Koa Rothman surfing picture-perfect Mentawais. Photo: Koa Rothman // YouTube
The pro surfers of the world have been converging on the Mentawais, of late. Recently, we saw Nathan Florence score at a mental day at Lance’s Right. Across YouTube, clips are cropping up of the insane surf the island chain is famous for, and the channel run by Koa Rothman is no different. Recently, the Hawai’i surfer made the journey out to Indo for what he’s calling one of the best sessions of his life.
“Well, that was crazy,” said Rothman during a brief interlude on the shore. He looked barely able to constain his excitement as he described what he had just experienced. “I just surfed pumping Kandui, with no one out. Everyone, when I was coming, was telling me, ‘That wave’s so crowded, there’s going to be 100 guys out if it’s good.” Blah blah blah. And I swear to god it was 8 feet, just draining – no one out.”
Even crazier, that was only the beginning, according to Koa. He’d only been in Kandui for less than 24 hours, and the peak of the swell on the horizon. True to his word, he immediately turned around, paddled back out and scored another session of all-time waves. Sometimes it all just works out.
