Plus a list of recent wrecks and, revealed for the first time, why your Indo crew won't take you anywhere without cell phone reception etc.
Wanna know how many boats are swinging their anchors in the Ments? Forty two.
Forty two.
I remember, back at the turn of the century, when a dozen boats and twenty in the water at Lance’s Right felt like the apocalypse.
It ain’t a surprise.
Lately, the joint has even been getting clawed by migrating VALs from Europe.
Earlier today, I received an email from John Caldwell, who is employed by Martin Daly’s Indies Trader, explaining that he’d compiled a detailed list of every charter boat operating in the Menatwais.
If you’re into boats, and the Ments, it’s interesting as all hell.
It’s a sort of soft sell to get you on Marty’s boat, of course.
Jump on a cheapie and it ain’t gonna have a satellite phone. Belt your head open somewhere remote like The Hole where there’s no cell towers and, well, at least you bled out doing something you loved.
Recent wrecks and their causes are listed. (BeachGrit takes absolutely no responsibility for subjective judgements about crew etc.)
Quest 1 – Sank (Rescued by Trader 3) – Incompetent crew, poor maintenance
Katika – Burnt near Rags Right – Gallery Fire
Indies Explorer – Burnt in Port-Bungus
Star Koat – Hit the reef and caught fire (rescued by Ratu Motu)
Midas – Caught inside by tsunami at Macaronis
Sea Dog (Anjing Laut) – Sunk – Fiberglass delaminated off wooden planked hull
Sri Wedana – Washed aground at Lance’s Right, anchored in Keyhole overnight hit by a squall, no radar, bad judgement, no qualified crew
Lautan Megah – Rick Cameron’s boat that caught fire – Karma
MV Diane – Washed on to the beach in squall , bad ground tackle only one of 2 main engines operable near Macaronis (Trader 3 Rescued)
KM Alissa – Sunk due to hull integrity failing, no bulkheads in moderately rough seas.
And here’s an interesting point about going on a boat with all-Indonesian crew.
Cheaper boats with an all Indonesian crew like to stick to breaks that are near cell towers so that they can use their cell phones while the guys are surfing. They’ll come up with excuses as to why they can’t or shouldn’t visit other breaks but in reality they just don’t want to be bored without cell service. A lot of the Indo captains also have a bonus scheme where they will get more money if they use less fuel. Ask about the company’s optimal travel itinerary as well as their back up plans in the case of weather/swell changes. Check if your boat has 24/7 satellite internet to avoid having to stay close to the cell towers.
The Indies guys recommended the following boats:
Budget – Orca Laut
Mid Range – Raja Elang (which is skipper by the great Tony “Doris” Eltherington.)
High End – Indies Trader III
Awesome! A completely unbiased review on mentawai boat charters! is that you Mikey C? From what I’ve gathered, if Martin Daly isn’t your captain you’ll either get skunked or the boat will catch fire. Sign me up for the all inclusive package on the Indies trader!!!
Tell em about the time you drove Trader1 up on the bricks down near the Hole Marty. And the other time Trader 3 drove straight into the headland in the Padang Harbour. People in glass houses…
Nice! Obviously someone I know that likes to hide behind his computer instead of being up front. Driving the boat into the headland is an urban myth, Yep we went up on the “bricks” once with trader one, Just come back from Circumnavigating the world and it was like driving in to the letterbox at home, Shit happens and its how you deal with it that defines you not the fact that something went wrong, Safety is about anticipating risk and having a plan to mitigate and recover when things go wrong. We all get caught inside at some stage and its important to paddle straight back out.I didn’t write the article and I don t see anything that’s really that awful , just interesting facts. It’s always fun to tear someone down, must be satisfying.
Disgrunted ex-employee or late to the party “Captain”?
Some hot tips in that article. Having suffered at the hands of a last minute skipper change on a boat that’s not on the list (switched from the “experienced Aussie skipper” in the brochure to “Russell the love muscle” the tubby sweaty non surfing english boat owner), I would strongly suggest doing some research. Still got some great waves, but It could have been so much better. Caveat Emptor indeed.
Hah yes! A good boat trip fn rules, such killer adventure. Would love to catch a trip with Doris someday.
What a fucking great post Derek.
Anything relating to surf travel is the most interesting stuff to read. I’ve built my life/career around surf trips or the time to take them and money. Keep these post coming, you only live once.
Cool thing about VALS is…. the lineups look crowded, but they’re easy prey.
