KOHEI-SAN-SURF
SURF RESEARCH
MENTAWAI, 2007 Sep. A friend of mine called Yu who has been working as surf guide in Mentawai sent me an email oneday, saying "Big swell, brah! Big swell!!". I knew that Indian ocean has been pumping this summer and scored epic swell in May. The swell forecast looks promising with bigger or at least as big as May swell. I felt I just can't miss this time for myself. However the problem is that I have to leave within 2 days to catch a boat departing Padang. Next day was crazy booking ticket and organizing my work at home...plus begging my wife for permittion of my vacation. She wasn't very happy but cool enough to give me a go! Then, right after I book my air ticket, I heard news that big eathquake and tunami hit Mentawai and town of Padang. I couldn't contact to Padang neither by email nor telephone. The news provide only very limited infomation about the sithuation out there so I wasn't sure if it is okay to go for it. Also, by recognizing myself as not that good shortboarder, stick choice is kinda issue. Big wave reqire big board but it is shallow reef barrel points...not just making big drop and down the line... I took 7'4" Parmenter shortboard and 10'4" big gun this time. Hoping for the best...
Leaving Padang. Our boat is ankered outside of river mouth. Next day we arrived one of village to bring supply from Surfaid. Foto by Adam Kobayashi Foto by Adam Kobayashi Go to MENTAWAI 2007 Vol.2 GO BACK TO TOP