Camille Liets
Camille lays her board bags in a cabin built by a river in Teahupo'o. She explores the mountains and reefs of the island with her friends. But it was not like that in the beginning. "I had always dreamed to discover Tahiti, but not like a tourist. I really wanted to know Polynesian people, their culture, their language, and their lifestyle, so when I finished my studies, I took the big step. I planned to stay for six months, but here I am two and a half years later".
"When I came to Tahiti, I dreamed to ride a tube at Teahupo'o. Once accomplished, I started dreaming something bigger".
During her first sessions in the South Pacific Ocean, Camille did not know anybody. She paddled and watched the tourists to understand the spot. "Teahupo'o is the most impressive wave I have ever seen. Even when it is not big, you feel you are entering somewhere that is going to lock. you up. It is counter intuitive. Three weeks not surfing it, and it feels like I'm there for the first time. The apprehension is back". There is only one way to progress: surfing as often as possible, adjust to the demanding conditions, and get adopted by the community. "At home we have surfers from Capbreton, Seignosse and Vieux Boucau, people who you grow up with, like family. In Tahiti there is a great community of surfers, with smaller groups on every spot. This is something I keep in my heart because it reminds me of my home. As everywhere else, respect is the most important thing. Locals are really nice, but that won't get me my place. They get to accept me progressively. When I came to Tahiti, I dreamed to ride a tube at Teahupo'o. Once accomplished, I started dreaming something bigger. Today, I try to spend more time surfing this wave and working on my weak spots with the goal of riding a real tube on a big session".
Originally from Les Landes region in France, Camille has been immersed in surf culture, which she came to by the hand of her uncle and her father, both renowned surfers as the rest of her family that use to spend, she remembers, their life on the beach. Camille rode her first wave at the age of two, but it was during surf lessons when she was a teenager when her passion was confirmed. "I love shortboard sessions, having to paddle hard and get into the most radical part of the wave where it is steeper, and the speed of the turns. Last winter, when I returned to Hossegor, there was a big jet ski session. My father was with Gilbert (Teave). He pulled me and I caught two waves, it was fantastic. I love adrenaline". In Polynesia, the spectacular environment is perfect for strong emotions.
When she's not at work in her Physiotherapy practice, Camille surfs in Teahupo'o ten months a year. As an expat, she sometimes feels nostalgia for the old continent. "It's a balance that I need. When I am in Hossegor, I miss the sweetness of life in the Polynesia, and once her, I also miss my loved ones. What I love about Polynesia is that people are welcoming and generous, they take their time to live their day to day and enjoy every moment. And being able to surf for hours in my swimsuit, riding perfect waves, is something I cannot live without". At 26, Camille does not regret a thing; she savours every day, aware of how lucky she is to live life on the shores of two oceans. "I do not only owe this to myself, but also to my parents. I live on the two most beautiful places on earth, I have a roof over my head, a car to get around, a job that pays the bills and time to enjoy my passion. If I had to start from scratch, I would choose this life over and again".
