I‘ve been on a lot of surf trips in my life and the preparation phase is always stressful. Are we going to score good waves? Am I in good enough shape? Did I bring the right surfboards? Will I have any travel problems? The first dip in a foreign ocean washes all the stresses of life and travels away.

Last August I traveled to Indonesia with a few good friends to embark on a 16 day journey to some remote islands off of the coast of Sumatra. A total of 18 hours was spent in the air but we finally made it. Stepping off the plane a few degrees below the equator is like walking into a wall of water. The humidity immediately soaks your clothes. The Indonesian people are very friendly and we were met by kids yelling “hey mistah” with big smiles on their faces. We spent the afternoon at a small hotel along a river drinking 50 cent beers and eating $2 pizzas. At dusk we walked down the boardwalk to our boat, the Southern Cross, and scrambled aboard to pick the best bunks. This dorm style set-up was to be our home for the next couple weeks.

That first night is pretty tough. Laying in a bunk, on a rocking boat with a little beer buzz would normally put a person to sleep but the anticipation of perfect waves in 78 degree water with 7 friends makes it tough. First light brought hoots from our deckhands and I rushed to the deck. My buddy Paul was in the midst of a fight with a large dorado. This was a good sign for what lie ahead. About an hour later we rounded an island reminiscent of Gilligan’s and found a perfect wave. Four to six feet high and tapering perfectly down a razor sharp reef for about 75 yards. It didn’t take long for the crew to unpack the boards and hop in. The water over there is so warm that when you jump in, it is hardly refreshing-almost too hot.

The next week was filled with long days of perfect waves and no crowds. I think we surfed about 6 or 7 different spots and a few that have only been surfed by a handful of people. Our days started with a little breakfast then a surf. In for a snack, rest and surf again. Lunch, digest and surf again. We usually went out in the late afternoon and surfed until dark. The dinghy would be waiting for us in the dark and a cold beer was usually sculled enroute to our floating condo. Dinner usually consisted of the days catch which could include fresh sashimi. After filling our bellies we would go down below and watch the day’s video footage while cooling off under the always running air conditioner.

About day 10 we ran into a flat spell and headed to an island called Bawa which always picks up lots of swell. We surfed head-high waves for a few days by ourselves again which is the best feeling in the world. There were reports on the radio of six boats anchored up at one spot a few hundred miles south and I imagine tensions were running high in the line-up. Picking the right Captain in these waters is imperative. Conditions and swell directions constantly change and being on top of it is important if you want the best bang for your buck.

The next day turned out to be flat, still surfable but it was time to move on. We headed to a town called Lagundri on the southern tip of Nias. The bay in which we anchored is host to one of the best waves on the planet and unfortunately one of the most crowded. First discovered in the 70’s by a couple of legendary surf explorers it is now inhabited by lots of locals living on the beach renting their warungs (palapas) for a few dollars a day. We headed into the town mid morning to avoid the malaria infested mosquitos which inhabit these islands. As soon as we hit the beach the local kids descended upon the “rich” tourists and tried to sell us their goods. Beautiful carvings are created by these people and my home is filled with them. Hand carved swords go for $3, chess sets $10 and just about anything else you can think of is up for barter. We rented some motorcycles from some local kids for two dollars an hour and proceeded to ride up into the hills. After a half hour ride in our flip flops and no helmets we arrived at a temple which housed the King and Queen of Nias. A few pictures and we headed off back to the boat as dusk was approaching and the mozzies were waking up.

Almost everynight we enjoyed a lightning show in the distance following a spectacular sunset. We awoke the next morning at a secret spot our Captain found a few years prior named ******. It got this name because it breaks about 15 yards from a dry reef shelf and the kids come out and hoot following every wave. They didn’t hoot for the long, deep tube rides we were getting but the high flying kick outs after each ride. The waves in this area of the world are absolutely perfect in shape. The water is so clear you can look at the fish smiling underwater as they swim inches below your feet. The beautiful waves come with a price-they break over super sharp reefs which are very shallow. A bad wipe out can turn your dream trip into a nightmare. All the boats in the area carry suture and staple kits, anti-infection drugs and IV bags in the event of a bad cut.

The last couple days of the trip allowed me to surf some of the best waves I have ever seen. Some days it was almost impossible to drag yourself back up onto the boat. We swam across the equator and stopped on an island which you could run around in under a minute. We ended up surfing about 12 different spots in 16 days. We drove past hundreds of islands but it was only the tip of the iceberg in this wave rich country consisting of 16,000 islands. Our Captain has been doing tours and his own exploring in this area for 7 years and he considered this trip to be one of the best for consistentcy and quality.
This was my fourth and best trip but now I’m stressed because the next one will never compare to sixteen days of perfect surf with friends.

Anthony "Alaska" Schwamm (Alaska, May 2006)