NEWSLETTER

Apa kabar?

 

Well another successful season is over and it's back to the drawing board and down to planning for 2002.  Since the last newsletter, we've had more sun, surf, and fun. In Sumatra wegot  pretty lucky with good waves, though with not always the variety  of breaks we would've liked and usually get.

 

 Californians,

Josh Hall, Jason Moran & Pete Cuffaro along with Aussie Michael Carr got lucky scoring a couple of good sessions at Jimmy's Point, 4'-5' clean and cranking, also the local town left and several good sessions at the long left at Ujung Bocur.  Bad luck for Mike, he had to return home early due to aggravating an old injury. Before that he was charging the bigger days and really getting into it. Hope everything is back to normal now mate. Jason was a cruiser, Pete slashed with a great backhand attack and Josh, on his own semi retro 70's influenced shapes proved, with his smooth style that they worked and also attracted some interest.   Good to see a young shaper not afraid to try some new stuff and make his own path.

 

The next crew

didn't score the variety we would've liked ( sorry boys, but Huey's out of our control) but they got a few sessions at the local town left & right and the long left at Ujung Bocur was pretty consistent and the boys got some real good go outs. They also had the privilege of being the first guests at the new Ombak Indah Suf Camp which opened on the point in early Sept. (goodbye Sempana Lima, with your smelly dunnys and hard beds).  It was real nice to get the fruit salads and pancakes for breakfast either before or after the dawn session. The Ombak Indah is run by the Big Rock 5, the Aussie crew who also operate
the Batu Besar losmen at Turtles in West Java.

 

Luke Waters and his mate Matt Gillett,

on their 2nd trip to tear up the waves of Sumatra, Sturt Royle, who featured with his go for it attitude in the surf, and on land, with his encyclopedic knowledge of movies and TV shows, Dave Custer, the  messiah of the new cult of Davism also known as the 7th. Dave Adventurers won more converts.  This peaceful man was a fearless charger in the water and had the respect of all. "DAVO!!!"  Also in this group were Dr. Richard Gibbs, our favorite Pom, who was stoked to get into the longest waves of his life, and Don Gilbert, from Queensland, who spent most of his time catching waves and hunting out vegetable dishes.  These guys were the lucky first at the losmen, and were hardcore enough to move in before the power and beds were ready.  !! 

 

We were lucky

that Dr. Richo decided to stay on, he attended to the usual minor cuts & bruises etc, but Marty  Lewis was stoked Richo was on hand to tend to some nasty lacerations he got to his hand after a brush with the reef. 8 stitches, and he was back in the water after only 3 days. "Pickles" gets the Haircut of the year award.  After a Bintang and duty free drink up evening he decided he'd  create a new image and presented himself to the barber, and much to the dismay of the staff, emerged with a very stylish mohawk. His surfing improved after that as no one was game to hassle him for waves. " Mr. T" on a board. 

 

We also had a bunch of body boarders along this year.

One crew went to Panaitan first, scored epic waves there and then came to Sumatra and got pretty lucky there too.  Harro and Cy Cox handled the hassle pretty well and were always there to stand up and be counted.  Everyone got on good and Brad Jackson broke the long standing "barbers pole" eating record with 80 in 22mins & 55 secs. Phil "Waterboy" Kiem, the chick magnet in Jl. Jaksa, on his 2nd trip with us was another of the body board crew to impress with his attack.

 

Rinal,

our No 1 man in Sumatra & sometimes tour guide and his off-sider Pendi did a great job for us this year, handling the transport, security and all the other needs of the groups.  Pendi also found a new job on the video camera.  He was a natural and got some top footage. They also did a great job on the fish BBQ's (ikan bakar).  Thanks Guys.! Rinal reports that the locals miss the Freeline crews and they're looking forward to seeing us again next year.

 

The Panaitan & West Java tours had a couple of flat spells (unusual) and a few small days but in the main most crews scored good waves. Young Dave Rich, his mate Kane and their friends got some epic waves, especially at Napalms (check photos) and then went on to Turtles in West Java and had a few classic sessions there. Christo Hall joined cameraman Mick Waters on another Freeline journey, going first to Panaitan with a crew of hotties and scored some excellent footage of the boys ripping to include in his new surf vid named "TREVOR". Good name Mick!  It's out in the shops now so get yourselves a copy for Chrissie. Hmmmmmm!    Trevor & Chrissie.....a good combo. Mick went on from there and did a bit of filming in West Java, got some good waves there too.

 

The wheels fell off a couple of times during the season, standard for Indo. When that happens we just have to get on with it, make a new plan, and get the job done as best we can.. Most guys realise that's the way of Indo and handle it without making a drama. We appreciate that, and will always do our best to keep things rolling and everyone happy.

 

2002 is our tenth anniversary.

We've grown pretty well since our humble beginning with a single West Java tour, and a vision of showing surfers a different no frills and low cost view of the surfing and traveling life in Indonesia.. We think we've succeeded  and grown steadily, thanks to all who've had faith in us and come along on our adventures. To celebrate, we've decided to offer a free Sumatra tour  for one lucky adventurer with us in 2002.  We'll randomly pick someone from the tour list - any destination, or combo- and give him/her a free Sumatra tour for 2003.   More details later. 

 

Also we're working on a new West Java tour

taking in the nature reserve at Ujung Kulon, the famous volcano Krakatoa, and several other attractions. This will also be an adventure tour, though non surfing, and will focus more toward Indonesian culture and natural attractions. We're still working on it and more info will be available soon. If any of you are interested ,or know someone who might be, contact us for more info.  This trip will also be able to be combined with any of our other tours. 

 

The political situation

in Indo is pretty stable at the moment. The dramas that followed  Sept 11th and the US response, have settled down and our staff in Indo report it's business as usual and no bad vibes. It was never as bad as the western media portrayed.  I was there and never felt threatened.

 

 Thanks to all our staff again this year, top effort, we really have got a great team. Andi, your workload has really grown lately and you've handled it well, special thanks!   Yes mate we have to say (you got lucky!)  you're the Freeline billiard champ for 2001. Don't relax, we're after you!   Good stuff Mr Juara!!!

 

Thanks to everyone who came with us this year, we really appreciate it and hope we meet again in the surf somewhere. Nice to see so many repeat customers, special thanks to you all. Thanks to the guys who returned their Backwash questionnaires, we value your comments and views and it helps us in keeping up the standard and service to make these tours a success.

 

Hope you all score heaps of good waves over the summer and have a great Christmas and New Year.Take care and good surfing.

 

Nev & Stuart