Well everyone was calling it the biggest swell of the year in Bali, and it sure looked pretty big to us! Sometimes you just have to accept that the waves are best for others on the day and sit back and watch the show!
We didn't let the big swell hinder us too much, and after a short surf at the most hidden beach in Bali we headed out to see the Bukit Peninsula for the first time. Having seen how big the waves were out the front in the morning we knew that it would be big, but how big you never really know until you see it. As we got to the bridge at Padang we saw loads of scooters parked up which is always a sign of waves and then saw a big set roll through at Impossible. We made our way down a little secret road to watch the waves from the cliff top. We could see lines stacked to the horizon and as the first set rolled in to Padang we could see that it was on!
Padang could well be the best wave in Bali, maybe not the most consistent but after getting one good wave there your entire trip to Indo can feel like it was worth it in the 15 second ride! There were big waves, big barrels and some big wipeouts. Soon after we arrived we watched a local get an impossible long barrel which he claimed with both hands, that's when you know was a good one! After watching mesmerised for half an hour out stomachs starting rumbling and we decided to hope over to Uluwatu for lunch and to see what was happening there.
What we arrived to was a sight to behold. Huge 8-10 foot (3-4 meters, surfers use strange foot measurements) waves were rolling through with only a handful of takers. Everyone was out on big boards and the paddle out alone was enough to scare most people off. Every 10 minutes a set would roll through which got everyone on the cliff excited and amazed at what nature was showing us. Lunch on the cliff at Uluwatu with swell that size really is incredible to behold.
After watching endless waves we snuck off for an evening surf at a secret spot just off the beaten track. There were still big sets rolling through but it was more manageable and the group got some great waves, what a day!
The swell hung around for a few days, and if it wasn't the biggest swell of the year it was definitely the best!
Chris
Blurb
Cooking Padang, massive Uluwatu and everything in between!