Thunders
Mentawais, Indonesia
Reef breakExpert
One of the Mentawai Islands' most powerful and revered waves, Thunders is a ferocious right-hand reef break that lives up to its name with explosive, heavy barrels over a shallow coral reef.
Typical Conditions
The Surf Window
Swell Window
OptimalW (270°)
WindowSSW–NNW (210°–330°)
Wind
NE
Offshore
Tide
mid-high tide
LowMidHigh
Season
June–August
JFMAMJJASOND
The Wave
Type
Right
Bottom
Shallow coral reef
Shape
Thick, detonating right, the wave ledges up abruptly and throws a massive, pitching barrel over a very shallow reef
Length
30–80m
Skill Level
- •Who it's for: Expert
- •Why: One of the Mentawais' most dangerous waves, the shallow reef and violent barrels create extreme wipeout consequences.
Hazards
- •Extremely shallow coral reef, serious injury risk
- •Violent hold-downs in the barrel
- •Remote archipelago location
- •Limited emergency resources
Local Tips
- •Thunders fires on bigger swells, it's often skipped in favour of more forgiving breaks when swell is moderate.
- •The name is accurate, the sound of the wave detonating on the reef is audible from hundreds of metres away.
Location
-2.5167, 99.8167