EP 1: WORST WIPEOUTS- NIAS OUTER BOMBIE- Horrifying Reef Ledge Experience 

Unbelievable story by an unbelievable surfer!! Matt, please give us more of these. You are a great storyteller!

I had anxiety listening to this. Full send, glad you're around to tell the story.

I´ve been following your career ever since your Pipe bomb. Nate Florence talks highly about a giant NIAS session telling everybody that you were the only one charging that day. Amazing shot. Thanks for the upload.

I took the boat here one time. 6-10 feet and perfect. Paddled out, looked over the ledge of three waves, almost got cleaned up by a 10 footer and paddled back to the boat. No thanks 😂

Great hearing that experience Matt. 2 days ago was sitting in the Sobatu channel had 2 of the local Nias chargers on the back of the ski watching the first big swell of the 24 season roll through spitting 8 to 10 foot + dragon breath barrels. I was telling them of you the frontier guys who came and charged the place. Your story brings back great memories. (Rip, Brad M. and Mikala J.) Good luck and great surfing ahead Matt.

You never know unless you go …you went and you know. Epic description of your experience. Humbling. Aloha

You are a super star and a great spokesman for big wave surfing. More please.

So humble that you show your fails! Glad you lived to tell your story. Balls of steel. Subscribed. Cheers from Aus. 🍻

you're an amazing storyteller Matt, just sitting here behind my laptop in Belgium, I can feel the adrenaline going through my body, just by listening to your story, that hardly ever happens to me. Thanks, glad you got out of it in one piece!

Honestly most of the time I see these "worst wipeouts" videos they're just not that good, but your storytelling is absolutely fantastic, I was hooked the whole time and that is even as a fairweather surfer with very little experience surfing big waves or reef breaks. Going to be watching the rest of these, cool to see good content from a less well known creator.

Full respect dude. You're a total bunker !! I've seen the wave from the boat and.... grrr same feeling as Teahupoo on big days. Not for the faint hearted. True warriors deserve tributes. Big up !!!

A very articulate description of pure terror! Props for also acknowledging the similar bravery/madness of the photographers swimming around to capture the moment.

What a great story. I remember learning how to surf in the early 70's in Ventura CA. I finally started to get pretty good and had not experienced big, sucking surf before. I paddled out into perfect 8 foot, top to bottom barrels and saw for the first time that this was some heavy stuff, this wasn't some 4 foot point wave. And that surf was nothing compared to what these guys surf. Incredible.

Great story. That photo is epic. Glad you didn’t get shredded over that reef. The speed and surge picks up over the shallow reef and it’s a violent and scary time for sure.

I have surfed some biggish waves and always remember thinking or saying as I paddled into them, it's death or glory, and sometimes death is closer than you would like to realise. A great example of total commitment and understanding that this may be the wave of your life, hats off to you Matt, I am impressed that you chose a big one then took off and made the drop. I hope you have many big waves left in you, well done.

Love this type of content. There so much unknown to those of us who aren't pushing it like this. It's amazing to hear what actually goes down in great detail. Good stuff! Looking forward to more.

Great story Matt and you seem like a normal down to earth guy. No axe or ego to grind. Take care and good luck from South Africa.

The fact that you stood up till the end, made the sick shoot, but you put yourself in a sketchy situation. Well done

omg dude. that waves reef sounds ridiculous. is this really good story telling or an exaggeration ? there's no way i'm paddling out into waves that are that hardcore ! good luck mate. it's insane. i'm wishing you luck.

Loved this video! Good storytelling and nice to have the footage

Damn!!! Incredible story! I've got a few of my own, but that tops all! So rad. Stay safe, bro!

Wow - incredible video Matt. I was at Nias in 1988, before you were born. Amazing story telling. Glad you made it. 🙏🙏

Great story! I surfed Nias in April '78 with 4 crew (Lee Cooper from QLD, Chris Simpson from WA, and Clive and Sid (?) from Bondi NSW. New moon swell peaked at at 8-10' (consistently double to occasionally triple overhead). Pre-earthquakes it was a much less challenging, but still beautiful wave. We watched that outside wave barrel and wondered if it was surfable, but the end section looked too dangerous. In '78 medical help was even more remote than it is there today.

