In a rare stroke of fortune, underground Peruvian surfer Rafael Wille had one of the best days of his life at HTs, an iconic surf spot in Indonesia. Known for his relentless dedication and low-key presence in the surf world, Wille found himself alone at the wave, scoring double overhead barrels on a pristine day.
Wille, who has spent years visiting Indonesia, decided to make the Mentawai Islands his home after falling in love with the waves at HTs. Now settled in a small house near the break, his dedication seems to be paying off in ways he couldn’t have predicted.
“It was the biggest swell of the year, and I was supposed to join the boys on a boat trip to Greenbush. We had a solid crew, including Nathan Florence, but I had to give up my spot at the last minute because of some work that came up. I was pretty bummed,” Wille recalled. “The waves at HTs were massive, but the wind was onshore. I thought it was going to be a lost day.”
But the Surf Gods had other plans. That afternoon, when the boat returned from Greenbush, the winds shifted, and the conditions at HTs transformed into glassy perfection. Wille paddled out alone to catch the peak of the swell, finding himself with a pristine lineup and no one else in sight.
“I had the place to myself for about 30 minutes until Nathan Florence paddled out after his morning session. Then Gabriel Villaran, who I know from Peru, joined us,” Wille said. “We were just trading waves, and the conditions couldn’t have been better – glassy, double overhead perfection. We had it all to ourselves for about an hour, just a handful of us, before the crowds started showing up. It was an epic, magical window.”
As for the board that carried him through the session, Wille rode a 5’8 quad that had been shaped by longtime friend Josh Peterson, an underground board shaper from Oahu’s North Shore. “Josh shaped me a 5’8 quad, which I ride all the time and it goes so well in these waves. He also made me a 6’1 quad, which is a step-up board, and that’s what I rode when it was really pumping. His boards are magic, they work perfectly when the waves are firing,” Wille said.
Peterson, who has spent years perfecting his craft as a board shaper, also praised the design of the boards. “Josh knows the waves and the conditions here, and he shapes boards specifically for that,” Wille explained. “No doubts when the surf is firing, his boards perform flawlessly.”
Wille’s unforgettable day at HTs is a testament to his dedication and the serendipity that sometimes defines a surfer’s career. While many surfers chase the perfect wave, it’s moments like these—when luck and skill align—that solidify a place in the surf world’s rich history.
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