Rick Cameron - Mentawai : being deported ?

[ric_vidal]

(even though I do like that new avocado quarter pounder )... I respected the locals and I left without a trace.

’cept a couple of big deep footprints.

[kreepykrawly]

I'm no sasquach

[ric_vidal]

I'm no sasquach

Did I comment on the hair, no, stop reading between the lines, KnacKers.

[marcus]

sorry to interupt
is it pronounced ment-a-why or men-towie like yowie
heard many different pronunciations

[mentawaifusion]

I wouldn’t buy into his cr-p about ferals having such an impact on destabilizing local communities.

What a load of absolute garbage !!!!

I was also one of those “ferals” you talk about. I learned the local languages, I stayed in the villages, I respected the locals and I left without a trace.
And I know a lot of so called “ferals” that did the same.I certainly never burned anyone when I was there.

You will from time to time encounter micro “feral” conflicts but those are quickly sorted out through a natural process and life usually reverts quickly back to the way it was.
The impact that surf tourism has on local people is much more permanent and final.

Beside the odd burning and chopping incident (Deserts) ferals don’t have much permanent impact on anything.

Look how much “international” attention you’ve created (for a start).
Never heard of any “ferals” doing the same .

These so called “ferals” you talk about don’t even have the money to “corrupt” government officials.
It is people of your ilk that do this….thus perpetuating a downhill slide into a cultural vacuum that places like Bali have become.

Your truly
KK (protector of surf travelling ferals around the world )

Chill KK,
Read what I wrote. Why are ferals so immune to logic and reason? ha ha.
I said I "hats off" to the true pioneers and sounds like you are one of the "real" ones. Since you wont show your name I cant be sure. What I said is that the feral pioneers and the surfing yachties (like me) are always the ones who discover new breaks and start the development cycle. For the first few years all is sweet and the local community CAN deal with a handful of well prepared surfers who respect the culture and help the local communities in small but important ways. What I said was that this "feral window" only lasts about 5 years or so. That depends on how difficult and expensive it is to reach the location. Nias was easy to reach and the boom bust cycle was pretty dramatic. Mentawais were harder to reach and for the past 12 years there have been some rules to put the brakes on the formation of surf slums. Now there are laws. Just in time, the Brazos turned up in numbers the past couple of years and they can be pretty ugly to be around (not the girls of course). These surfers are not discovering anything. They are just exploiting the locals and the resort industry... hey they even fly out on SMA! Do you think the flights would be there without the resort owners committing to numbers to make it viable.

So dont take it personally KK. You are probably a hero and a shining light in this era of the surf vacation industry's global expansion. You can define yourself as outside the surf industry culture but you are part of it. Count up all the surf equipment and apparel you have purchased in the past 10 years... that is your contribution to this voracious beast. (ok ok... a bit less scary since Q shares dipped below $1)

So calling my version of events garbage is fine, but you open yourself up for a bit of a lashing mate!

[kreepykrawly]

I’m not built for logic or reason. (Ask Cliff).
I’m too emotionally unstable to support such privileges.

My real name is Sanchez Ramerez Constantinpole (the third)… sometimes referred to as “Jabba” due to the fact that some cretins on realsurf perceive me to be horizontally challenged.

[mentawaifusion]

I’m not built for logic or reason. (Ask Cliff).
I’m too emotionally unstable to support such privileges.

My real name is Sanchez Ramerez Constantinpole (the third)… sometimes referred to as “Jabba” due to the fact that some cretins on realsurf perceive me to be horizontally challenged.

Well this is just HUGE. A rational rescindivist! I'm warmin to ya Jabba. Hey dont see a single "moral spastic" charter boat owner making any waves in this forum to date. Tongues eaten by cats again.

[boardscape avalon]

none of us can afford a boat...

[craig]

So..... was he actually deported? Anyone know....?
Believe nothing you hear. And only half you see.

[kreepykrawly]

I like that definition “Rational recidivists” (notice proper spelling).
I used it in a road rage incident last night.
Someone last night cut me off near Manly-Warringah Leagues club, Brookvale.
I flashed my headlights and overtook him.
He then tailgated me.
Up ahead the lights turned red.
I got out of my car and approached his car in a slightly agitated state.
He wound up his window.
I yelled “ get out of your car you f-cking rational recidivist”
He gave me a strange look and reached for his mobile phone.
After a few punishing seconds the lights turned red and he drove off.
On the way home I made a mental note to use more fancy words during times of high stress.

