Indo Season: A Beginners Guide to Surfing the Playgrounds

Off the coast of Padang, West Sumatra lies a chain of islands known as the Mentawais. North east of South Africa, the area welcomes a consistent stream of swell between the months of April and October. First gracing the shores of the Cape, Indonesian-bound swells typically send high quality surf to Jeffrey’s Bay before making their north easterly march. Within the Mentawai Island chain belongs the Playgrounds; consistency combined with the highest concentration of world class waves makes this cluster of islands one of the most sought after surf destinations globally.

Cognisant of this fact, and intent on realising my goal of furthering my surfing, I began a furious Google search of surf camps in the area. With the cantankerous sounds of Kloof Nek penetrating my psyche, I dug deep, remembering the famed names of glamorous resorts I’d come to know of in the area. The names were retrieved and regurgitated into the Google search bar. From there, I used the ‘nearby’ tab to find all the resorts in the vicinity. These efforts produced a collection of roughly thirty email addresses belonging to different camps in the area.I sent a blanket email to all of them, casting a wide net in the hopes that one of my ‘skills’ was of need. I began by detailing my surfing journey — the time I’ve spent in the water, my last four years learning to handle the raw and often unpredictable seas of the Western Cape and the process of helping several of my friends through the various stages of learning to surf.

I was, of course, careful to omit the name of my institute of learning (The School of Hard Knocks) as the ethos “sink or swim”, which I adopted with the friends I taught, may not be what high-end surf resorts are after. I went on to describe my experience as a waiter in one of Cape Town’s premiere Japanese restaurants, my blog and proficient writing skills and finally, offered video evidence of my surfing.As they say — actions speak louder than words. I doubled down on my efforts, sending messages to as many of the camps as I could find on Instagram, offering my page as proof of my skill level and alerting them to the email I had sent. Within half an hour, Beng Bengs Surf Camp replied to me on instagram informing me that they were in need of guiding services. Further contact with Cristian, the owner, revealed that they offered food and accommodation in exchange for surf guiding, giving way to an incredible six-week stay at Beng Bengs (some of which will be described in a later post).

Arriving on the island of Nyang Nyang, I was ushered up the beach by Cristian and introduced to the guests as the new surf guide. “Yeah right,” said a middle-aged Australian man, clearly perplexed by the fresh-faced Saffa and his purported knowledge of the area. “You been to the Ments before?” he asked. “No, it’s my first time,” I replied. “You’ve obviously studied the waves in the area though!” he exclaimed. “Of course,” I lied. I went to sleep that night feeling like a fraud, nervously awaiting the barrage of condition-related questions the morning was sure to bring. I readied myself for the coming days, convinced I’d be out of my depth and insufficiently knowledgeable for the job at hand, and yet determined to limit my embarrassment and get myself up to speed as quickly as possible.

In contrast to the east coast of South Africa, where most waves work on a similar wind and swell direction, the Mentawai Islands host waves around their circumference, suggesting that each wave requires a tailored wind and swell direction to turn on. While an amazing attribute for the travelling surfer hoping to score regardless of the conditions, it complicates things for surf guides who require in-depth knowledge of the various spots and their preferred conditions. To add insult to injury, most of the waves are sensitive to tidal swings — with three of the area’s four premium breaks surfable only between mid and high tide. Surf guides must juggle variable winds, swell direction, and tidal swings on top of the hopes and requests of guests who have made the long journey with the expectation of scoring such and such a wave. It ain’t easy! Luckily, my hatred of personal incompetence fast tracked my learning process. Within a week I’d gained a rough understanding of the area. Five weeks later I consider myself a competent Northern Mentawai surf guide. I am now leaving the Playgrounds armed with this highly specific knowledge limited to a geographical location of a few kilometres. As such, I figured I may as well lay it all out, in the hopes that it will spare a future fledgling guide some embarrassment or at the very least serve as a reminder of knowledge gained.

The Waves

The Ments is a surf region more suited to the experienced surfer. Most of the waves are heavy and treacherous, posing very real threats. As a result, my categories of experience levels have been skewed to reflect this.

Beginner — Surfers who can stand and ride the unbroken section of the wave consistently, without much falling.

Intermediate — Surfers able to generate speed, link a series of turns together and manage as the waves get steeper and more powerful. These surfers are able to get the odd barrel when the wave does most of the work.

Experienced — Surfers with considerable control over their speed, able to speed up and slow down on demand. These surfers are typically able to link high impact manoeuvres, transitioning smoothly from one to the other. Moreover, they are comfortable as the waves get steeper and more intense, with the ability to position themselves on the wave to maximise time in the barrel.

