Koa Smith says he scored one of the best days ever at this secret Indonesian slab. Photo: Koa Smith//screenshot
After taking on the shallow, urchin-infested tubes of Northern Chile, Koa Smith saw another swell forming in the Indian Ocean that he couldn’t pass up on. In his latest vlog, Smith says he traveled 40 hours to Sumatra to log more time in the barrel.
It’s “one of the more wild places I’ve ever been in my life, and there is straight up wild tigers here still,” Smith said.
The swell didn’t disappoint. The wave that he came for was slightly more approachable than the waves Smith had tackled in Chile, calling it one of the “best days in this remote secret slab’s history.” He likened the wave to a smaller version of Teahupo’o.
Smith took off deep, successfully rode over the foam ball on several occasions, shared the lineup with Tosh Tudor, and left with barrels that made the trip around the world more than worth it. And, of course, he paid his dues with some wipeouts and hold-downs.
Smith’s slab-riding content is starting to rival the global “slab tour” that Nathan Florence has embarked on. Perhaps the two should link up for a strike mission.
