surf or die.....

---

It was hard to leave Uluwatu...especially when you find a decen break to surf. We took a cab to Sanur which was 45 minutes away. Sanur is a very interesting place, I would say it is a cross between Nusa Dua and Kuta.

The main strip is littered with restaurants and hostels...most of the big resorts of course were on the beach. Of course the first thing I do upon arrival at every new destination is order a watermelon shake and ask the locals where the surf breaks are....

I have been doing some research on the Internet and a few locals have confirmed there is one break call the Hyatt which happens to be in front of the Hyatt hotel. I ended up negotiating with one of the fisherman to take me out to the break which was 2 kms out to sea.....unfortunately the only board I was able to get a hold of in such short notice was this super small 5'6 board and it was way too light. I might as well be surfing on a stick of lemon grass.

The boat ride was nice as we pass fishing boats and a scuba diving station and it didn't take long until the buildings on the shore looked like specs on a glass. I don't think the danger factor hit me until we got to the breaks. They were big - 6 to 7 feet waves and they were strong and fast. I jumped into the water with my slim jim and quickly realize I was way over my head. Common sense would probably tell me not to even attempt this unless you have at least 20 sessions on some smaller waves but here I am out in the middle of nowhere 2 kms out to sea with a board the size of two boggie boards....

When I jumped into the water I instantly had a hard time paddling on the lemon grass...yup the board was way too small. But there was no time to think because I realize the guy dropped me right in front of the break....two words "holy shit".....I paddle as hard as I could and felt the wave lift me up and I tried to drop into it. All I cold hear was this loud crash of the break next to me like a wall of pain....I couldn't get up the board for the life of me without bailing so I aborted mission and road the beast like a boggie board....when the mayhem was over my transport disappeared into the horizon.

The adrenaline wore off and I realize I am by myself way out in sea and all I can see are fishing boats in the far distant. At this point I would love to be able to say I caught some serious waves but it didn't go down that way. The current was so strong and lemon grass was not helping....I was drifting out further to sea..the only point of reference was this very large cargo ship that ran a ground long ago and now is a dive wreck. I thought if i could just swim towards that direction I might be okay because I knew divers frequent that area.

At this point paranoia started to set in and I tried not let my mind wonder off...too late, damn you discovery channel, everything underneath me looks like some shadow waiting for me to come closer.

At this point point I am drifting out even further and I could barely see the breaks. My transport is not scheduled to pick me up for another 40 minutes and reality started to set in, I just need to ride this out. Some how a fisherman saw me and came over. I was so tired I almost drifted into his propellers. All I could think of was how I wish I had a bigger board. It was like point break, when will you ever be able to ride such a big wave again. I had my one chance....damn you lemon grass.

I thank the man for saving my ass and he smiled...no other words was exchanged for the rest of the ride...we smiled again and parted ways...I live to surf another day.

---