December 2022 & Review Season 2022 - Lualemba Bungalow Resort - Nemberala Rote Island - Newsletter

Hi guys and girls

Early December produced a few days at Boa that were fun but as we came towards Christmas a low sat off the Kimberlys and stayed there for a few weeks. Progress at Lualemba Bungalows with up keep and minor improvements have been going ahead. Because it is off season for surf and pretty much all water activities I’ll give an overview on the 2022 season.

Loedih beach is a beautiful location during the wet season but during the dry season it is super exposed to the trade winds. Very few guests don’t have the opportunity to appreciate this place has to offer.

Weeks of Rain and Strong Winds

During the wet season lows will form at the top of Northern Territory then move just in from the coast in the Kimberly region. They can sit there for weeks bringing lots of rain gusty strong winds up to 40 knots and messy gutless wind swells. Because the low sits slightly inland they don’t produce decent swells. They sit there for weeks at a time as there are low pressure systems on the east coast of Australia moving in a westerly or southerly direction instead of the normal east direction as Southern Hemisphere weather patterns. Christmas day here in Rote was wet and windy pretty much as Christmas last year. The ferries weren’t running and all supplies such as fuel, food and people visiting or trying to leave Rote were stranded. New Years eve was a stormy outing power and phone services from 7.00 pm and well into the next day.

This photo is Lualemba Bungalows when the full moon snuck out for a few minutes.

Keeping The Passion Alive

Having a place as large as Lualemba Bungalows it’s an on going task keeping up with the maintenance and gardens. Most of our staff have the wet season off unless we can give them work around the place. Here we have our two captains for our surf boat and gardener helping me with adding the new terrace roof to one of the bungalows.

2022 season surf review

The 2022 season was pretty consistent for swell though there weren’t any large swells that were more than 3 times over head throughout the season. Not that these swells are everyone’s cup of tea they have a tendency of flushing the buildup of sand through the reef at Tland. The wave still breaks and still a lot of fun but it can create sneaky shut down section that if you are not aware of can shorten your ride. Mind you the wave is still probably be a lot better quality and longer ride than any wave on the east coast of Australia.

Every year the surf season is different in my time living here I have never seen a repeat of season or a particular month that is consistent with swell size or wind strength.

This year April was disappointing with a late wet season and slight on shore winds. Usually I like this time of year it has been known for cracker swells with slight offshore winds. Anyway I was disappointed Indonesia was making it ridiculously stupid to enter the country with flights running into Indonesia again.

May got better with swell and the off shore trade winds were back. The few guests that were brave enough to take on the Indonesian travel requirements. Everyone had a lot of fun except one poor fella who got rejected at Sydney for positive PCR test and was sent back to Coffs Harbour. By the time he did his quarantine and board another flight (2 weeks) his mate he was originally traveling with was returning home.

June was a great month for waves and the surf season was at its best. The Indonesian government got it ridiculous stupidity sorted and all travel requirements were back to how it was back in the day. Everything was how it was before Covid. Fun times again.

July the swells kept coming and the guests were having a ball. Lualemba Bungalows was styling.

August it was still pumping with 4 months of continues swells and guests were stoked about surf two or so times a day. But traveling to Rote was changed for the rest of the season with the Wings Air flight to and from Kupang cancelled indefinitely. We were on to it with guests linking to the afternoon transport ferry which meant turning up a lot later into the night but still enjoying a lovely meal when they rocked up at Lualemba Bungalows.

September Lualemba Bungalows was busy as just like the old days with everyone have a heap of fun still surfing a couple times a day with the seasons usual 2 times over head days dropping down to waist high on the smaller days.

October there were still waves head and a half high to waste high and early mornings were the go as the south devil wind was popping its ugly head up most days. A little disappointing for October as it can be a great time for surfing heaps of different breaks around west Rote. Australian airlines were now being a pain in the arse cancelling flights on guests and baggage handlers were striking and the usual crap by Australian budget salary workers and CO’s running these companies to justify profits and their self worthiness to the company. So to cut this rant short it wasn’t a good month for Lualemba Bungalows due to Australian and Indonesian airline companies.

2023 the up coming surf season will not be like 2022 or any other surf season in the past because it will be 2023 and that is how it is. What I can recommend from my many years of living in Rote is to wear your happy face and book your flights to Kupang we will find the best way for you to Rote on the day whether it is back with Wings Air as there is a possible rumor of the flight returning or one of the afternoon ferries. Behari ferry was running twice a day during November and beginning December so when the weather changes again hopefully that will be a bit quicker and better than the transport ferry.

The advantage with no flights to Rote is it will discourage a few people and that will mean less numbers in the water.

A big thank you to Danny Tat2 for his time on the reef to bring these great surf shots available. When in Rote don’t forget to check his surf shack out and surf photos.