Land camps

Gidday,

You could just stay at Brooksy's place at fisheries for $199.95 a day - personal, portable fan room. Walk to the surf, plus your lady would be kept on her toes whilst you surf a selection of the the left and right, majestic reef or beach peelers.

Heidere Van Vanity would offer surfing lessons too. Plus you could pay a bit more to hone your photography skills filming him every nano second of the day.

I started with just a few places with waves out front, but got carried away, this is pretty much take or give a complete list of resorts/surf camps in Sumatra (leaving out a few little low key budget options)

# with each $ representing roughly a hundred dollars per night (rough guide only some might be a bit more expensive now)

Mentawai's (south end)
$$$Maccas resort (maccas, technically you can walk and paddle but it takes about half an hour or so)
Obviously maccas is one of the gems in the mentawai crown, and its super consistent breaks in any tide and swell direction and size and most winds, some even says its better with light onshore giving frothy lips to hit, down side is there actually not many other waves in the area and quite a distance between waves, so any boat in the area is here, Green bush is about 30 min away is the other world class wave in the area, but its a little fickle very tidal needs fairly high tides and needs an offshore.
Really only five waves going 40 min south or north, but about half a dozen more waves in Thunders rags area, that i believe they access now.
Crowds= Maccas, if there is a wave breaking someone will be surfing it, can luck out between shifts, but it never last for long.
Local surfers= just a couple that work at resort, but only surf when not working and don't rip ...yet

HTs area= Two main waves are Ht,s and Lances left, and Bintangs with a couple other more fickle waves.
Crowd= Some guys pretty much live here and there is always guys watching and waiting, it changes a fair bit with the tide and wind, so its the kind of place you can luck out and get uncrowded for a little before the crowd clues on to it, Lances left is one of the most consistent waves in Mentawai's and holds a crowd pretty good as a few different sections to surf.
Local surfers= yes there is a few, havent been there for a while but reackon they must be getting good by now.

$$Kingfisher bay (lances left straight out front)
$$Hts resort(HTs/lances right straight out front) cheaper options in the area.

Mid Mentawais (telescopes area) best wave in the area is Telescopes, other can have there day but generally fun but not world class, area needs a med swell to really get going , Icelands does pick up a bit of swell but fairly average when small, different story when solid. (roughly 10 lefts and two main rights)
Crowd= telescopes can get crowded when good but handles a crowd okay as you can take off in different areas as sets hit different areas of the reef, deep/wide/inside, other spots can be empty or crowded depending on conditions.
Local surfers= Yes about twenty they even have a board riding club and a little club house and even hold comps and some are starting to surf ok, but most of the time not a problem as they have to go to school or work etc

$Awera (Ariks/Sucides, Ombak tidur) both average rights straight out front (bit of a paddle).
$$Aloita resort (has two lefts in walking distance out back, but need big swells)
$$Togat nusa retreat (scarecrows just of there island, long paddle)

Nth mentawais/playgrounds area.
This area has waves everywhere in a relatively small area, breaking in all conditions, with all kinds of waves for all kinds of surfers with roughly as many lefts as rights, also quite a few world class waves (Riffles, Kandui left, Ebay, Bank vaults, Hideaways), crowds are hit and miss one minute your surfing with 30 guys next minute everyone decides to go have lunch and your surfing with two other guys or sometimes happens the other way around, conditions also dictate the crowd, med swell and no wind everyone spreads out and surfs the wave of there ability, under strong winds options aren't as vast and spots can get crowded.
IMO one of the big pluses of the area is Burger world, its not a wave you go to Indo to surf, its kind of like a Nossa pt over reef, but it can hold a crowd as its long and waves often hit different areas of reef.
Roughly ten lefts and ten rights
Crowds= can get pretty crowded as there is heaps of accommodation in area but can also luck out and get uncrowded sessions as there is so many set ups, and crowds are often up and down like a yo yo.
Local surfers=A couple local surfers from resorts/camps.

