Activity: Surf Guiding

Both the swell and the crowd have slept in this morning, leaving us with small but fun waves in slight-onshore conditions. The swell forecast is reading 3.5 ft. at 11 seconds, coming from 204 degrees, and the wind blew lightly from the west. Our intermediate group beat the crowd to Balangan early this morning before the 9:01 AM low tide at 1.04 meters. The surfers enjoyed the shoulder-high lefts breaking nicely across the reef with clean wave-faces. They worked on poping-up in the correct position so they could glide across the wave’s face without losing speed or control.

At Padang Padang Surf Camp, we are very much focused on surfing. Sunday evening is a party night here in Uluwatu. Our camp was off to bed early as we were in the water while the party-goers were still sleeping off those Bintangs.

The westerly wind and rain have returned to the Uluwatu area, leaving the entire west coast of the island with blown-out conditions. While it may be windy and onshore here at the camp, other parts of the Bukit will be offshore with clean reef-break lines. The swell came in at 3.5 ft. at 13 seconds, from 203 degrees, and the wind was blowing vigorously from the west. Our intermediate group surfed the more exposed wave at Pandawa while our Beginner group paddled out at Blackstone. At Pandawa, the head-high waves broke powerfully over the reef.

Many different parts of Bali all have their own micro-climates, which are more pronounced during the wet season. The Bukit Peninsula is generally more exposed to the wind, while further up the west and east coast, there is often no wind in the morning.

Our intermediate surfers enjoyed a fun session this morning at Black Stone after waiting for the tide to come in before paddling out. The morning had a low tide of .27 meters at 7:34 AM, which may be good for fishing but not for surfing for most spots in the Nusa Dua area. The swell has backed off in size to 4 ft. at 14 seconds from 206 degrees. The wind blew lightly offshore, and heavy wet-season showers drenched the entire Bukit Peninsula. The waves came in at head-high on the larger sets, which broke nicely down the reef.

After a nice run of clean surf in the Uluwatu area, we are back to the Nusa Dua area. The long-range forecast shows the swell smaller than it has been through January. This month has been very consistent, even by Bali’s very high standards.

It was a beautiful, sunny morning here in Uluwatu with no wind, a clear sky, and a smooth sea state. The swell is just hanging in there at 2.5 ft. at 10 seconds; however, when the conditions are as perfect as they were this morning, it’s a good idea to grab a longer board and enjoy the small day vibes. Despite the small swell, the lines broke nicely across the reef across the several sections that make up the wave at Uluwatu. As always at Uluwatu, there were many larger, head-high set waves coming in to those who were patient enough to wait in the correct position.

A new, long period swell is forecast to fill in tomorrow with light wind predicted. With the clean conditions forecast to continue, tomorrow should be an excellent day of surfing all around the island!

Our beginner group took advantage of the small swell and went to Balangan this morning, which is just a few minutes down the road from our camp. At Balangan, our surfers found waist to shoulder-high rides with clean, left-breaking beginner-friendly waves. The swell has fallen off a cliff to 2.5 ft. at 12 seconds from 216 degrees, which is about as small as it gets in Bali. Unlike most places, there is always something to surf here, and our surfers made the most of the conditions.

Balangan is the next step in a beginner surfer’s journey once they have become comfortable at Padang Padang. At Balangan, there is no easy channel for the surfers to paddle out through. Once the surfers make it to the lineup, they will find a slightly steeper wave face and waves that run for longer.  Grab a board and get our there!

Our surfers took advantage of the unexpectedly clean conditions this morning and enjoyed fun, intermediate-level surf conditions. Last night’s stiff onshore breeze must have convinced most surfers to head to Nusa Dua, as there were only a handful of surfers in the lineup. The swell has continued to drop in size; however, the forecast is reading 6 feet at 12 seconds from 206 degrees. The wind blew lightly onshore from the southwest but the lines remained clean. Our surfers enjoyed the head-high left-breaking waves which offered several turn sections and faster walls.

Our camp is located near the iconic bridge in Padang Padang, which we use to assess the day’s conditions. We are always out there on the unexpected good days. Additionally, many in our team have been surfing these waters for decades which gives us an advantage over other camps.

Our intermediate surfers were off to Black Stone this morning as the west wind has picked up in strength, as per the forecast. The weather was warm and sunny, with no rain during the session. The swell came in at 5 ft. at 11 seconds from 201 degrees, and the wind blew moderately offshore. Our surfers enjoyed head-high to overhead waves breaking across the reef. The advancing surfers worked on developing drive from their bottom turns, which they used to propel themselves up the face of the wave and down the line.

Once a surfer has developed the skill set to consistently catch waves and ride along the wave face, the next step is developing a solid bottom turn. A good bottom turn is an essential maneuver that a surfer must master and it is the foundation upon which good surfing is cultivated.

Our intermediate surfers were off to Black Stone this morning where they found a peak to themselves amidst the hustle and bustle of the Nusa Dua area. Our swell has jumped up in size to 6 ft. while the period has dropped to 11 seconds, and the direction continues to come from the 200 to 205 range. The wind was blowing side-shore from the south, but the conditions remained clean through intermittent rain showers. The side-shore wind blew into the left-breaking waves, keeping the lines open for longer. The waves were coming in at head-high to slightly overhead on the biggest of sets, and the lines were running nicely down the reef.

The Nusa Dua area is a groomed and manicured resort area full of high-end hotels and beautiful beaches. There are several breaks within the tourist zone that are excellent for beginner and intermediate surfers.