately 11 miles.
The second leg of our trip, from North to the famous Parrot Cay Resort, take us along the northern
coast of North Caicos, the “Garden Island,” which has traditionally been the breadbasket of the T&C.
We’ll paddle out to the outer reef passes to surf the waves and freedive for conch and lobster next to the
Mivep Arc, a deserted ship that lost its way in a storm and is now a part of the ecosystem. Next we’ll
paddle through the Three Mary Cays sanctuary, before heading to the luxurious Parrot Cay Resort and Spa.
There, Paul will join the chefs in the kitchen to cook up some of his signature dishes, while Jesse will
demonstrate standup paddling to any interested guests.
North Caicos to Parrot Cay
Day 3: Parrot Cay to Grace Bay, Providenciales. Distance approximately 13 miles
The final leg of our journey will take us from exclusive Parrot Cay to the beautiful beach of Grace
Bay. On this day we’ll really give the underwater cameras a workout. We’ll paddle to the barrier reef and
freedive the 20 to 40 foot colorful coral structures in the Princess Alexandra National Park and capture with our
camera the vibrant sealife below. If we’re lucky we’ll get to see whales breaching offshore. We hope to swim
with JoJo the wild dolphin, who is a resident of this area. Our lunch stop will be on the Iguana Sanctuary on
Little Water Cay, where we’ll check out the endemic Rock Iguanas. We’ll finish our journey heading into
Grace Bay where we will meet with friends and locals to share our stories and photos of our adventure.
Parrot Cay to Grace Bay
Equipment Needed – Sponsors to be announced
Standup boards and paddles
Camping
o Mosquito Net
Tech
o Waterproof cameras – Olympus 770
o Handheld GPS
o Handheld Marine radio
o Camelback Hydration systems
o First Aid kit
o Fire
o Emergency blankets
Clothing
o Waterproof backpacks
o Micro-fleece
o Rashguards
o Hats
o Sunglasses
o Sunscreen
o T-shirt
o Surf shorts
Food / Water
o Energy Bars, dehydrated fruits and vegetables
o Water
o Knife
o Fishing line
Etc.
o Mask/Snorkel
o Waterproof shoes
o Leash
Turks and Caicos National Park System