What do you do when the waves are off, and the pressure to produce is on? In this short feature, Oswald Smith takes us behind the scenes of Tidak Apa-Apa, an escape to Indo with Charlie Wise.

Let's be honest. Life is better in board shorts. But things don't always go as planned, and Pachamama has a witty tendency for playing the joker of spades at crucial moments. Indo is a kiteboarding gem, but to score it all time is seldom a luxury, experienced by the lucky few. Nonetheless, she graced us with her presence. 

Every year Charlie and I go to Indonesia to kite Lakey Peak. Airush gave us the go-ahead and a chance to create some magic on that side this year. We've always been lucky to score. But like Murphy's law would express: Things don't always go as planned. 

Lakey Peak is situated in Sumbawa, the Indian Ocean and is known for its kaleidoscopic waves and strong complimentary winds. The water is warm-tempered with a translucent texture adding to her tropical flavour. Lakey's has got a dry landscape but is rich in culture and abundant in happy faces. A warm welcome that can be felt through her ambience. 

Our group was small and tight, a little brotherhood, I'd say. Wesley Lewis was our water videographer/photographer and visionary. He is the one that could see a scene unfold before it even started, gather the crew, tidy up an idea, helps fix the blades and most importantly, drive beyond measure. Oscar was our Videographer. Oscar and I go way back from childhood, so working with him on a project like this was an absolute treat. He is familiar with kiting and has a special eye when it comes to filming. And last but not least, Charlie and I. 

Indo is not like Cape Town from a reliability point of view. If you go in summer, you will get wind and waves. Indo, however, is a bit of an erratic rollercoaster. You can get lucky and score the waves of your life, or you can get the short side of the straw and score ankle snappers. Unfortunately for us, we got the short side this year. We expected to brave 2m+ barrels. Instead, it was more like 1ft shin slappers. I might sound like a spoiled brat now, but it's true. We got skunked! 

Going to Indonesia with a film crew put a lot of pressure on the team to perform. Sponsors are on your case, waiting in suspense for the bounty you are about to get, and there is really nothing you can do if the waves don't show. These were the foreboding questions that haunted us throughout the trip. Will we score? Luckily, she gave us a little glimpse, a tease if you must. During the 10-day trip, we probably only got one semi-good day of waves. So when it was on, it was on! We would kite from dusk till dawn, not missing a wave nor an opportunity. It only takes one session to make it all worth it. 

On the days of no waves, our determination prevailed, pushing us to the not-so-tempting places. I would go for freestyle between the sharp reef to fill our trip with more shots. As easy as it sounds, riding in coral banks is pretty scary! A few times, I wiped out and scratched the surface. Not ideal and definitely not Taiba lagoon but an experience non the less. 

If you were to ask me, "Is Lakey's worth it?". I would say yes again and again. Just don't go with great expectations. To time this place with wind and waves is a roll of the dice, and everyone knows the dice are loaded. But hey, you never had the waves in the first place- All you can do is gain.

Videos

Sessions - Tidak Apa-Apa | Ft. Oswald Smith & Charlie Wise
By IKSURFMAG

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