Surfers

[Mantas 3]

Gather round kiddies, uncle Mantas will tell you another story!

 

Back in 1988 I was surfing G-land on a solid swell. 8 foot and heavy. I took off on a beast and once I got to the bottom I started driving for the pit. It was one of those barrels that didn't quite form right and the lip smacked me hard. I knew something was terribly wrong with my leg but decided to worry about that later. Right now I was more concerned that I was getting held down big time and not sure which way was up.

When I finally broke the surface the next wave of the set smashed me again. I remember thinking "just hold on to your legrope and find your way to the top because the board will eventually pop up first" Then suddenly the legrope went slack! No more board.

I found my way to the top again. It was then I reallised my leg was completely broken !

 

I can still see my pathetic foot dangling beneath me as I tried to tread water. I was about 400m from the beach and no board !!

 

I don't know how long I was there like that until a guy came to my aid but it felt like eternity.

If anyone has ever been to G'land they would know about it's remoteness. In 1989 even more so. My mates made me a splint from a couple of pieces of bamboo and then it was a 2 hour boat ride , 10 hour ferry and bus to hospital.

Indonesian hospitals are pretty basic to say the least. My leg was set with no anesthetic or pain killers! My mate (who sacrificed 2 days of waves to help me . Now that's a mate ) had to go down the road to buy the plaster.

When we were about to leave the hospital I asked the doctor for some crutches. He replied with a laugh " You hop like Kangaroo ". And I did!

When I got back to Australia. I found that my leg was brocken in 4 places. I had 6 plates inserted (with anesthetic this time ) and was out of action for 6 months.

The next year I went straight back to G'land, and scored some nice waves. I now have a healthy respect for that place or any place for that matter.

People used to ask me if I hit the reef or board. No. It was just the raw power of the wave smacking me fast and hard.

 

I never underestimate the power of the ocean.

[snosurf 0]

mantas,

It's stories like that which make me think twice before taking off at double-overhead tombstones or solid north point down south...

 

You are a hard man....I was still in nappies in 1988.

 

I have a deeply rooted fear of big waves which i'm working on overcoming. I think it's a confidence thing. I've surfed some solid, heavy waves in my time...but that is probably one of the reasons I am liking the snow as much as the surf at the moment - I feel i can charge harder and there will be less chance of death (this may not be right, but it's how I feel).

[Mantas 3]

Snosurf. Certainly no hardman. The big lesson I learnt from that ordeal is that no matter who you are or how big your ego is. The ocean doesn't care. I'm sure it's the same in the mountains.

 

Fear is a good guide in big waves!

[kaiser soce 0]

Not a surfer myself but had the urge lately to give it a go....mainly after reading a one foot high stack of sufing mags in the smoko shed at work. You see I live 25minutes from the gold coast and lately have been working in broadbeach on a highrise so as for views I have been restricted to three things a) a building site b)the swimming pool at the sofitel or c)the waves which have held an interest whilst being so far away from any white stuff. As much as the foot high stack of ASL,Tracks and Waves spurned an urge to get a different type of board beneath my feet they also learned me about what a lawless place the breaks off the gold coast are and also about localism......it was enough to put me off, maybe if I lived in a place where I wouldnt have to defend myself to catch a wave I would give it a go. Have I taken a too dark a viewpoint of what its like out there???? I mean from what it sounds like a noob wouldnt have a chance!

[Mantas 3]

Mate the gold coast is probably the worst example of surfing you could find. But then again, every man and his dog is out there, you may as well be there too.

[indosnm 0]

Mantas, wait till ya lived here then you'll be claiming that the goldy is mecca!

 

Snosurf, It's all to do with confidence. I was once throwing myself over 8-12 G-^land and other Indo mysto spots but that came gradually. get a 6ft pit, want a bigger one! get an 8ft pit, want a bigger one and so on, till ya reach your max.

 

It always does my head in big time if I go off to indo and they boys are pulling into the beast sets and I'm pulling back. Big mental farck off.

 

This year when I went to Indo, I had lost 10kg before and was really fit. Made a hell of a difference with the confidence and helped me get back into the bigger waves. Practise makes perfect as they say.

[Mantas 3]

 Quote:

Originally posted by Indosnm:
Mantas, wait till ya lived here then you'll be claiming that the goldy is mecca!

Is it that bad? I'm getting mixed reports on Japanese surfing. One source said it was the most underrated surf destination in the world!

[damian 0]

It has a really diversified coastline becaise of the length and aspect from north to south. Probably explains why there is very good and very bad. Lots of islands as well.

[Mantas 3]

Indosm- Do you still go to Indo regularly? I haven't been for years. Got sick of the crowds and grew too impatient to put up with all the third world crap that went along with it all.

