We catch up with Aussie drop-knee specialist Russell ‘Rusty’ Morrison to find out what keeps drawing him back to the waves of Southern Sumatra.
One of the best things about running Bodyboard Holidays is the people we meet along the way. Over the years, we’ve had guests from all walks of life, all ages and every imaginable profession. But regardless of where they come
from or what they do for a living, there’s usually one thing that brings them to us: the desire to spend as much time as possible in the ocean.
And that got us thinking. How do people actually make it work? How do you juggle jobs, responsibilities, relationships and all the other stuff that comes with being an adult, while still finding the time to chase waves around the world?
It’s something I’ve personally spent a fair bit of time trying to figure out. I’ve always wanted to build my life around getting in the water as often as possible. But if there’s one person who seems to have cracked the code, it’s Russell ‘Rusty’ Morrison.
An Aussie, Bali-based and bona fide drop-knee extraordinaire, Rusty has taken the concept of a bodyboarding lifestyle and run with it. He travels regularly, surfs relentlessly and somehow manages to join so many Bodyboard Holidays trips that he’s practically become part of the furniture. At this point, I’m not entirely sure whether Rusty is one of our guests, a coach, or simply someone who has figured out how to keep the good times rolling better than the rest of us.
And, if we’re being honest, we all live a little vicariously through him.
But there’s more to Rusty’s story than simply having a passport full of stamps and a board bag permanently packed. With all the waves and destinations he’s experienced over the years, there’s one place in particular that keeps pulling him back: Southern Sumatra.
Year after year, Rusty returns with us to explore the reefs, chase the swells and sample the freshest food along the way. So what is it about Southern Sumatra that has earned such a special place in his heart? Why does he keep coming back when there’s an entire world of waves out there waiting to be explored?
We caught up with Rusty to find out how he’s built a life around bodyboarding, what keeps him travelling, and why, of all the places he’s been lucky enough to ride, Southern Sumatra remains his favourite.
Over to Rusty…
Living the Bodyboarding Dream in Bali
To kick off, and I think I can speak for everyone at Bodyboard Holidays and most of our guests, we all kind of look at you and think, ‘How do I get that life?, because you’ve managed to find the perfect balance between work and bodyboarding. So yeah, tell me a little bit about yourself and the setup you’ve got, living the bodyboarding dream in Bali.
Yeah, Russell Morrison. Everyone calls me Rusty. 44 years old now. Originally from a little place in Western Australia called Geraldton. Now, I’m living in Canggu in Bali. I first moved up here in 2017 or 2018.
I work offshore in Australia on oil and gas platforms. So what that means is I go to work for two or 3 weeks at a time and then I’ll come to Bali and base myself here for 3 weeks. So when I’m here in Bali, I don’t work. I just surf all day. go to the gym, hang with my friends.
Your passport must have a few stamps.
Luckily, they’re electronic now. So, otherwise I’d be going through two or three passports every year, haha.
And how long have you been doing the three weeks on, three weeks off?
I’ve been on the rigs for probably at least 10 years now.
Three Weeks On, Three Weeks Off
So, when you’re in Bali for three weeks, what does a typical day look like for you?
Well, my alarm goes off at 4.45 am. I get up, do my morning stretch and coffee routine here, pack my stuff and I walk down to the beach. I’m very, very lucky where I live. I’m about 150 meters away from the beach. I’m spoiled rotten!. Then, I’ll normally surf until 8.00 or 9.00 am depending on crowds or wind conditions. or…
I do a bit of water photography as well. I’ve got a camera housing, so that keeps me in the water. Then I’ll come in and have breakfast. I’ll normally run errands or hang with my chick or hang with my pals or do whatever. In the afternoon I do a lot of boxing here. So I go to the gym at 4.00 pm every afternoon, train for an hour and then yeah, dinner and then home, shower, and then get to bed pretty early because by the time I’ve done all that, I’m absolutely pooped. And then repeat every day.
That’s sick. Not jealous at all!
And do you travel much around Bali looking for waves or is it just too easy where you are?
Seriously, I’m spoiled rotten for surf here. It’s just too good. I just surf the wave out the front of my house.
