G-Land

Mid-October 2006

Grajagan Land, otherwize known as G-land, lies just across the Bali Stait on the tip of the Tajung Blambangan peninsula in Java. To get there we boarded our overnight bemo ride in Kuta Beach, crossed over to Java by ferry, and headed south through densly populated eastern Java. Reaching Grajagan Village at sunrise, we awoke to the morning prayer echoing from the local mosque. The local fleet of Javanese fishing boats, with their unique design and outboard motors


that resemble giant weed wackers, were waiting
for the incoming tide to fill the bay. After loading up our gear into the speedboat, the captain headed out through the river mouth. His timing was poor, and we were almost capsised by the final set wave before making it to the saftey of deep water. After a 30 minute journey we reached the peninsula and saw the mechanical left hander breaking in the distance. We had arrived to one of my favorite places in the world.

Grajagan fishing fleet.











Bucket full of fish.










"I know what you're looking at so stop staring!"
Located in Alas Purwo National Park, G-land was discovered in the 70's by two surfers who spoted the set up from the air and decided it had good potential. Taking motorcycles from Bali, they charged up the beach from Grajagan village until they reached what is arguably the world's best left. Much has changed since then, with four surf camp/resorts now firmly established. To visit G-land, the traveling surfer must book an all-inclusive trip with one of the surf camps, our choice being the legendary Bobbie's. Even with the development, G-land stillholds its magic. The forest is still there, the offshore wind still blows, and the wave never dissapoints.

Jungle meets the reef system.










Bamboo forest dweller.










The wave intriges and inspires. I spent a week here in 2002, and it wasn't until the fourth day that I had learned enough about the wave to truly charge it. The final day was magic, and my last wave was the best of a two month trip through Indonesia; a stand up, no-grab, backside barrel through the Speed Reef section. I made a promise to return one day.




There are surfers who are more intrigued with G-land than me. Many come year after year, some staying months at a time. I learned from these guys, through conversation during the morning check or out in the water, and more importantly by watching and studying their approach to the wave. I was blown away by the surfing of a young Kiwi, who had the wave mastered. I later learned that it was his sixth time to G-land, and that he had studied under the legendary Camel from Margaret River (just like in Kung Fu movies).

The surfers who inspired me the most were the old timers (or almost old timers). Don (45) from Oahu would surf for 5-6 hours in a single session, getting more waves than anyone and absolutly killing it. One day I tried to stay out as long as him but had to go in out of sheer exhastion. He continued on for 2 hours. Then there was 65 year old guy from Australia. This guy was as old as my dad, and was taking off deeper than anyone on the biggest day. Not only that, he spends his winters in Colorado as a ski patroler. And Tim (50) from California, this guy was built like a rock and was a standout indeed. These guys made me realize that a surfer continues to improve their skills throughout their life, but more importantly, I realized that I will be surfing and traveling until I'm a shrivled old man.

The reef system is enormous.
Inspiration is best when it's a two way street. Some of the older crew took inspiration from our global surf oddysey and were eager to check the blogs out. After hearing our tales from Banda Aceh, Tim decided to go check it out for himself, after G-land. And then there was Pierre from France. We first met Pierre while surfing in Madagascar. At the time he complained of his stagnent life and his reluctance to return to his father's resturant business. When he spotted me out in the water at G-land he was estatic, explaining how we inspired him to quit his job, break up with his girlfriend (not my fault!) and travel the world. Ispiration is contagious, be careful- you might catch it!


The Right Photo: John Hepler
On the oposite side of the Tajung Blambangan peninsula lies a series of right hand set ups rarely surfed. The waves here are good during the rainy season when the the wind is blowing onshore at G-land. Since G-land shuts its doors during the rainy season, Bobby (owner of the camp) wanted to investigate the possibility of setting up an off-season surf camp on one of the rights. Since Adam had a professional video camera, we were recruited on a mission to get some photo and video documentation of the surf
potential. Four other surfers, along with myself, sacrificed a day at G-land for what could have been a hoax mission. As we headed out in the fastboat we all watched sets peel down the G-land reef and pondered the choice we had made. Sometimes you gotta role the dice in the name of adventure!




Photo: Hepler
Surfer: Berquist


As we headed south, then east, and finally north along the coast, I came to realize the enormity of the peninsula and the Alas Purwo National Park. Vast tracks of forest remained untouched, except for the occasinal boat on the beach poaching bamboo from the park. I decided that there was a fair chance some Javanese Tigers might still roam this side of the park.

Photo: Hepler

Photo: Hepler

No one in the crew had ever actually been to the spot, all they had was a rough description and a shipwreck for a landmark. We pulled up to what they thought was the spot. The winds were offshore with good size sets, but it looked as though the tide was wrong. We paddled out to sample a few while Adam and photographer John Hepler headed up the coast in a small dingy to investigate. The wave we surfed turned out to be garbage. In the meantime, Adam and John found the real wave and it was going off. John told the boat driver to go and get the surfers and bring them back to the real spot. Instead the boat driver decided to help Bobby look for a possible water source on shore. By the time we were picked up and redistribited into the proper line-up we had lost valuable time. The tide was turning and our session lasted about 45 minutes until the tide bottomed out, turning the spot out right dangerous. On a very memorable wipe out, my body spun underwater as my leash wrapped around me like a spider wraping up its prey. It wrapped around my legs twice, and then around my arms and upperbody, rendering my limbs useless. I had to spin my body underwater and unravel myself like a yo-yo before swimming for the surface.

Cracking!

When we returned to G-land camp, we found out that the wind had been onshore for most of the day thus we hadn't missed much. The next day was our last, and like my first trip to G-land, it turned out to be the best day of the trip. The waves jacked to 8 feet and the winds blew perfectly offshore. This combined with a full moon hightide midday resulted in the G-land people dream of.





As we left G-land early the next morning, watching the wave slowly fade away, I realized that this trip had brought me one level higher towards G-land mastery, but I had a long way to go. I wasn't ready to leave, nor is any surfer. But I promised myself I would one day return. And deep down I knew I would.

Packing up.....

.......and heading out

Puma delivers the Balinese-Hindu morning offerings.