BALI SURF & WEATHER REPORT
1st – 5th September 2020
Hello everyone and a special hello to our friends, friends that really know us and have shown us the much needed support through this extremely tough mentally and physically time. We are going into our 8th month of no income and I’m sure you would be able to work out how hard that would be. It is only through your help that we are keeping everything together keeping the lights on and food on the table.
Ok friends well thanks to our friends down at Bingin for sending us through another report and photo gallery from down there to finish off the month of August. Then I pushed the boat off on the 2nd of August, hunting for some fresh table fish for my family. The 2nd also coincided with our full moon here in Bali and along with it the swell kicked in. I was hoping it would peak through the night of the 1st and not be too big for me to take my open double outrigger down off Uluwatu. But not to be so I had to put my experience and balls to the test.
As it was Kuta Reef as I passed by at 6.30am already had a dozen or so surfers in the water. With solid over head high set waves and the tide still running in, Middle Reef was pushing triple head high. By the time I got down to Balangan I couldn’t risk coming in too close to the waves, but there were some solid lines bending in towards the reef. Impossible’s also had plenty of lines peeling down the reef but like Balangan and Bingin also prefers the run out tide.
Down off Uluwatu at 7.15am it was solid. I did see one surfer out on the Bombie but at the time he was being cleaned up by 6-8 footers (3-4 times over head). Once again I had to watch how close I could get in but I was trolling big circle’s from north of the Racetrack to way outside the Bombie and going over some big swells. It wasn’t the first time I’ve done this by the way. I’ve been fishing in these traditional boats for 25 years and do know this area and these waves well from a surfer’s perspective as well as the fisherman’s. I will admit it was a bit spooky but the need to catch fish and the exhilaration of being your own master out on the ocean drives me.
There was no rush just cruise around on my chosen course and the right speed I was trolling 2 lures behind me. Now this is where it got a little weird. I knew there were fish out there I could smell em plus there were a few birds picking off some small bait fish. So after a few laps with no strikes I decided to take a break and re think my strategy. My wife had packed me a parcel of rice and some fruit. When I opened up the bag the first thing I saw was 2 big fried bananas.
That was it, it had to be the reason why I hadn’t had a strike. There’s an old fisherman myth about taking bananas out in the boat. I don’t know where or how it started, if I did once know I’ve forgotten. But never the less I abide by that myth when I’m out fishing. So over the side with them as soon as I saw those usually delicious treats. Well after a quick break and happy to be rid of those “pisang goreng” my first lap with the lures I had a strike. The fish missed the hooks but it was still a positive for me. On my next lap my luck changed and another good strike peeling off some 50lb line off my old lucky rod and reel and the hooks were set. It was a very good feeling, after a short 10min easy as ya do it fight I boated a beautiful little 3kg Spanish Mackerel and food for the family.
On the 3rd I took my son and his cousin for an early morning bike ride up to Seminyak. Mainly to keep the boys sane and for a little leg exercise. Plus to get a look around the Kuta, Legian and Seminyak area’s. One thing for sure push bike riding is the most popular activity in Bali right now. Even at 6.30am there were cyclists everywhere, mostly cruising like the boys and I. The hard core Lycra men usually wait till it’s a little later in the day to be seen in their gear I reckon.
Pretty much everywhere I was noticing a lack in house keeping around the hotels, cafes and home stays. Signs looked a little faded and with a lack of staff at most premises the weeds were more noticeable. Riding along the beach road that runs between Padma st up to Arjuna st it was deserted of people just lots of dogs owning it. Riding back home down the main street of Kuta (Jalan Legian) it was also deserted except for other cyclists out for some exercise.
Later that morning I took my car in for an overdue service and even the Suzuki dealer that is usually buzzing with mechanics and admin staff was only operating on 50% staff but still with the usual amount of vehicles needing servicing. So the normal 1.5hr wait became a very tiring 3 hr wait, even with the free coffee and cakes. But for car owners it has to be done and just another thing that has to be paid for from a non existent salary. By the time I made it back home I was done and lucky to fit in a little gardening time weeding our veggie patch and disposing of grubs and grass hoppers with deadly vengeance. We also had an up date from our friends up in South Sumatra at Damai Bungalows. The crew up there have had some great waves and conditions and they have even been lucky enough to snare some of the domestic market out of Java and a few travelling surfers through in to help keep them afloat.
Yesterday the 4th I grabbed the camera gear and the boys and I made our way down to the ever popular surfing and very scenic location of Balangan beach. We arrived at 8.45am as the tide was running in and a very sweet looking head to well over head high swell. The wind was off shore, clean as could be out of the East at 7-10knot. Even our die hard Balinese friends from Hendra warung hadn’t bothered to open their warung. This family usually opens everyday all year round, except Nypie Day of course. But yesterday Warung Hendra and just about every other warung wasn’t open and all the bamboo lattice gates were roped shut. The empty beach and lack of surfers proof that it just isn’t worth the effort of waiting in an empty warung all day, home is much more comfortable.
