Wandering West

Drifter Journals - August 2023

Wandering West

The Art of Surfing includes crafts of all shapes and sizes. From alaias, to guns, to fish, we are constantly searching for new and different ways to connect with the ocean. New feelings underfoot lead to new ways of experiencing the energy of the waves and the sensations they give. Often that journey begins with a dusty old longboard you pulled out of the garage and slowly progresses towards smaller and sharper surf craft.

But for some, that journey returns to that dusty old log and they find that there is still plenty of magic left in the foam. Our recent travels to Java were a search for just that, and lucky for us, we had a friend to show us around that has tapped into the glide and grace of those beautiful hunks of foam and glass like no other.

Mencos is the newest member of our Drifter family and he is also the most technically skilled longboarder we have ever seen. None of us could figure out if he was goofy or regular until we saw him ride a shortboard halfway through the trip.

Growing up with this peeling right-hander as his home break has undoubtedly left its mark on Mencos. His effortless style is due in part to the wave that shaped the surfer he is today.

Getting to the wave was a mission in itself. It quite literally took planes, trains, and automobiles.

Mandatory nasi campur stop before embarking on our Javanese journey.

After a plane ride, a few hours on the train, and a few more in the car, we had finally made it.

Arriving to this scene makes all that travel worth it.

While Mencos is the newest longboarder to join the family, he's not the only lover of mals. Sierra and Vera are both fond of 2ft peelers and we’re all too happy to show us that the ladies can do it just as well as the guys.

And of course, they did with a grace that most of the boys could only dream of.

Soon enough, we were itching for some sort of adventure and could smell that there must be some good waves nearby.

So, with a bump of swell coming on the forecast, we let Mencos lead the way in hunt for something to get our hearts beating a little faster.

It took quite a bit of hunting and plenty of sketchy spot checks, but eventually we could sense we were getting close to the goods.

Sure enough, with some local knowledge from Mencos and an unwavering amount of good vibes throughout the journey, we were gifted with an empty left-hand point.

With no one around except for a handful of fishermen, froth levels were at an all-time high.

Kopral put on a clinic at the reeling left, showing all of us the perks of growing up with the Bukit as your backyard.

Properly surfed out after a day of travel and surfing, the crew was relived to wake up to waves of lesser consequence for our last couple days in Java.

With the goal of putting as much time in the water as possible for our last dance at the point, our final days were filled with board swapping, big smiles, and trying our best to look like Mencos on a longboard.

Needless to say, we'll be back very soon. We can't thank Mencos enough for the hospitality and for showing our crew around his home and his favorite waves. We're stoked to have him as part of the Drifter Family.

If you're still hungry for more of our trip out West, check the YouTube video below.

This is Drifter Surf - The Art of Surfing