The Under-Cover Surf Police {Darrell}

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We really enjoyed our pit stop in Kuta. After 2 months on the road, it was a perfect place to get laundry done, eat some foreign (non-Asian!) food for a change and take things easy. But after a few days paddling around on Kuta's lazy shorebreak, we were keen to see some of the waves that make Indonesia perhaps the world's most famous surf-destination.

For that we caught a lift down to the southern Bukit Peninsula, and as night was falling, checked ourselves into a small homestay close to the legendary surf break of Ulu-Watu. We sat down to eat with the charismatic owner, who had hair down to his waist sprouting from a knot on his forehead. As we were half way through a delicious tomato soup, he confided in us that he's actually an undercover narcotics cop. He spent most of the rest of the evening alternating between stories of epic surf sessions at the local breaks and tales of drug busts around Kuta. I tried to cross-question him about his cop stories all I could but either it's a very well-rehearsed story or he's the real deal.

By the time we were done eating I didn't know whether I was itching to catch the wave of my life or too scared of being scalped on the shallow corral reef (apparently it's happened!). Either way, we would definitely be heading to the beach in the morning to check it out.

After a 5 minute walk down the street, we arrived at the mass of restaurants and surf shops that cling to the cliff overlooking Ulu-Watu. We sat down for breakfast, and watched a crowd of really decent surfers make the most of the famous waves. It didn't look as extreme as the stories we'd been hearing, apparently the swell was quite small and the tide was high. Still indecisive about making an appearance among the pros, we decided to take a walk along the coast to see several of the other famous breaks.

It turned out to be a little trickier than expected as the coast turned from sand to rock, and the rock narrowed into a thin ledge at the base of a sheer cliff. The ledge eventually petered out so that to avoid trekking all the way back we ended up swimming along the coast for the last stretch, holding our backpack above the water. We eventually came to a flight of stairs cut into the cliff and scrambled up them, then sheepishly tip-toed through a private property back to the main road.

The next break we stopped to look at is called Impossibles. A name that at least inspires a little caution for everyone except the Aussies. By this time the tide had dropped off and we watched as a "brave" few stood in ankle-deep water over rocks and coral as they took turns to catch the waves. Nuts. One of the Aussies joined us at our table to watch. The beginner of the group, he'd apparently decided that after dinging his board and cutting his feet just walking out to the wave, perhaps today was not the day to be learning.

After lunch we carried on down the beach to Dreamlands. With the sun dropping towards the horizon, and this wave apparently breaking over sand, we could watch no longer, and were soon paddling out on two hired boards.

We soon realised that there was a massive beach break pounding onto the sand. The locals were catching these waves, surfing for a few seconds, an then jumping off the board onto the sand as the wave crashed closed. The few foreigners were hanging around deeper in, trying their luck with the smaller, less frequent waves that broke further out. Cath wisely made the same call as the Aussie and decided that these were no conditions to be learning in. Although those of us at the back break didn't get a whole lot of brilliant waves, I did get to watching the sun dip into the sea from one of my favourite places: sitting behind the break on a surfboard. It was one of those times when reality is so overwhelming that you can only wonder how on earth all the little events of your life brought you to this moment.

The next morning it was back to Ulu-Watu. This time there was little hesitation. I was not going to leave Bali without giving these legendary waves a try. With my hired board tucked under my arm I walked down the narrow staircase to the cave in the cliff walls where the breakers came thundering in. Following another surfer, I waited for a break in the sets, then dived in and paddled like mad away from the cliff face.

By the time I got out to the waves, I'd been swept about 200m up the coast by a powerful cross current. I was glad to see that the guy in front of me had also been carried across, and the two of us paddled back to join the crowds of surfers.

The waves were pretty decent. With all the surfers that had collected there was a bit of pushing and shoving. When you I did take off down the face of my first wave I was shocked by the sight of rocks and coral rushing beneath my board. With the glassy tropical water it was impossible to judge the depth, but it made me cringe every time I had to drop down a wave or duck dive beneath the surface.

After about 2 hours of fighting the current between waves, I judged that I had about enough energy left to make the made paddle back at the rocky cliff. I didn't know what you'd do if you couldn't beat the current to that small cave where there is a break in the rocks, but I was not keen to find out.

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Photos

Crazy Aussies at Impossibles
You can see how shallow the water is. Over rocks

Ulu Watu
Finally getting a wave

Nice cutback
I'll be honest, this isn't me.

Surfing Dreamlands
This time it is me

Catchiing the famous left-hander
On an admittedly small day.

Not taking the wave
To avoid dropping in on the 2 guys already on the same wave.

Comments

[Juan Kidd]

Unreal!!!!
WOW,,,,WOW,,,,WOW!!!!! dude, im SO jealous!!!!!!!!! You are living the dream!!!! How long will you still be travelling? I want to do the same!!! You're a inspiration!!!! SURFING INDO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!aaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!