But the waves were pumping and my boys had the whole beach to themselves. While out in the waves there were maybe 5-6 intermediate surfers out there catching all the waves they wanted, while so many waves went through un ridden. I did manage to shoot a few photos and again had to put my photography skills in place to get some composure.
So we really haven’t seen any domestic tourist presence anywhere we have been. Mainly because domestics don’t surf and mostly in the Tuban to Legian part of this island nothing is open and there are no attractions other than pristine beaches and perfect surf. But on the down side Bali’s number of Corona Virus cases has gone through the roof. Yesterday we had almost 200 new cases and 9 more deaths and not just senior citizens. There is no proof that the increase in Covid cases in Bali is directly related to the opening of Bali to domestic tourism but the proof is in the pudding. Before the opening of Bali our curve / graph had leveled out and was constantly going downward. Now just over a month later we are getting a daily record number of new cases that will lead to more deaths eventually. Making it harder and harder to clear Bali for reopening to any kind of International tourism.
Weather wise the last few days here in South Kuta we have had a few cloudy mornings that have stretched through into early afternoon. Temperature wise right now at 10.10am on the 5th we have a mostly overcast morning. The temperature is still a warm 27 degree’s Celsius, Humidity is up at 85%. Wind direction is just starting to get fresh coming out of the ESE at 8knot.
There is still plenty of waves out there again this morning with the Outer Reefs still delivering a fun 2-4ft between Kuta Reef and Airport Left. The tide is running up for a solid 2.5mtr High scheduled for 11.22am. So I’d say Airport left will be the best option here locally. The charts are showing a little bump in size later this afternoon and through the night then backing off just a smidgen for Sunday.
Further out it looks like Bali will see a moderate swell start to show on Tuesday the 8th and peaking on Wednesday the 9th. September is renowned for big waves and I wouldn’t be surprised to see more before the end of the month and the end of our Dry Season period.
Ok a big thank you to everyone tuning in, especially to our friends that have been helping us financially to get through this income free year. Stay safe and stay tuned here to the original Bali surf report website since back in 1999.
Joyo’s is now offering LOCAL PRICE on trips into G-Land, Rp500K per day, contact us for more info. Line up a crazy deal now for when International travel is back on for everyone.
SURFING / ACCOMMODATION PACKAGE DEAL WITH ALL LEVEL OF SURFER WELCOME. WE SPECIALIZE IN FINDING WAVES FOR THE CREW WHO DON’T LIKE DEALING WITH MASSIVE CROWDS, BUT STILL WANT TO GET SOME GOOD WAVES. WE WILL ALSO BE HAPPY TO OFFER ANY ADVICE WE CAN THAT WILL HELP IMPROVE YOUR SURFING GETTING TO THE NEXT LEVEL WHERE YOU WANT TO BE.
WHAT YOU GET, ACCOMMODATION / SURFING DEAL:
SAFE AND SECURE location
PRIVATE AIR CONDITIONED ROOM un limited mineral water safe and secure
Join us on DAILY SURF TRIPS all around Bali
PHOTOGRAPHER to shoot all your surfing photos (photos included)
for Rp650,000 (around US$45.00)
This is single surfer price, cheaper for 2 or more surfers at Rp550,000 (around US$38.00) per surfer per day.
5 rooms only available so come and make some new friends and score some good waves.
contact us now and come surf with Wayan here in Bali
Hot water
WiFi – Hi Speed
Contact us right now email link here !
We also have AIR CONDITIONED ROOMS starting from Rp 150,000. (around US$10.50 a night for single occupant). just a 10 min walk to the airport or beach
Hot breakfast is optional, un limited drinking water, tea or coffee and WiFi
contact me now email link here
Or SINGLE FAN COOLED ROOM FOR JUST Rp100,000 (around US$7.50) a night (single occupant) just a 10 min walk to the airport
contact me now email link here
Wayan can PICK UP FROM YOUR HOTEL, ALL LEVEL OF SURFER WELCOME you’ll be taken to the best waves on the island to suit your level, see some of Bali’s surf breaks that aren’t on the map, avoid crowds and be at the right place at the right time.
Also INCLUDED ARE ALL YOUR SURFING PHOTOS AT EACH LOCATION YOU SURF with high end camera equipment.
1 surfer is Rp550,000 (around US$43.00)
or
2 or more surfers priced at R450,000 (around US$35.00 per surfer).
surf with Wayan here in Bali ! (this price covers Jimburan to Legian, extra fee for outside of this area)
contact me now email link here
We hope to see you here surfing in Bali soon, and don’t hesitate to drop us an email for any Bali surf info and we’ll do our best to help out.
Disclaimer; Baliwaves.com accepts no responsibility for absenteeism, day dreaming, depression, divorce, lethargy, alcoholism, jealousy, black magic, mid life crisis, Bali belly or loss of wages. Any reference or resemblance to real living people (or zombies) in these reports are purely co incident + all material appearing on baliwaves.com can under no circumstance be re printed or used in anyway without written permission (bahahaha) from baliwaves.com
Recent Comments