indonesia - Bali - Legian - 2 April to 4 April 2011

Saturday 2 April 2011 – Australia and Legian - rain

Kumala Hotel – 275 000 double room standard
We left Terrigal at 12 noon. A friend Barb drove us to the airport in Sydney.

We arrived at the airport and checked in with no dramas. While at the airport we bought duty free alcohol for indo.
The flight seemed to go on forever but eventually we made it. Once outside we were greeted by Nyoman our driver. Straight away Marty (friend from Australia) suddenly appeared. He was on his way back to Australia after two weeks surfing Bali and Sumbawa. Great to see him and he was looking buff as well.

We checked into Kumala Hotel in Legian and I had a swim and we all went to bed.

Sunday 3 April 2011 – Legian - rain, windy, small onshore surf

After a jet lagged sleep, the girls and I had an early morning wander around the streets, down the beach and through a few hotels. I have never seen the beach so covered in rubbish. It was strewn along the low and high tide mark and there were massive piles towards to road end of the beach. Locals said it came from Java but I think it was probably blown back in from Bali as a lot of it was ice cream wraps etc that is mainly tourist-caused rubbish plus the rivers flushing out.

After breakfast, we headed off to a couple of shops, money changing and a sim card for the mobile.
Jacinta and I went to the domestic airport where we picked up our tickets for Flores, while the girls continued shopping on their own.

The girls continued their onslaught with hair braiding, fingernail painting and temporary tattoos.

Massage time. Hot stone massage was great @ 150 000 for 1 hour 40 minutes.

Off to beach front for dinner. We sat on the top deck of beach front restaurant and enjoyed the fire jugglers on the beach and the passing parade of people, all from the safety of above. The meals were excellent.

Monday 4 April 2011 – Legian and Balian - rain, head high surf

I had an early morning walk on the beach. I sat down for about a minute before a hello from behind revealed a girl/boy in a short skirt. He/she was very persistent but amusing. I continued my walk unmolested and safe in my purity.

Jacinta and I had breakfast and the girls went shopping.

Nyoman picked us up at 11am and with a few bakery stopovers we eventually got to Balian. The surf was up so I was out.

Batu Balian cottages – 700 000 per night for four people upstairs with two double fan rooms, sitting room and large verandah. It had good views of surf.

Transport - 350 000 rupiah Legian to Balian.

Met - Frank from USA and guy from Jersey USA

CENTRAL COAST - Birdie Beach - surf - 25 march 2011

Time to get away from the crowded surf. drove north and scored clean head high waves. the lefts were barrelling and occasionally a right. only a handful of guys. i took video after i got out but the wind had begun to shift and conditions were deteriorating.  great sunny day with heaps of great waves.

CENTRAL COAST - Wamberal - surf - 24 march 2011

some great waves though once again crowded.

 

personally, i had a shocker of a surf but others seemed to enjoy themselves.

CENTRAL COAST - Wamberal - surf - 23 march 2011

classic day. offshore winds. clean swell.

had a great time though there was a bit of a crowd.

CENTRAL COAST - Copacabana - surf - 22 march 2011

looking for waves day. drove up to shelley and back down to copacabana. copa looked a little tempting for a surf but it just didn't do it for me so i took videos instead.

the waves were a little mushy on the point but the power increase further down the beach.

CENTRAL COAST - Wamberal - surf - 12 march 2011

After week of surfing, i decided on a lay day today. I walked up the beach at wamberal to get some video and still shots. The surf was small and glassy. The crowd wasn't too bad and there were a variety of surfing instruments in the water... short boards, mals, sups, kneeboards, body boards... which leads to interesting interactions.

 

It took awhile to reach the waves as I seemed to be having a few chats along the way. I met this guy who been taking photos of the billabong pro and was on his way down to bells. interesting life!

I got some photos of Todd on his SUP and a few reasonable photos.

All in all a beautiful sunny morning.

 

AUSTRALIA - Lane Cove National Park - kayak - 17 February 2011

I had to Kara to North Sydney and wait. Luckily, Lane Cove National Park was only a twenty drive.

The traffic was amazing but once i turned into the entrance of the park tranquility reined. Once on the kayak, it was hard to beleive I was in the middle of Sydney. There were birds, massive fish, spiders, snakes and water dragons.

It was an excellent kayak!

AUSTRALIA - Bondi - 15 February 2011

My daughter and I had to make a trip to Sydney and wait till the afternoon. To fill in the time we caught a bus to Bondi. This was where I first started surfing so it was a history lesson for my daughter and glory days for me.

 

AUSTRALIA - Crescent Head - SOD reunion - february 2011

We recently had a reunion of the guys i was first surfing with at Bondi at Crescent Head. This year only a few of us could make it but we still had a good time.

day 1 - i got there late due to last minute problems but just in time for a pub meal and a few beers. later, we continued with more beers.

day 2 - waking up refreshed and ready to wave it, we headed along the back beaches of crescent. at delicate nobby the waves were fun and protected from the NE wind. After the surf we continued on checking the other places. We had made a good surf choice.

After our journey we headed back for lunch and beers. Dick headed back home.

By the late afternoon we were ready to try some different type of videoing which kept us all amused.

 

In the evening we went down to the bowling club and ate and had a few beers. after that, we drove back home for a few more beers.

Day 3 - Paul headed home early while we headed north for some waves. we seemed to get a bit lost at hungry head which was a hard thing to do. the wildlife was everywhere and roads and paths lead to bridges, headlands, camp areas. eventually, one lead to a protected beach where we had good waves on the right shore break but no images of waves.

After the surf, we came across a sex scene ...On my board!

On the way back, we stopped at the gladstone hotel for lunch and a few beers. back home, we continued drinking through the afternoon but stopped in the evening to have a meal and a few beers at the pub.

day 4 - i dropped Robbo at Dicks and drove home and beacon drove home to a house full of relatives.

Overall. a great time... good surf, good wildlife, good drinking, good friends. it doesn't get any better.

CENTRAL COAST - Wamberal - surf - 12 february 2011

The morning was glassy and small with a low tide. it was fun though there was a lack of quality waves.

CENTRAL COAST - Forresters beach - bansai - snorkel - 6 february 2011

A great sunny and hot morning. The surf was flat and the water at forresters looked inviting for a snorkel.

I went off the south end at banzai. There were a lot of fish and it was difficult snorkeling due to the strong water movement.