It’s a problem plenty of people would pay good money to have: being stuck on a tropical island with world class waves, fishing and diving on your doorstep.
Ben Wilson, kitesurfing celebrity and Fijian resort manager, left for work in January and has not been home to his family at Yaroomba since.
COVID-19 quarantine requirements have made it unviable to fly home to visit his wife, Lauren and daughters Bella, 12, Holly 10 and Indi, almost two, as he normally would, and government rhetoric at times has left him doubtful that he would be able to fly back to work in Fiji.
“When I left, we were hoping that maybe I could sort of come back around Easter or over the mid-year school holidays and here we are. I’m definitely missing them,” he said.
Ben usually works away for half the year but makes a point of flying home very two or three weeks to spend time with his family.
At this stage, he aims to be home for Christmas to spend time with the girls over the holidays and give Lauren a bit of a break.
“Lauren’s just amazing. I just can’t fathom how she does what she does but we’ve been together 15 years now. It’s always been this way with me working away,” he said.
“I take care of the work side of things and she takes care of the family side of things and we support each other.
“The two older girls are old enough now to help a bit with Indi. The three of them are doing what they need to.
“We’re in a tough situation but there are so many people doing it so much harder than we are. We’re grateful to be healthy and safe at the moment.”
Ben is general manager at Namotu Island, a boutique resort on an island the size of a football field, west of Fiji’s main island, three miles from the famous Cloudbreak, which is regularly voted one of the top 10 waves in the world.
The exclusive resort has 11 bures, accommodates only 22 guests at a time, and is booked out a year ahead and even then, is difficult to get into as it is to get a waterfront site at Cotton Tree caravan park.
Occupation entitles guests to book for the same period the following year and few are willing to give up their spot.
“There are people still coming that were here when I came 25 years ago,” Ben said.
Ben went to Namotu as a chef fresh out of his apprenticeship and keen to cook and surf his way around the world.
“I came for a month and stayed for four years,” he said.
“I guess at the time I was in charge of the kitchen. I did every job going. Fishing guide, project manager. I had no idea I’d be running the resort one day.”
Ben got into kite surfing around the turn of the millennium when some guests at Namotu brought some gear with them. He turned it into a career and followed the professional competition circuit, all the while returning to work at the resort.
He has made a name for himself and magazine covers as a big wave kite surfer.
Ben rode the largest wave by a kitesurfer, Cloudbreak at 35 feet, won the inaugural Australian kitesurfing title and created several kitesurfing documentaries.
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Besides running the resort, he teaches and coaches kite surfing and has established kite weeks for visitors who want to immerse themselves in the sport and other island offerings such as food, fishing, and photography.
When Fiji closed its airport in March last year, Ben returned to Australia and is grateful that he had nine months with his family, which makes up in a way for his absence this year.
Without guests, the 65 staff at the resort have still been busy.
“Just because we don’t have guests doesn’t mean we don’t have to do anything. The resort is like a boat – it needs maintenance. We still have things to do,” he said.
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The Fijian government is looking at re-opening to international visitors later this year after achieving a 95% vaccination rate, which Ben said was achieved by picking up Astrazeneca that was not wanted by Queenslanders.
Although Ben is keen to get back to normal, and his family, he reminds himself that there are positives of the current situation.
“In 20 years time, there’ll be a moment where I’ll look back and remember. In Fiji, because we’re so busy all the time, it’s such a busy tourism place, I think this is what it would have been like 50 years ago, when there was no-one around.
“We’ve had uncrowded waves which are like a surfer’s dream. It will never happen again.”
