Charter details and story to come ...
CHARTER FOURTEEN // 22 AUGUST – 2 SEPTEMBER // 2012
Passengers: Peter James, Tim Day, David Smyth, Scott Langman, Alan Fisher, Andrew Bazell, Joshua Herdman, Paul Giles, Ben Day, Neal Lyons, David Gallop
11 blokes on board? How on earth did this happen? Well, it was the hottest ticket in town and the ex CEO of the NRL just had to be on board for Jamesy’s 50th birthday. We let Gall join the trip as a last minute inclusion as long as he agreed to be the beer bitch for the duration.
Somehow Jamesy managed to escape 10 days on a boat without getting his favourite red kneeboard burned at sea or being hogtied for a mohawk. The latter was an honour passed on to big Josh, courtesy of Benny ‘Lez’ Day who duly explored his feminine hairdresser side. In amongst the madness of wacky Hawaiian shirts and overcomplicated games between two teams pitted against one another from the start, there were some great waves. Lance’s Lefts was excellent. HTs was typically edgy. Macaronis was a joy. When the swell hit, Scarecrows/Francos came alive with some monster bombs and Telescopes delivered tubes from heaven. Baz scored some epic sessions, Ben tore lefts apart with clinical precision, Smythy ripped, Scotty styled, Neal got barrel of the trip (three of them on the one wave if you don’t mind, culminating in an all time hands on the roof exit), Gilo fished and snorkeled like a hellman, Al had a genuine crack everywhere, Gall overcame initial trepidation and did it all, Tim ‘The Duke’ Day ruled as usual, Herdy came of age as a real surfer and Jamesy even managed to get to his feet on the odd occasion.
One by one, half the boys were struck down with a mystery 24 hour bug that was traced back to an encounter The Duke’s beard had with a monkey in a bar. Sounds like a punch line, but true. We went down like 9 pins, but got up to surf again and resume the 50th birthday competition with gusto.
Unseasonal rain and wind kept the 2/3rds ping pong table tucked away until the second last day, at which point the two teams tore into each other in a frenzied doubles battle. This competition then spilled over into an epic ‘Rings of Fire’ relay race around the Barrenjoey that became an absolute boilover with the 50th birthday boy stuffing the anchor leg by going the wrong way.
So it was all tied up going into the last day. And, as legend often has these things, it all came down to the final event. The teams had purchased mad gear before leaving port in Padang and had been secretly developing plans during the ten days for…. THE MENTAWAI BIRDMAN RALLY.
So, on the final, surfless, sunny afternoon, there was industrious activity on board and on beach as both teams prepared their crafts and their pilots for launch off the top deck. The Indo Crew judging panel took their positions and readied themselves to assess quality of craft, pilot performance and distance of launch. First up was Tim ‘The Duke’ Day, whose team had created an impressive hang glider inspired craft that looked for all the world as if it would fly him all the way back to Padang. Resplendent in Flash Gordon style silver superhero garb (complete with undies on the outside) Tim gripped the controls of his craft and announced to the world: ‘I am going to Fly’. Despite such outrageous optimism, he landed in the drink a mere ten feet from the boat, albeit to massive cheers. Next up was Finn McGroder, who was a last minute entry in the inaugural Ments Birdman. His impromptu outfit was simply brilliant and his pilot performance was equally stunning as he easily leapt past The Duke’s mark to take the lead.
After a tense few minutes which Team Baz milked beautifully to build the anticipation, Scotty Langman wrote himself into Barrenjoey history by emerging in a sublime Birdman outfit to the tune of Guns and Roses’ timeless ‘Welcome to the Jungle’ which blared across the quarterdeck. His audacious ensemble was always destined to capture the attention of the Indo Crew Judging panel. The combination of Angry Birds attire and mad array of umbrellas overhead was an ambitious, seamless blend of fashion and function. Sure, it looked sensational. But would it fly? Scotty worked his way to the top deck, bowed to the adoring crowd, faced the water and took to the air. His wings flapped and his legs ran across the Mentawai breeze, edging him past Finn’s fabulous mark to take the lead in the distance from boat category.
