PONTOON PALACE

Bede's Shaper Finds Paradise

When Bede and Kong Elkerton cruised past this pontoon boat last week, their shaper Wayne McKewen simply up and left them.

Wayne and his mate Peter Munro had been happily chugging their way up the coast with the Mt Woodgee crew, heading for Nias, the Hinakos, and beyond.

That was until they saw this place and completely lost their shit. They're now into week two of a five-week stint on the floating hostel.

Here's why:
- It's anchored in a channel; 200m from a flawless set-up, 150m from shore.
- $AU20/night! The nearest land camp is $AU300/night.
- BYO food and grog, but a cook lives on the pontoon and comes with the price.
- Full use of boat to check out the Mentawaiis' highest concentration of world-class breaks. (The cook doubles as a boat driver)
- It's a passable replica of the iconic, ramshackle Mt Woodgee farmhouse, albeit an Indonesian flow-crib version.

The former Mt Woodgee house/shaping bay/party pad at Tugun on the Gold Coast ... Long since burnt down, it's now been re-incarnated off Karamajet Island.