By Richard Hallett*)
Living in Indonesia there is little opportunity to paddle and fewer opportunities to meet other paddlers. A few weeks ago, I came across the Tirtaseta Kayak Community blog. A few e-mails, and a week or so, later I was on the road with the only boat I had in Indonesia, a composite kevlar carbon Mega Cyclone surf kayak.
It is most likely I own the only surf boat in the country and it is almost certain that no-one has paddled any white water river in Indonesia in a surf boat. That was about to change. The plan was to make a surf boat virgin decent of the Serayu, in Central Java.
I met the Tirtaseta crew in Purbalingga on Saturday morning. After "salam" to the Kepala Desa and kopi tubruk, we were on the way to the Banjaran playspot on Klawing river. The playspot is a grade 2 rapid, with a playful stopper/hydraulic that flows out nicely.
The last time I paddled a whitewater river was the middle loop section on the River Dart in the UK in the winter of 1997. After five minutes at Banjaran, it felt as if 1997 was only yesterday.
Saturday evening, we headed up to the Serayu river and paddled the lower section on Sunday. Another kayaker, Gundul, a guy from Serayu Rafting joined our group. Even though it was the dry season, the river had a decent water volume. This river is a great paddle, almost constant good quality grade 2 to 3, with a few surprises thrown into the mix.
The surf boat was very responsive and handled superbly. Although, the extremely high rocker, designed for paddling out beyond the surf break and to stop the bow from digging-in when on a wave, combined with a weight distribution rear of centre and a low volume stern was a handful on the wave trains!.
I was extremely impressed with Tirtaseta crew. These guys have been paddling for a only a few years and yet have developed into what maybe one to the most active and talented group of white water paddlers in a country of over 210 million people.
They should be applauded for donating their own time and resources to promote kayaking in Indonesia in general, and white water paddling in particular. They have recently started introducing and teaching young people kayaking through a schools program in the Purbalingga regency. It was an absolute pleasure to paddle with these guys.
A big thank you goes out to the Tirtaseta guys (Toto, Agus, Puji, Nafi, Tomo, and not to forget Sigit, "the walking warung") for one of the very best weekends in Indonesia in 11 years. Guys, I will back as soon as I can (with more Superman is Dead!). You have been warned:-)
*) Richard started paddling long before plastic boats, epoxy paddles and even the Harishock life-deck, in an age when the best boats were made by Baron and the best paddles were Mark Gees'. Before moving to Jakarta from England in 1998, he coached kayaking and competed in slalom, marathon, polo and whitewater racing disciplines. He paddled with many clubs including Fairthorne Manor, Itchen Valley, Wildern, 3W's, Winchester, Shepperton, Tandridge and Tonbridge. He is currently working as a geologist in Indonesia, where he spends his free time climbing volcanos, hill-trekking, surf kayaking and falling off mountain bikes. Any paddlers in Indonesia may contact him at richard.hallett@cibareno.com
And here are the images from the trip:
Meet and greet with Kepala Desa or head of village
Tasting the traditional food of Purbalingga: mendoan, cenil and lopis
Visiting neighbours of TirtasetA's wet house who are batik painters
Walking to the put in, with green green view of surroundings
When the run about to began
Mega Cyclone surf nicely on Banjaran spot
Drink green young coconut water in break time
Among the Tirtaseta Guys on the flat water section of Klawing river
On the put in of Serayu lower section 
Below double drop rapid
Gundul of Serayu Rafting on double drop rapid
cheers on the take out