Great story. Was feeling a little nauseous as you were speaking. Having hit the reef myself at Bingin several years ago, I can still hear that cracking sound as my elbow split wide open.... Stay safe man. thanks for posting and sharing. Wow! 🌊🌊🤙🤙😎😎✌✌🍻🍻

Your mindset is really really inspiring, epic wave and story thanks for sharing ! Gnarly to think of ending up on that reef

Meu Deus, gigante e perfeita. Incrível o tamanho, perfeição e profundidade deste tubo insano. Esse cara deve ter ficado submerso por mais de 60 segundos em baixo da água sem respirar... Nias é Foda! Muito Foda está onda.... A melhor direita do mundo...

Heavy AF!! Glad you survived. Good story

This guy is a class act! The humblest big wave legend…. So much respect. 🤙🏼

that is probably the best video I have seen. really good description of his experience.

Great story well told! Glad you were relatively unscathed considering what could have been. That wave does look absolutely massive in the photo. I mean, you don’t impress me as being a small guy so you can tell from that one photo where you’re relatively unrighteousness how much taller the wave is.

Gnarly story mate. Glad ya safe and still carving

Great story. Jim Banks paddled into enormous Ulu’s in the 80”s, documented and Tom Carrol and Ross Clarke jones also paddled a 20ft day south Java a long while back too. People having been charging indo undocumented for many years.. Big call by tracks claiming biggest paddle in ever..

I've just shit my pants from the comfort of my sofa. Huuuge respect Matt.

Epic , honest story telling at it's best . Love your work Matt . Yew .

First time i surfed Nias in 1980 was on my own and no one else out to see where the takeoff spot was, yes badly caught inside 10/12ft sets start rolling in paddled straight up the face got pitched backwards trying to throw the board away from me.....ouch😢

Caught inside in Indo; most scared and throttled I've ever been. So this was triggering for me! Glad you made it out, mate.

I crapped my pj’s listening to this ! Thanks Was just chilling but now on clean up mode

You're beyond gnarly. Going no matter what. Heavy heavy experience. Big respects.

Sounds both amazing and scary as hell. Wow.

Matt! This video was so awesome... it's amazing to hear about the details of what happens on a wipeout on waves like this. Whenever there is drone footage of big waves i am always trying to see what happens to the person inside all of that... but it always gets cut and goes to the next ride. We need more content of what actually happens! Thank you for this. Can't wait for the rest of the episodes in this series

... That edit just earnt you an instant subscriber Matt .. looking fwd to that wave of your lifetime in the future mate 💪🙏

This guy is a class act! The humblest big wave legend…. So much respect.

Loved the story, incredible wave glad you made it. Good luck getting that wave!

The first shot that I saw you had no vest made me cringe until the end. Visceral story. Cheers.

😎 I really like this guys style. No trip or airport waste of my time no travel to the break just what the header says “wipeouts” I’m subscribing.

Thanks for sharing this, loved listening to the detail of such an intense experience.

You did a good job keeping your wits about you, not easy to do when Mother Nature has you.. big waves and a clear head go a long way together Best of luck! Keep surfing

Beautiful camera work and great narration. It was really interesting to hear what that's like from a surfer's actual experience and perspective.

Awesome, thanks for the inside track of it all. More please!

So cool to hear about that spot. I've seen it while watching videos of Nias and wondered if that was good. Unreal wave.

I'm not the kind of person to forget the exhilaration of fear , but good god man, it must be quite a ride to be willing to even think about going twice. Cool story, bro. most surf stories don't involve actual blood and conquest over death. I'm very glad mine don't , sand bottom only for this child.

Loving these kind of war stories. Greatly told too!

Fantastic story bra....Reminds me of a wave in Caribbean..down the reef from a popular spot...The Boneyard..double overhead bigger krazy hollow sucking off shallow end of the reef..lines roping in from north atlantic- Bermuda triangle..caught inside..alone...luv every minute of it...most lokes don't believe it cuz reef bends out to see so can't see it proper from beach...I live for this..would luv to check out Sobatu..lemme know when you're goin bra-I can jump on a plane easy..

That amazing story,,, even in the i still can imagine the shaking hand after the bomb, nice surf experience

Absolutely insane my friend!! Im glad youre still alive too!!

Thanks Matt, looking forward to the next one!

Awesome story, glad you pulled it off safely! Aloha from Hawaii 🤙🏽

Epic yarn Matt, had us on the edge of our seats.

omg....'the chance of something BAD HAPPenING." Glad you survived to tell this tale....!! now go see a SHRINK!!!

