Surfing Kampar Rivers stunning Bono Tidal Bore
Only recently discovered by the international tidal river surfing community, the Bono Tidal Bore by the estuary of the Kampar river in the Riau Province is drawing surfing communities from around the world to this amazing Indonesian pororoca.
In February 2013, tidal bore surfer champion Steve King, who already holds two world records for long distance surf rides, broke his own Guinness World Record that he made on the Severn river in England, by riding an incredible 20.65 km (or 12.8 miles) in 1 hour, 4 minutes on the Bono bore of the Kampar river on 10-13 February 2013 (For details click our News: UK’s Steve King breaks world record for longest, continuous bore ride on Riau’s Kampar River)
Kampar is a long river that rushes down from the Bukit Barisan mountain range that forms the spine of the island of Sumatra along its west coast. The river then meanders through the Riau province, to finally pour out in the Malacca Straits, on the east coast of Sumatra. Along its long course the river dvides itself into two large branches known as the Kampar Kanan (the right branch of Kampar) and Kampar Kiri (its left branch). They then converge at Langgar in the district of Pelalawan at Kampar’s estuary. Here they are joined by many other rivers causing Kampar to funnel out into a wide river mouth. At each high tide, high waves from the sea flow in and meet the down stream current of the Kampar. Where the two opposing energies meet, - and furthermore, caused by the funnel shape of the river, - Kampar’s phenomenal tidal bores emerge, rushing deep inland reaching to over 60 km. upriver.
These tidal bores are known locally as “Bono”, which rush in with loud roaring sound at a speed of 40 kilometers an hour. The surf on the river can rise as high as 4 to 6 meters, at times creating barrels, the darling of surfers.
Best site to surf by the village of Teluk Meranti, although there are other spots like Tanjung Sebayang, Tanjung Pungai, and Pulau Muda, all in the district of Pelalawan.
Although quite used to the phenomenon, local inhabitants are mostly scared when the Bono appears, which they believe are spirits of the Seven Ghosts. Many boats have sunk in this river when caught in the bore.
sumber: indonesia.travel