Though I do quite a few trips free diving. I’ve gotten into that a lot recently. I mean, I’ve always been into spear fishing, but now that I’m not eating fish, I’m not shooting them. So, I’m doing a lot more free diving, taking photos of turtles, manta rays and reef fish etc. So, the last few trips that I’ve been doing have been up in northern Indonesia, where I’ve been free diving in these kind of inland caves / sink holes, like they have in Mexico.
Sumatra A Surf Destination Still Off the Beaten Track
But when you do go on a bodyboard trip, Southern Sumatra is normally at the top of your list, right? I believe you’ve been there a few times and were even part of Rob Barber’s reconnaissance mission all those years back to scope it out as a potential Bodyboard Holidays location. So, what’s your inside scoop of the place?
Y’know, I think it’s still one of the last surf areas in Indonesia that’s still undeveloped. It’s still just that tiny bit difficult to get to, with the flights and the long drive. So it isn’t completely exposed yet. The place isn’t covered in Western restaurants, hipster cafes and boutique surf shops.
So without those creature comforts there’s less crowds compared to say Bali. Plus you are with a gang of likeminded riders, receiving great coaching and amazing water, land and drone shots of you riding, there is plenty to love!
Even the best bodyboarders keep learning in perfect waves
Something for Every Kind of Bodyboarder
Something for Every Kind of BodyboarderWhat I remember most when I went to Southern Sumatra in 2011, was the variety of world class spots up and down the coast. And, I’m sure that on all the trips you guys have done since, you’ve probably found heaps of other good spots. What’s your take on the waves there?
Man, Sumatra has everything really!
There’s super fun beach breaks that are really consistent and that always seem to have good banks. There’s slabs that can get pretty heavy. There’s a couple of fun wedges that we’ve surfed. There’s long point breaks. There’s rolling burger waves for those looking for something more manageable. And all the spots seem to handle between no swell and macking swell. Even the beaches can handle a big swell and don’t close out. Whereas say Bali is kind of a pain in the neck when there is swell as you only have a few options that can handle it.
Rusty’s Favourite Wave: Ujong Bocur
And do you have a favorite wave?
Probably the Ujong Bocur a long left hander near the Bodyboard Holiday’s accommodation.
Yeah, that’s your front side, right?
Yeah. It’s so fun to dropknee!
I think it was there on my first day in Sumatra, where I wiped out, bumped my bum on the reef and had my shorts ripped right open.
That’s got part of my ass cheeks on that reef as well, mate. And my back and my hand, haha.
Seven Hours a Day in the Water
Seven Hours a Day in the WaterAnd when you’re there, what’s a typical day like in Southern Sumatra?
Almost the same deal as here in Bali. Wake up, get my stuff together, get in the car, surf for four hours, eat either on location or head back to the accommodation for a meal. Then while at the accommodation, check out the footage. Here, everybody gets a bit of a laugh at each other getting splattered or blowing waves or whatever. And then there’s also the coaching side of it which is really really helpful. Then everyone chills and then you’ve got the option to do whatever you want to do in the afternoon. I always opt to go for a free surf. I just try to spend as much time in the water as I can. I’ve done seven hours a day there in the water repeatedly day in and day out.
Good Food, Good People and a Comfortable Base
And for those few moments during the day when you’re not in the water, how would you describe the accommodation and food?
The food’s really good. People from other camps actually go to our camp just for dinner.
And the people that run the place are running a pretty tight ship. I’ve seen them cater for all dietary requirements and there’s never any shortage of food. There always seems to be an assumption that if you go on a surf trip to Indo you are going to get ‘Bali Belly’. That certainly is not the case in this place, no one gets ill. Everyone is suitably fueled for our epic sessions in the water.
The accommodation is clean, comfy, there’s a nice pool and as I say, you’re a short walk from the surf.
Sumatra, More Than Just Bodyboarding
Sumatra, More Than Just BodyboardingAnd for those who may not want to bodyboard in the afternoon, what nonsurf activities are there to do in the area?
