1 HAWAIIN, 2 SAFFAS

Surfing Bali, Uluwatu. 

Untold stories to the absolute beauty of Uluwatu, took three surfers to the surf-centric hub of Bali, Indonesia. Morning’s moments leading up to a surf at this haven, as the rooster crows (not once, twice, but a few times – ensuring your early morning wake up call – no alarm needed here), loading the boards onto your Scooter siderack, pack some cash into your boardshorts, warm water surf wax and comb, suncare, text your mates and head on down to one of Bali’s incredible breaks “Temples”! When the tide is low you’re able to walk out through the rockface channel, where on the higher tide the ocean rushes in and takes you out almost as a ferry to the breakers, as the whole beach opens itself up to you.

Before you’re even aware of your surroundings, you’re out at the backline, warm water supports you, as some surfers now appear looking towards the oncoming sets. The energy palpable, the intense power of the waves and water all around you, all senses now magnified. If one could only share and capture the incredible view and sensory overload out from the surf back towards the shore, it’s one that is breathtaking. The surf brand slogan comes to mind of “only a surfer knows the feeling” and in this case so true, where only the surfers have this perspective of looking back towards the shoreline that encompasses it. Tall hanging cliffs, lush green vegetation popping colour off the sheer cliff rock-face.. vibey restaurants, food stalls “warungs”, cafés, lifestyle stores and villas each with their own flavour and colour light up the backdrop.. sunrise glare burst through the waves, a translucent view of surfers getting barreled as spray from the power of the water moves across the bay.

The inlet-outlet channel continues to allow for ‘not so easy’ access to and from the shoreline, allowing more to access this beautiful site, a new face and accent of international origins. Out at the backline it’s calm and with eerie expectation, crystal clear transparent water, visible fish encircling you, and the evident raw reef constantly reassures itself as you duck dive, and even out in the line-up. Insider rider gets wave priority, get this right and it’s all good, and whoever’s ready to drop into the ride of their life, between the tension of joy and the risk, no one’s stopping you.

The moral out at the back is what solidifies this entire experience. Cheering on each others wave’s, spontaneous met conversations and reflection on the days conditions, or the one’s leading up to it. Micro-exchanges take place as real connections are made, sufficient enough in a moment for grabbing a beer that night, and even over a period of time. “Everyday is good, we have breath and air in our lungs”, even if the waves were marginally off, was a lesson an Aussie “Ollie” graciously taught me out at the backline, was just the continuous conscious appreciation of gratitude for life itself.

Wanting to capture this moment and share the experience might be challenging to convey to others, but if any consolation, if you got a few good ones out there today, and needing some evidence to back up your purely surf story, no problem, as photographers shoot every wave, loading them real-time to iMac computers, simply make your way past them on route back and grab your very own personalised pic, almost Cover Page stuff, you choose!

Uluwatu morning dawny sessions as the rooster crows… load the boards, grab your mates, and it’s all on!