 

Where do you go?

[snosurf 0]

Good advice mantas and indomsn... Confidence is a fragile thing, as i've found. If you have mates pushing you harder I think it comes a lot easier than if you're on your own.

 

In that regard, i'm looking forward to my trip to Hakuba this winter with a group of mates. last time in Japan I was alone and often riding alone. This probably stunted my progression a little...also I probably wouldn't have browned my undies when I got lost in a whiteout after hiking the hirafu peak on my own had I had friends lost with me!

[indosnm 0]

Yeah Mantas, I do still go back but not as much as I used to. The last 2 trips I only stayed in Bali because I had my groms with me. (non of my mates can get green light for boys trip..)

Bali is fun though because I have a heap of friends there and I just love the people.

Thing that does my head in about Bali is travel time for surf. Going down the Bukit everyday is the same as going for a surf here. Traffic sux there now.

 

I've spent a few years of my life out in the islands, from Roti - Nth Sumatra!

Found a heap of waves between Roti & Sumba. Lakeys has a special place in my heart. Perfect set up, with so many wave choices. Crowds came when that fast Ferry started in 2000 but it's out of order now so maybe the crowds aren't as bad?

 

As for Japan being the most under rated surf spot. Yeah there's surfbut it's not often. There's no consistency at all. Usually to get the good surf you have to travel 100's of km's at the "chance" of getting lucky. Typhoons move so damn quickly that nothing is definate and very bloody hard to predict! So for the people that have to work and surf only when they are free it's not really that good! Pro's that come to Japan get driven around chasing waves and that's all they do, so obviously they would think that.

[Mantas 3]

Indosnm touched on an important point. Fitness. It can't be underestimated. I'm certainly no big wave hero, but I take my fitness more seriously than some of my surfing mates. This allows me go a bit harder when the swell is on. I don't want to sitting on the beach because I'm not fit enough to paddle out.

[Mantas 3]

Indo have you ever surfed Numbrella Roti? When I was there it was only small but looked like it had heeps of potental. Beautiful spot though.I was in Sumbawa when a massive swell hit. there was about 30 guys in the camps but only 3 went out at lakey peak ( i wasn't one of them) i surfed Nungers.

I've never been to the Mentawias, think I missed the boat there. Too crowded now. I had 6 weeks in Nias in 1987. I've never surfed Sumatra mainland.

 

My first trip was in 1978 ( i was 11 ) my last trip was in 1998.

 

I'd like to go back with my kids one day. We had some friends that went with there kids to Bali afew years ago. A bomb went off 200m from where there were having dinner. It put the wind up us a bit I must admit. If it was just me or me and wife, no worries, but not the kids.

[Mantas 3]

Well here it is again. 'Get it on 'remix!

 

Same dodgey surfing, same dodgey camera, same dodgey cameraman, slightly improved editing and quality.

 

Oh and the same 80's dodgey music that i like.

 

[indosnm 0]

I'm almost a Bali baby! first trip was '81 as a 6 year old grom. Went pretty much year due to family biz. Got married there and both kids were concieved there too! (goog ol' Bintang!)

 

I've been to Nembrala. Took Bus from Kuta, ferry, bus, ferry, bus, ferry, bus and @ Ende in Flores said [censored] it , I'm catching a plane!" That was all solo, which I don't mind but with Indo's touching ya leg the whole time and kretek ciggies, dodgy music, chicken & pigs sitting next to you 6 days of no white man can take it's toll!

Got to Kupang, hang for a day to wait for the ferry, was keen to hook up with any surfer to share a coldy once I landed in Nembrala. Finally got there after massive delays to ferry. I was the only tourist on the whole Island and a cyclone was on it's way and the ferry didn't come for a week! Surf was macking probably 8-15+ onshore! Being such a long paddle was abit dodgy doing the solo. Ferry came & I got the F#$%&ck outta there! Without riding a wave! But have scored other spots from a boat in the years after that.

 

Love the peak & lakeys when it's big, spent about 7 months there one year so ya get pretty used to it. I reckon I could navigate the pit (both ways) with my eyes shut and still make it! But at one point during a 10 day swell I actually got sick of getting shacked! Ha, can't imgine getting sick of it now!

 

I just missed the first bomb in Bali, some mates didn't. We took some precautions when taking our first trip with our son, but the 2nd bomb proved that it was harder to avoid being caught out, as it hit early around dinner time. Love the place and the people too much to stay away. It's times like now when they need their friends to come back and support them. But I'll warn ya, Bali with kids is different to a surfing holiday with no kids, I am still taking time to adjust to not being on the surfhunt 24/7!

