Off Grid

Last minute decision to travel to Indo delivered some"treasure". Scoring one of the more low key surf destinations pumping . I have been here to this particular spot few times now and she can be a tad fickle , with long range forecasts often not living up to the hype.

However this time we scored it big time ,two weeks and back to back swells. Everytime I go I learn more and more what boards work and more about this particular stretch of reef and surrounding waves.The best wave up there is very shallow and fast with numerous barrel sections , easy to blow if you don't carry speed out of your turns.With an infamous end bowl, shallow section that has ended many surfers trips . All the other spots too are shallow and fast but quality,even a couple of good lefts nearby .

The "Jewel in the Crown" or the "best" wave can be super fickle with outer bomboras affecting swell direction and eventually how the waves line up and run down the point. Even "period" factors in , to this Sumatran reef break to line up. Sometimes you just roll up and it's on ,then other times its a just a weird lumpy mess of white water !

Maybe its inconsistency and remoteness is why it rarely features in surf media. Naming spots is not a good thing , just look at the Mentawais now ! Apparently there are 42 boats operating and plus land camps on almost every known surf spot . 

 Shout out though, if you dig a going right and like getting barreled then hit up the guys at Pulse Surf Charters . ( There are some quality lefts up there too). Marcus and his brother Myles built a 70 foot luxury aluminum power cat , designed to chase surf in style. The boys have a 5 star quality stylish boat with plenty of room and the whole trip is designed to maximise surf time and dine on a gourmet menu in between surf time !

What boards did I take ? My quiver ,travelling with boards is a hassle and nothing worse than dragging your boards around the world , then finding out you don't like them ! Thats why its important to to take good boards on a boat trip.

My Quiver breakdown, for this trip (I feel I dialled my quiver in the best ever)!

6'0 USC Performance Plus

5'10 USC Savage

5'8 DCD Must

5'6 Diamond Tail Twin Fin (new model coming soon).

Heads up too ,you will be "Off Grid" with extremely limited internet and phone connection , "but hey maybe that's a good thing"..

Words by Eden Scallan , owner and Founder of Formula Energy Surfboards.

Photos by Jason Acott Cheers Pulse Surf Charters for another epic trip.