Lefts

Beng Bengs

Beng Bengs is a slopy left-hander which works best on smaller westerly swells. The wave offers two or three gentle sections before running off into an extremely sharp and shallow inside closeout. Waves tend to break wide, missing the steep section of the reef as the swell rises, turning into a more and more burgery wave.

This spot can get really fun when its small and offshore, just make sure to pick the ones that hug the reef!

Skill Level: Beginner

Tide: Better on the low tide but works through the tides

Winds: S, SE, NE

Swell Direction: S, SW; 190-230

Hazards: Shallow final section (make sure to pop off before the closeout)

Perfect Conditions: Low Tide, E winds, 215 swell direction, 3-5 ft at 16 seconds

Rating: 2/5

Goodtimes

A longer, steeper version of Beng Bengs, Goodtimes offers numerous sections perfect for long arching carves with the odd section offering up the opportunity for a top turn. This wave improves as the southerly swells fill in and the tide drops, often used as the go-to on rising swells before the A-list waves start to work. As the swell rises, the wave breaks further and further out until it starts capping on a slab of reef out the back. This boil forms the perfect takeoff spot, allowing you a roll-in to a usually difficult wave to paddle into. From there it’s an open canvas from start to finish.

Sadly, this wave tends to get fairly crowded as its a quick boat ride across the channel for most of the land camps on Nyang Nyang island.

Skill Level: Beginner

Tide: Better on the low tide but works through the tides

Winds: ENE, NE, N

Swell Direction: S ; 180-200

Swell Size: Works from 4-6 ft at 15 seconds

Hazards: Crowd

Perfect Conditions: Low tide, NE winds, 180 swell direction, 4-6+ ft at 16+ seconds

Rating: 3/5

A-Frames

Often overshadowed by its more famous neighbours, this top quality wave breaks on an island next to Kandui and Rifles. Despite getting its name from the large, often flat, A-frame that peaks at the top of the reef, the notable section runs through the inside. While the wave is said to connect all the way through when it’s at its best, you’re far better off sitting on the inside peak, waiting for waves that swing wide. These can offer up amazing barrels from the takeoff before the wave opens up, bending back at you to allow for a series of high speed manouvers. The wave is largest at the takeoff, delivering large drops and facilitating high speed turns on the first section. From there, you’re likely to get a few more turns off before it closes out.

This spot is user friendly and you’ll almost never hit the reef. Unfortunately, A-frames requires southerly swells and north westerly winds, something of a rarity in the area.

Skill Level: Intermediate

Tide: Better on the low tide but works through the tides

Winds: NW, W

Swell Direction: S; 180-200

Swell Size: Works from 3-5 ft at 15 seconds

Hazards: None

Perfect Conditions: Low tide, NW winds, 180 swell direction, 4-6+ ft at 16+ seconds

Rating: 4/5

Eret

Otherwise known as Dog Reef, Eret is arguably the most user-friendly barrel in the playgrounds. Lighting up when a solid southerly swell combines with northerly winds, this left-hander peaks on the outside section, creating an A-frame. The wave then rolls gradually onto the inside section, jacking up on the shallow reef to form a perfect, hollow barrel. The waves that don’t tube form cupped-out lips perfect for high impact down-carves. Some surfers opt to sit on the inside, skipping the roll-in peak and hunting the waves that swing wide, offering longer, more intense barrels. Make sure you’re a skilled surfer if you take this approach! There’s a chunk of rock jutting out at the end of the wave, often forcing surfers, daring enough to take the wider ones, into evasive action. The wave gets shallower and shallower as it nears its end and is surfable only at mid tide or higher. If you get caught inside, paddle across to your left and make the long trek around the other side of the peak rather than trying to sneak through the impact zone. This should save you from the clutches of the sharp reef below.

Although it packs a punch, Eret can get really good for turns, becoming far less menacing and forming playful A-frame lefts on smaller days.

Skill Level: Intermediate

Tide: Mid to high tide

Winds: N, NW

Swell Direction: S; 180-200

Swell Size: Works from 4-6 ft at 15 seconds

Hazards: exposed rock; shallow reef

Perfect Conditions: Mid tide, NNW winds, 180 swell direction, 4-6+ ft at 16+ seconds

Rating: 5/5

Emerald Bay

Emerald Bay or E-bay as it’s more commonly called, is one of the region’s three premium left-handers. Named after the waves picturesque, emerald water, E-bay offers a fast, tubing wall. Turning on as the swell reaches head-high, this wave gets better as the swell fills in, transforming into a freight-train, top-to-bottom barrel when it reaches double-overhead. Below this size, the wave typically offers one distinct barrel section in front of two large boulders. With the takeoff zone some twenty metres further up the reef, E-bay allows you a relatively easy takeoff before stalling to set up the tube, back-dooring the section. The wave runs into extremely shallow water hereafter, exploding over one of the sharpest reefs in the Playgrounds, so beware. If you’re not focused on the barrel, there’s opportunity for a few impactful turns through the first section, popping off before the reef dries out.