 

long dribble, I'll check out that vid, and fix a few of mine up soon.

[Mantas 3]

Mate- I could dribble on about Indo for hours.

Can really relate to the chikens,pigs, kretek ciggies ect. One year I went from Timor to Jakarta overland, bus ferry,bus ferry, bus, ferry, bus, ferry. It took over a month. The pelni boats only came once a week.

 

I had a much better trip to Roti than your horror story. Took a prahu from Baa aa???. and sailed all the way to Nembrala. An Indo had a line out the back. He asked me to hold it while he went for a piss. Bang, 5 minutes later I hauled in a nice spanish mackeral.

Scored some nice quality but small waves. hooked up with a good crew and proposed to my now wife on the beach.

 

I know what you mean about not being able to stay away. It had a grip on me for 20 years.

 

Where would you recommend to go for a

1)Boys trip

2) Family/ surf trip

 

I've got loads more dribble if your keen?

[Thunderpants 0]

Not the boards for you guys, but please take a minute to enjoy some beautiful boards anyway

http://www.cooperfishsurfboards.com/roundlabels.html

[damian 0]

Snosurf - one way to get yourself into bigger waves is to surf fatter greener breaks. You get a bit more leeway from the ocean for mistakes. And dropping down a big face is fun, so it setting of the bottom and lining up a thick lippy shoulder. You wont get inside and you wont go super fast down the line. But it will give your some time to get comfortable with paddling down a big face, the drop and long deep hold downs. I have never really surfed the shallow pitching stuff these guys are talking about at double to triple over head. That's a different level. I'm pretty envious and frustrated that I haven't. Oh well. I'd have to do a lot of work to get into those kind of waves these days.

 

Thunder - turning on a single fin shape like that is what turning on a wave is all about. Makes you surf a thruster really good as well. Some of the graphics were a bit off the mar for me.

 

 

edit:

Jesus! I just realised that Mantas is using the same avatar that Siren used to use. I just worked out why I've been getting a flashback of nausea each time I scan my eyes down a thread this morning. Mantas - nothing wrong with the avatar, just reminds me of a guy that used to use it. You wouldn't have liked him very much (he makes me look like you).

[Thunderpants 0]

I don't even pretend to have any surfing-talent whatsoever.

just love the glide of a big single fin board. the energy it takes to turn it and the occasional nose ride.

 

I will never get to surf the big stuff, and it is all right.

 

Watched the movie Sprout the other day, what a lovely movie. my favorite surf movie would be "Longer, a look at Joel Tudor"

I even think hard charging shortboarders would like it.

[Thunderpants 0]

SPud btw, your avatar is a bit dark side where i sit..

[Mantas 3]

 Quote:

Originally posted by db le spud:
edit:
Jesus! I just realised that Mantas is using the same avatar that Siren used to use. I just worked out why I've been getting a flashback of nausea each time I scan my eyes down a thread this morning. Mantas - nothing wrong with the avatar, just reminds me of a guy that used to use it. You wouldn't have liked him very much (he makes me look like you).

mate- tell me how to customise my own avitar and i will change it. it's all a learning curve for me.

[damian 0]

Thunder - its supposed to be dark. Most of the time a black square, but at some angles a glimpse of something, a person. Everyone wants to see pictures of other members, so they try to get a better look. You lean out of you seat, cock your head at an uncomfortable angle and get a bit of up close eyeball screen glare..... just to find me in the shadows sticking my finger upon at you. Some of the more whimsically hearted members may not see that as being a very nice thing. I love it.

 

I agree about the turn on a thin railed single fin wide nosed narrow tailed board. I met a guy recently, a seriously good heavy wave surfer. He only surfs a board like that on certain tube days. In the pit then a big hard carve out on the shoulder. I was tempted to make one over summer.

 

Mantas - Don't feel like I picked on your avatar, it just who used to use it. A Pavlov's dog reaction from me. It isn't easy to set your own:

 

1. find a picture you like and crop it square, or close to square.

2. use some software to shrink it to 70x70 pixels or smaller. If it isn't quite square like mine then you could shrink it to 68x70

3. put the picture online somewhere (like your SJ members page). Copy the url link to the picture

4. go to your preferences and at the bottom of the avatar collection, paste the url link.

5. at the top of the avatar collection page see if your custom pic is showing and click 'use this image'.

7. save changes to your profile.

6. post something on the forum to see if the new avatar appeared.

 

Its a fuggin hassle, took me 30 minutes and heaps of trial and error to change mine.

[Thunderpants 0]

Sorry can't resist

Lance Burkhart

[damian 0]

eh? no worky

[Thunderpants 0]

hmm, just a silly .wav file. works here.