After nearly 32 hours of travel, I arrived in the Playgrounds region of the Mentawai Islands and paddled straight into the biggest swell of 2026. We went straight to Kandui. A shallow and heavy reef that requires equal parts devotion and caution. My guide, Riku Matsumoto, put it best:
“Sometimes it’s Can-do-ee,” he said, smiling toward the horizon. “Sometimes it’s No-can-do-ee.”
The lineup was nearly empty. Four surfers. Thick, ruler-edged lines marching in from the Indian Ocean. The reef sat alarmingly close to the surface. Every wave looked like a closeout. The last time I surfed in the Mentawais, I came over a foam ball deep inside a long backside barrel. My tail drifted, I went down, and my fin sliced open my foot. I paddled in with fat hanging out of the cut and spent the morning getting stitched back together. Funny how certain places hand your memories back the instant you return.
Part of me wanted to charge every set. The best surfers in the water were getting some of the best waves of their lives. In surfing, as in most pursuits, recklessness often masquerades as courage. But age, experience, and a growing commitment to longevity have taught me something different.
Crazy goes a long way, but pacing yourself goes even further. The first days weren’t about proving anything. They were about gathering information. Watching the waves. Learning the reefs. Hydrating. Eating enough. Trying to stay ahead of the jet lag. Catching a few waves, then reassessing.
What surprised me most came later, watching the footage. In the water, fear had narrowed my vision. Every section looked impossible. Every wall looked like it would stretch too long to make. But on film, there were exits everywhere—makeable sections I couldn’t see in the moment.
Fear, I’ve learned, is often an unreliable narrator. The long game rewards patience. Not hesitation—patience. The confidence to believe there will be another wave. Another session. Another swell. Courage gets you into the lineup. Pacing keeps you there. And if your goal is to surf well for decades, not just one unforgettable afternoon, that distinction matters more than any wave you’ll ever catch.