Tracks finds a new wave somewhere near the Telos.

Tracks latest adventure features six world-class surfers on the Latitude zero resort in the Telo islands. Wade Goodall, Adam Robertson, Granger Larson, Ry Craike, Jay Thompson and Luke Dorrington are right now hunting down waves in the equatorial region North of the Mentawais.

For the first days we enjoyed fun waves, framed by palm trees and translucent water that looked like it was ripped straight off the set of Avatar. It’s difficult to imagine a more ideal setting.

However when the swell size decreased the map was pulled out and stretched across the ping-pong table. “ Where can we find swell? ” we asked our ever-ready resort manager and skipper Wal. “There’s one region up here I haven’t explored,” he said while jamming a rope-worn digit in the direction of a broad section of nearby coastline.

“ I’d love to go and check it out if you’re up for it.” There was universal agreement amongst the crew that it was worth the risk and most of us went to bed early in preparation for a day of exploration. Meanwhile Craikey and Wade downed JD til’ dawn, assuring us it was their duty to try and drink up the swell.

By sun-up we were on a course into unchartered waters – running blind towards a coastline that to our knowledge had never been surfed. The scent of adventure was rife and as we approached the stretch that we’d marked on the map there was talk of Sumatran shamans and black magic. Meanwhile every cove with even a hint of crumbling water was pointed at enthusiastically.

“ That right’s got to have little nuggets, and what about the backdrop,” fizzed Jay “bottle” Thompson as we passed a promising right set up that puffed with spitting barrels against a spooky cavernous backdrop. However, something about the set up was not quite definitive enough and Wal’ motored on.

Screaming past the palm-fringed coastline we began to lose a little faith. There were places showing potential but the swell wasn’t lighting them up. Despair had almost set in by the time we rounded the final headland on our course. In the distance it seemed white water was running down a long left point. As we drew closer it became apparent that the wave was not some mushy crumbler but a reeling left hander that presented an opportunity to reach formula one speeds. Every empty wave was hooted. The excitement had an unusually elevated quality. This wasn’t just like showing up to G-land or Desert Point and watching it turn on. This thing had probably only been surfed a handful of times [if that] and we were the only surfers in sight.

The next few hours went by fast-real fast. The left was all about maintaining maximum acceleration while still pulling turns. A little like Winki Pop in reverse but way quicker and longer. On a board, which aptly featured a Monaro double stripe, I watched Ry Craike go faster on a wave than anyone I’ve seen. That was with a belly full of last night’s bourbon and a bad hangover. “ What can I say?” he offered nonchalantly while paddling back up the point after another all- down- the- line howler, “ I guess drinking up the swell worked.”

And so it was. We made our way back to the boat as content as men might hope to be. All surfers agreed that the wave was incredibly fun and with the right wind and a little more swell it may even be world class. The taste of discovery is sweet.

The full story of the tracks trip to The Telos and the corresponding video will be featured in an upcoming issue of Tracks. Stay tuned.

Pics: Smithy & Swilly