hi guys,it's been about 6 years since my last real surf.
i have reached that age (47) where it's now or never to get myself back on track after fare to many years behind a desk drawing sub divisions and architectural plans.
Now I have my own plan !
Im going back to Bali for two months of surfing, eating fresh food and massage.
i have surfed most of the spots before many years ago Ulus, bingin, ship wrecks,yo yos etc.
but like I said that was a long time ago .
im planning on going between Within the next two months.
but I have no idea where to hit this time of year or where the good places are where I can meet other surfers etc.
it was all about Poppies 2 and tubes the last time I was there !
can anyone give me some advice on what the go is now ? Or is anyone friendly and of average ability willing to join me ? I'm in quite bad fitness so I'm planning on a full 2 month stay if that is still possible ?it was back in the day !
MTFBWYA

jp

You sound like an old man
So go to old man's
Find your feet
And work up from there
Paddle wide
Let the clean up set clear the line up
You'll be killing it by the end of the first week

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quikdrawMcgraw said..
Bali is a shyt show now man.
Every fuqwit and his fuqwit dog all wanting a piece of the pie.
Seriously go somewhere else so many places. Buy a cheap van cheap gas cooker big esky mattress in back stay in oz and go a little bit feral in tasmaynya or elsewhere

Glass half empty Quickdraw? I had a week in October and scored smoking waves. max crowd was 10 and plenty of sessions with just myself and a few mates in head high runners. Seek and ye shall find. I'll PM you a number of a driver I know that shreds in the surf and has a good handle on where to go Varren. For the right price you will definitely score waves.

Sounds like u just need a nice floaty board and to be prepared to look away from the usual spots to avoid a few crowds until your fitness comes up. I'm jealous... have fun!

i agree with Bertie , get a board with some volume.
Too many guys give it away cause they are trying to surf the same boards as twenty years ago and get flustered.
Bigger board , easier to get on the waves.
Get the wave count in , and have fun

Just got back from Bali, and I wouldn't waste my time.
Maybe somewhere least travelled, or 2 weeks at a surf lodge would be better.

Find some place where can surf all day in easy waves, without too much of a crowd.
Lots of okay/mediocre waves will get you going faster than trying to slot into the good stuff with a big crowd, where you will be lucky to get any and then drop in on somebody to do it out of frustration.
It's a pretty cruel world out.

I'd be in the pool getting my paddle fitness up now, see if you can get strong enough to swim with water polo stokes, (head out of the water).
20/30 burpees a few times a week, lots of push ups and pop ups and have a read or look at Chris Mills videos on youtube to get yourself going.
heading somewhere without prepping will just waste most of your time, and frustrate you.

Emirates has a lot to answer for, Air-Busing in Brazzos to Bali for $500 a pop.

Plan a trip to the ments next year during the World Cup. Peak season for swell, but given most places don't have satellite TV or fast internet, there won't be a Brazilian in sight. The socceroos won't make the second round anyway...

Thanks guys ! To all of you, great to hear from you.
I just got a board and had two sessions in slop down near Augusta and one opportune 30 minute surf on a tiny little peace of shallow reef just north of Trigg.
my new board is !
6'3" 22 inches wide ! 2 3/4 ....22 inches wide wow lol ...but it works for me !
couldnt beleive it paddled and caught and stood up on my first wave ! So stoked !
Was 2 foot slop but at least I got the thing planning to catch !
Poster about the menus, i can't wait till next year to go to mentawis it's now or never !
So where is OLD MANS ??
Thanks again guys
nearly time to sell my car and head off !
No one has mentioned what places work this time of year ?
Is there actually any swell at all this time of year ?

Jp

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PelicanPete said..
Just got back from Bali, and I wouldn't waste my time.
Maybe somewhere least travelled, or 2 weeks at a surf lodge would be better.

