Island hopping can be a tricky endeavor, especially when on an underpowered and overloaded handmade boat. With winds whipping up 4 to 5 foot seas everyone on the boat soon found themselves soaked from miss timed waves. I recall seeing several of the locals with fear on their face, which is really when one should start to worry. In apparently typical indo style we survived to arrive at a beach where we were whisked away on a buggy pulled by a miniature horse.
Standard equipment aboard the simple and efficient outriggers that ferried us to the breaks. The vessels were captained by local teenage boys who not only navigated the treacherous Bay with calm efficiency, but absolutely killed it on a surfboard. It was during one of these daily crossings I feared for my life in Indonesia. Rolling and unstoppable pulses of swell marched into the Bay dwarfing our 5 person canoe and blocking out the horizon. The consistency and short period were unlike anything I have ever seen in California. Sets had four to six waves each and came with ship crushing frequency. It was a struggle not to envision a rogue wave taking out our modest means of transportation. I am pleased to report that my fears were not realized and cumbersome things in the first place. With precision steering and the experience of over a decade on the Bay, our young captain made it to our destination; calm mooring within paddling distance to powerful overhead rights.
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