Surfing Indonesia

Leo Howard, 28, surfs one of Indonesia’s best waves, known as Telescopes, named for its long, cylindrical-shaped waves.  (Allen J. Schaben / LAT)

Indies Trader II captain Albert Taylor, 43, surfs a break called Thunders.  (Allen J. Schaben / LAT)

Children paddle on broken boards left behind by visiting surfers in Padang, Sumatra.  (Allen J. Schaben / LAT)

Mike Gable, 25, surfs a break called Telescopes.  (Allen J. Schaben / LAT)

Steve “Google” Schnepf cuts across a wave near the charter boat Indies Trader II.  (Allen J. Schaben / LAT)

Brian Gable, 27, rides past his uncle, Joel Sappell, right, and cousin, Mike Gable, 25, while catching a wave at Thunders.  (Allen J. Schaben / LAT)

Vasily Rickerson, 27, surfs a little-known spot in the Mentawai Islands.  (Allen J. Schaben / LAT)

Leo Howard, right, pushes off with one arm on his board as the other hoists a beer on a wave shared with Vasily Rickerson.  (Allen J. Schaben / LAT)

Mentawai Islands villagers in canoes watch as Californians Brian Gable, left, Bobby Rickerson and Mike Gable wait in a skiff that will take them out to another surf break.  (Allen J. Schaben / LAT)

The exotic and primitive Mentawai Islands have emerged as one of surfing’s premier destinations - without the crowds.  (Allen J. Schaben / LAT)

Bobby Rickerson, 54, gets covered up at Telescopes.  (Allen J. Schaben / LAT)

Captain Albert Taylor plays a blues guitar between surf sessions.  (Allen J. Schaben / LAT)

Brian Gable cuts back at Lance’s Left.  (Allen J. Schaben / LAT)

An unidentified surfer holds up a finger sliced on the coral reef at Lance’s Left.  (Allen J. Schaben / LAT)

Bellmen lug boards into the lobby of the Bumi Minang Hotel in Padang, Sumatra.  (Allen J. Schaben / LAT)

A helmeted Joel Sappell takes a steep drop at Thunders.  (Allen J. Schaben / LAT)

An empty barrel at Thunders.  (Allen J. Schaben / LAT)