Gallery: November Transition

Craig's picture
By Craig Brokensha (Craig)

Gallery: November Transition

Craig Brokensha picture
Craig Brokensha (Craig)
Swellnet Dispatch

November is a time of transition across the Indonesian archipelago.

The large, long-period groundswells that define the peak winter season start to become fewer and farther between, while the ever reliable trade-winds back off as the north-west monsoon starts to poke its head down from Eurasia.

As humidity builds and thunderstorm activity increases, so does the attention of surfers to the more open stretches of reef that otherwise become blown out through peak season.

While generally not providing the A-grade quality of the marquee reefs that fire under winter trades, these spots make up for it in their swell magnifying capability.

It’s this reliability for B-grade surf that most intermediate surfers would find appealing, with options aplenty opening up with the morning and evening doldrums.

While requiring a little more effort and planning, the fruits of uncrowded surf make it all the more rewarding.

Comments

freeride76's picture
freeride76's picture
freeride76 Tuesday, 3 Dec 2024 at 12:45pm

Classic shots Craig.

lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy Tuesday, 3 Dec 2024 at 12:52pm

Great shots.
Is that FR surfing the left?

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Wednesday, 4 Dec 2024 at 9:50am

Not in this shot, he was throwing down some heat before tweaking his hammy though.

Bnkref's picture
Bnkref's picture
Bnkref Wednesday, 4 Dec 2024 at 10:50am

Swellnet work trip?!

Are the photos from Bali or elsewhere? Looks very fun.

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Wednesday, 4 Dec 2024 at 11:01am

Undisclosed location.

Bnkref's picture
Bnkref's picture
Bnkref Wednesday, 4 Dec 2024 at 11:06am

Fair enough.

Good to see you guys scored!

Island Bay's picture
Island Bay's picture
Island Bay Tuesday, 3 Dec 2024 at 1:11pm

Lovely. Good doggy too.

Mexican's picture
Mexican's picture
Mexican Tuesday, 3 Dec 2024 at 3:20pm

Those lefts look dreamy.

saltman's picture
saltman's picture
saltman Wednesday, 4 Dec 2024 at 8:52am

Thanks for those shots - brings up memories of many uncrowded "off season" sessions at a left known for its right hander

zenagain's picture
zenagain's picture
zenagain Wednesday, 4 Dec 2024 at 9:41am

Rather be there than here.

Great pics- love how you throw a little salt and pepper on to add to the story.

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Wednesday, 4 Dec 2024 at 9:51am

Cheers Zen, looks like things have really transitioned in Japan now?

zenagain's picture
zenagain's picture
zenagain Wednesday, 4 Dec 2024 at 10:49am

Yep, offshores have arrived and swell from the north. Winter is on the way.

Scored the rivermouth we wanted to take you. Perfect offshore and solid OH. Pics don't do it justice.

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Wednesday, 4 Dec 2024 at 10:26am

Great Pics
Now who Rode What
Guessing Freeride on 6'6 DS and you Others . . .?
Did Stu Steal the Show on a Wizz Fish.

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Wednesday, 4 Dec 2024 at 10:31am

Barely surfed. Copped a flu and was sick the whole time.

No Wiz Stix over there.

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Wednesday, 4 Dec 2024 at 10:47am

6'6 Dingaling (Steve Powell) went a treat for me.

Actually, I think it's this very board:

https://www.instagram.com/elusivsurfboards/p/Cn1CbF0pX_N

freeride76's picture
freeride76's picture
freeride76 Wednesday, 4 Dec 2024 at 11:00am

Glad I took the 6'6"- it was a good crutch when I did the hammy.

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Wednesday, 4 Dec 2024 at 11:21am

5'10" Sculpty

Jono's picture
Jono's picture
Jono Thursday, 5 Dec 2024 at 10:50am

5'11 Stuart BMG quad

andy-mac's picture
andy-mac's picture
andy-mac Wednesday, 4 Dec 2024 at 12:41pm

Great spot. Rarely surf the left there but further down the reef. 9/10 times there will be something wrong with it, a wobble, rip etc, but when the stars align can be such a great wave!
Can get big!! and ya want a bigger board....

Smorto's picture
Smorto's picture
Smorto Wednesday, 4 Dec 2024 at 3:59pm

The go to NW wind / small swell spot. The photos of the right make it look way better than what it actually is.

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Wednesday, 4 Dec 2024 at 4:01pm

'Twas properly pumping for a few days.

Smorto's picture
Smorto's picture
Smorto Wednesday, 4 Dec 2024 at 4:07pm

Sounds like you got lucky! Have tried to score it but have always been disappointed.

Have seen it looking like the photos, but was always a fleeting moment and literally 2 seconds either side of how it looks in the photos it was a closeout or a fat burger.

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Wednesday, 4 Dec 2024 at 4:19pm

To be fair, there's a good chance that my Tweed-calibrated brain was overcompensating.

Smorto's picture
Smorto's picture
Smorto Wednesday, 4 Dec 2024 at 5:30pm

Haha yep the Indo stoke gets all of us and a decent size long period swell with offshore winds can often seem better than what it actually is when you've just had 4 months of 2ft/8sec swells.

BTW the left here can get good, its just the right that is deceptively appealing, from what I've seen anyway.

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Wednesday, 4 Dec 2024 at 6:12pm

The first two days we found the best section up the reef to surf which was pretty reliable and predictable, then the second two days more so down the reef but again worked out great. The last day with a new long-period groundswell building it was different and very hard to find a good one. Interesting eh.

andy-mac's picture
andy-mac's picture
andy-mac Wednesday, 4 Dec 2024 at 6:31pm

Na its a hoax.....

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Wednesday, 4 Dec 2024 at 6:28pm

Yesday 4-5 ft First light Looked Nice
17 seconds ?

shetrickedme3's picture
shetrickedme3's picture
shetrickedme3 Thursday, 5 Dec 2024 at 12:55pm

How goods the 'Os scoring empty waves with monkeys and hounds.
Hopefully the great man lines us up with a few summer specials down in the southern lands.
Good to see Thermal lurking around Indonesian corners too

greg-n.williams's picture
greg-n.williams's picture
greg-n.williams Friday, 6 Dec 2024 at 2:29pm

Wife's in Sanur with some girlfriends & she facetimed me yesterday with the reef a perfect 6ft with two in the lineup! Damn! Offseason def has it's moments & it's usually not so busy away from the Bukit /Greater Kuta scene. GR8 to see you scored gentlemen!