And this is why I love Martin Daly… no bullshit!
They should really charge VAL’s extra. For everything.
Just got back from 12 days on Melaleuca. Excellent, spacious boat. Excellent guide (Victor), who put us on the fcuken spot every day. Outstanding crew.
You lucky bastard!
Full local crew, and they were all super switched on. And as is always the case with Indonesians, funny as hell and keen to have a laugh.
We celebrated three birthdays onboard, and every time Jubel the chef cooked up massive feasts incl special desserts with bday candles.
How did Rick Cameron earn the karma? He he
This article seems very anti the full Indonesian boat crews… I can’t for the life I me understand how anyone could come to this conclusion?
I’ve only ever paid for the one boat trip and the ”locals” were so concerned with our safety that the boat ever left Port.
We were driven to a land camp at Supersuck with the assurance the boat once up to the lofty Indonesian safety standards, would pick us up.
Of course it never did, and of course we paid the full price of the boat trip in advance.
caveat emptor
/ˌkavɪat ˈɛmptɔː/
noun
the principle that the buyer alone is responsible for checking the quality and suitability of goods before a purchase is made.
Bugger !
hahaha. did an indo crew only trip in 1999 run by the unloved Rick Cameron. Got some great waves but spent a lot of time feeling like a floating leper and even more time hanging out with the skippers mates in some out of the way surf free places.
We had a full Indonesian crew on our trip last year, the lack of cell phone coverage never bothered them. However, he two Americans who jumped on board… one just couldn’t take it any longer and jumped off at the first port we came 6 days in.
Any Mentawai related article on BeachGrit should always include a link to one of longtom’s finest works on this site:
https://beachgrit.com/2018/…
Give me a shout when someone makes a guide as to how the average wage bracket guy affords a Mentawai boat trip.
The “budget” suggestion:
From £1738 for 11 nights
Quick flight search – no change from £2k
So…£3738 without any board carriage charges, transfers or food/beer cash.
That’s 4754 USD
Or 6924 AUD if you prefer.
Fucking cheers. Sign me up.
I’ll let you pitch it to the wife n kids.
What the fuck are those squiggly lines in front of the numbers mate? Are you one of them Europeans are ya? Thought you were an Aussie.
Nah, Scottish.
Kind of like an OG Aussie.
That’s sick mate. How are the waves there?
Fucking awful at this time of year!
Flying out on Wednesday! Paying prob $5k all things told with boat, flights, new board (taking four) beer (you pay extra for it) and photog.
Wife agreed and before she had too much time to think about it mum in law pitched in with frequent flyer points to get me to Jakarta. Paying more in earned brownie points than actual coin currently as I’m leaving her with our 10 month old for 2.5 weeks
Edit: and my boat isn’t on the list :-/
Enjoy!
Significantly cheaper flights from your neck of the woods make all the difference.
True. And based on incoming results of our federal election I may not return
I’m looking forward to 3 years of being ruled by an evangelical coal brandishing dork.
what boat?
Crystal something. Charters maybe.
Africa or one of its Euro-owned groups of islands is probably a safer bet for us Euro scum. But I’m no salesperson so can’t help you there.
Sunshine , Powerful waves , not so perfect , not so green but just as nasty on your feet and cheap beer, having once invested in 24 x 24 cans at 20c the can , cheap hire cars and accommodation and spots for all types from Kurnell like slabs to kiddies corners .
Honestly, Morocco looks fucking dreamy.
It’s very good. But a bit too accessible so not the exclusivity of what I’d imagine a boat trip to be.
Totally reasonable. But god, those warm-water right points 😍😍
Pretty sure morocco is freezing water. Its the only reason i haven’t gone. You should head Salina Cruz way if you want warm water right points.
Ah, I have mixed up with somewhere else. Warm water is pretty much what I dream about every night.
White sand clear warm water right points Mozambique
The majority of images and videos are taken during the Moroccan winter but never have I seen anyone wearing , hood ,gloves or even booties so it can’t be that cold ?
Ya true. Freezing might not be the right word. If it requires a wetsuit its too cold for a vacation…
You mean Jersey and Guernsey?
I think he was looking for an exotic surf location and not a windswept tax haven ?
And tropical Texel! Love having an açai bowl in Cocksdorp.
I dunno where you’re looking for flights man, but i just found London->Medan return for $1100 CAD. But yeah I still wouldn’t spend that much to go hassle with a bunch of aussies and brazos…
Yeah I’m sure there’s bargains to be found. Flying from London is always a bargain compared to anywhere up north though. London is 600 miles South of me.
