South Sumatra Surf Up-Date
13th July 2021
Conditions have been a touch unpredictable in South Sumatra. We came here expecting that the southerly trade wind flow would have set in. Meaning we could depend on the wind being regularly offshore at Ujung Bocur, where we were planning to stay. Unfortunately, the trades in this part of Indonesia haven’t really kicked in yet. They blow for a couple of days, grooming the lines of swell out front into long reeling lefts. But then a storm will move in. Thunder and lightning rages overhead as the wind rips around to the north, tearing the ocean to bits. Heavy squalls of rain sweep down from the mountains causing local rivers to flow. The wind will then swirl for a couple of days, often blowing onshore in the afternoon.
The local expats have assured me that the it doesn’t usually rain this much during the dry season, and that we should be expecting better conditions. But complaining doesn’t feel like the right thing to do. There has been a slow rotation of surf travelers coming and going from Bali, and there is sometimes a small crowd during the late afternoon session. Aside from that, busy lineups are virtually non existent. Paddling out for a dawn surf down at Mandiri beach actually feels a bit lonely. It’s a strange time to be a surfer in Indonesia.
Ben Simons
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