$E-bay area heaps of cheap places (beng bengs surf camp, best of them but more pricey)
$$Pitstop hill (has pitstops out front, ebay a few minutes walk away)
$$Mentawai surf retreat (pitstops our front, ebay a few minutes walk away.
$$$Kandui resort has 4 bobs in paddling distance and Karangbat left.
$$$$Kandui villas (kandui left/baby kandui in paddling distance)
$$$Wavepark (hideaways, short walk/paddle away)
And all these that dont have waves on there door steps or very inconsistent waves at best most brazil owned a few local owned but not cheap, Botik resort, Shadow surf camp, Mentawai surf camp, Ulau Manua, Playground surf resort, Mantungou, Yanto place, plus more budget places)

Telos
Nth area, mostly average but fun rights and one consistent left, for some reason lots of the waves aren't as straight edged as Mentawais like there is offshore reefs that break up swell a little.
Mid area, has some world class set ups as good as anything in Mentawais both lefts and rights, but its fickle needs solid swells and sensitive to direction.
South end, has some good set ups mostly rights, Pasti/bombers is world class as is the beachie.
Crowds =are generally low and mostly older cashed up surfers so generally mellow vibe in water, but most waves also don't handle more than a few guys, good thing being on the equator is there is often no to little wind which opens up options, spreads out any crowd.
Downside is in the north if it gets real small the swell magnet ER/Bumcracks is only short right, tidal and doesn't handle a crowd, with the left a fat hoax.
In the South the beachie is a swell magnet.
Local surfers= only know of three.

$$$Surfing village (pasti aka bombers out front) up south end of telos
$$Telos surf villa (coronas/Gt,s, Ranggas whatever you want to call it, almost out front)
$$$$$Telo island lodge (the Boot/maxs right out front)
$$$$$Resort Latitude zero (has D, C out back of there island, very heavy right)
$$$Telos 101 (you could walk and paddle to Sipika rights but its a very long paddle)
$ Telo Island surf house (Long fun left out front, Right 20 minutes walk away)

Nias
$All cheap losmens at lagundri/sorake aka the Point about $10 a night.
Crowd= yes mostly crowded, but can time it to get with only a few guys sometimes, also depends on time of year.
Local surfers= yes quite a few that rip, but they seem to be a bit fussy mostly surfing when its pumping.

Hinakos (Asu)
Really only Asu left and Bawa right and the odd wave on Nias west coast reached by boat, crowd generally average but depends on how many guys are staying on the island, don't know if there is any local surfers.

$$Asu camp (Asu left out front)
$Other cheaper places short walk from wave.

Banyak Islands
Main wave is treasure island and bay of plenty right and lefts, like Telos generally needs a solid swell to get going and south swells can miss it.
Not that many set ups in the area but most of the waves are world class or close to.
Crowd, hit and miss but generally can get uncrowded surfs.
Local surfers= no villages near any of the waves, no local surfers i know of, don't expect will ever be a factor.

$$Banyak surf bungalows (can paddle to gunters/joystick rights/bay of plety rights) BTW this was called banyak island lodge before, but beleive they closed down and rebuilt and re,branded.
$$Floating surf house (I think its very long paddle to nearest break in bay of plenty or by boat)

Simeulue island
Different to other areas such as Mentawais and Telos where you can really only get to spots by boat, in Simeulue the road follows the coast for most of the Island and there is mains electricity, which means easy access and low overheads for resorts/surf camps compared to Telos/Mentawais, which is why cheaper prices..
IMO I think this area is like Krui/South Sumatra, maybe still relatively uncrowded, but the way some camps advertise "NO Crowds" it will end up crowded, and the locals will jump on the surf camp thing like has happened in Krui/South Sumatra
Most of the waves are said to be average, the peak/jackals and Dylans seem the best breaks.
Crowds= Said to be low, but id expect this will change quickly at the main breaks like the Peak and Dylans.
Local surfers= not sure
# I havent been here personally but know a few guys who have including guys who surfed here before the quakes changed the area and actually ruined quite a few waves.

$$Auora (has the peak/jakals out front)
$$Baneng surf resort (not sure if still open)
$$Moon beach resort(average beaches out front)
$Simeulue surf lodge (has dylans right our front)
$Pouget brothers surf camp (not far from Dylans)
Also cheaper options.

