From the first tracks at Uluwatu, to jungle tripping in Grajagan, east to Sumbawa, and north to Nias, each Indonesian discovery has had one thing in common: it was a Western surfer who rode the first wave. Recently a crew of Indonesian surfers ventured into the wild southern coast of Java to correct this historical anomaly.
Words by Matt George, photos by Federico Vanno.
The mere mention of the word Java has been enough to send imaginations soaring throughout history, yet to the modern surfer it holds even more mystery than most imaginations are capable of. With a deadly, rough coast, ship-eating waters, volcanic events that alter the very tectonic plates beneath us and over 1,000 kilometres of exposed coastline, the 13th largest island in the world remains one of our last unexplored surf zones. New discoveries leak out as rumours, then most often become ghosts to those hardy enough to seek them out.
Recently, photographer Federico Vanno heard such a rumour and launched an expedition with local Balinese surfers Ketut Agus, Tonyo Dharmaputra, and Mustofa Jeksen to the roughest part of the coast in search of what was being called the Sunset Beach of Indonesia. What they found was a gnarly, unpredictable, shifty right on the loneliest stretch of coastline that Java has to offer. Mustofa was first to ride so he named it Itu Mengaum which translates to 'The Roar'.
The photographer and surfers all came back changed men.
Comments
Sounds like a good adventure, but pretty underwhelming photos to go with it.
A couple of guys on a 3 ft right and a 4 ft left...
Although the empties look nice
Ahhh Jawa, so much coastline, so few surfers.
So many google earth hours wasted looking for little surprises that keep eluding me
That's a hard coast to find waves on, I've been into Pacitan and wondered about that stretch but the logistics just seem too unfeasible and the probability of reward seemed low. I reckon the assumption is youre not going to find Desert Point 2.0 but maybe a wave with a single crazy double up section. Pretty much what they did find.
Its great to see the brothers claiming a few scalps for themselves.
"The photographer and surfers all came back changed men"
Really?
One of them all is hidden in plain sight.
Its high performance fun wave
Not a great deal of worth on that coast, lots of straight beaches, super strong trades and very average roads...
Way better spots in Indo to hunt surf
I agree Meris about 15+ years ago (before google earth) i spent lots of time exploring the coastline of Java, apart from either end its generally pretty average, and yes trade winds generally onshore or cross shore and strong.
Id also be surprised if these waves had never been surfed, i always asked the locals if surfers had been at places and where they had been to try to get an idea of if there was a wave in the next bay or if it was worth walking around that headland etc, and even in super hard spots to get too down crazy goat like tracks, locals always said yes, but did often say not for a long time.
It was fun exploring and nice to know whats there, but to be honest the best waves i found where around Pacitian which at that time was rarely visted by surfers and i always surfed alone.
Flying over the blambangan peninsula jawa timur is mind blowing , on the sou east side theres righthanders for miles .
There were a number of comments stating that this coastline has been surfed for years, it's super fickle, the spots are all named, and this sensationalism is just going to screw things up for the locals who really put in the hard yards, over years, without Google maps or the luxury of a support crew... But you've deleted them. Really? Why?
Hmm where did they go? I read them this morning, don't think they were inappropriate?
I deleted them for two reasons. One, the username of one person was abusive. And two, the photos were deliberately moved around and ran counter to the captions so as not to draw attention to any one wave. I didn't want to have to draw attention to that fact, yet now I have to explain it here in the comments.
You deleted my comment which used my real name and was fully respectful. All you have actually done is deleted all the comments from the people who actually live here, surf here, and have put in the time and effort to trying to work out this complicated coastline.
Where did Clams information about javas population go ?
Nothing happened there. Didn't see it.
Thought i posted it last night ! ? !
Must have completely failed to send it somehow .
Quote :: "Hmm where did they go? I read them this morning, don't think they were inappropriate?"
Username was inappropriate goofy !
Well, when someone registers a username 'FuckSwellnet' they ain't gonna get much airplay.
These other comments didn't have abusive usernames and were very polite in the way they address their concerns.
http://imgur.com/a/K31TQ
Why delete them?
Why does Matt George feel the need to put so much mayo on his stories? When they get called out so quickly by people who obviously know better like some of the commenters on here.
It just makes him come across as a massive wanker.
Clam your population post the one caml ref to ..i read it around 9.30pm last night ?
I suspect what may have happened is that Clam had replied to 'FuckSwellnet' and when that post got deleted so did the comment.
If that was the case then I apologise for unknowingly deleting it.
I wrote a one line reply yes .
But then a few hours later edited it into a huge detailed post .
I swear i read it with my own eyes . Im calling stu deleted it by accident
The one liner i read
I didnt reply to #fuckswellnet .just posted it normally .i actually edited the one liner post made that udo probably saw earlier into a long post about javas population densities .
I read you long post about the population yesterday as well. Must have got deleted with all the posts that expressed any negativity about swellnet ruining secret spots for cash.
Here's a link to some deleted posts if you like (sorry I didn't manage to save yours before it got deleted)
http://imgur.com/a/K31TQ
Swellnet ruining secret spots for cash ?....Aw get fucked !
For a story with underwhelming photos, as was commented upon in the comments and wouldve diverted people away, you guys have really set off a flare.
Yeah, we have considered that boxright. But right now, as we speak, off the back off this article and Insta posts from some of the surfers involved, there is a crew with photogs on the beach trying to get the one still from the one rideable wave of the day. Coming to a magazine soon. Eco-resorts to follow. Great work everyone, now where shall we go next?
So much for freedom of speech?! ...and bebunking of myths.
"The era of exposing underground spots and blowing them out of the water with exposure has thankfully passed."
Quote from Stunet from another thread on here a week or so ago.
Unfortunately he was referring to the WSL and not Swellnet which is obviously exempt from the rank and file surfers code of 'keeping things under your lid'......