8. The Bono: Hour-Long Rides Anyone?
8. The Bono: Hour-Long Rides Anyone?
Description:
Not the self-aggrandising pop penis smoker, but the tidal bore on the Kampar River in Sumatra. The breaks daily for up to four hours offering 50 kay rides with the record time for a single wave is just over an hour. Lets not talk about the paddle back.
History:
First surfed by photog Anthony “Yep” Colas and his bro in 2010 and made famous when Rip Curl took Tom Curren and others to surf it in 2011.
Death Factor:
The plentiful crocs and snakes that live in the river, we are told, are scared by the Bono and stay well away which is reassuring.
Standout performers:
It has to be Tom Curren getting shacked backside and coming out, adding a whole new dimension to the whole tidal bore movement.
Logistics:
Substantial. Yep Colas can get you there, with all the jetskis and boats you need to tame the beast. His website www.bonosurf.com boasts of daily waves that “reach barreling momentum for 10-15 minutes, the main course is probably 2-5ft soft peeling waves, allowing dozens of round-house cutbacks, probably best suited for longboarders, paddlesurfers, intermediates surfers and even beginners.” What more do you want?
Season:
Year round, with the bigger the tides, the bigger the Bono.
Expense:
Substantial, but with guaranteed waves, who cares?
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