Watch: Nias before the govt shut the door

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Stu Nettle (stunet)
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Indonesia's North Sumatra administration is planning to shut all access to Nias, possibly as early as today. An article in The Jakarta Post says the move is in response to "a recent surge in COVID-19 cases."

"The coronavirus was carried there by visitors to the island,” said North Sumatra Governor Edy Rahmayadi. “A month ago, there were no suspected COVID-19 cases on the island. Now, 90 people have tested positive."

Edy assured locals and stranded tourists there'd be enough supplies to last the lockdown period.

Already there were very few travelling surfers in Nias judging by the lineup shots of this video filmed on Monday. The losmen may be struggling but the crowd factor is a historical throwback and is no doubt welcomed by the crew in the water.
 

Comments

zenagain's picture
zenagain's picture
zenagain Thursday, 17 Sep 2020 at 9:19am

That wave sure is a thing of beauty.

Jono's picture
Jono's picture
Jono Thursday, 17 Sep 2020 at 10:38am

Surely you'd wanna lay some rail after flying out of the barrel?

syril500's picture
syril500's picture
syril500 Thursday, 17 Sep 2020 at 1:10pm

Not really. The wave bands here and it is super easy to get caught inside and lower your tube time

Billyw's picture
Billyw's picture
Billyw Saturday, 19 Sep 2020 at 3:59am

absolutely, it's sacrilege to not lay it over after the barrel at Nias. that section is even named 'the Thornton Fallander cutback section'. hate seeing wasted sections.

GuySmiley's picture
GuySmiley's picture
GuySmiley Thursday, 17 Sep 2020 at 10:59am

+1 Zen

A longtime mate spent a couple of months there in the days of single fins, He has 2 photo albums full of him barrelled, smile ear to ear

KPerrie's picture
KPerrie's picture
KPerrie Thursday, 17 Sep 2020 at 1:32pm

Spent 4 weeks there in June 1979 . Swell never dropped below 4ft, mainly 6 to 10 ft. One losmen on the point, most surfs between 2 and 6 guys, occasionally had it to myself.
Aaahhhhh, memories !

GuySmiley's picture
GuySmiley's picture
GuySmiley Thursday, 17 Sep 2020 at 3:21pm

Nice work KP, photos?

Pottah's picture
Pottah's picture
Pottah Thursday, 17 Sep 2020 at 4:53pm

sounds almost as good as September 2020

Pt Danger's picture
Pt Danger's picture
Pt Danger Saturday, 19 Sep 2020 at 12:43pm

I stayed in the same losmen on the point in 1978, lots of little crabs roaming around on the lower dirt floor, a basic well out the back, a paddle into the front door on high tide. Mick South Narra 1978 scratched into the table upstairs as a pastime.

indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming Thursday, 17 Sep 2020 at 6:20pm

Change of plans:

"The North Sumatra administration has canceled its plan to suspend all air and sea travel to and from Nias Island to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in the popular tourist destination. North Sumatra Governor Edy Rahmayadi said although access to air and sea transportation would remain open, entrance points would be closely guarded by integrated posts.

In addition, the province will oblige people leaving for Nias to carry a COVID-19-free certificate and undergo self-isolation for two weeks after arriving on the island. “These posts will monitor people arriving by land, air or sea.

Those who come to Nias have to show a negative COVID-19 swab test certificate to the postal officers, who will direct them for isolation,” Edy told reporters on Tuesday. Health workers and security officers would be exempt from this provision, he added."

https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2020/09/16/north-sumatra-to-keep-nia...

Panman's picture
Panman's picture
Panman Thursday, 17 Sep 2020 at 7:02pm

I was there in 1979 and the wave now looks kinda shorter I guess it did change after the quake

anthony.olsen's picture
anthony.olsen's picture
anthony.olsen Thursday, 17 Sep 2020 at 7:23pm

Always looks so heavy from the front. Drone makes it seem a little more forgiving.

John Kimble's picture
John Kimble's picture
John Kimble Friday, 18 Sep 2020 at 7:06pm

Nice footy but don't think this vid is by Stu Nettle.. maybe pilfered by..

Coaster's picture
Coaster's picture
Coaster Friday, 18 Sep 2020 at 10:25pm

Agreed, it always looks heavy from the front. Most of those rides were 5 or 6 seconds in length. Great waves, but short if there’s a lot of competition.