Every group is different, and this group is not into getting up too early.  But this morning a couple of the guys were ready to surf before 7 so I took them out to 4 Bobs for a solo session.  The winds were very light and variable and there was still the head high set coming through.  They had it to themselves for an hour or so before the winds came up out of the north at about 10 mph or so.  The rest of the guys were just ready by then so they all jumped in the boat and took off to Nipusi.  The waves there were still overhead.  Everyone had fun.  The afternoon session was a repeat of the morning.  Fun Nipusi.  Expecting a little smaller surf tomorrow.   Hui and me have about a half a day of work to go so maybe I can get in the water then!

This report has been brought to you by Ray Wilcoxen from Kandui Resort: March 31, 2007

The surf was looking a little bigger this morning and the winds were light and variable.  We had a look at Last Resorts, but it was getting a little big for that spot and there was a boat on it, which is something you don't see too often.  (Damn, maybe the word is getting out on our little secret spot!)  We were heading for Nipusi, but the swell seemed to be increasing before our eyes so about half the crew decided to jump out at 4 Bobs where we were seeing overhead sets.  The rest went to Nipusi where the sets were pushing double-overhead.  The winds came up slightly out of the south, but not bad, so conditions at both spots were ok.  The swell looked like it peaked in the early afternoon and a few guests went out to Rifles which was getting just big enough to connect, even with the steep south angle of the swell. The waves were overhead on the good sets and there were reports of some good barrels.  The rest of the crew were satisfied to surf 4 Bobs again this afternoon.  I sacrificed the day to help our computer guy, Hui, to finish up installing the phones and hooking up surge protectors to help protect your computer and stuff when you come down and stay with us.  This place is just getting better and better!  Expecting smaller surf tomorrow.

This report has been brought to you by Ray Wilcoxen from Kandui Resort: March 30, 2007


Winds were light this morning and our swell had dropped off a little more.  We headed straight for Burgerworld figuring that Nipusi was too small today.  There was one boat on it as we arrived and the wind had come up from the north at about 5 mph.  Not the best wind for Burgerworld as the side-offshore wind into the barrel has no land mass for miles in front of it, so any wind from that direction creates a little chop up the face.  But it looked like a day that would have more of a variable or south wind (clear, sunny skies) so we decided to go out and hope for a wind switch.  Sure enough, a half hour later or so the winds started dieing and all of a sudden it was glassy.  The waves were about a foot overhead and spinning all the way down the reef.  So much fun!  We surfed for hours.  Even when a couple of more boats showed up, there were plenty of waves.  The winds came up light out of the south for a while, but for the most part conditions were epic.  We surfed until we couldn't paddle.  The winds turned light west (perfect for Burgerworld) just as we got ready to leave, but we just didn't have any energy left.  The winds stayed light west for the afternoon session and a few of the boys had a good time out at 4 Bobs where, again, conditions were epic. Too bad the waves were not bigger, only about chest high on the big ones out there.  The rest of the guys were content to enjoy a ripping session at the bar where happy hour (4-6) was going off!  Hoping what swell we have will hang in there.  The forecasters are calling for a little something to come in tomorrow.

This report has been brought to you by Ray Wilcoxen from Kandui Resort: March 28, 2007

Light northwest wind to start the morning today.  Swell was a little smaller and a little more south.  The sun was shining bright with hardly a cloud in the sky.  We figured we would take a look at Nipusi to see how much swell was left over there.  The waves were only head high with a little plus now and then, but we decided to give it a try seeing how good the conditions were and seeing  that no one was out.  Half went out at Nipusi and half went out at Bankvaults.  All of us got bored pretty fast with the smallish swell so we packed it up and went to Burgerworld. Burgerworld being the swell magnet that it is, waves were much bigger there with sets 3 feet overhead and conditions were good.  There were a couple of boats there, but there were plenty of waves for everybody.  The winds turned south around midday and one boat left.  More waves for us!  We surfed until mid afternoon when our arms were tired and our stomachs were growling.  After lunch some decided to stick close to the resort and surf 4 Bobs, which was around shoulder high on the sets, and the rest of us decided to chill.  All the surfing and sun was starting to take a toll!  Expecting smaller surf tomorrow. 

This report has been brought to you by Ray Wilcoxen from Kandui Resort: March 26, 2007

