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#KONICHIWAVES
SURFERS Buck Woods Dune Kennings Keone Campbell Sean Kettle PHOTOS Rambo Estrada Cam Neate Keone Campbell DESIGN & LAYOUT Keone Campbell WORDS Cam Neate
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The modern itinerary is to be celebrated. Too many plans and too many expectations take away from the true essence of travel and the Konichiwaves tour was spirited by this idea. From a loose conversation over a year ago to find waves in Japan slowly became a reality… and then it kind of became a mission. Weather patterns and timing don’t always get along well but who doesn’t like a little spice in their Katsu? Keone Campbell lead the team of Dune Kennings, Buck Woods and Sean Kettle, (who you’ll meet shortly), plus media tag-alongs Rambo Estrada and yours truly behind the lenses. Enjoy our adventure as we journey South, down the eastern beaches of Shikoku, via smoky Karaoke bars and small fishing villages. Plus a hop, skip, jump and five flights further South. You’ll see. Cam.
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Ahhh the departure shot. Clean clothes, organised bags and brushed teeth. Good riddance.
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First sights and the hectic navigation of Tokyo at midnight
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The Shibuya Crossing, famed by Lost in Translation.
The welcoming faces of Japan
Oh how the mind can wander.
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Dune & Ketts
The first surf of the trip wasn’t exactly how we’d pictured it but the boys got busy on some fun rivermouth rights.
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The swell report wasn’t looking good, spirits were staring to drop. Then we found a quiver of mals, some glassy runners and the Konichivibes were back!
Some people dig Japan for it’s food, some for it’s street fashion. Photographer Treats Estrada just loves the tetrapods.
Karaoke bound full of Kirin and confidence.
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You can’t change weather patterns but you can definitely change travel plans
Sayonara Osaka Not just a pretty departure shot above Osaka’s CBD. This has a full story behind it but I’ll be quick. Good surf in Japan relies on Typhoon swells and as luck would have it, the surf had been crazy the entire week before our arrival. The weather maps showed no new typhoon action for our intended stay (thus, no surf) but what we did see on the weather maps was two promising swells storming towards Indonesia. The call was made and several flights were booked. This is us, leaving Japan with mixed emotions. The modern itinerary is to be celebrated.
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5 flights later and we woke up in Lombok
Then we drove two hours, saw this, panicked and set a new record time for getting boards off the car roof.
PG Rejuvenated and ready to stretch the legs, the boys came in hot on the right. 46
Buck getting staunch and the stimulation hues of Lombok.
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We intended to have one surf here and move on, but after a week of groveling the boys were in no rush to leave. Kettle has these things dialed.
When the last surfer is in, the cameras are turned off and the bar is opened
Four hours of driving on gravel roads (thanks to Google Maps) takes a lot of petrol-filled vodka-bottles
But it’s certainly worth the adventure
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Keone lines up an inside runner at an infamous left-hander
The aforementioned surfer and lefthander, stepping it up a notch.
The tide was high when we arrived in the morning. After about three coffees and a bowl of questionable fruit, these things started rolling through. Buck never finished his fruit.
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Another angle of Buck, threading the blue.
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Dune, pensive on the right and ridiculously hyped on the left
Team-manager Keone has a pretty sweet job. Take the crew overseas, make sure they get barreled and then join them.
Not a bad day at the desert, that’s for sure.
Keone.
DK.
All dusty roads lead to fun waves in Lombok. You just need the right vehicle
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Kettle reflects on a marathon session.
The aforementioned session feat. Sean Kettle on heat.
Dune popping the Champagne for an unknown friend
Out boat driver, Randy was pretty quick to score a new pair of boardies off the boys.
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Keone carves
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Kettle spins
There’s an X-factor about Buck’s approach in surfing especially when he’s in the air.
Dune.
PG Sean Kettle and the unltimate selfie 92
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And that was it, a surf trip to Japan that saw us pulling up anchor in Lombok, Indonesia. Certainly not what we expected, but then again, it’s never good to expect things. Arigato to everyone that helped us on the journey, ‘til next time.