Then you have the whole Krui/south sumatra area, heaps of losmens/surf camps down there and then there is Aceh up north.

Mmm Sumatra is getting pretty crazy.

Hell yeah!

Indo is a legend and would have to be one of my favourite contributors.

I've said it before but Swellnet should get Indo onboard with his very own 'Ask Indo' column.

Love your work Indo.

Very Impressive Indo D

Hey ID, appreciate the info. If you'd like a Swellnet leggy shoot your postal address to: [email protected]

Cheers,
Stu

Nice work Stu.

ID deserves that one, love your knowledge ID.

What about me!!!!!!!!! I didn't even get anything when I won the Swellnet 500, or when I was the only one that could stop zennyls compulsive blubberin'.

Send us your postal addy Uplift, and we'll send you a leggie string.

Are you sure it won't be nearly cut through?

I got one strong one for ya Uppity, with the double fishermans knot as well.

That'll incur an extra production charge of $19.95.

Hey blowin
I spent some time on Simelue about 2yrs back and found it to be a bit fickle but definitely had waves but for your missus on the other hand she would need to be mindful of the devout muslim culture . One of the surf guides girl friend turned up for a visit and took to the beach in a bikini which immediately set tongues wagging of the local female staff and was asked to cover up and that was within the camp boundaries, let alone other parts of the island. Wasnt much else to do if you didn't surf.
Also spent time in Aceh and Sabang with the missus once I returned to the mainland which was fine as she was happy to swim in boardies and a rashy in sensitive areas.
Another area well worth considering if you have time after surfing is the mountain villages afew hours out of Medan, its like stepping back in time. The 10days spent away from the surf up there really put things into perspective after the surf scene in the islands. All up it was great trip for both of us ,lots more up there than just waves.

stunet wrote:

Hey ID, appreciate the info. If you'd like a Swellnet leggy shoot your postal address to: [email protected]

Cheers,
Stu

Wow....Cheers Email on the way :D

Ha ha..Thank you for the nice words, guys :)

PS. I edited my OP and added some more info on there areas.

Stopped Zenny's blubberin'? Not even close big fella. There's lots more blubberin' left in me.

In the words of a wise Jewish man "It's understanding that makes it possible for people like us to tolerate a person like you."

"It's understanding that makes it possible for people like us to tolerate a person like you."

Which is more commonly known as the 'Tall poppy Syndrome'.

Also benso, I've noticed you have a habit of going off topic. One minute some poor, clueless guy wants to know about where to surf, next thing you are making it all about you, and telling everyone how great your leg ropes are. I believe i am speaking for the others in pointing this out.

I might as well tell this story seeing as swelling touched on it. The cliffs was pumping one weekend, pretty solid winter swell. Mick T had surfed alone early and I pulled up as he was getting out. I was waiting on leggies from Adelaide, so he lent me his, and I said I'd put it back on his board, before mowing some lawns in the park. That would work out good as he would have another surf, then I could use it for the late. When I finished surfing (shralping I might add), I stopped at his place, put it on, and bolted to do the lawns. As I was putting it on, I had a weird feeling about the knot. Driving away, I kept thinking that I should re-tie it. When I pulled up to surf later, Mick's car was there, but no Mick to be seen. After a while I saw him grovelling out of that bay up in the corner, getting flogged and screaming his head off. Anyway, he's the type of guy that lets things go easily, and got over it after a few years. I even offered to fix the dings, but it didn't seem to help.

Surely thats worth a prize or something, its better than anyone else here can write.

You should have offered to mow his lawn (and done a decent job of it this time).