Maybe your luck’ll change (is that how you gamblers call it?). Medina winning the wt in France must have been a good quote(?).
Raja Elang translates as Eagle King.. or King of the Eagles.. Bahasa Indonesia translated to English can be a bit imprecise, often an Indonesian word has more than one meaning in English.
Wonder whether ‘Eagle King Doris’ concentrates his all-seeing, eagle eyes moreso on the weather.. wind direction and strength, swell and tides.. or the supply level of the cans of Bintang on board? All of them equally, is my guess.. :))
The Eagle Goofy King from a Paradise for Surfers ?
First met Doris, he was hanging out at a Surfers Paradise surf shop in the arcade that runs from what was the old Gold Coast Highway through to Orchid Ave.
Ran into him again at the old losmen right near Bemo Corner in Kuta, with Thornton Fallander and the Michel brothers, Dave, Ian and Phil.
The stories that could be told of the goings on, substances consumed, and plans made at that place, are for another day..
Besides Doris, Dave Michel, RIP, was another pioneer of Bali surfing.
A well built, blond hair, blue eyed lad, he looked indestructible.. unfortunately the big C took him at an early age.
Dave was a real adventurer, explorer, surfer of big Ulus and Padang2.
Was always doing something, lived life to the fullest.
If there was no swell, Dave would organize a trip up to Lake Beratan at Bedugul to waterski.
Dave guided Terry Fitzgerald and crew on the trip by jukung to Nusa Lembongan for the film Five Summer Stories.
Also was a fixer for a film made in Bali by Steve Spalding.
The trip by open jukung, (not to be attempted in a big swell), from Sanur to Nusa Lembongan to stay at Tarzans and surf the wreck and lacerations…
Now that was a boat trip!
Never had the pleasure to meet him but remember his inspirational backside performances at Burleigh and the other older Gold Coast Goofy legends , Guy Omerod , Dominic Wybrow and Rocky Rawlings etc ….not to mention Thornton’s tube to cutback at Nias in Storm Riders with Joe Engel !
Yep, so many talented surfers from the Gold Coast over the years.
Thornton surfed giant, low tide Padang2 like nobody else could.
He was so keen to get his guests some Bintangs, he gave us whole heap of Heinekens for a few of our Bintangs… it was a reasonable deal and him and his son seemed like a good sorts.
Only 42? Certainly there’s room for one more!…
BeachGrit’s Ments to Be
https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
Length: 6 feet
Capacity: 5 Surfers
Accommodation Layout: Shared Space
Satellite Internet: No
Local Knowledge/Fun: None
The Ments to Be is a fun little horseshit of a budget liner (still not cheap for some reason). Can accomodate up to five surfers. Operated by Charles Smith and Derek Rielly since 2019, this beauty’s accomodations are a little tight for six people (five surfers and cap), but the spoonings well worth it. Great stories and/or death abound.
We would die without satellite internet! Or is that part of the plan????
Unfortunately, C&D thought it’d be good for passengers/commenters to not have internet, as it would distract them from the dangerous conditions and not sue because they’d be more uncomfortable not being able to comment on BeachGrit. Also, no internet would give the surfers more time to collaboratively workshop stories about fictional adventures, sessions/waves ridden, and maneuvers pulled to use in later comments/articles. Content, baby.
Like some demented Blood Feud content baby incubator?
I like the idea , I am just wondering if this odyssey on the ship of fools ( beloved fools ) will end up stranded like the children in The Lord of the Flies , Jump ship ,a little too early like Lord Jim or will Scheherazade save the day , telling the stories every evening to stave off death on the 1001 Indonesian Nights ?
https://www.google.de/searc…
Like to imagine that the fools will try to surf the plank with the neckbeard square tail ?
Don’t miss our dress-up nights! https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
If only they were wearing BEANIES , YELLOW BEANIES ……
Fuck me I would be using the hand sanitiser on that thing. Every utensil, door knob and balustrade has been up a blokes arse in the last 24 hours.
I see an opening for KellY JellY………?
Fucking classic Bicko….well done.
Rea11y? Not Ke11y Je11y?
I’ll take 20%.
11 % ?
I have ambit1on.
0k two ducks 22% ! A much bigger slice of the Pie ….for the Pie , as Australia win another heat and I am off to bed .