Indo...is it worth it

[Bobby Dazzler]

Is it worth visiting for a below average surfer?

The gf wants to book me a surfing holiday in PNG or indo. but i'm wondering if it would be a waste of money. if i'm lucky to get waves at bronte reef when there are more than three people out, is there much point going to indo?

i'm as happy as larry spending a week at camel or seal rocks.

[Bobby Dazzler]

The gf wants to book me a surfing holiday in PNG or indo.

Hang on to her. She's a keeper!

well there's the problem...i'm worried she might not hang around if i refuse to paddle out to the triple overhead barrels with exposed reef at telos.

[philw]

Bronte reef is harder to surf than many intermediate spots in Bali. I recommend Nusa Dua area in wet season for average surfer + wife. Paddling and current aside, Nusa Dua on 2-4 ft days is a relatively easy, fun wave with a fairly benign reef. Totally different in 4ft plus as you will likely encounter a clean up set twice the size of the average...however there's plenty of other sheltered waves in the area, and not too crowded as they're not A grade. But still a lot better than Bronte reef...

[Beanpole]

Bronte sucks.
If she is up for paying for you to go to PNG I think I would go there as its ridiculously expensive to get there. About $2,000 return last time I looked.

Going to Bali it's $2,000 for three of us.
There are currently 40 well identified breaks in Bali......plus a pile of others.
Every time I've been over there I've surfed somewhere different. Only place I got annoyed with the crowds a bit last time was Keramas but that was nowhere near as annoying as an average day at Bondi. Plus it's a cracker of a wave.

If your going further afield you should be able to get detailed info about the waves from the people you are dealing with.

[petulance]

As the resident kook, my average wave count per session in Lombok is more than double what I get at a Sydney beachie. Love the mechanical nature of reef breaks that also have an easy channel for paddling out and avoiding getting caught inside.

[Bobby Dazzler]

thanks for the feedback. that all sounds very positive....unless 'the colonel' follows me over and paddles up my inside.

we were thinking of sumbawa or sumba. however, my cousin lives in bali, so we can stay there.

now i'm worried that my 15-year-old board might not handle the travel...the rails crack just looking at the thing.

[Beanpole]

15 year old board?
You can definitely sacrifice it on the reef then. Actually I've got an old twenty year old board that would probably go okay over there now that I think of it.
7'6" Local Knowledge.

[Beerfan]

Maldives???? I thought that was a good place for non life threatening fun waves?. I'm hoping to get there in a few years.

Actually we went there for our honeymoon. Beautiful place. Didn't see any crazy waves. Heaps of spots though

[Bobby Dazzler]

my income doesn't come close to cracking the tax-free threshold...hence 15-year-old board, bought second hand 10 years ago for $120. it's already been sacrificed on a few pacific island reefs.

thanks for the offer of the Local Knowledge board, but i'm a kneelo... can't even afford to stand-up like you silver tails.

yeh, maldives sound perfect, beery.

mat, fcuk! i'd love a mick mackie kneeboard! he used to be good mates with the kneelo legend albert whiteman. i have time next week to drop around, if that suits. will pm/call.

[bomboraa]

F8ck bad timing, I recently gave away my custom Flashpoint rounded pin kneeboard after not surfing it for 20 years Thing went awesome in Indo, Europe, Mexico and Costa Rica and around Oz. Give Bruce Hart, Flashpoint's guru cripple's shaper a call, he might have an old second/third hand board around. Top bloke he might do a kneelo brothers united deal for you. Might even allow a borrow. Plenty of Bali waves just made for half men

[Bobby Dazzler]

F8ck bad timing, I recently gave away my custom Flashpoint rounded pin kneeboard after not surfing it for 20 years Thing went awesome in Indo, Europe, Mexico and Costa Rica and around Oz. Give Bruce Hart, Flashpoint's guru cripple's shaper a call, he might have an old second/third hand board around. Top bloke he might do a kneelo brothers united deal for you. Might even allow a borrow. Plenty of Bali waves just made for half men

aren't they the best! bruce hart is a genius.
my board is a 5'10" flashpoint single flyer rounded pin...best board i've ridden by a long shot! it's magic...the board leads me, tells me how to ride the wave.

[petulance]

Bronte reef is harder to surf than many intermediate spots in Bali.

If they aren't secret spots, can you name some of them?

[Karlos]

my income doesn't come close to cracking the tax-free threshold...hence 15-year-old board, bought second hand 10 years ago for $120. it's already been sacrificed on a few pacific island reefs.

When I read this knowing you were responsible for the 'Brazilian'* I get choked up at the unfairness of the world we live in.

* Or was it the full shaven thing? If so, I'm a little conflicted BD.

[Beanpole]

Well if you have taken that board to surf reefs in the pacific then Indo isn't going to be much of a problem.

[Bobby Dazzler]

your concern is touching, karlos. thanks. but no need to worry...the lesson of the Brazilian is that less is more.

beany, it's a second hand board...someone else charged chopes on it, not me.

[philw]

Petulance - Nusa Dua is hardly a secret spot. There are waves from the main Nusa Dua stretch of reef all the way up past mushroom rock to Sri Lanka ( check a surf guidebook - all are well known ). Mid to high tide and sub 3foot, there's plenty of user friendly surf for intermediates ( not great for beginners / novices ). Nusa Dua itself, while fun on smaller swells for intermediates becomes much scarier at size due to clean up sets, distance from shore, unpredictable line up, strong currents etc

there are loads of waves in Bali that are ok for intermediates with right tide / swell size, notably Canguu area and Medewi, some Bukit breaks can be very approachable

Crowds in my experience are always a hassle, apart from wet season east Coast at the non a grade waves - still better than Bronte!!!

[Karlos]

BD what I'm saying is that you should be held in the same esteem as the likes of Karl Lagerfield for your contribution to the world of female fashion, but as we know it's the pioneers who lay the groundwork only for others to collect the spoils.

[steve shearer]

Save your dough and go to Seal Rocks