A day at Dreamland

It's Saturday and my foot has finally healed from the infection I got my last day in Sumbawa. I went with some friends to Dreamland, located between Bingin and Belongin. They're currently building the largest golf course in the world behind this spot. This sucks because golf courses need chemicals (fertilizers, etc.), which will end up going into the ocean. The reefs will become very poisonous when cut on, and the runoff will create algae growth which will effect the natural ecosystem. It's pretty sad, I hope it takes them years to finish. These are shots of Dreamland from the parking area.
To the left is Bingin (can't see) and further up is Impossibles.

Here's a better shot of Impossibles.

Here are a couple of shots of me checking out a set rolling through Impossibles.


This is a shot of the waves coming through at Dreamland. Tides a little high today for it to break right, but still a playful wave with a fun inside section.


Enjoying a fresh coconut before heading back to Suka Beach Inn. Just another day in paradise.

Here's a shot I took from my balcony overlooking the pool and on the right the eating area where we have our morning breakfast. My friends join me in only 3 days. I'm so excited to have had the opportunity to experience Bali on my own. But I'm just as excited to be able to experience this magical place with some of my closest friends. See you soon guys!

10 days in Sumbawa

I've posted pics of me at Uluwatu a few weeks ago below this post. Don't miss 'em!

So after being in Kuta, Bali, for a few weeks it was time to try something new. My friends Jon and Marco said that Lakey Peak in Sumbawa is a first timer's must do. So we bought our tickets at the airport, about $120 roundtrip, and took off for 10 days. Sumbawa is an island about an hours flight from Bali. After you arrive to Bima, Sumbawa, you must take a 2 hour bemo (cab) drive to Lakey Peak. Here's a photo from the drive to Lakey's.

As you can see, it's mainly rice fields, palm trees, and tropical forests. Some parts are so dense you can't see the sky through the trees. Once I arrived at Lakeys we decided to stay at Balumba, where the accomodations were meager, but what more can you ask for for $5 a night?

Here's a picture of my room with the mosquito net.


I had no idea how much you must protect yourself from Malaria. It's no joke, 2 people caught it while I was there and they were in the hospital when we left. It's amazing what you are willing to risk for the best barrels of your life.

Outside of my room was a shower and small courtyard with the other rooms. About 20 rooms in all at the Bulumba Cottages. Here's the shot of my patio with my new hammock.

Once we got our stuff dialed in it was time to check the surf. If there's any swell in the water Sumbawa will be the first to pick it up. Here's the view from the front of the Bulumba.

The peak in the background is the infamous Lakey's Peak, a left and right hander that barrels all day on all tides. Usually this time of year it's windy from 11am-5pm and is still fun but most surf dawn and dusk. We scored, the wind didn't pick up from the 2nd day we got there until the day we left. To the left of Lakey Peak is Lakey Pipe. It's a left that comes in so heavy you have to pig dog every wave. But you can get the biggest barrels of your life when it's on. Here's a random shot of Pipe and a couple of Peak.


There's also a spot called Periscopes a half hour walk to the right. I surfed it most of the time because it's a perfect hollow long right. I got barrels from the drop to the sand, at least 6-10 second barrels. I didn't feel comfortable leaving the camera on the beach so I never got shots, only video from locals. I did take a boat with some Brazilians one day during a good swell to a spot an hour away called Matchpoint. Here's some photos on the boat ride over.



Once we arrived at Matchpoint and saw the first set come through we started screaming and were in the water as fast as possible.

Here's why.
Some of the sets were topping out at 2.5 meters, or 7-8 foot Hawaiian. Easily double overhead and freakin' perfect. It was only the 7 of us out there. Not another boat in sight. I think that boat ride was the best $9 I ever spent in my entire life.

After getting some of the best surf ever I decided to climb the mountain behind Lakey Peak with friends. Here's the view from a lookout point. Low tide and pumping 8-10 foot surf.
Lakey Beach Inn was the restuarant I went to most because the crew was funny and the food was great. Here's a photo with them on my last night there. I gave one of my buddies Jamaika a OC1503 shirt in exchange for a Sumbawa-Lakey Beach shirt. Also gave the grommets some boardies that didn't fit anymore. My friend Joey Barrel, local Rip Curl kid, is getting married June 18th and I plan on going back to be there for it. I already miss all of the people I met there in that 10 day span. So glad I got this shot to remember them by.


Ok. I'm really tired now, it's been about 2 hours getting all this stuff up and the meters running. Until next time, keep on smilin'!

-wes-

Uluwatu Water Shots...finally!

So, it's Monday in Bali and I'm finally back from Sumbawa. I was there for 10 days with my friends Jon and Marco. Before I left to Sumbawa I got some great water shots from photographer Matt Colmar. There was no internet access on Sumbawa so I couldn't post these as soon as I wanted. I have a ton of shots and I'm going to post the ones that I like the most. Due to the small bandwidth here in Bali people get frustrated when someones uploading photos to the net. I'll do another post with my Sumbawa photos as well.

These shots are all from Uluwatu.