But was it enough to win? The Indo crew stepped aside to confer as the two teams took position on top deck, Bintangs in hand to toast a fantastic trip. After a few moments, the decision was announced by Elvis. To no-one’s surprise, Scotty took the chocolates and after huge cheers, Team Baz were awarded a felt fez each.
What a trip (and what a trip back to Padang!).
So many unforgettable moments. But for the 50th birthday boy, the most enjoyable thing was the rare opportunity to bring together some great mates from different parts of his life. Quite a few of these guys had never met before the trip, but it was obvious in the first couple of days that they were destined to become good friends. Watching these friendships emerge was a true highlight.
Thanks to B and John for joining in the spirit of the events and getting us to some tremendous waves. We can’t wait to get back there.
Story by Peter James.
CHARTER THIRTEEN // 9 AUGUST – 20 AUGUST // 2012
Passengers: Jeffrey Holzers, Xavier Bouquillard, Dan Wonkesy, Graham Wilkie, Lucas Curathers, Warren Swanston, Graham Osmars, Greg Waight, Karl Wokiski, Gary Elkerton
Kong was back, he had corralled Wonksey, Karl, and a gaggle of others. Swell was looking great at the start. Fishing gear, beer, and a bucketful of stories tall and thick…all check.
Would the wind co-operate this time?
Sail away. Southerly winds were predominant again this trip. The trick was to find those clean spots as Mother Nature shifted between SE and SW.
The lefts were all covered. But it was the rights, the famous and under estimated that made the trip. Wonksey was ripping. His backhand attack only matched by Swany and Kong. Karl did his smashingly best to keep up. Greg had the day of days after catching his first large fish and pulling into and making his first barrel. The 2 Grahams’ laughed aloud between surfs and stories. Xavier filed fins and changed directions all over every wave he could lay his rails on. Lucas, quietly slotted his count and slotted himself in the process. Spock, when not lamenting G-land, showered hack ability over all who paddled past.
It was on one particular Southern voyage, as the Barrenjoey bashed her way into wind and swell, that I completed my read of Kong's new autobiography. What a moving read! Surf history rolled with riveting yarns by a surfer that has been there and has not held back. Check it out.
CHARTER TWELVE // 27 JULY – 7 AUGUST // 2012
Passengers: Damien Snell, Raymond Grube, Dylan Menzies, Garry Parsons, Peter Swynenburg, Brett Bergagin, James Walden, Nathan Johnston, Kane Anderson, Ryan Christian
They came with their own flag. Talked their own language, ‘What da wa?’. Proud of their ancestery. Norfolk Island. They surfed hard. First a quick history lesson ...
Did you know that some of Norfolk Islands’ descendants come from Pitcairn Island? This is where the mutineers from the infamous Bounty settled with the Tahitian women they stole. In an effort to stop the French claiming Norfolk Island, the Queen relocated the Pitcairn Islands to Norfolk. Some of the boys are direct descendants of the mutineers!
The Captain had his crew of Fynn and Duke keeping them in line the whole trip.
The south winds bore down upon us for 8 out of the 10 days. We had to seek the offshore spots. x, y and z became the staple of the trip.. Nutty and Pete were the only keen towers. Nutty taking it on up the back of spot x. The big fella never realized how easy it was to catch 10 waves in half an hour while the rest of the pack waited, and sometimes not, for their turn.. Nutty, also scored the ‘wipeout of the trip’ according to his mates. Mind you, Pete came a close second in my eyes with his effort at spot D.. Damien and Bergs charged spot W with a couple of deep throating barrels under their belts and a face plant that left this place’s reputation intact.. Pooha scored a couple of beauties that included a stomach tattoo that side-lined him. Ray charged whatever was laid down in front of him, cut himself and glued himself and kept going. Impressing were Pete, George and Damien and James. The fish went off the bite with the wind and the moon. Kane ripped everything including his back and knee.