Sadly, E-bay is tucked on the inside of a headland, needing a large westerly swell to work. Moreover, it sits in front of some ten surfcamps meaning you’re unlikely to score it alone.

Skill Level: Intermediate

Tide: Better on the low tide but works through the tides

Winds: S, SE, E

Swell Direction: SW; 205+

Swell Size: Works from 4-6 ft at 16 seconds

Hazards: Inconsistent; shallow,sharp reef

Perfect Conditions: Low tide, ESE winds, 215+ swell direction, 6-8+ ft at 16+ seconds

Rating: 5/5

Hideaways

As the name suggests, Hideaways offers up exquisite, stretched out barrels, allowing surfers to ‘hide’ from onlookers. Having a number of different faces, this world-class left works best on a large westerly swell at mid tide. When the swell is westerly and the sets are head-high or larger, Hideaways wedges, peaking faster than you expect and forming a perfect tube from the takeoff. From there, the wave either gears up for another barrel on the inside or produces a perfect lip for a variety of turns.

Offering, in my opinion, the best combination of barrels and manouvers in the playgrounds, this wave has it all. As the size drops, it remains powerful, creating wedges that send you careening, high speed, across the reef, straight into the path of numerous ripable sections. One drawback is the often strong rip current which pulls you further up the lineup forcing surfers to paddle constantly to stay in position. The current is at its worst during spring tides as the large tidal swings force more water across the reef. While an annoyance, the current allows opportunity for intelligent surfers to score waves off the pack. Sit wide and wait for the ones that swing past the main peak and I guarantee you’ll be on all the best waves!

While best on a westerly swell, Hideaways is surfable when the swell is southerly. However, the direction breaks the wave up into two sections, with a top peak, and an inside peak that no longer connect. The wave becomes a shadow of its westerly-swell-angled self, running quickly into the channel, offering a far shorter, more disjointed ride.

Skill Level: Intermediate

Tide: Mid to high tide

Winds: S, SE, E

Swell Direction: SW; 200+

Swell Size: Works from 4-6 ft at 16 seconds

Hazards: Rip-current; shallow reef

Perfect Conditions: Mid-tide, ESE winds, 215+ swell direction, 5-7+ ft at 16+ seconds

Rating: 5/5

Kandui

Undoubtedly the gnarliest, most dangerous left (and arguably wave) in the area, Kandui is the crown jewel of the Playgrounds’ numerous left-handers. First named Nokandui for its frightening speed and perceived ‘unmakeability’, this wave has slowly been conquered by several highly skilled tube riders. Coming to life when a large westerly swell combines with easterly winds, Kandui is a freight-train barrel from start to finish. It is however, not as perfect as the clips suggest, with many waves running off too fast to make. Wave choice is most of the battle out there so be sure to be selective, picking the ones that look like they have no wall. Unlike Hideaways or Desert Point, which barrel with a consistent, tapering lip, Kandui breaks in staggered sections with the lip throwing several yards in front of the surfer at different points down the reef. This makes it a difficult and unpredictable wave to ride, enticing you to slow down before the lip hooks and throws five metres in front of you. Even more alarming is the ferocity with which Kandui breaks. By far the heaviest, most intense wave I’ve surfed, Kandui breaks with serious power over a frighteningly shallow reef. The wave gets more immaculate and increasingly dangerous as the tide drains out with the inside section sucking dry as it nears mid tide. One saving grace is that the wave does offer a fairly gradual takeoff, allowing you to make the drop before stepping on the gas, chasing down sections from start to finish.

While intimidating and unforgiving, Kandui offers skilled, committed surfers the opportunity of a lifetime. Surfers are able to generate incredible speed. Moreover, the wave allows you to get extremely deep in the barrel without getting snagged by the foam ball, facilitating many a life changing tube. One important thing I noticed out there, and at some of the other heavy locations in the area, is that the waves break with such intense vertical power that they tend to lose steam rather quickly. As such, if you find yourself in the impact zone, instead of attempting to paddle back through the waves, paddle ten meters in towards the beach. This will save you a serious beating and the current should work to spit you out down towards the end of the wave.