[dingoshred]

Mentawai govt have a zoning plan in the pipeline. Some areas will be for high end tourism (Maldives sytle), some for family level with mid price ala Bali and some area set asside for losmen style backpacker tourism. Nowhere in this plan is any consideration given to ferals. The facts are that ferals (independent surf traveler) cause more problems by far than the boats do. Fights with locals, surfers getting sick, drugs, one guy even set himself and his host on fire trying to fill a pressure lamp with white spirit. The ferals are not popular with anyone except the host family and often that turns sour. I totaly respect surf pioneers (been there done that) and there is plenty of coastline in the rest of the world for them to explore. It is purile to blame the resort investors for the government's policy. We follow the rules and we are developing the way the Mentawai parliament want to see it happen. Visiting surfers are guests and they have no "rights" to anything unless the Mentawai islanders say so. Since 1999 the Mentawais have had their own parliament. Members are elected by the villagers in a democratic process. The Parliament then make the rules.

Independent surf travelers who want to find uncrowded undiscovered waves had a 5 year window in the Mentawais. That is past. It is also past in Nias and most of the archipelago. Enganno gets good surf and the Aceh coast is not crowded. The rest is well known and well visited. You could say this is a process and that the independent surf travelers are the true pioneers (along with the yachtie surfers). The pioneers tell others and the process begins. What interests me is the end game. The final phase of development. If there are no rules or regulations the end game is the same as the Nias boom and bust story. Anyone who thinks that is the way to go is welcome to put their argument but dont expect anyone to listen.

What would happen if the Sulewesi fishermen who are regularly arrested off the WA coast were to protest to the local government...What if they started.telling the Broom shire council that they are not happy about the new hotels being built on the coast because the tourists are making it hard to fish for sea cucumbers and trocus shell. We are blinded by our prejudice. Those feral fishermen are true poineers but they have no rights and they dont follow the rules. The Aussie govt burns their boats and locks them up then deports them.

Not saying that the Mentawai govt have got it perfectly right..but it is their right to screw up trying. If independent traveling surfers want to have a say, they should marry an island girl and have children. In 18 years from now those kids will have a vote.

Seriously mate, who the fark do you think you are. You are so condescending.

Because I didn't get to surf the mentawis in the '5 year window', you have the right.

Who the fark elected you spokesperson for locals. I'd be happy to support the locals, but not your greedy little pockets.

No one is saying that their should be no regulation. Clearly there needs to be. But regulations that favour you (and equally shady figures) and that have been manipulated by westerners are not. Autonomous development is needed. While in no sense flawless, the Surfing Management Plans in place in PNG are more in the right direction.

Anyway, hope you get butt raped in prison.

[shish]

Hi Rick,

Im presuming given your involvement in resorts out there that your are keen to promote that side of things ? Are resorts out their viable though ? Resorts are generally crap investments even in easy to get to locations. In the Ments the resorts are really small, you have to ship everything in and they only open from march to october. And you have to fly with SMAC airlines, who have already been grounded once this year by the Indo Govt on safety grounds (and thats saying something !!).I stayed at Kandui and i reckon those guys live hand to mouth. (They do live in a pretty special place though) I reckon they would be lucky to break even when you think of the income they make. 2009 is going be a shocker for Mentawaii operators with the biggest source market of the US and Aus in recession, and the aussie dollar falling to 65c. Until you get major airlines flying direct (unlikely, they dont even fly to Padang) and broaden the appeal to non surfers, Mentawaiis is always only going to appeal to more adventurous surfers. As a result the yacht charters and 'low end' camp or losmen style accommodation (preferably run by locals) is really the only thing that will survive at the Mentawaiis for a long, long time. Boat Captains and Resort Owners should do some self regulation to assist with overcrowding, otherwise surfers will go start to go elsewhere.

[hippy]

Who the fark elected you spokesperson for locals. I'd be happy to support the locals, but not your greedy little pockets.

Anyway, hope you get butt raped in prison.[/quote]

Here here! Well said! Proberbly what my Grandma would say now that I'm older..

A very Slimy Character indeed.. Those illegal fisherman off the WA coast are kina like you Cameron, only they don't have the scammed funds to corrupt the Aussie military and government.. A very arrogant and slide of hand type of fella I think Camerons plan to gain a bit of public support via this chat is going to backfire...

Don't count your ferals out of this just yet.. I know a few locals who are just waiting for the prime opportunity to take back what is theirs. The land, the sea and the tourists. Might be perfect timing for Cameron, wont be anything else to do but go to jail.. Better start wiping your ass with your cash, cause dreaming about your tyrant days of totalitarian rule over surfers in the Metz might be your recurring day/nightmare...



Peace n Goodvibez[quote][/quote]

[wanto]

hey how about you guys get some substance to your arguments. if you have a gripe, explain it.

insults don't prove anything.

[yowie1000]

men-towie like yowie

Sounds like a line from a hip-hop track.

Ya know!

[dark chocolate]

Yes Ken, I heard he was definatly deported last Saturday(?)
Read an email called 'Ricks Confession' recently. That guy sounds sick in the head.

[wanto]

Read an email called 'Ricks Confession' recently. That guy sounds sick in the head.

post it

[dark chocolate]

Wanto,
I will try and get someone to re-send it. It was forwarded around last year, dont know if anyone still has it.