The trip went to the last hoorah, just around the next point.
CHARTER ELEVEN // 14 JULY – 25 JULY // 2012
Charter details and story to come ...
CHARTER TEN // 1 JULY – 12 JULY // 2012
Charter details and story to come soon ...
CHARTER NINE // 18 JUNE – 29 JUNE // 2012
Passengers: Jason Quinn, Glenn McMillan, Daniel Clelland, Geoffrey Fischer, Daryl Curtis, Ean Beard, Barrie Curtis, David McTavish, Ewan Wilson, Stephen Rogers, Guy Forrester.
BARRENJOEY EXTRA ... STAND BY - Notes from the 2012, June18-28 trip.
By now I was four days, a stack of waves and, thanks to an all-but-stalled internal clock, what seemed an eternity from the frustrations of work and surfing Sydney city beaches.
Our host and skipper, John McGroder, was busy aboard his jet ski, towing and dropping us - your choice depending on arm fatigue - into a “softish” 4 to 6-foot right hander, situated in yet another totally isolated and impossibly picture postcard Mentawai island locale.
I had just hauled my exhausted, dripping bulk into the rubber ducky for the ride back to the Barrenjoey, when I suggested to John’s curiously named crewman, Elvis, that his boss seemed to have a good life.
I assumed his reply, like my suggestion, might refer to the almost dreamlike days of surfing we’d been enjoying. The reality was totally different, and one of the typically candid responses that sprang from the Indonesian crewmen throughout the trip. He said, and I quote, “I think when you have a good heart, you have a good life. He is good to us and I like to work for him”.
It was at that point I realised that Captain McGroder’s mission to ensure a good time for all -including Captain McGroder - is why the Barrenjoey has gained its rep as an exceptional Mentawais charter.
On first meeting him, you could suspect from McGroder’s laconic Aussie detachment that he might have become a little jaded from schlepping a never-ending procession of surf-crazed strangers back and forth for most of the past 15 years. No way. He’s still as cattle dog keen for Sumatran surf as any first-time frother. From first light of the first morning it was immediately apparent that despite his Captainly responsibilities, John was the eleventh guy on our trip. He was so fast into the water whenever we dropped anchor next to a break I was convinced there were two of him. Particularly at Lance’s Right, aka ‘The Office’, which I’m certain he’d have happily moored next to for the entire ten days if we’d agreed to it.
John’s preference for board-snapping power was also evident in his habit of piling good-humoured disdain on the breaks he has cast into the ‘paunchy not punchy’ file. Waves he refers to in the nicest yet totally unapologetic way, as gay rights. Nevertheless, his genuine desire to see all comers grinningly surfed out pretty much ensured that everyone, burger lovers or otherwise, got what they came for.
The fact that they did was due in no small part to John’s willingness to move and move often. I’d like 50 cents for every mile and litre of fuel we burned getting to vacant, if not famous breaks. Which was what the majority of our group preferred. And whilst we shared the odd session with other crews, brooding Brazilians or extended families of local surfing wunderkind, we managed to surf alone a lot. So often, in fact, it was hard to believe we were there at the height of the peak season.
Plenty was an essential ingredient in Barrenjoey dining, too. Apart from being impressively delicious and inventive for fare prepared in a kitchen the size of an XL phone booth, the non-stop servings often felt like a trial by generosity. All thanks to our chef “Saucy” who managed to brim-fill us five times a day- always with a smile and his happy catchcry of “Extra, Stand By”.
The daily second breakfast, aptly named ‘Second Breakfast’, quickly turned from unexpected novelty to dining de rigueur, and the beer o’clock appetisers were unnecessarily plentiful - if not just downright unnecessary. Despite all the activity, a few of us managed to finish the trip looking even more like middle-aged white guys and, if it were possible, even less fetching in a clinging white rashie.