I'll send you two legropes if you write something interesting one day.

(must not contain the words- I, me, myself, yours truly, raw-boned, amazing and hilarious)

I'll write about you, which is what you are wanting to say in a round about way, so guarranteed none of that. It will mainly be dull, boring, ridiculous, but there will be a few common ludicrous's peppered about the place.

Did I tell you about when I was presented with an award for mowing lawns?

Can you take Uplift with you Blowin? Somewhere without an internet connection.

Blowin wrote:

Indo , Indo , Indo... What can I say ? That post is more comprehensive than any surf guide I've ever seen !

Narrowed it down to E Bay , with maybe a sneaky trip to Banyaks or Telos thrown in , more likely Telos ( mid area ).Like the sounds of Simelue, or I did till Oldgreg gave up that bit of advice - which I am also very grateful for mate , cheers - which could be a deal breaker. She is a pretty accommodating travel companion but getting heckled at the beach could definitely put that to the test.

Great idea about checking out the non surfing scene , Oldgreg. Planning on doing a bit of that for sure.

Sumatra as a whole looks pretty amazing , can't wait.

Thanks again guys. Hope Huey sends some premium sets your way.

PS. Indo , How long have you spent up there you lucky bugger ?

Um roughly a year and a half in Sumatra all up (mostly Mentawai's and Telos), im just middle aged average surfer, but I've worked at a resort and charter boat as a surf guide in Mentawai's, and spent heaps of time in most areas doing it cheap, i actually have property in two separate areas of Sumatra (my wife's indonesian so we plan to retire there) and also have my own long boat in another area, going back for a month in a few weeks.(although thinking about extending my trip to six weeks :P)

ID have you surfed West Java, Panitian Island...? on board "Just Dreaming" sorry for the pun :) One Palm etc...?
An old friend of mine has just brought the boat and charter etc.
I'm keen to go but I'm a natural foot and One Palm does not look too inviting for me, but saying that he says there are great rights around a little more friendlier.....?

wellymon wrote:

ID have you surfed West Java, Panitian Island...? on board "Just Dreaming" sorry for the pun :) One Palm etc...?
An old friend of mine has just brought the boat and charter etc.
I'm keen to go but I'm a natural foot and One Palm does not look too inviting for me, but saying that he says there are great rights around a little more friendlier.....?

Nah never been there, but know a few guys that have and seen lots of pics and footage, Napalms the left further in looks good hollow but not to heavy and Pussys sounds fun and the rights illusions look good..but personally id pass on that other heavy right and One palm looks crazy.

ID, do you have a favourite area of Indonesia? Not just for surf but other things like culture, people, natural landscape etc. Just say bali if ya think the question's digging too deep.

carpetman wrote:

ID, do you have a favourite area of Indonesia? Not just for surf but other things like culture, people, natural landscape etc. Just say bali if ya think the question's digging too deep.

Yeah im not really sure, ive been to lots of areas of Indonesia or most of the islands with waves but still feel like ive barely seen any of indo, i really want to go see more places just for the scenery and culture where there isnt even surf, but always feel like i need to make use of my time to get waves.

Okay i have to break this down.

CULTURE= Javanese culture is pretty cool, my wife is Javanese and comes from central java a real traditional area, with heaps of history many people there including my wife's family still have lots of traditional beliefs especially her mum, like there is a reason for everything you do or happens, like if you do this, then this will happen, jut little crazy things.

I also got married there with a traditional java wedding, it was pretty full on with all kinds of ceremonies that meant/represented different things it all dragged out over three days and five different sets of clothes, my wife is actually catholic but it doesn't matter what religion they are is they all do these ceremonies things, and once you see it you realise there is so much influence from there past from that Kraton (old java royal family) and Kajawen http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kebatinan

Especially from there Hindu past and maybe even influence from Islam and Buddhist and im sure even way back to before religion reached them when they must have been animist as they also believe in spirits and ghost heaps, i even had to toss a betel nut and lime at my wife in one ceremony to ensure i wasn't marrying a ghost.

