Surf
Java. It’s pronounced Jawa, locally. Which is great because it makes it sound like a planet from Star Wars. Which it pretty much is.
Java is dirty. It’s grungy, it’s funky, it’s polluted, and it’s amazing. Java is the most densely populated island on Earth. This island has the same population as Russia. There’s 145 million people on this Island. This is the 3rd most densely populated place on Earth. You’re never lonely here.
Java is a long island that is nothing but a string of volcanos and forests that harbor or used to harbor elephants, rhinos, tigers, mouse-deer (a deer the size of a rabbit), leopards, and many different monkeys. The people here are amiable, polite, muslim, and beautiful.
The surf is non-stop because there is nothing between Java and Antarctica. Nothing.
I’ve been here for the past week and the surf has been delightful. Cimaja is the spot. If you don’t surf, you might not be that into it. Cimaja has a Quick-E-Mart, a fruit stand or two, a hostel or two, and that’s about it. It’s classic Java: dirty, funky, highly populated, simple, complex, stunning, and perfect.
Rice paddies are scattered throughout town and they just went through their planting cycle. Very cool to watch and learn as they drain, mark, and plant their paddies.
The surf? The surf has been good. June 14th was head high, not tuby, and damn fun. The 15th was a duplicate. Things got small on the 16th before getting huge, close-outy, and scary on the 17th – although there were a few incredible rides on the right tide.
Yesterday… yesterday was perfect. Head high to occasional double overhead, peeling, and tubing. The right wave yesterday could make your whole season.
Cimaja is a cobblestone reef, tube machine… on the right day.
Today, it got huge and scary again. No one really surfed today. It was bigger than the break could handle. The big surf combined with torrential downpours yesterday that flooded the local streams and made the ocean look like the amazon river. It looked like coffee with a bit too much milk. Even the foam was brown. Yum.
The forecast is looking good for the next week. Things will get a bit smaller the next three days (thank god) before picking up again into the scary range next week.
JAVA PHOTO TOUR:
hi Miles – cool pics and thanks for sharing. Do you know if Cimaja is suitable for beginners and intermediate surfers?
Thanks! Tania
Hey Tania, Cimaja would work for intermediates but not for beginners. It’s a pretty heavy wave and the cobblestone reef is unforgiving and it’s pretty tricky to get in and out of the water on the cobblestone rocks. I’d say upper-intermediate and higher. Have a blast!
ugh miles clark I love your pictures and your comments I certainly will be back to snow brains often thank you Moreland
Just fabulous!
An adventure of repose, reflection, and bad ass surf.
I can relate to the cats.
MB