Find some place where can surf all day in easy waves, without too much of a crowd.
Lots of okay/mediocre waves will get you going faster than trying to slot into the good stuff with a big crowd, where you will be lucky to get any and then drop in on somebody to do it out of frustration.
It's a pretty cruel world out.

Suggestion ?

I'd be in the pool getting my paddle fitness up now, see if you can get strong enough to swim with water polo stokes, (head out of the water).
20/30 burpees a few times a week, lots of push ups and pop ups and have a read or look at Chris Mills videos on youtube to get yourself going.
heading somewhere without prepping will just waste most of your time, and frustrate you.

Totally agree with you Pete but where ? Warm water easy small medium long rides no crowds ....
affordable .....is there such a place on earth ?

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HENDO 77 said..
i agree with Bertie , get a board with some volume.
Too many guys give it away cause they are trying to surf the same boards as twenty years ago and get flustered.
Bigger board , easier to get on the waves.
Get the wave count in , and have fun

Thanks Hendo

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theDoctor said..

You sound like an old man
So go to old man's
Find your feet
And work up from there
Paddle wide
Let the clean up set clear the line up
You'll be killing it by the end of the first week

Great advice ! I'm sure you have the style to match Doc !

Old Mans is in Canggu, 30 minutes north of Seminyak. Great wave to regain your fitness, and can be fun in the right conditions.

Once you get to Bali with a plan to surf , it will happen, go with the flow . Talk with the locals they all know someone that can help . Go to surf shops if all else fails
The place is Gold .

Good advice late starter I like it.

Times on your side brother I always found that spending the whole day at a break day after day like staying at ulus for a week worked well. You get the tide changes wind drops and light crowds. Not to mention the night life is a quiet. That said its been a long time since I've been to the enchanted island

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JESUSGUS said..
it's been a while since I've been to the enchanted island

Then you won't be aware of the madness of Single Fin, as many non surfers now refer to Ulus....

Never heard ulus referred to as single fin What's The madness

Single Fin is the trendy place to be seen for all the Euro backpackers staying on the Bukit. Some hotties down their at sunset...quite a bit of doof doof round their till late, wouldn't wanna stay too close unless you were part of it

same can be said for echo beach....some old man's for ya.

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theDoctor said..

You sound like an old man
So go to old man's
Find your feet
And work up from there
Paddle wide
Let the clean up set clear the line up
You'll be killing it by the end of the first week

Ive just got back from three weeks in Bali and was in a similar place to you regarding paddle fitness. I'm 45 and my paddle fitness had all but disappeared with 6 years of Kitesurfing. I am generally fit though so maybe that helped.
We stayed and surfed at Batu Bulong (Canggu) for a week, then got 'stuck' for another week cause of the volcano. Spent the second week surfing Echo beach. Only took about three days to get back into it and fully had the stoke, and my old style back. Old Mans gets bloody crowded and is full of learners but there's waves to be had, especially if you have surfed in a previous life. Sit wide, wait for the sets and trust that old intuition. The waves will come.
Arms and chest were killing but worked up from old mans to some of the other breaks close by and had some really fun surfs, mostly in the 2-5ft range, with one bigger day.

+1 for the board advice above too, Go big to start with. I hired boards from the beach guys at Old mans and Echo beach. $5 for two hours for anything from a short board to a full 9'8 mal.
Heaps of homestays in the area for $25-$45 per night that include a good breakfast, a few extra bucks and they'll chuck in dinner too, but there's also some really cheap restaurants around. PM me if you need any more info.

Simon

This reply might be a bit late, but you may check this whilst over there perhaps... but if I were tying I'd get in contact with Slim at baliwaves.com
He will pick you up and take you the best waves for you based on the conditions etc for about $60 per day including photos. Often he'll have a surf with ya and knows pretty much all the locals.

This time of year the trade winds will have you surfing on the east coast pretty regularly, but Slim will do an early strike mission for other locations with ya to try and find the right spots and beat the crowds.

Have fun!!