PEOPLE= kind of hard to go past the Balinese, people sometimes say there friendliness is an act, but i don't know i think they genuinely are good hearted friendly happy people, Javanese are nice but kinda of more shy, Sumatran people are generally more strong minded, I have a family I've known in the telos since before there was any surf camps/resorts there and they treat me fully like family, id like to think of them as my adopted family, i really dig the people there last time i was there quite a few people from the village that told the family i stay with that they really wanted me to stay there and live and they really don't understand why i need to go home, even the old classic toothless fisho bapak told me i should stay and live there, he said i just need to fish and he was fully serious...thats a pretty cool feeling when a community accepts you like that.

NATURAL LANDSCAPE= Personally i really like the Mentawais and Telos and Banyaks not just for the waves, but in some areas there is perfect little tropical islands, coral reefs with blue water, white sand and whole islands covered in palms, then not far away on the bigger main islands there also have amazing rainforest that almost reaches to the coast and often early morning or late arvo, you can see this mist/fog that kind of comes down from the forrest which looks pretty magical, then other days there is storms that dance around on the horizon and always seem to hit in some crazy tropical down pour late arvo, i dig that kind of like the place is alive.

ha ha i feel like Nick over at real surf forum answering this question :P

Love your work ID :) Great insight and writings.

Now I can't make up my mind where to go this year. Too many choices. Thanks again :)

noticed you have "narrowed it down to e-bay".... unless its purely price point this used to be (few years ago) pretty nasty and chock full of brazilians, the partner would need to be pretty accomodating, pitstops or kandui recommended if the budget allows

ID, such great info in here, thanks again for posting mate, gold!

Gidday blowin, even though I'm still reeling in shock over not winning anything, it would be worth trying these guys.

http://www.singaporesurfbreaks.com/#!about-us/cfvg

Thanks for the reply ID.
I've only been up there once but would have to agree about the natural beauty of the Banyaks. We went a long way outside the season and having no one around really made it feel like a remote paradise at the end of the globe. One of the most amazing things was sitting in the bay at treasures, fishing all night, catching literally hundreds of fish, and not having to wear any mosquito repellant (one of the benefits of an uninhabited island).

Craig wrote:

ID, such great info in here, thanks again for posting mate, gold!

ID I hope you get a string with a double fisherman knot for ya leggie. It would be well worth SN's production costs with that knot versus the info.

uplift wrote:

Gidday blowin, even though I'm still reeling in shock over not winning anything, it would be worth trying these guys.

http://www.singaporesurfbreaks.com/#!about-us/cfvg

By the looks of it thats just basically a travel page for this place http://www.aweraisland.com I don't know Fergus the Aussie who funded it, but i know the Indonesian couple who did everything from getting the land to setting up the business to getting it built (but there no longer involved, things went sour between Fergus and them I only know there side of the story.)

I actually went and camped out with the builders for a bit when it was getting built and surfed with one of the first local surfers "Iwin" who is now the surf guide there.

Ive since been back there for a bit of a look when Ive been to surf the right (Ariks/Sucides) out front as I knew the american surf guide/manager there (but think it might be an Aussie of late).

Its just a little operation, with just like a little traditional Mentawai uma/house with four rooms and a small living room, basic but when i was there looked clean and maintained.

Its actually set on a real nice long white sand beach the reefs kinda break up the swell so its sheltered and a real nice spot to swim, no local villages on the island so no problem for your missus.

The right out front is okay, it looks like a long right but its only really the end section you can surf as 99% of the time its to fast up the reef, never really gets over four foot due to its position and can only surf it on high tide.

Further up the reef is Ombak tidur, a shifty right i think you can surf it on most tides, then further around the corner is Icelands breaks on all tides, you can walk there in about 15 minutes if you had too.

Its actually located only a few Km from Tua Pajet, the Mentawai capital and just one island away is Aloita resort where the surf with Occy thing is.