Something else that grew in apparent size as the days clicked by was the Barrenjoey herself. At first sight in Padang, it was a bit of a shock to discover how much smaller she seemed in the flesh. Then there was my first lap of the main deck. As the kind of landlubber who gets jumpy an hour into a harbour cruise, I literally doubted if I’d last the distance. Though once familiar with her nooks and crannies and the feeling of freedom inspired by at-sea peculiarities like sunset beers on the upper deck and pissing over the side (lower deck only) she developed the kind of breezy, spatial qualities you simply can’t capture in a website.
Admittedly, sleeping arrangements weren’t entirely spread eagle spacious. My ship shape bunk had me making like a parallelogram a little more than I would have liked. Still, mild to moderate deficit of hotellishness aside, the 1969-built ketch was more than comfortable enough for a bullseye bona fide surfari. And she certainly fitted the surf adventure aesthetic a lot more comfortably than did the armada of hulking gin palaces dieseling up and down the archipelago.
She was possibly also the best-equipped surf support unit out there to boot. All of which was constantly brought into play. We had the aforementioned jet-ski with lie-down tow pad. Others only had a 12-foot, 25hp tinny with a rope. We had the soft and forgiving rubber ducky to slip in and out of, where others only had a hard, square-edged, 12-foot 25hp tinny. Best of all, we had the Bynda Laut: a twin-175hp assault boat that got us to breaks very fast and very first most mornings, while others ... you get the picture.
Picture also the small but holiday-making details filled in by the crew, Salamat, Wilson, Deddie, Elvis and Jason, who constantly loaded our boards, unfailingly handed us our all-important after-surf mugs of cold water, patched and painted our reef gouges and, no doubt, did a hundred and one other things we never noticed. Then of course, there was the surf.
I could tell you about it, but it’ll only be different on your trip. As will the passengers whom, if you want John to skipper, must include his wife Belinda and their boys, Fynn and Duke. It is after all a family business. Obviously we said yes. Once you’ve met them and had a chance to appreciate the, let’s say, ‘steadying influence’ they have over life aboard, you wouldn’t choose to leave them behind either.
If you go, I’m certain you’ll find The Barrenjoey a genuinely unique and idyllic surf experience. One, I can’t help feeling, that only a shedload of generosity, local knowledge and a deep love of surfing can deliver.
For a Mentawais good time she is undoubtedly the mother ship.
Geoffrey Fischer
CHARTER EIGHT // 5 JUNE – 16 JUNE // 2012
Passengers: Jason Quinn, Tony Warrilow, Isabella Hunt, Alexis Hunt, Timothy Badyk, Mark Thomson, Andrew Vallance, Ian Pitt, David Rose
Bella brought a lot of fun to this trip.
Her, Fynn and Duke had a ball; in the water, fishing, jumping off the boat, or snuggled up watching a cartoon while the tropical downpour belted outside the cabins. Oh, and the adults scored beautiful surf and relaxed in their own ways ...
CHARTER SEVEN // 23 MAY – 3 JUNE // 2012
Passengers: Jeff Mack, Jack Mack, Angus Scholfield, Brian Street, Martin Bell, Tony Nincevic, Paul Love, Glen Hamilton, Shaun Dickson, Steve Lynch, Peter Taplin
Was it an auspicious beginning when Orbit tripped over a rope, hit his head and the Captain had to whack 5 stitches in all before the first supper!
The Tow guys had brought more mates for a flutter or two on the jetski. Unfortunately, the great swells that usually bless Shaun and Pete on their furores did not materialize. All were cruisey and understood the mysteries of the ocean. All had a great time whether it was surfing the smaller perfect waves, catching fish, climbing lighthouses, exploring crocodile infested creeks or simply running amok in the Bynda!!!!
CHARTER SIX // 10 MAY – 21 MAY // 2012
Passengers: Jason Quinn, Brad Bell, Jerome Hudson, Daniel Paine, Darryl Waller, Tristen Hargreaves, Patrick McCarthy, Shaun Freestone, Simon Beaufils, Trent Luck, Ian Pepper
No story for this charter sorry.