Kandui Surf Resort Mentawai Islands
Oct 27th surf report by Brad Maker.
It’s funny how after those first few frothing days everyone slips into an easy routine. This place is so good for that, and I’m sure everyone who’s been here knows what I’m talking about: couple of cups of joe, huge breakfast (new this year is a menu ticket where you check off all the things that you want), internet check, early surf boat, second surf boat, maybe a late sesh out front, and inevitably it’s Bintang time.
The past few days have been pretty small. We’ve hit a few places here and there to score uncrowded occasional sets, but most of the action has been Burgerworld. There have always been a few other boats, with a range of talent from long boarders to pros, but generally the crowds have been pretty mellow. The place has several takeoff spots so everyone has been getting a few.
I’ve got to let you in on a little known opportunity here. Most of the cool woodwork that you see around Kandui is done by AtMan, the Kandui resident Mentawai woodcarver. If you just ask, AtMan will make you a custom carving. Ray told us about the monkey carved in the old uma door that hangs in the restaurant and how the Mentawai believe they bring good luck, so I asked AtMan to make me something with a monkey on it. He started with a two hour search around the island to find the perfect hardwood log, lugged it back to Kandui and chain sawed off a plank, and a couple of days later check out what he made. How’s that for a centerpiece on a wall of Kandui surf pics?! How much does AtMan charge? “Up to you!”
I hope these last few surf reports have jogged some memories of your Kandui trips. Next week I’ll be back there with you, checking in for Ray’s latest updates and waiting for the next chance to drag out that big board bag.
Saturday October 22 by Brad Maker
For Burgerworld today the forecast was one star surf, 3 feet at 12 seconds. Take a look at these photos and judge for yourself whether or not it is worthwhile to come here for those conditions! Ray was our surf guide, and he really put on a show. I’m talking him into posting some pics of himself which he really didn’t want to do. Notice the handling of the baseball cap. He’d take off wearing it, then either hold it on with one hand to avoid losing it on the roof of the shack, or snatch it off for the big hacks. What you don’t see is that he was missing a fin which fell of after his first wave but he keep riding it! Fifteen minutes of warm tropical rain midway through this session made it really feel like paradise.
Recent Comments