BTW. I believe there is also a place just next door now, i didn't put it on the list as don't think it even has a website, believe its actually owned by "Desti" the women who is head of tourism in Mentawais, they also have another place up on the big hill that looks towards Telescopes, but again don't think it has a website...kinda strange they build these big lush losmen/surf resorts then don't market them properly, the Mentawai government even actually built a resort a few Km away from telescopes ages ago and i don't even know if it opened, the shoreline eroded some of the buildings and i think the locals pillaged anything else of value, you can still see the remains today.

Hi Blowin, mainland South Sumatra hasn't really had a mention yet.
The super friendly outgoing nature of the people in that area really caught me off guard.
The surf camp strip south of Krui is all pretty budget so not sure how your woman would cope…(3 basic meals a day, cold water shower, fan room, no real amenities like internet or TV) A local SIM card will give you cheap internet access on your phone anyway, but it's good to leave all that shit behind for a while. The consistent left hander is literally out front , not a bad wave if a bit shifty and not quite hollow most of the time, surf able on all tides although you can def get hurt on low when paddling out or getting pushed inside.
Quite safe and cheap to ride a m/bike around to other waves. Only a tiny village there. The town of Krui is 45 minutes or so by bike to the North, you pass a few waves on the way and there are waves in Krui and beyond although swell needs to be up for Krui.
Probably more a blokey surf destination, there's no real evidence yet of surf tourism having had much impact on the area which is refreshing. Almost no English spoken outside the camp area but it doesn't matter the people are very welcoming and ever helpful when you blunder into a warung or shop and don't know what to do. There is a small surf shop in Krui called "Hullo Mister"…the name is a bit of an "in" joke as that's what you'll hear from the locals a hundred times a day as you ride around, they all wave at you and the kids on the roadside high 5 you. The guy who runs the shop is a great source of info and can organise a boat for a day trip to Banana Island off Krui, brutal left and right hander there, but no warung or accom. on Banana Island.

Gidday Indo, yeh thats the place, and good description. And yeh, there's always two sides to stories. They are set up to access plenty of waves around that area. So might be worth blowy checking out what they can offer.

chin wrote:

The guy who runs the shop is a great source of info and can organise a boat for a day trip to Banana Island off Krui, brutal left and right hander there, but no warung or accom. on Banana Island.

Almost no accommodation, saw this the other day https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/2503419

I reckon the guy will get a pretty good return on buying/leasing the place, i saw on FB last year a local guy acting as a middle man to purchase places out there, houses were going for about Aud $2k from memory.

I believe because the locals just want to get out of there, apparently it was a real good place to grow things once upon a time, not sure why?...but now its only a disadvantage living out there, no mains electricity and hassle and cost to get back and forth to the mainland, kids schooling etc

And swelling, I noticed you mentioned West Java. I went there around 30 years ago. There were all these rumours about it, especially when Don King/Lopez did a little speil. A Hawaiian friend had this map and 'better than Gland' stories, 'Bay of 7 waves'. Sorry Zenny but it was hilarious times. Secret missions under the cover of darkness, weeks stuck in Jakarta trying to get permits. When the authorities found out that I ran a caravan park, I was elevated to VIP cult status. They were going to build one there. Anyway we finally got there. Stocked up, then road trip to Pelabuhan Ratu, sinking punts, exploding vehicles, ludicrous government maps, lost 'officials', sorry zensless, but hilarious. First thing I see is some skanky, core surfee. Gives the obligatory sneer, bit of a puff up, and bolts. When we hit Cimaja, there was a group of the Kiwis. Group sneer, bit of a group puff up. The leader gave a little speech, but bottom line, they were broke and hadn't been able to get out to the fabled point. Then the entertainment meter exploded even higher, the infamous Bretty Beasknees rolled up only a day later. 'I got a zodiac'. Let the games begin. We made it out there first, by nightmarish fuckin road, thanks to the 'officials'. Ombak Tujuh itself can get awesome if its huge, and it does get huge, but the wind. Then we made ludicrous night boat trips that took hours, some sunk, nearly sunk. Beazo was trying to set up something, so was spewing, but had fleeced some dimwitted viccos into financing him. The kiwi's meanwhile were frothing about cimmies area, that made fisheries look like the worlds best wave. The fabled genteng looked like an atomic bomb had hit it. Krakatoa region was ficklemania. Night time parrying with the kiwis and beazo was the best fun. 'Never tell anyone about this super secret paradise'... You fucking idiots. Night of nights was when I caught the little skulkers whispering about a secret photo, best waves anywhere. Hilarious, a photo of fucking blacks. My hawaiian mate loved telling them that's where I lived. So much, endless hours of fun. When I got back to Bali, it became more ludicrous. When I told the truth, I was 'just tryin' to keep it to myself', and the maps became worth a fortune. Even Wordy pleaded with me to set him up, the more i tried to save them, the more they wanted it. Him and Arny Garnell made the ludicrous run. Brickie actually rang me at the caravan park, from Jakarta, blubbering his eyes out. Bay of 7 waves.

