Long Service Leave
You may have noticed I’m celebrating another hot lap around the sun with multiple indulgent tropical trips this year. (Why not aye) I’m on another island paradise in Indonesia, where the water is warm, the waterfalls are spectacular, the hospitality is sublime, and the waves are consistent. We’re still in peak surfing season in Indo, […]
Ombak Kecil
It’s rare for the ocean to go quiet here, especially in June (peak season), but it happens. Even when the waves go to sleep, you can still find these freak spots that draw everything from the ocean and still break over head high. The problem is that every camp, dug out, and charter joins the […]
The Boogeyman
Strangely, ‘The Boogeyman’ that monster who supposedly lives in children’s bedrooms, could have begun life as a pirate…a pirate from Indonesia! The Bugis are Indonesian people from Sulawesi who were bandits of the sea, feared by many along the spice routes in the 17th-19th centuries. So when you hear “Beware of The Boogeyman”, they could […]
Away
I know, I know, it’s been a while between posts. I’ve been on the move and migrated north to the warm oceans of Indonesia. They’ve had a great run of swell up here for the early season, and it’s been very well documented on socials. We’re a few days into our journey through the islands, […]
Layday
We’ve had a good run of weather and waves recently. We were due for a storm, and today’s the day. 25-30 knot gusts of southerly keep temps down and waves crappy. No one surfing; it’s big and rogue – and needs settling down. I’ve added some recent Indo shots to spice up the unphotogenic Bondi […]
Raw Paradise
I’ve been to some pretty idyllic places, but our current location ranks highly, Sumba. It’s a raw, semi-primitive island in Indonesia with plenty of waves, dreamy white sandy beaches and unique local culture. It’s the dry season here, so we’re scoring endless 36-degree clear skies and sublime water temps. There have been waves daily, especially for […]
Amanwana
There are 18,000 islands in Indonesia, and I’m doing my best to see them all. After a few nights on the “Peaceful Hill” (Amankila), we’ve relocated to a much more remote, quieter island called Moyo in Sumbawa, bobbing in the Flores Sea. They call this tented eco-resort the “Peaceful Forest” (or Amanwana). The crystal blue […]
Volcanic Beach
Yes, it’s true. I’ve returned to the tropics. Why not? The water is warm in Indonesia, and they’re in the peak (dry) season here. I’ve never seen Bali airport so busy, and the island has returned nuts-busy self. Nah we’re not hanging with the digital-nomads of Canggu and Kuta. Not for me these days – […]
Pulau
The indigenous inhabitants of this region – the Mentawai people – are known for their intricate tattoo art. Tattooing holds immense cultural significance for the Mentawai people, representing various aspects of their identity, such as age, social status, postcode and spiritual beliefs. They live in harmony with the lush rainforests of each island – mainly […]
Bon Voyage
As our trip comes close to an end, we make our way back to the central part of the island chain, where crossing overnight to Padang is easier. There are endless breaks along the way, so we drop anchor at many, hopefully timing it with the right tides, winds and crowds. It’s been days of […]
j.lag.
The beach wasn’t looking that inviting this morning: rain, dark clouds and heavy jetlag. At a glance, I saw the odd 3-footer with north winds – the groms having a blast on several banks. I’ve opted to show you some more salubrious imagery from my recent excursion to the Indo islands. The good news: The […]
Titi
This is our final episode from the Indonesian island paradise (sigh of relief from some of you). We’re heading home, sore, battered from reefs, sunkissed, and memories of tubular perfection. This trip was quite different to my 16 other voyages – lousy weather, funky winds, random spikes of swell from 3ft to 10ft in 24 hours. […]
The Mentawai Regency
The Mentawais are a chain of 70 islands off Sumatra, Indonesia. It’s about a 150 km area that hosts dozens of surf breaks, mostly only accessible by boat. It’s remote out here; there’s not a lot of infrastructure and a whole heap of jungle. When I first visited, logging used to be a big industry […]
