Passengers:
Noel McCalary, Phil Burchal, Clinton Taylor, Rob Bartlet, Mel Vukicevick, Jason Gava
"There's only one Sandon Point" said Jason with the venom of a sea-snake. The Capt pulled his head back into his rash vest in an attempt to hide from the six sets of eyes that pierced his inner being. He knew he had trodden on crusty toes by naming this spot Sandon Point. "Ah, I was only joking fellas. We'll call it Bondi then." Noel laughed, cracked a beer, sculled it and said, "Well I reckon this place still breaks better than Bondi". And the bagging continued.
They had been speeding around the archipelago in the Bynda Laut. They had managed to escape from the pack and by the end of the trip would have scored 3 new breaks. The Capt was loving his new speed boat. It was his second charter back and already it had scored them un-crowded waves and glimpses of umpteen potentials.
The Sandon Point boys were hardcore Australians. They surfed hard, drank their fill, and bagged the shit out of each other and everything and everyone who breathed in their vicinity. If you did not have thick skin, then they would whittle you away to a non-existent being.
They came in search of rights but the elements dictated lefts. And some bloody good sessions were had. Who could forget Mel's Corner? And who could forget Mel? The Capt reckoned he asked more questions than anyone in the history of the Surf Charter Industry. Not to mention a surfing style as timeless as Gerry. Clint, the grommet, held his own amongst the old blokes and took it to the Brah Boys on one arvo session. Jason showed what years on the circuit can do for one's surfing, even if his time was cut short by a knee injury. Dirty Philthy loved the lefts and squeezed into any barrel on offer. Noel showed grace under pressure of his mates heaping the dirt on him, and MR kept bashing those lips and couldn't stand the thought of the Capt smashing his 6'3" to pieces. That was his job.
The fish jumped in all 3 boats, the Barrenjoey, the Bynda Laut, and the Joey. We learnt celestial navigation and had many a laugh. The storms threatened all trip and the bloody rights never showed. The Capt was asked to join the Boardriders. And the Mentawais proved they are still a magical place.