Playing with a Loaded Gun in Indonesia

A game of Russian roulette can serve as a powerful metaphor for life’s uncertainties, blurring the line between free will and predetermination.

Speaking of Russians, Thomas Debierre, a French surfer from the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, spent an entire month in Indonesia during peak Mentawai season with one goal in mind: “Score the best and heaviest waves of my life.”

While weight wasn’t a constant, quality was an integral part of his Sumatran routine. On occasion, Lance’s Right — who sometimes prefers to be addressed as Hollow Trees — delivered in spades. When the first proper swell of the season arrived, Thomas was a fixture among the pack.

Russian Roulette chronicles Debierre’s sojourn in Indonesia, documenting an array of conditions ranging from really fun to outstanding. Highlights include a handful of hair-raising makes and one unfortunate encounter with the odd proverbial bullet in the chamber of Lance’s revolver, which left him concussed and out of the water for the following months.