I like the mornings. Especially this morning when it’s warm in and out of the water. The swell has evaporated overnight but I still found a tiny bump in the middle…plenty out, plenty to dodge.
Meet Ethan Davis (1st pic of today’s update). He’s 12 years old and only been surfing for 8 months. A good Bronte kid, humble, quiet and full of enthusiasm. It was head high on sets for him today and the lil’ fella threw out some heat on a micro right hander. Being 38 kilos has its advantages – I saw him ride a 0.5 foot wave to the beach. These kids are the future of surfing in our hood…watch em grow.
Tsunami in the Mentawais
By now you’ve heard there’s been an earthquake (7.5) in the Mentawai island chain off Sumatra. Yes, that place I have frequented for the past decade. The quake stirred a 3 metre tsunami wave which decimated Macaroni’s surf camp, ripped the charter boats off their moorings in the bay, and Freedom 3 collided with Midas which in turn burst into flames. All aboard seem to be ok, a bit freaked. As you would be if you were having a beer on back deck and next minute flung into the jungle by a wall of white water. The Aussies might be fine, including Southern Cross (Scuzz) who has now been found, but there have been 40 village deaths so far and they need your help…to put it into perspective, there ain’t no help out there really. No choppers, no rescue out there…Surfaid and the charters boats are it. So please pledge donations to SurfAid today…I just got word from the boys on Tengirri – they’re fine and were at Hts when it went down. They’re now a part of the rescue picking up crew from Maccas and getting them home.
TravelCandy.com are offering free memberships to Aquabumps readers this month (Oct) – go!
:: u g e
Siloinak Surf Resort’s team for Mentawai Tsunami needs your help
Surfers send emergency supplies to the Mentawai islands. We need your help.
Hi, I am Gilles Bordessoule, a Frenchman living in the Mentawai islands since 2004. I manage Siloinak Surf Resort, near Siberut , the largest island of the archipelago.
The 25 October, a tsunami strikes the west coasts of the islands of Pagai and Sipora, severely damaging or destroying about 30 villages and two surf resorts. Rescue teams have collected 500 bodies as far as now, but the number of casualties in isolated villages is unknown, as there is no phone or radio communication. A rough sea and strong winds make access to these villages very difficult.
A ship chartered by the American surfer Matt Georges (Last Mile Operation) has left Padang the 27, loaded with food and medical supplies. We plan to sail with our boat as soon as possible and deliver to the population of isolated villages material for building shelters : 4 tons of tarpoline, nylon ropes, hammers, saws, nails for building around 200 family shelters. Transportation and delivery request 4 tons of fuel.
The cost of this operation is about 9000 USD, of which Siloinak Surf Resort will finance a part, but we hope help from you allowing to repeat this operation some days after with other kinds of supplies.
This is why we send this request for donations. You can send yours by bank transfer to :
Mandiri Bank
SWIFT code : BMRIIDJA
Address : KC Padang Lapangan Imam Bonjo, Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia
Account Name : Bordessoule Gilles
Account Number : 111-00-0445103-1
These monies will be used exclusively for the purchase and delivery of goods given to the Mentawai people. You can learn more about Siloinak Surf Resort and the sustainable development actions we have organized in the Mentawai on http://www.mentawaiadventure.com . Reports and accounts concerning this operation will be published in http://www.mentawaiadventure.com , « Sustainable Development » pages.
If you had other proposals for helping the Mentawai people, please contact me at info at mentawaiadventure.com. The reconstruction will last several months.
Gilles and Novie Bordessoule.