Jamie O’Brien, Macaronis, Indonesia

“You guys ever think about what you’re gonna do on a wave before you do it?” Jamie O’Brien asked a small team today, having just paddled into the lineup. “I do. I think it helps.” This was his first wave in three months, having been in off-season Hawaii, heartbroken after a nasty split. He dropped the near-make rodeo you see here, landed too far into the flats and was chewed up by the whitewater, before emerging behind the wave still on his board.

What’s Jamie doing in Indo? He’s aboard the Indies Trader IV for Red Bull’s annual surf team trip. Joining him is Connor Coffin, Kolohe Andino, Ev Geiselman, Cristobal De Col, Adriano De Souza, Ian Walsh and, on his first big trip since the loss of his brother, Bruce Irons. Sounds like a big crew, huh? Joining them are another 15 or so: four photogs, four filmers, plus a sea of variously skilled folk, including Stab pal and film maker, Kai Neville (look forward to a four-part web series).

The boat housing the team cuts an imposing figure around the smaller, more modest boats in the Mentawais, made worse by the calibre and size of the team on board. When she pulled into the bay at Macaronis, there were 15 guys in the water. The spectre of getting waves was always going to be tough. Jamie (a man who’s never afraid to get his share of waves), was Bruce’s recommendation for first to paddle out: “Send Jamie out there to clear the lineup. If I saw this boat show up and then Jamie O’Brien paddle out, I would be gone. Gone!”

To check out more of Ryan’s photography, head to his site.