24th August – 3rd September / 2 – 4 Ft
Freddo and the lads return for their annual trip and head north for business as usual.
Words and pics | Uncle Lip
The Group:
It’s always exciting when you see Freddo and the lads on the guest list for their annual trip up north. This year we had the return all-stars Dodsy, Row and Dunc and a few new Mango virgins to fill the trip with plenty of banter, good times on the high seas and making the most that was on offer throughout the North Sumatra.
Conditions/Forecast
With the El Nino bringing southerly’s all year we knew the month of August was going to blow even harder. Huey also didn’t throw much swell at us, so it was a no brainer to target the swell magnets as we sailed north.
The extra miles paid off and the calls of when to lift anchor and move found us surfing every day and mostly alone. “Mangalui Ndulu” truly lived up to her name this week, meaning “Wave Searcher” in local Nias dialect.
Standout Sessions:
A few solo sessions up north on a well know swell magnet had the goofy footers smiling from ear to ear as they would sit out there all-day trading lefts wondering where everyone else was. With a quality popular right nearby for the natural footers, we had all bases covered.
Wave of the trip:
Not so much “The Wave of The Trip” but certainly most memorable – Rob, on THAT wave.
Rob was having too much fun and pushed a wave too far inside, unfortunately dislocating his shoulder on the no-go end bowl. Rob’s heroic efforts scored him “Wave of The Trip” anyway.
We had the shoulder back in within 15 minutes and we wish you a speedy recovery Rob. We are sure you won’t forget that one for a while.
Personalities:
With the return lineup you always know what you’re in for - Dodys always stirring trouble, Dunc always bringing positive vibes, Row and Freddo motivating the surf vibes, and the new lads The Bintang Brothers – James & Ben brought the laughs and smashing a few late-night records along the way. Good times all round and another fun trip with the yearly regulars. Bring on next August boys.
Food:
Beef Rendang Curry is traditionally claimed by the Minangkabau people of mainland West Sumatra as their own. It is undeniably “their” traditional dish, developed over hundreds of years and famous in almost every corner of the world thanks to its rich flavour and long-lasting capabilities due to the 5-hour cooking method and abundance of chili & spice.
You will have to search long and hard to find a better Rendang than the old Minangkabau “Ibu” (or mums) cook up in the mountains. They keep those recipes and methods a tightly guarded secret.
Situ, our head chef is from the famed surf island of Nias and has been onboard The Mango for 25 years now. In that time Situ has developed his own Rendang that certainly matches it with the old women of the mainland mountains.
It is a huge compliment to Situ’s dedication, respect to traditional cooking methods and hard work learning & researching his Rendang recipe to be able to reproduce this amazing dish to perfection, that is easy to cook…..but also easy to cook bad.
We had a few traditional Rendang virgins onboard this week and one evening when we pulled alongside Mango in The Foxy after a long afternoon surfing session we were hit with that unmistakable aroma of “Rendang Night”. The froth from the long timers was pulpable before we even climbed onboard, so well-loved is chef Situ’s Rendang.
And the virgins?…well, they are now also huge fans of Situ’s amazing traditional Beef Rendang Curry that rivals any.
Freddo and his iconic yellow McCoy
“I’ve been coming on the Mango for 20 years or so and the operation just keeps getting better and better”
Freddo, long time Mangalui Ndulu veteran.
Special Thanks:
Freddo, for your ongoing support and rounding up the crew every August for the annual bash up north. The amazing captain & crew of The Mighty Mango - Deli, Geni, Bezi, Situ and Putra. When sh#!t hits the fan they handle every situation cool, calm and collected.
Yours truly Uncle Lip
MANGALUI 23/24 SUMMER SESSIONS
One of our favourite times of year these days is the summer season, characterised by great weather, fun waves and far less surfers.
10-21 Oct, 2023 | 11 Nights
17 Feb - 4 Mar, 2024 | 16 Nights | West Java/Mentawai
One of our favourite times of year these days is the summer season, characterised by great weather, fun waves and far less surfers. It has been one of the industry’s best kept secrets for decades with only those in the know choosing to charter during this time of year.