Epic Bru! Cheers for sharing.

The story is spinning me out

I'm sure I speak for all surfing lovers, can we see more of this wave, the reef, the line up from a drone, overheads shots, underwater shots etc etc.. Love to see more vids of this wave being surfed from all angles..

That was an awesome story and footage, sounds terrifying.

Shot it in 1997 pre EQ. Sketch! Thanks for this.

Classic Indo wave that was XXX large size same perfect form as the smaller ones.

Really enjoyed this. Keen for the next one

This is a great series. Really looking forward to the rest of the episodes!

I remember walking round from the point once, and seeing that wave, and some strange ruined buildings, and sand miners.

Wear armor dude. If you get hurt there, there is no help. I've seen it there a few times, you have to get back to Sumatra. Haven't been there since the earthquake.

Solo bodyboarded a right in Sumbawa that was to the left roughly 5 kms of Lakey peak ( maybe south) that resembled this wave. It was massive and barrelled down a reef with a river mouth on the inside. Giant big blue lines coming in like mountains with no one around. I caught some waves including a bomb that i just bottom turned that was intense and almost getting barrelled and charging into the channel to save my life. Crazy power in those big waves.

Was this the swell were the boat was trying to get tubed backwards!!!??

Epicenter 🔥 thanks for sharing your perspective Matt🤙

Damn that's heavy. Glad you lived 😂 My buddies went there years ago and saw that wave, they assumed it was unrideable since no one was out on it and there were like 50 people in the bay. Based on what you just explained is out there probably best they didn't have a go at it, I mean they are good surfers, but not at your level in big waves

Good job mate. Humility will take you a million miles even with the heavy stones….

You are awesome! Great surfer and storyteller.

What size board?

Pure stoke coming through loud and clear.

Loved this. Great story telling. Is this your favourite wave?

Oh my God man starting off with a bang. I mean you took that one right on the chin. RLTW 3/75

Great storytelling in this vid.

All those Monster logos making me crave a Red Bull.

What about ‘indicators’. When Nias is too crowded. Super dangerous reef after the earthquake. I caught 8 footer, I was so scared. I survived thd pummelling but as I was paddling back out the next set drained all the water and I was completely dry stuck on the reef about 10 seconds before the wave obliterated me. Two days later my entire left quad was black from bruise among others, but thankful I did not hit my head.

Surfed that spot or near it in 2000. Locals called it X's or something like that. Much deeper back then but that reef ledge was still there, especially on low tide.

I had a similar experience on Simeulue Island North of Nias Island not as big but when the random gost sets come in that take every one by surprise it can be terrorfiying be caught inside on a shallow reef

What the heck, that photographer is a legend to. Swimming out there in that. I reckon they are crazier than the surfers they filming. They sitting in the impact zone the whole time.

Love this Matt. EPIC:) that experience sounds shocking:) :) ...

I was indo when i saw the pic of that wave and literally gulped when I saw it. Scary stuff over a cheese grater reef.

Back in the days before earthquake 2005 the wave that scared most of people surfing Nias was name Indicators and it was showed you the set that was going to hit the point , a few guys was surfing it because it was so shallow and there was a rock on the end section , Christophe my mate was a well know charger at the time and he was sometimes lonely surfer to surf there and get some incredible ride and tubetime , this bomie seems to be another level

Great story, nearly drowned at Nias proper, only around 8 ft but super thick back in 86 pressed into the reef with my board on the bottom also, your talking indicators or further around ?

I agree with the other poster Matt you made me feel like I was there., Don't get hurt for a good wave Matt

New sub, great video. You are a savage and I can’t wait to see more vids like this one!)

FKNG INCREDIBLE. THANK GOD U SURVIVED MATT. BALLS OF STEEL

Surfed this wave it is the scariest wave around snapped my leg rope here had to swim all the way down and climb up the reef to go collect my board

😅I was mesmerized listening to this. 😮😮😮

As long winded as this yarn is I enjoyed it - it’s all relatable if you’re a surfer.

Did Alex get one?

Thanks for sharing that. Glad you survived gnarl balls

Ah my friend from Blue Indo... your name should be Cobalt... the steel balls!

Okay that's still shots at 6:30 in are just freaking Epic. RLTW 3/75

God was with you.