Sumba

Wondering if there are surfable waves someplace you've never visited? Or have you had an injury and want to compare experiences? Do it here!

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Cranked
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Re: Sumba

Post by Cranked » Thu Apr 04, 2019 11:02 am

JET01 wrote:
Wed Apr 03, 2019 6:00 pm
Our flight from Bali to Tambolaka got cancelled by Garuda citing “Operational Reasons”.
We’ve had to rebook that leg with Wings Air.
I’ve googled, tripadvisored and all that.
Seems we’ll be stung 200,000 rups per board each way.
Does anyone have actual experience in terms of board lengths you’ve had on Wings?
I’m going to take a 6’10. But a mate going with us is talking about taking a 8’1 mal as the forecast is looking average.
Any thoughts?
Nothing specific Jet, but here's some general observations on boards on Indo airlines.

1.They will generally take them (I've seen mine in the pilots cabin, and others in various places in the passengers section)
2. Your board may not go on your flight (rare) but will go on a subsequent flight. Checking in early might help
“I don’t necessarily agree with everything I say ”— Marshall McLuhan

JET01
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Re: Sumba

Post by JET01 » Thu Apr 04, 2019 10:49 pm

Hey guys thanks for all the tips. I’ll and keep some notes along the way to provide a decent trip report when I get back.
Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.

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Re: Sumba

Post by JET01 » Sat Apr 13, 2019 4:19 pm

Righto boys, get a drink and have a read.

These are some notes I jotted down as things popped into my head while i was over there.
I was very appreciative of all the feedback leading up to the trip so fair’s fair...

Plan a trip when tides have minimal difference. Most breaks we surfed were quite affected by tide so when the difference is 3m, there’s only a window of a 45min to 1 hour where breaks were doing their thing.

Right out the front. Mid length heaven. Deep water point break. Biggest we had it was 2.5x overhead. Caught literally the longest wave of my life. A Kneelo we were surfing with had a surf watch where he clocked a 460m wave. Mine was longer i’m claiming 500m. And my mate got a longer than me. Best surfed between low to mid on the rising tide. Shortboardable, but had the best fun on my 6’10 crossbreed and will take my 7’2 seaxe back if when I go again.


Johnnies - more bowly and faster right hander. It was an hour drive on shitty roads from the camp. But the change in pace was great. ‘Twas shoulder to head high on the take off here, but I reckon this place would be heaven slightly bigger where barrels will be more of possibility.

Sumba Sunset and coconuts left for short boards and body boards. I surfed here on the last day on the boogie as my arms we cactus. Waves were waist high but we got there a bit late and the low tide made it too fast for a boogie and eventually only closeouts on offer. Great left though. There’s beachie close by too that goes both ways.

Airlines. I recommend booking Qantas to Bali and then Wings to Tambolaka.
Garuda canned our flights to Tambolaka which meant we ended up having to can all flights and rebook. We really appreciated the assistance of flight centre Mona vale (unsolicited plug). It sounds like Garuda do this regularly and they have a dodgey refund policy where you won’t see your cash for up to 8weeks. I reckon they’re helping out the low cost airlines in some kind of dodgy indoesque scam.

Luggage.
Qantas is easy, you all know the drill.
Wings. 7kg free carry on. Put everything else in board bag max 32kg.
We got lucky on the way there as the guy in training only charged us 200,000IDR for each surfboard bag.
On the way back, we paid the proper rate which was 200,000IDR PER BOARD. I took 3 boards, so 600,000IDR for the flight back.
No damage to any of our surfboards.
Biggest length we travelled with was an 8’1 mal. We watched as they loaded it, and I reckon anything longer could’ve been left behind (speculation)

Take duty free and get the driver to stop on the way to the camp to buy mixers.

You can buys cans of coke and sprite at the camp for not much, 60,000 per large Bintang. They don’t have a dedicated drinks fridge, but do have a freezer that only just works. Took 24 hours to get a tray of ice to freeze. We left our vodka and gin in here to help the situation along.
When you get there the shuttle will cost you 600,000IDR Per way and can be distributed between the passengers.

Take 10,000 rup notes to buy coconuts from the kids on the beach. Stash it in your leggy, but if you forget the kids will follow you up to the camp and wait for payment.
After you’ve had a 2hr session on the right out the front you’ll be happy for the electrolytes in the coconut water.

Food. Mainly vego. With a bit of chicken and fish. All tasty food. No record or Bali belly or anything more serious.

Breakfast is crepes, bananas, condensed milk and black coffee and biscuits. This is available from around 7am to as late as 12 if you get back from boat/car ride trip late (which we did)

Waterproof bag handy for boat trips. Take water and bananas if you remember.


Boards.
I took a
6’0 PCC quad (have a look for my photo with the grey tailpad) went great at Johnny’s and out the front.
6’0 SKX (only used once when out the front was double overhead)
6’10 Jye Byrnes crossbreed. Was amazing for out the front, as there was loads of paddling and plenty of bomb sets to deal with.
Spent most of my time on the pcc and the crossbreed.

If I was to come again I’d left the SKX at home and bring a 7’2-7’6 for the really small days although
There are a couple of quality 7’4 minimals available for use/hire. My mate caught his 700m+ ride on it. Lost count of how many roundhouses i watched him do on the same wave.