Sorry for the absence!  We had a little gap between guests and we were busy sprucing up the place.  For those of you that might be wondering how the conditions have been, that expected storm never lived up to the forecasts.  The winds were still pretty strong from the north and west for a couple of days and the surf was smaller than it had been for our first group of guests.  The conditions have been good since though with light and variable winds, but the surf has been a little on the small size.  There was some reports of shoulder high Nipusi and head high Burgerworld.  The surf started to pick up yesterday and I heard Burgerworld was a little overhead and all time.  For you unbelievers out there, Burgerworld gets really good!  They were getting shacked out there!  This morning the surf had increased even a little more and the wind was blowing out of the east all day, not a very common occurrence, at about 5 mph and a little stronger at times.  Our new guests arrived about 9am and they were frothing for a surf.  They got a little breakfast and then we took off.  First stop was Hideaways to see if we could get lucky with the light east winds, but the swell was not quite getting in there.  Second stop, Nipusi!  There the conditions were good, the waves were 2 feet overhead, and there were only 3 local boys out.  Most of the guys on the boat headed out there while me and our guest Dave went out to Bankvaults where the size was about the same, but the waves were a little "kurang bagus" (less than good) with the light east winds crumbling the lips and not allowing the tubes to open up good.  All the guests were stoked with their first surf.  So nice to get here and jump in that warm water and surf quality, uncrowded surf.  We stayed out quite a while and realized when we jumped back in the boat that we would not have time to get back to the resort for a late lunch and be able to get an afternoon surf.  We had the usual supply of cokes, juices, fruit, cookies, etc., so we decided to make that our lunch and look for a left for the goofy foots.  We had a look at E-Bay where conditions were perfect but the waves were only marginally ridable at waist high, so we made the short hop to Beng Beng where conditions were also perfect and it was a little bigger with shoulder high plus waves coming through and no one out.  Everyone surfed again and had a really good time.  We headed back with some light left.  We were all surfed out and ready for a Bintang.  Hoping for a little bigger swell tomorrow.

This report has been brought to you by Ray Wilcoxen from Kandui Resort: March 25, 2007

Winds were pretty strong this morning out of the north.  Our recent straight south swell was looking smaller also so it wasn't a tough decision to just hang around the restaurant and talk story.  As the day went on the winds died more and more until it turned out to be a really nice day with light north winds and sunny skies.  We decided to try to catch a few waves at Nipussi before our guests had to depart for home, but just as we left the resort the winds turned west.  We gave it a go anyway but the waves were pretty small, around shoulder high or so, and the winds were less than ideal.  That added up to a short session.  Like one of our guests said, better to surf waves like that on your last surf session here than leave piping  barrels in our wake!  Our guests jumped on a boat shortly after that and headed home with a nice CD of all the pictures Amen took of them.  They were stoked.  Expecting a little run of bad weather for a couple of days and there are no more guests until Saturday, so you might not hear from me until our new set of guests arrive.  Late!

This report has been brought to you by Ray Wilcoxen from Kandui Resort: March 20, 2007

The swell was on the decline today and the weather was looking a bit unstable.  The winds were fairly light out of the north, but there was a bit of a chop coming from the west also, which so often happens when there is something brewing out in that direction.  Two of our guests were nursing sunburned and/or burned out bodies, so they gave the morning session a pass and it turned out to be not a bad decision.  We make the whole tour of the area from Playgrounds to Hideaways to Nipusi and around E-Bay, and even took a look at Burgerworld and McDonalds.  There was a rideable wave just about everywhere, and if it was our first day in the Ments we would have been all over a surf somewhere.  But we had already surfed everyday for a week and had gotten a good swell so we were over it.  Omelets were sounding better!  In the afternoon the ocean calmed down and we went to Nipusi for a look.  Conditions had cleaned up and there was still a little swell left so we jumped in and ended up having a good surf.  There was no one out when we arrived, but after a while a handful of guys showed up and the winds turned west so we decided it was Bintang time.  Expecting the waves to be smaller tomorrow.

This report has been brought to you by Ray Wilcoxen from Kandui Resort: March 19, 2007



Our south swell continued to pump in today with only a slight decrease from yesterday and conditions were looking good this morning with only a breath of northwest wind in the air.  4 Bobs was looking pretty clean with some head high sets so one of our guests stuck around to surf there while the rest of us took off for Bankvaults hoping to get a good photo session in while the morning sun was shining.  Bankvaults was a little disorganized though with a little west bump that so often effects that wave.  No worries, Nipusi is protected from that so we headed there.  Conditions were super good, glassy and slightly offshore, and there were still some double overhead sets.  It didn't quite have the punch of yesterday but it was fun and there was no one out for almost the whole time we were out.  The crowd maxed out at 6 so we decided to cut that in half and have lunch.  Hamburgers may not sound like much to you but they are BIG out here!  West wind picked up a little in the afternoon.  The swell was not big enough for Rifles and not small enough for Burgerworld, so we stuck around again today and surfed 4 Bobs.  There were still some head high sets coming through and conditions couldn't have been much better with the 5 mph or so offshores.  We surfed till dark again.  Expecting our swell to wind down more tomorrow. 

