Bali Surf Lesson Reports

Our beginner surfers enjoyed a wonderful morning at the camp’s favorite wave of Padang Padang! We had perfect beginner surfing conditions with easy-rolling, smooth and glassy waves. The waves rolled in at waist to shoulder high, from a swell of 4.5 ft at 13 seconds from 209 degrees. The camp waited for the tide to cover the reef before padding out, as we had a low tide of .7 meters at 7:10 AM (Benoa). The surfers worked on improving their positioning and catching waves at the peak as compared to the shoulder. When the waves are clean like today, a beginner surfer can make lasting improvements in their surfing quickly.

April and May are perfect months for beginners and intermediates to develop their surfing in Bali. There is less wind, the waves are smaller, and more breaks are open for our surfing enjoyment.

After yesterday’s day of silence, our surfers were keen to paddle out this morning, and the ocean did not let them down! A new, pulsing swell arrived with a light offshore wind and a smooth sea state. At the outside of Padang, the beginner surfers enjoyed shoulder-to-head high + set waves, and waist-high reform waves on the inside. The swell came in at 3.5 ft. at 13 seconds from 211 degrees; however, the size of the surf suggested the forecast was inaccurate. Our advanced group reported that Uluwatu was barreling at the peak, while Balangan served up long, rip-able lines.

Yesterday, the Balinese celebrated Nyepi, a day where the entire island stays at home for self-reflection. No one is allowed outside their homes or accommodation, and everyone must keep the lights off and the noise down.

Our excellent run of surf has continued for another day! Given the ideal set of conditions, the advanced and intermediate surfers headed to the long-running lefts of Uluwatu while the beginners paddled out at Padang Padang. At Uluwatu, the swell has picked up noticeably in size since yesterday, serving up head-high + set waves for the advanced surfers. The wind blew lightly offshore, which is the ideal wind for Uluwatu as it holds the waves open while not hindering the flow of the surfboard with wind resistance. The forecast shows a swell reading of 3.5 ft. at 10 seconds from 201 degrees, which is a good size for all to have a go this iconic wave.

The long-range forecast is looking very good. The wind will be either offshore or calm, and the swell will remain in the moderate range through the end of March. Ayok!

5-star surfing conditions all across Bali this morning! Days like today are why people make the journey to come to this magical island. The swell filled in enough overnight for the advanced surfers to test their barrel riding skills at Padang, while across the channel at Baby Padang, the beginner surfers enjoyed the mellow, rolling peaks.

The forecast shows the swell coming in at a pumping 6 ft. at 15 seconds from 218 degrees. The wind blew lightly offshore, with just enough strength to hold the waves open for longer without making them difficult to paddle into. The waves were head-high on the outside of the surf break, while the reform waves on the inside were around waist-high. The beginner surfers enjoyed long, easy rides, which allowed them to focus on the fundaments of surfing, as taught by their instructors.

The breeze from the west has calmed enough for our beginner surfers to enjoy the long-rides at Padang Padang! The swell has picked up just enough overnight to offer up fun, waist-high, beginner-friendly waves. The wind blew lightly onshore, however the faces of the waves were clean enough for fun rides for all. The swell has picked up to 4 ft. at 11 seconds from 205 degrees, a welcome bump from yesterday’s very small surf. The surfers worked on improving their pop-ups and riding across the face of the wave with improved balance and control. You can see from the faces that today was an enjoyable day.

Thursday and Friday look like excellent surfing days for our side of the island! A new, long-period swell is predicted to fill in in conjunction with a drop in the strength of the wind. Let’s Go!

The camp set off early this morning for the Nusa Dua area in search of offshore wind and smooth surfing conditions. At Black Stone, the surfers found the clean conditions they were looking for with added sunshine! The surfers enjoyed waist-high lines breaking nicely across the reef, and the light offshore breeze nicely groomed the waves. The swell came in at 2 ft. at 11 seconds from 207 degrees, and the morning’s low tide was .4 meters at 4:45 AM (Benoa). The surfers enjoyed the pleasant morning, and everyone had their share of the easy-breaking waves.

On a separate note, the Balinese celebrate the full moon across the island today. The full moon, or Purnama, holds a special place in Balinese folklore as it is said that the God of the moon, Chandra, gives his blessings when the moon is brightest.

Our beginners had a beautiful morning which began cloudy but ended with a clear sky and views of the mountains in Bali and the Javanese coastline! The swell has faded in size and consistency since yesterday however the stunning morning and clean enough conditions made up for the dropping swell. The swell is coming in at 4 ft. At 13 seconds from 210 degrees, and the wind remained light for the duration of the session. The beginner surfers enjoyed waist to shoulder-high, slow-moving lines where they focused on improving their balance after the pop-up and discovering how their weight distribution affects the flow of the surfboard through the water.

As we enter March, we expect more excellent surfing opportunities in the Uluwatu area.

Our beginner surfers enjoyed a break in the weather this morning and shared fun waves at Padang Padang! We have been at Black Stone for the last few days, and the crew was excited to try the camp’s favorite wave. At Padang Padang, the surfers enjoyed mellow waist-high waves with the occasional larger set rolling in. The wind blew lightly onshore from the west, but the wave is protected enough from the wind for our surfers to catch enjoyable rides. The swell is reading 3.5 ft. at 15 seconds, coming from 214 degrees.

Our beginners should be back at Padang Padang tomorrow and the next day as the wind is predicted to remain light for another two days. After which it is back to Nusa Dua for what should be the end of the consistant breeze from the west. See you out there!