Beds are comfy mozzie nets with no holes. Resident Gecko in the bungalow has been known to shit on people overnight. We were lucky that it was on the southern face of the roof during our stay so the shit missed bed. He’ll let you know he’s there a few times during the night.

Car to johnnies was an 1hr drive
The owners took delivery of a boat and should be only a 20 min trip to johnnies. Watch this space in terms of pricing. we paid 95USD per night.

Will definitely return.
Happy to take any questions.
Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.

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Re: Sumba

Post by Cranked » Sat Apr 13, 2019 8:10 pm

Glad you scored Jet
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Re: Sumba

Post by Beanpole » Sat Apr 13, 2019 9:07 pm

Sounds like about at my skill level these days. Keen for a few low key surf jaunts in the next year.
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Re: Sumba

Post by black duck » Sat Apr 13, 2019 10:12 pm

Beanpole wrote:
Sat Apr 13, 2019 9:07 pm
Sounds like about at my skill level these days. Keen for a few low key surf jaunts in the next year.
Go hard beany, don't go soft cock. Go to the telos, ment's end. Good waves there. Keep your heart pumping.
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Re: Sumba

Post by steve shearer » Sun Apr 14, 2019 7:41 am

No barrels?

In Indo?
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Re: Sumba

Post by Cranked » Sun Apr 14, 2019 8:53 am

Somewhere in Sumba

Image

Image
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Re: Sumba

Post by Beanpole » Sun Apr 14, 2019 12:14 pm

black duck wrote:
Sat Apr 13, 2019 10:12 pm
Beanpole wrote:
Sat Apr 13, 2019 9:07 pm
Sounds like about at my skill level these days. Keen for a few low key surf jaunts in the next year.
Go hard beany, don't go soft cock. Go to the telos, ment's end. Good waves there. Keep your heart pumping.
Settle down, Duck. I know my limits. I would potentially go to the Ments but it would really be if the occasion came up rather than something I'd be rushing to do.

A surf trip for me ideally would involve a bit of good to average surf with plenty of other activities culminating in a couple of days of really good surf. I'd be stuffed after two to three days and would be so stiff it would be a waste of money if that was the only reason to be there.
Put your big boy pants on
I mean, tastebuds? WGAF?

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Re: Sumba

Post by steve shearer » Sun Apr 14, 2019 12:22 pm

I wonder how old you can be and still get barrelled?
I want Nightclub Dwight dead in his grave I want the nice-nice up in blazes

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Re: Sumba

Post by JET01 » Sun Apr 14, 2019 12:32 pm

steve shearer wrote:
Sun Apr 14, 2019 12:22 pm
I wonder how old you can be and still get barrelled?
I surf with a 72 year old at the point that still gets the odd tube
Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.

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Re: Sumba

Post by JET01 » Sun Apr 14, 2019 12:36 pm

Beanpole wrote:
Sun Apr 14, 2019 12:14 pm
black duck wrote:
Sat Apr 13, 2019 10:12 pm
Beanpole wrote:
Sat Apr 13, 2019 9:07 pm
Sounds like about at my skill level these days. Keen for a few low key surf jaunts in the next year.
Go hard beany, don't go soft cock. Go to the telos, ment's end. Good waves there. Keep your heart pumping.
Settle down, Duck. I know my limits. I would potentially go to the Ments but it would really be if the occasion came up rather than something I'd be rushing to do.

A surf trip for me ideally would involve a bit of good to average surf with plenty of other activities culminating in a couple of days of really good surf. I'd be stuffed after two to three days and would be so stiff it would be a waste of money if that was the only reason to be there.
I reckon you’d love Nusa Island in PNG.
I don’t care if there’s tubes or not, as long as there’s next to no crowds.

Each to their own
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Re: Sumba

Post by Beanpole » Sun Apr 14, 2019 1:25 pm

steve shearer wrote:
Sun Apr 14, 2019 12:22 pm
I wonder how old you can be and still get barrelled?
Well I've always felt there's getting barrelled and there's getting barrelled over razor sharp coral.....and there's getting barrelled over razor sharp coral in a remote part of a third world country.
My basic calculations with surf relate to crowds, relative ability compared to the crowd and heaviness of the break. What the take off is like being a pretty prime consideration.
Put your big boy pants on
I mean, tastebuds? WGAF?

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Re: Sumba

Post by steve shearer » Sun Apr 14, 2019 5:16 pm

thanks, could you elaborate on those calculations.
I want Nightclub Dwight dead in his grave I want the nice-nice up in blazes

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Re: Sumba

Post by Beanpole » Sun Apr 14, 2019 6:38 pm

Happy to if you give me an example to work with.
Put your big boy pants on
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Re: Sumba

Post by JET01 » Mon Apr 15, 2019 7:28 pm

Beanpole wrote:
Sun Apr 14, 2019 1:25 pm
steve shearer wrote:
Sun Apr 14, 2019 12:22 pm
I wonder how old you can be and still get barrelled?
Well I've always felt there's getting barrelled and there's getting barrelled over razor sharp coral.....and there's getting barrelled over razor sharp coral in a remote part of a third world country.
My basic calculations with surf relate to crowds, relative ability compared to the crowd and heaviness of the break. What the take off is like being a pretty prime consideration.
Beany, I’m with you on this.

Update on the luggage.
Mate with the 8’1 went home with his boards. They left them at Tambolaka.
“Sorry Sir, too big, maybe come tomorrow. We call you”.
Try sticking to sub 7’6?
Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.

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