Hope you like the shots. I've got more from the beach, but there so expensive I need time before I can buy them. Thanks again for all the support and to Matty for the great times and amazing shots!

I'm back! Day 10...I think...

Wow, it's been a few days since the last time I blogged, and so much has happened. On the 1st of May a friend from Huntington Beach flew in from Perth, Australia. Matt, a photographer, will be staying with me for a few weeks here in Bali. And I couldn't be happier, he's a great guy and he loves getting in the water and getting photos of me surfing. I've got some great shots so far and should have them up asap. I've spent the last few days basically showing him around the area, getting him accustomed to his new surroundings. He's lucky, I wish I had someone to pick me up at the airport and show me to my hotel.

Well, here are some of my photos from the last couple of days.

This first photo is of Matt and I on our balcony just enjoying the Bali heat. We've been just talking about Orange County, mutual friends, and how much traveling means to us.


I took Matt to Uluwatu, where he got some great water shots and was even able to sell a few to some Aussies, making us some money for food and Bintang. This is a photo of the sunset at Uluwatu on that day. Simply priceless...



So today, Friday the 4th, we rented a truck and Salmon took us to Tanah Lot, a sacred Hindu Temple, and Monkey Forest, in Ubud. Here's a photo of us on our way. There's nothing like the driving in Bali, it's like the Indi 500 without seatbelts or an emergency medical team. But we're still smiling!


Our first stop, Tanah Lot, was the filming location for Raider's of the Lost Ark, or one of the Indiana Jones movies. It's been here for centuries, and a very respected and holy area. The temple is built on an outcropping rock formation. As you can see below, if the tide was high, there's no way off the temple. I could only imagine the storms that this place has survived.


One of the priests approached me on the beach and asked me to follow him. I grabbed Matt and he lead us over the reef to the temple. They asked us to drink the water of the holy temple, followed by a dosing of holy water, a simple prayer, placed rice on our forhead and a flower in our ear. It was a very surreal experience that I will never forget. I snapped a shot afterwards. Here it is.


On the way back to the car we saw this scooter, it had a great license plate and it's actually from the movie Indiana Jones.



Once we left Tanah Lot we headed for Monkey Forest. I've been waiting for that quite awhile and I can now say I don't want to see any more monkeys! Lol. Don't get me wrong, they're a great animal and fun to feed, but they're very aggressive and if you don't have food, well, they'll just take your hat, camera, glasses, whatever they want. I had this little bastard jump on my head and try to steal my hat. I had to take a photo of the little guy so I could remember the monkey who tried to steal my stuff. He seriously came down from a tree onto my head and I couldn't get him off. We all got a good laugh, I'm just glad I still have my hat!

Here's a photo of the rainforest that we were in. It really couldn't be any more beautifull, with monkeys swinging on the branches and greenery as far as you could see. What a great experience that was. Thanks for all your help Salmon!



Hope you liked the update, I will have my surfing photos shortly. We're trying to get them off of Matt's laptop. Hopefully tomorrow!

Day 6 in Bali...

Last night my buddy Salmon said he had some friends who work at the local bungy jumping facility located directly on the beach in Kuta where I'm staying. We were a little drunk so when he said he'd pick me up at 10am to go for a jump I said I'd do it, thinking it wouldn't pull through. But sure enough, Salmon and his girlfriend Elsi showed at Suka Beach Inn to take me at 10am on the dot. I'd just finished breakfast and the idea of bungy jumping from 50 metres in the air wasn't to thrilling. Not to mention I have a nasty fear of heights.

But after a few Bintangs and a couple of smokes, I said, "What the fuck, I'm in Bali right?"

Here's me going for a big dive, looking over Bali, with a beautiful view of volcanoes, rice paddies, and surf as far as the eye can see.

The feeling of jumping off the ledge was by far the scariest thing I've experienced in my entire life.

After that first jump I couldn't feel my entire upper half of my body, I was numb from the excitement.

After the first jump they made me go again, I think just to get another good laugh at my face before jumping. Only this time the owner, Reese, an Aussie, made me go backwards. Pretty much the raddest shit I've ever done.

You can't see it in these shots, but there's a pool at the bottom of the jump. On this one my hands hit the water, I guess my last jump loosened up the rope. Reese knew I'd hit it, he just thought it'd be funnier if I didn't see it coming.

This shot below is from the poolside patio, putting a little perspective on how high I actually was. You can barely see me 150 feet in the air.

After that we sat around and pretty much smoked a pack of Durangs, trying to get our heartbeats back to normal. I spoke to Reese, and he's gonna hook all the boys up when they get here. Yeah, you guys are all taking this plunge too! hhahahaha

When you're bored in Bali you sticker up you and you're buddies rides, OC1503 style. And yes we'll run you over on one of these bad boys if you don't get out of our way.

Salmon loves the gear I've been flowing him. Here he's sporting his new HSS shirt and his future board when I'm done with my trip. Gonna teach him to surf tomorrow after I surf Uluwatu in the morning. Hope you liked the photos of the bungy experience, I will never forget it. Thanks to Reese and the buys at 66 Club Bali for the hookup.