I’ve gone snorkeling straight out in front of the accommodation before. There’s a pool table. The pool. Read a book in your hammock. Head into the local village for a coffee or snacks. A stroll along the beach or if you are feeling more ambitious, taking a boat over to Banana Island for some snorkelling and jungle trekking.
A Wild Side to Southern Sumatra
And changing tack, the wildlife’s pretty epic there too, both in and out the water.
Yeah. I haven’t seen a tiger, but yeah, they do exist. There are lots of monkeys cruising around everywhere and a whole variety of tropical birds. And other than the sound of the mosques’ call to prayer, everything’s very quiet, so you can hear the birds squawking at night and in the morning, which is cool.
The place is alive… and in the water?
Yeah, you see heaps of fish, because the water’s crystal clear. Me and Barber even got accosted by a sucker fish one time. We were sitting on our boards shooting the breeze when I could feel something under my board and kind of flicking on the insides of my calves. So, I took off my leash and swam underneath, only to find a sucker fish had attached itself to the bottom of my board!
I popped up, and was like, “Barber, there’s a bloody sucker fish stuck to my board.” He’s like, “No way.” And then it let go of my board and jumped onto his board and he’s freaking out because now this thing’s flicking around between his legs, haha. It’s so rad to experience such a wild place. But I am happy to say that I have never worried about, or heard about any nasties in the water or on land.
If only that had been caught on camera!
Check out this round up of awesome shots of Rusty caught in our Instagram carousel from our 2024 trip
Why Rusty Keeps Coming Back
Any other highlights or thoughts about your times in Southern Sumatra, sucker fish aside?
The time of the year that Bodyboard Holidays runs the camp is I think a great time of the year. People don’t think about going there at that time of year. Everybody thinks that you’ve got to go June, July, August because that’s when the swells come. But not everybody’s going to be able to surf Honeysmacks when a 4 m swell comes through.
So that time of year there’s not that many people in the water, which is great, and the swell is consistently manageable.
Of course you might get a little rain but that is often welcomed to break up the day and the heat. It’s very regular for the rain to come through the night as well. So perhaps it is damp at dawn when we get up but then quickly brightens up, that’s a regular occurrence.
Yeah. All those years of reconnaissance paid off for finding consistent tropical surf with low crowds and world class waves. – Like you, whenever I get asked, which I do a lot, where is my favorite place to go on a surf trip, I always say Southern Sumatra.
Until Next Time, Sumatra
What’s in store for the rest of your day?
Well, I’m boxing in 25 minutes. I just started training at this new gym around the corner, so I’m gonna go punch on with some people. Then my buddy Jack’s in town, so we’ll probably go down the beach for sunset, grab a coconut and then have some dinner down there. Then bed early and repeat for tomorrow as the surf was cooking this morning.
Stop it!
We’ve just had a big swell hit Bali. So, it’s like the tail end of it, like all the ocean’s nice and groomed and now it sorted itself out. The winds were good. and there was nobody in the water. Everybody here s**** their pants and get jobs all of a sudden when there’s a big swell. Everybody’s Big Wave Dave until there’s Big Wave Dave surf. So, yeah, I’ll be getting down there at first light to surf.
How about yourself?
Well, there’s no Big Wave Dave surf here today. It’s maybe knee to waist high, but surfable for summer conditions. So I’ll go for a power hour now before work. and I’ll let you go boxing, buddy.
Good chatting with you.
And hopefully we’ll see you in the autumn, in Sumatra.
Yeah, that’d be cool. I never like to miss the opportunity to get back over there with you guys!
Take it easy, Rusty. Cheers.
You, mate. Take care.
Ready to Experience Southern Sumatra?
After hearing Rusty’s stories, it’s easy to understand why Southern Sumatra keeps drawing him back year after year. From uncrowded, world-class waves and incredible reef breaks to warm tropical waters, wild landscapes and the laid-back atmosphere between surfs, it’s a destination that offers far more than just great bodyboarding. If you’re ready to see what all the fuss is about, why not join us on our next Southern Sumatra adventure? Come and chase waves, explore a truly special corner of Indonesia and experience it for yourself with Bodyboard Holidays.