I'm yet to see anyone complete a full ride on either break. Many have tried, but just too fast. And the slab near the end of the left destroys any chance if you are screaming in the barrell with sight of an exit.

ID, that house looks alot like the one out the front of Sumatran pipe, but they all look pretty similar there!

Uplift that would have been cool going to any area of Indo 30 years ago, there must have been so much mystery, even 15 years ago it felt like lots of places held heaps more mystery.

Wow ID I don't know how we missed that place on Banana because the day we went was with one of the guides from Ombak Indah, not guiding us but he came along for the ride to suss out accom for future reference. I'll take Fitzroy's word for it though, It was a nice snorkelling day trip, we took boards but didn't surf, the right was grinding on the reef at low tide and the left I only saw from behind it in the boat but it was massive and intimidating as we trolled lures too close for comfort. We missed good surf that day back at base.

chin wrote:

Wow ID I don't know how we missed that place on Banana because the day we went was with one of the guides from Ombak Indah, not guiding us but he came along for the ride to suss out accom for future reference. I'll take Fitzroy's word for it though, It was a nice snorkelling day trip, we took boards but didn't surf, the right was grinding on the reef at low tide and the left I only saw from behind it in the boat but it was massive and intimidating as we trolled lures too close for comfort. We missed good surf that day back at base.

I get the feeling its pretty recent thing, you wouldn't think many guys would stay there, unless you had a decent boat your options out there would be pretty limited.

'Uplift that would have been cool going to any area of Indo 30 years ago, there must have been so much mystery, even 15 years ago it felt like lots of places held heaps more mystery.'

Maybe indo, but my first trip to Indo I met Tim Watts, who was already a vet, already living the life.

Dave Kelley from Adelaide takes the cake though. He moved to, and set up in Tahiti maybe 35 years ago. A charger, ripper extraordinaire, and already in Indo before that. He also had the old standby photo of him in the mags at big outside corner, (although those in the know, know the reality of all those outside corner shots). I didn't know him super well, but well enough, and he didn't say much about it, enough to know it was sick though. Had all those years and years to himself, before the hype exploded. He was the one that discovered Vetea David, made his boards. Can't resist, the best classic is when Weasel went on a round Australia shaping trip, with him, teaching him to shape. Weasel came back totally frazzled and stressed out, as they'd been chased and booted out of everywhere in the country. DK loved the ladies, and they loved him, so when all the 'legends' wives flung themselves at him... poor weasel.

Still, probably a better slice of cake is when wordy, who loves to be up there in them thar travelin' legends, and who'd never been to Tahiti, claimed there was obviously no point going there, had it on good, 'inside', on 'industry' advice, from those 'in the know', of course, no waves. Then the pictures came out. Fucked. Still he was also known as 'old yella', so probably best he avoided it. Its great fun living in a town of 200.