Skill Level: Experienced

Tide: Mid to high tide

Winds: SE, E, light NE

Swell Direction: SW; 200+

Swell Size: Works from 4-6 ft at 16 seconds

Hazards: Shallow reef; extreme power

Perfect Conditions: Mid-tide, ESE winds, 215+ swell direction, 5-7+ ft at 16+ seconds

Rating: 5/5

Rights

Burgerworld

A go-to during the shoulder and off-seasons, Burgerworld works when there’s almost no swell around. Waves like E-bay and Hideaways have to transform into mere ripples for the conditions to align at this right-hander. Named after its soft, slopey face, Burgerworld is unable to hold any swell and not worth surfing over head-high. When the swell is too large, waves cap on an outside slab, running into deep water and miss the high quality portion of the reef completely. On days like this, you’re forced to play chicken with the wash-through sets, in largely unsuccessful attempts at snagging the insiders that hit the reef and run with more shape.

While its said to be a highly enjoyable option on its day, I never saw it worth surfing in my six weeks in the area. Additionally, since it’s a swell magnet, it tends to be the only option when its working, drawing a large crowd.

Skill Level: Beginner

Tide: Better on the low tide but works through the tides

Winds: N

Swell Direction: S,SW ; 180-220

Swell Size: Works less than 2-3 ft at 13 seconds

Hazards: Wash-through sets

Perfect Conditions: Low tide, N winds, 200 swell direction, 1-2 ft at 10 seconds

Rating: 2,5/5

Nipussi

Another swell magnet, Nipussi works best between swells. Able to handle considerably more swell than Burgerworld, Nipussi is a good option on the smaller in-season days. On its day, the wave breaks consistently at the top of the reef, running through to the channel, offering a series of sections good for both carves and top turns. As the swell rises, a second peak forms mid-way down the reef. This breaks up the crowd but often ruins the first section, with many of the waves closing out as the wide peak breaks. The larger the swell gets, the more pronounced this second peak becomes, forcing surfers wider and dramatically reducing the length and quality of the wave.

Like most of the swell magnets, when Nipussi is working, its usually got a crowd on it, making it tricky to score waves, Nonetheless, its a fun option that offers up high quality waves when most of the other spots are too small.

Skill Level: Beginner

Tide: Better on the low tide but works through the tides

Winds: NNW,NW,W

Swell Direction: S,SW; 180-220

Swell Size: Works at 2-4 ft at 14 seconds

Hazards: Shallow inside section

Perfect Conditions: Low tide, NW winds, 215 swell direction, 2-3 ft at 14 seconds

Rating: 3/5

Piggy Bank

A short slabbing right-hander next door to Nipussi, Piggybank is not for the faint-hearted. Surfable only on high tide, this wave breaks hard over a shallow reef, offering a short but staggeringly round tube. It likes a bit of swell, breaking further out over slightly deeper water. The insiders tend to push onto the sharpest, most dangerous section of the reef so be sure to wait for the bombs! More specifically, look to pick the waves that peak at the top of the reef without a wall as the more stretched out waves tend to closeout. This wave is often left alone but every now and then you see a tube savant scoring some crazy, hollow barrels. If you’re brave and confident in your tube riding ability then it’s definitely worth surfing!

Skill Level: Experienced

Tide: High, preferably on the spring tides

Winds: NNW,NW,W

Swell Direction: S,SW ; 180-220

Swell Size: Works from 3-5 ft at 16 seconds

Hazards: Harrowingly shallow inside section

Perfect Conditions: Spring high tide, NW winds, 215 swell direction, 4-6 ft at 17 seconds

Rating: 3,5/5

Pitstops

Tucked away some twenty metres up the beach from E-bay, Pitstops is surprisingly consistent. The wave is usually surfable when E-bay is waist high and gets extremely ripable as the swell rises. Breaking on a slab of reef and running into a sandy seabed, Pitsops is my favourite low-risk wave in the area. The wave wedges and peaks on the slab, producing a short tube on the lower tide before opening up and offering surfers three or four sections perfect for a variety of manoeuvres. The wave breaks mechanically with very few lulls, allowing you to get into a great rhythm. It’s the perfect place to work on your technique or focus on specific turns as the wave offers up the same canvas time and time again.

Sadly, much like E-bay, Pitstops sits directly in front of several land camps and almost always has a crowd. Furthermore, the takeoff zone is small and the predictability of the wave reduces your chances of scoring waves off of the pack. Luckily, the wave lends itself to beginner surfers and you should be able to pinch some waves granted you’re a decent surfer.