This report has been brought to you by Ray Wilcoxen from Kandui Resort: March 18, 2007

We were expecting bigger surf this morning and we were not disappointed.  It was obviously bigger out in front of the resort and the winds were blowing pretty strong out of the north, so we went to take a look at Nipusi and Bankvaults.  When we arrived, there was 3 guys out at Nipusi and no takers at Bankvaults.  The waves had some size, double overhead plus on the bigger sets.  Nobody was quite ready for Bankvaults at that size, so we went out at Nipusi.  Conditions were super clean and the swell was solid.  We surfed for hours (and have the sunburn to prove it), catching waves until we had no arms left.  When it was time to leave, our boat had to go down the beach to pick up our photographer so I had them drop me off at Bankvaults for a quick wave or two.  There was a big lull and I kept moving in and sure enough a couple of bombs came in and I ended up breaking my leash and had to chase my board to the beach.  So much for that plan!  The winds backed down nicely in the afternoon and ended up blowing gently out of the west.  We stuck around the resort and surfed 4 Bobs which was a couple of feet overhead and glassy.  Surfed until it was too dark to see. 

This report has been brought to you by Ray Wilcoxen from Kandui Resort: March 17, 2007

Our steep south swell was looking smaller this morning as we as we were trying to open our eyes with a pot of coffee.  The winds were light and variable.  We decided to take a look at Nipusi figuring that it would have the most size.  When we arrived, there was one boat hanging around but only 3 guys in the water.  We paddled out and got in line, sharing the sets that were 4 foot or more overhead.  We got a good surf in before a storm blew through from the west and chopped up the lineup.  We came back and had lunch, then relaxed for a while before going out to Pistils in the afternoon.  The waves there were the usual shifty peaks/shifty walls.  You had to pick them, but there was the good wave now and then.  The swell was still hanging in there at about 3 feet over head on the big ones.  We watched a beautiful sunset then paddled back to the boat headed home.  Bintang time! 

This report has been brought to you by Ray Wilcoxen from Kandui Resort: March 14, 2007

Just got back out on the island.  I accompanied our first 3 guests of the season to the resort.  I was a little surprised to see how much swell was in the water when we arrived.  The swell was out of the straight south, maybe even a little south east, and our playgrounds area had waves up to 3 or 4 feet overhead!  The wind was light out of the north.  Two of our regular footed friends and I went out to warm up at 4 Bobs while our third guest headed for John Candy's which had near perfect conditions.  Everybody was stoked to be in the water, but it only took a couple of waves at 4 Bobs before the wind died and we were calling our boat to take us to Rifles.  There was a few boats around there, but only about 6 surfers in the water and the sets were 2 or 3 feet overhead with the occasional bigger bomb!  I couldn't have been more stoked to arrive at the resort again and have Rifles welcome me back with open barrels!   We all got some fun ones before taking the short boat ride back to the resort to fuel up with some lunch.  By the afternoon the swell was waning, but sets were still overhead and our one goofy footed guest went back out for a surf at John Candy's while the rest of us chilled.  He surfed until dark. 

This report has been brought to you by Ray Wilcoxen from Kandui Resort: March 13, 2007


I've just been at the resort for the last week making preparations for our first guests.  As luck would have it, a nice swell came in while I was there.  Me and our part time surf guide Liam arrived late Sunday and he was out at 4 Bobs early the next morning.  It looked like fun with shoulder high sets and good conditions, and it looked like the swell was filling in.  We worked the rest of the day and kept an eye on the ocean as bigger sets kept coming in.  Me and Liam headed out to Rifles late in the afternoon after work as the swell had gotten big enough to start doing it out there.  Waves were a little over head, but the tide was a still low and the swell was a steep south, so it was peeling really fast and waves were hard to make.  It was nice to see the inside of the tube again though after a couple of months in Padang.  The next day we ran out to Rifles to see what was going on there.  It was a little bigger and the tide was higher so waves were definitely more make able.  The only thing missing was a better wind (it was blowing north), but there was no one out and we were getting some nice ones.  Liam "the board breaker" lived up to his name and broke his board so we headed back to the island to get some work done.  All day we were looking over our shoulders as the waves kept getting bigger and the ocean kept getting glassier.  We knew we had a little high tide window of opportunity late in the afternoon.  With an hour and a half or so of light left, we headed to Rifles again.  We realized too late that we hardly had any gas in the boat, but there was no time to waste so we chanced it an went straight out.  When we saw the line up, we couldn't believe it.  Perfect conditions with the light southwest winds,  waves coming in about 4 feet over head on the sets, and no one was out!  We were both out of shape after a couple of months of being land locked, but we managed to get our fill of barrels before the sun went down.  One wave sticks in my mind.  Pulled in for a long dry one, came out, pulled in again for another long dry one,  came out, and then paddled back out looking at empty tubes peeling down the reef and only one other guy out!  There was only one day better than this one in the whole 06 season and we had it to ourselves.  Unbelievable.  Yeah, there are no waves in the "off" season! 

We ran out of gas as we came back in after sunset.  We tied our leases to the boat and paddled it back in the dark while talking about how good the waves were that afternoon.  We wouldn't forget that session for a long time.

We have our first guests arrive on the 13th so I'll be keeping you up to date on what kind of waves we find.  Forecasts are not looking bad. 

This report has been brought to you by Ray Wilcoxen from Kandui Resort: March 12, 2007



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