Never Have I Ever…

Zoe McDougall is a 21-year-old surfer from Oahu’s North Shore, who’s currently leading the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing.

That’s not public knowledge (yet), but as the only female to submit a wave in the first week of the digital event, she’s presently the one to catch.

This could make a lot of people envious. But not quite as envious as what you’re about to read below (and watch above).

In Zoe’s most recent clip, ‘Never Have I Ever’ (drink now if you didn’t go to Indo this summer), the Sunset Beach local hops on her first Indonesian boat trip and threads her Pyzels through some empty, Indian Ocean perfection.

Over the past two years, Covid travel restrictions have left these congested lineups free to breathe. This presented Zoe a unique opportunity to experience Indonesia like her father Bobby did, when he and a handful of others pioneered Desert Point in the early 80’s. Bobby joined Zoe on this trip for his first time back to Indonesia in 30 years.

Imagine that. Discovering empty perfection and coming back 30 years later with your daughter and still finding it uncrowded? 

Like it was still kept a secret… 

Ah, wouldn’t that be nice?

So nice, in fact, that Zoe and Bobby extended their trip an extra week. Unfazed by 14 days at sea and zero contact with the outside world,  Zoe wanted more. While most 21 year olds these days couldn’t last three hours without their phone, let alone 3 weeks, Zoe found herself enchanted by simplicity of life aboard the Raja Elang: surf, eat, sleep, repeat.

When I asked Zoe if she would go back to Indo once the crowds return, she joked and said, “I don’t know, I might be just as spoiled as my dad now.”

Since this trip, new Covid variants have seen Indonesia in and out of lockdown, making it increasingly difficult to enter the country. So for now, enjoy the clip of Zoe above, filmed and edited by Willie Kessel, from where you’d rather be.