APSA New Member: Indies Trader Marine Adventures
Indies Trader Marine Adventures is considered to be one of the world’s premier surf charter operator, and in addition to operating Indies Trader 3 in the lower Pacific, the company also owns moorings and access its own resort Beran Island resort in Alinglaplap Atoll in The Republic Of The Marshall Islands. Spanning 45 acres, Beran Island is covered in coconut palms and hardwoods typical of a sandy atoll. It’s surrounded by colourful reefs and world-class surf. Expect sunny skies, a comfortable breeze, and turquoise water as far as you can see and the peak surf season is from October – April, with North Pacific groundswell providing the best waves. Over 2,000 miles southwest of Hawaii, Beran Island might not be the easiest place to access, but that’s the point. This private island is just about as far away from the crowds as you can get, making it an exclusive hideaway for ocean lovers from around the world.
Surfing in the Marshalls: The surf in the Marshalls is predominantly right handers and is as good as anywhere in the world. Surf ranges from “gentleman” waves to smokin’ barrels. North West to North East swells are most frequent between mid-October to mid-April. There are south swell spots that get waves occasionally during the Summer but it’s the northern Pacific winter storms that provides 90% of the waves with up to 6 swells a month during the peak of the season. There is also a consistent 10sec NE windswell from the trades that fetch across from the eastern Pacific that provides fun softer waves between groundswells.
Swell forecasting is reliable and we can normally tell a week out what’s in store. The wind is pretty well always offshore and at times can be pretty constant over 15 knots but the surf handles it well. If you want consistent Mentawai like oily conditions then the Marshalls is not for you. If you like surfing real waves with no one else, like clear water, fishing, diving, want to try towing into empty perfect waves and love playing in the ocean in a pristine environment then the Marshalls should not be missed.
Surfing the Mentawai Islands: The Islands off the west coast of Sumatra Indonesia are now considered to have the best surf on the planet. Indies Trader found most of the waves and is the original and most respected charter boat operator. This is our 25th surf charter season coming up and our 35th year surfing in Indo. Our operation is the benchmark for surfing tourism globally. We’ve never missed a departure in all those years and our experience ensures that we consistently get the best uncrowded waves EVERY trip.
There are plenty of sites, movies, videos and more of all the waves in Indonesia – many of these videos we were part of, over the last few decades. If you are looking to score the big-name spots and fight 20-35 guys, this wouldn’t be the right trip for you. It’s a game of cat and mouse, and avoiding the crowds – finding perfect waves for the conditions and surfing alone. We’re the original charter company in Indonesia, and we have the most extensive knowledge base, charts, and experience in all of Sumatra, including the Mentawais.
Indies Trader Marine Adventures also offer diving trips on the Bikini Atoll, one of 29 atolls in the Marshall Islands and one of the most spectacular dive sites in the world. Though the atoll became famous as a nuclear testing site, today it is known as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a bucket-list diving destination.