Six Australian pro surfers experienced the ride of their lives on the night of June 4, 1994, when the tsunami struck their surf camp at G-Land, a famous surfing spot. The six, Richard Marsh, Rob Bain, Shanne Herring, Simon Law, Neal Purchase and Richie Lovett were sleeping in huts at the camp when the 20-foot tsunami waves hit, washing surfers, huts, and everything else at the camp into the jungle. Lovett, who recalls awakening to the sound of a jet taking off, described the experience as "being hit by a train at full speed". Marsh, Lovett's hut mate, thought a Tiger was attacking them, but soon realized it was a wave. "I was completely panicking. It was a matter of surviving, just grabbing onto things to stay above the water, trying to keep all the debris away from my head and , above all, to get a breath."
G-Land 1994
Entangled in derbis from their hut, and fighting for air, Marsh and Lovett were swept hundreds of feet into the jungle. "The hut had disappeared and I was entwined in logs and trees and bits of bamboo," said Lovett, recalling the experience. "When the water started to subside. I was stuck with my legs pinned under a whole lot of logs and rubbish." Of the six, only Lovett was injured badly enough to merit a quick return to Australia for medical attention. The rest, miraculously, received only minor cuts, bruises and abrasions from the experience. When asked for his comments in the days following his brush with death, Lovett responded with a laugh, "Yeah, I can say I've surfed G-land. I surfed it in a hut through the jungle."
G-Land History | Tsunami 1994
Tsunami is the incident that became part of the history of G-Land. However, it now makes the G-Land as a place that has the best wave of the sea in Indonesia. G-Land there are lots of various waves, including Kongs, Moneytrees, Launching Pad, Speedies, Chicken, 20'-20', Tiger Tracks and etc.
