Last post from my extended Indonesian sabbatical.

It’s been a long lap. Warm water, remote islands and a very consistent supply of waves. Indo rarely disappoints.

We finished up in Simeulue, way up off northern Sumatra. It’s raw, remote and exposed to the full force of the Indian Ocean.

If you look at the map, Simeulue and the Mentawais jut further out into the Indian Ocean, while the Telos and Banyaks sit slightly more tucked in. The result is pretty noticeable. Simeulue and the Mentawais generally pick up more swell, often a foot or so bigger, while the others are a little more sheltered from the full brunt of those Indian Ocean swells.

There are plenty of hollow waves up here too, including some proper slabs, which you don’t see that often in Indonesia. A few of them are seriously heavy. Pro-level stuff, not your everyday holiday surf.

One arvo, we jumped on a local boat and headed about nine kilometres out into the Indian Ocean chasing a famous right-hander. (The ride back in through a storm was interesting!)

When we arrived, there wasn’t a soul around.

Perfect, hollow and very serious. Probably one of the scariest waves I’ve seen.

The funny thing is, even with nobody out, not many people could actually surf it. It’s one of those waves where you need to know exactly what you’re doing – and kick out before your grind your fins of raw reef.

We stayed at Aura Surf Resort, right in front of the most consistent wave on the island, The Peak. Fun for everyone: 12-year-olds, mums and frothing dads.

A pretty epic way to finish a long Indonesian stint.

Time to head home :: Yooj