Last month we interviewed Cahn Mitchell, the resident surf guide at Aloita Surf Resort and Spa in the Mentawai. This month, we catch up with Cahn’s 2014 assistant and partner in crime – Toasty.

Toasty is an experienced 42-year-old classic Australian character from Long Reef on Sydney’s northern beaches.

The Toaster has surfed extensively throughout Indonesia, and has also done time in the Philippines, Fiji,  NZ,  USA, Mexico and the Maldives.

Toast has worked for The Perfect Wave the past three seasons in the Maldives and Indonesia. In 2014, he spent a lot of time with The Perfect Wave photographer Grant Davis (Grant took the epic accompanying late season photos and also shot the clip.)

Ben, The Perfect Wave’s marketing manager, spent a week or so in the Mentawai at Aloita Surf Resort and Spa during September, and was extremely impressed by Toasty’s character, demeanour, personality and surf guiding skills.

Ben recently asked Toasty a couple of quick questions.

Toasty

BH – How did you get into surf guiding?

Toasty – I got into surf guiding after teaching at Manly Surf School. I was working on Matty Grainger’s Manly Surf TV show and The Perfect Wave were heavily involved in the Mentawai travel episode, so we hooked up from there.

BH – Where have you worked as a surf guide in the past?

Toasty – I worked as a Surf guide in the Maldives for a couple of seasons before working in the Mentawai this year.

BH – How does that compare with your first season in the Mentawai?

Toasty – They are both paradyllic, but for my style of surfing the Ments wins as the waves are bigger and more consistent.

Toasty (right) with Occy (middle) and TPW's Ben Horvath at Aloita Resort
Toasty (right) with Occy (middle) and TPW’s Ben Horvath at Aloita Resort

BH – How did you rate the waves and the 2014 season in the Ments?

Toasty – 2014 was a ripper season with only a few weeks here and there with bad winds and no swell.

BH – Best set ups you surfed in the Mentawai?

Toasty – Best set ups would have to be Telescopes, Rifles, A-frames HT’s and a few secret spots I can’t name or I will be hung.

BH – Boards you recommend to take?

Toasty –  I recommend you bring your everyday favourite as well as something an inch or two bigger for waves around the 6ft mark. If you are a charger, throw in one over 6’6 depending on your height. All pin tails. A really good all round board would be a 6’1 pintail with nice deep channels for the many glassy days to hold you in the barrel.

Written by:
Ben Horvath

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