LAKEY PEAK SURFING HISTORY PART 2

Lets Continue with the "TRUE HISTORY OF SURFING AT LAKEY PEAK SUMBAWA"

As i talked about in the last chapter..During the 1980's early 90's Most surfspots in Indonesia where very low key with little or no Surfside development and infrequentley visited..Even isolated spots in bali itself were not frequented as Crowds were low most months and there was enough surf for everyone. So alot of Fantastic Surf in the rest of Indo just went unridden ! For example Desert Point in Lombok had only camping accomodation" cook your own rice style" until the late 90's even though the waves can be the Best on the planet and you can see the lights of Bali across the channel.

Likewise West Sumbawa & around Lakey Peak had very sparse living conditions and so few surfers visited these spots. So of course we perpetuated the Myth that Indo Surf Travel was difficult and Feral even though we lived pretty well always knowing where to get the Coldest Beers and best/tastiest Food in any village situation..Some of the guys staying for months to years at a time and surfed their uncrowded brains out.

I recall several trips during this period when we spent 6 mths in Nusa Tengarra and never crossed the straight to bali having arrived from Darwin via the Timor / Kupang route, It just wasn't necessary to go there. So we didn't.! I mean we had way more of what we needed . Uncrowded Surf & what seemed like never ending new Surf breaks to ride, Great Food , More Adventure than most young men see in a lifetime..waves ; women and party....Life Was Good !
At the same time other groups of surfers were exploring for spots along the coats of Java and Sumatera and the offshore Islands. Occassionally we would meet in Bali or on the road and swap surf stories and locations and thus the overland surf route through indo was born .

It actually all began 10 or so years earlier with the very first group of Indonesian Surf Explorers, Guys like Richard Lewis "Born In Bali 1956" , Roger Kincaid , Peter Reeves, Dave Michell , Dugga Warren , Tim Watts , Mick Owen , David Wiley, Doris Eltherington , Kim Bradley, Tony Starke , Paul Macklin , Glen V, and many others who paved the way with True Hardcore Travelling by local fishing boat and riding motorbikes and hiking/ camping along coastal tracks to discover many spots that had never even been seen by a surfer before....Most of these guys still surf well and are still out there searching to this day. Just as surf stoked and committed to the lifestyle as ever.

As the word spread of fantastic and mind altering barrels all along the Indonesian Archipelago it was only natural that surfers started to want to spend more serious amounts of time at these spots and surf them at there best. So many guys stayed with locals and then started to think about setting up more permanent livestyles at the spots.
The first wave of The surfing entrepenuer had begun.

LAKEY PEAK SURFING HISTORY PART 1

'LAKEY PEAK" Sumbawa is well known to surfers around the globe.
Its Awesome Surf and Kite-boarding potential coupled with Beautiful Scenery and Friendly local People make it a must visit location for every surf traveller seeking pure ocean indulgence and tropical living.
The first surfers arrived at Lakey were Yachtsman around the mid to late 1970's. Who when travelling through to Bali and beyond stayed offshore on their boats surfed the waves and only ever interacted with the locals when coming ashore in HUU village to buy supplies and water. These periodic visits where rarely documented apart from in private yacht log books or by stories handed down amongst the villagers about the strange "Orang Putih" "White People" who played in the sea.
Around this same period True Surf Exploration in Indonesia was beginning by overland and boat exploration. Bali had long been popular as a surf destination and also places like Nias and Grajagan on Java started to attract alot of attention from the new surf media and there was a wonderlust for finding new surf spots amongst the surf culture and a new breed of surf explorers.
The reality however was that not many surfers really wanted to explore further than was comfortable for western travel. Also during this period surfing culture had maintained a code of secrecy about new breaks.
Most of the known areas outside of Bali, Nias and Grajagan were kept on the quiet and thus due to travel constraints were rarely surfed locations. LAKEY PEAK was one of these spots with a small group of surf crazies regularly visiting each year!!!!. more about these crazies next letter. Thanks Amangati Hotel & Lakey Surf Houses.

Lakey Peak "Amangati Hotel"

AmangatiHotel.com is the New Online Website Direct from the owners of Amangati Hotel at Lakey Peak Sumbawa. One of the Worlds Premier Surf and kite Surfing Locations.!
The Hotel Consists of 56 Air Conditioned and 3 Surf Houses.! Restaurant /Bar and Pool etc.!
Originally started from just 4 Rooms way back in 1994 by Australian Surfers Brad Matthews and Mark Clift and Brett Cook and a few mates and run for a couple of years as lakeypeak surf camp. The Amangati Hotel was opened in 1996 by Balinese Legend Gede Sudantha. He also opened with just 4 rooms and arnd the late 1990's a partnership was formed between the 2 small hotels.
Amangati Hotel is simply the Best Hotel at Lakey Peak and now one of the Top Surf Resorts in the World. Come and check out our website at http://www.amangatihotel.com/ and book and pay online. I started this Blog with intention to supply a monthly Lakey Peak Newsletter and let people know that Lakey is Great Surf and Kite-Surfing all year around. I'll be back with the First edition of Lakey Peak News Soon!