Skill Level: Beginner

Tide: Better on the low tide but works through the tides

Winds: S,SE,E,NE

Swell Direction: SW; 200+

Swell Size: Works from 3-5 ft at 16 seconds

Hazards: None

Perfect Conditions: Low tide, E winds, 215 swell direction, 4-6 ft at 17 seconds

Rating: 4/5

Bankvaults

The wave that reminded me most of home, Bankvaults is a shifty, often unpredictable right-hander. The wave is a swell magnet and is surfable from one to twenty feet. Although one of the areas premium options, Bankvaults rarely delivers the glorious, predictable tubes you see on videos. More often, it offers up the odd amazing wave, with lots of harrowing closeouts and clampings in between. When the wave does light up, the end bowl is the place to sit. Bending back at you on the takeoff, this section delivers gapping barrels, allowing you to escape before it closes out. Big tubes always come with a cost and this wave is no different. Unlike Kandui, which loses its intensity rather quickly, the waves at Bankvaults hold their power as they sweep across the reef onto the inside meaning there’s nowhere to hide! Moreover, this spot is exposed to the open ocean and its not uncommon for a cleanup set to wash through the lineup.

While powerful and dangerous, Bankvaults is a good option on small clean days when the northerly winds are blowing. If the crowd gets on top of you, make your way further up the reef. This section delivers consistent waves offering both turns and barrels and is usually far less crowded than lower down.

Skill Level: Intermediate

Tide: Better on the low tide but works through the tides

Winds: N, NW

Swell Direction: SW; 200+

Swell Size: Works from 2-3 ft at 12 seconds

Hazards: Shallow end section

Perfect Conditions: Low tide, N winds, 215 swell direction, 4-6+ ft at 17+ seconds

Rating: 4,5/5

Rifles

Considered by some as the best wave in the Mentawais, Rifles is definitely the most fickle. Requiring the unlikely paring of southerly swells and westerly winds, and surfable only between mid and high tide, Rifles only worked three times in my six-week stint in the playgrounds. Sadly, I wasn’t there when it did, never getting the opportunity to surf this wave. From what I hear, Rifles matches Kandui for speed and glory but delivers a more predictable barrel. Moreover, the right-hander eclipses the left when it comes to length of ride, allowing for a series of turns between barrels. The barrel is suggested to move at the perfect speed, allowing surfers to stand motionless inside and enjoy the ride.Rifles is said to get better as the southerly swell fills in, delivering numerous ten-foot tubes per wave on its day.

Like most fickle, world-class waves, Rifles has a somewhat mystical air to it. Ravenous for a taste of the magic, surfers and charter boats in the area keep an extremely close eye on the charts for any window that might produce high quality surf. You’re therefore unlikely to score it with less than forty hungry frothers in the water. Nonetheless, from the sounds of things one wave is enough out there!

Skill Level: Experienced

Tide: Mid to high tide

Winds: WNW, W

Swell Direction: S; less than 200

Swell Size: Works from 4-6 ft at 16 seconds

Hazards: Gets shallow as the tide drains

Perfect Conditions: Mid tide, W winds, 180 swell direction, 4-6+ ft at 17+ seconds

Rating: 5/5

Scrolling through this post, I’m somewhat taken aback at the knowledge I was able to acquire in this short period of time. Thinking more on the topic, I’m reminded how all-encompassing these experiences tend to be. Your entire world shrinks, transforming to revolve around tides, winds, swell, etc. Waitering was no different, my life became clean tables and good service. While a strange, often overwhelming phenomenon (since one’s worth is now linked to the cleanliness of one’s tables) it is to me one of hope. This narrowing of life allows us to master a skill in a fraction of the time we’d expect. In both of my jobs, I’ve transformed from an incompetent fool into a skilled worked in under a month. This fills me with excitement, giving me the courage to continue to explore new avenues of employment. When confronted by the anxiety that, for me, always accompanies trying something new, I need only think back on my past experiences. Need only trust that this seemingly insurmountable challenge will become a walk in the park before the months end!

After an incredible period in the north we headed further south to Hollow Trees (HT's), an incredible right-hander situated in the town of Katiet. After a week of small surf, HT's welcomed an incredible swell which we were lucky enough to score!

*Barring Rifles, I have included only the waves that I surfed in the Playgrounds. There are several waves, including; Baby E-Bay, Baby Kandui and Shadow Right which are said to be incredible on their day.

**My swell sizes are based entirely off of Magicseaweed forecasts which I used exclusively during my time there.