In Reply to: Safe surfing spots 15 year old posted by mickeydean on Monday, 3. December 2007 at 09:52 Bali Time:
Hey Mickey,
It's hard to know exactly how to advise you without seeing the youngster actually surf. There can be quite a difference in ability at 12 months depending on the person and amount of practice time.
1. The safest surfing will be around Kuta and Legian beach. These are beachbreaks (sandy bottom) so the danger of reef pounding is not there. Also, regardless of tide, if a surfer is having problems, he can always just coast in with the whitewater straight to the beach. This is a nice safe escape option that doesn't exist at many of the reef breaks.
2. Regardless of where he surfs, it is highly advised that he find a surfing buddy and they keep an eye on each other.
3. All of the reef breaks are very tide dependent. It is the most important information to have. So you must know the best tide situations for a particular surf spot and you need a tide chart. Note: Tide ranges can be huge from low to high and they can change very fast.
4. Prior to my first trip to Bali (solo) I bought (online) a book called Surfing Indonesia. It has a big Bali section. It was invaluable.
5. I encounter many beginner surfers at some of the reef breaks. Most of them survive the experience but there are some good reasons for them not to be there:
At the more advanced spots, it is hard to catch a wave, the surfers are very good, etc. thus, a beginner can sit out there for several hours and never get a wave. Then after frustration sets in they go for the wrong wave, get tossed and injured, or they drop in on another surfer, collision, injury, anger, fight, etc. Also, beginners frequently find themselves "in the way", again leading to dangerous situations, anger, etc.
6. When graduating from Kuta beach to the reef breaks, there is a "progression" to follow. I won't go into it all now but some reef breaks are "easier" and more beginner friendly and some are crazy difficult and dangerous for anyone.
7. After your young friend surfs kuta beach a few days, makes some friends, checks out the other reef areas, etc. He will start to get an idea about the places that are suitable for him. Tell him to take his time, be observant, note the dangers of each spot, watch how others get in and out of the surfing area, note the aggression of the surfers, difficulty of catching waves, seriousness of the wipeouts, etc. It's amazing how much you can learn by watching carefully for an hour or two (or three).
8. It makes a big difference what time of year you plan to be in Bali. The prevailing wind direction is a major factor in choosing a surf spot and the prevailing wind changes depending on the season.
8. A repeat: Know the surf spot and the tide situation. Especially know what the tide will be when you plan to return to the beach, it can be completely different from when you entered and it can be drastically more dangerous.
None of the above is meant to discourage the youngster. On the contrary, he should have a great time and hopefully be relatively safe at all times (as safe as sufing can be, I guess).
I am in Bali frequently and will very likely be there in April.. If I am there when you are, you are welcome to contact me, I will try to help the youngster if possible.
email me at bukitboy1@hotmail.com