When planning a surf trip one envisions gliding down the face of a crystal clear perfect reeling wave shortly after having your passport stamped at immigration. But the reality is that travel of any kind involves a fair bit of missioning before one can lavish in the fact that you find yourself in tropical paradise.

Day One:

Exiting the airport in Denpasar, Bali is like being slapped in the face with a damp, sun-warmed towel infused with the sweet smell incense. Arriving in a foreign country with a sleeping tablet hang over is not ideal when having to negotiate taxi fares to your hotel. Remembering that we are in a land where karma rules, we put our haggling with our taxi driver to rest and agree upon a rate to get us to our room in Balangan. After 17 hours of traveling we find ourselves in gridlock. Over an hour of weaving through the unorganized throngs of traffic, we arrive at the paradise of Balangan Garden Bungalow.

Minutes later we are in our bikinis and strolling down to the beach. The sight of golden sands washed by azure blue waters make us finally feel that our trip has started. The waves are small, crumbling and crowded so getting our ‘bronze on’ shifts to No. 1 priority. Ah the beauty of a ‘girls surf trip’.

We finish the afternoon with a celebratory Bintang and Nasi Goreng whilst watching the sun melt into the dense tropical storm at sea. We make it back to our bungalow seconds before the heavens open.

Bintang and Nasi Goreng

Day two:

The waves are a little better and less crowded so we paddle out for our first surf of the trip. A set wave breaks on my head and washes over me like soft bubblebath water- quite different from the heavy cold water beatings we’re accustomed to in the Cape. I pop out the back of one such wave giggling and revel in the thought that we have two whole weeks of this. We catch a couple of fun, fast rides before heading into the madness that is Kuta. Two hours is more than enough for us to get our fix of Asian-Western mayhem before escaping back to the tranquility of Balangan.

Balangan Beach Surf Spot 

Day three:

A seemingly life-threatening 4- hour car journey from Balangan spits us out along the Western edge of Bali at the seaside village of Medewi, famed for its long, rippable left hand point. We arrive at our surf camp close to sunset, greeted with howling onshore winds and soupy looking seas. Surrendering to the fact that it is going to be a day without waves we reach for a Bintang and enjoy a traditional Balinese fish barbecue for dinner.

Day four:

The Medewi Boardriders have secured the Point for the day leaving us transplants scrambling for close-outs at an average beach break a short walk from the camp. A combo of reading, eating and chatting to fellow campers follows. Oh what bliss to have no ‘urgent and pending matters’.

Chilling at Brown Sugar Surf Camp.

Day five:

6:30am surfs up and we’re frothing for some good waves. A great morning session follows. The waves are so long that your legs start to burn. The comradery in the water is great as we all hoot for each other with each drop and turn.

Surfing Medewi Point, Indonesia Medewi Point Break, Bali.

Day six:

The waves are pumping again. A two hour morning session is followed by a quick breakfast refuel before paddling out for another two hours of bliss. By 5pm I sit Bintang in hand  singing out loud to Lady Gaga feeling completely accomplished with two surfs and a massage under the belt. This is the life.

Medewi Point Break.

Day Seven:

It’s raining. Properly pouring down. And has been since 5pm yesterday. We drive down to the Point for a surf check. Neptune serves up mushy, chocolate milkshake coloured waves. Not quite the tropical perfection we’d signed up for. Hesitant to brave the murky waters we head back to camp. It’s only 9am and it feels like its going to be a very long day. Two hours later we find ourselves geared up and navigating the treacherous river crossing neccesary when approaching the Point by foot from camp. The sight of a man relieving himself upstream sends my lower limbs into a faster cyclical motion. Amazing all three of us make it across without being washed out to sea. The paddle out is tough. Strong sideshore winds and cross current has us all paddling for the dark grey horizon and seemingly not gaining any distance. We somehow manage to catch a few foam balls that dissipate into flat water. We are amongst twenty or so hopefuls waiting for that one perfect wave to end the session. But alas the paddle of shame after a lame ride in the foam is how it all ends. A worthwhile mission none the less. You never know unless you go.

Tomorrow we depart for the next part of our adventure to the beautiful, tranquil island of Nusa Lembongan. Part two of our adventure to follow.

It’s May in the Western Cape-the horizon starts to fade to deep shades of charcoal. Sandals are replaced with comfy Ugg boots and the post-surf beer is exchanged for a warming cup of hot chocolate. It’s time to head northwards-direction equator where the sun rays have not yet given way to winter’s icy harshness.

A short plane ride away and we find ourselves weaving our way through the maze of sugar cane plantations. A green mamba writhes its way across our path. Before I can even reach for the camera it has climbed to the top of an avocado tree. A cow lazily lifts its head as our rental car kicks up dust in its face.  The road deteriorates to knee deep sandy soil that our cheapo rental manages to negotiate effortlessly. In front of us Neptune serves up a tasty appetizer of a 3-4ft reeling right hand point break.

We dust off our 3:2 mm wetsuits, replace the wax on our boards and scurry down through the dense vegetation, across the railroad tracks over a makeshift football field and onto the sand. The rock jump looks sketchy. We hope there’ll be a local to show us the way. But alas, there is no one else around. One set, two set, three…paddle, paddle, paddle, scratch over the 4th set to the backline. I feel my hair-it’s dry.

Warm water. Bath water. Long, rippable, clean walls. Just the two of us. The land breeze bringing with it the sweet treacle-like smell of burning sugar cane. Like clockwork, the mid-morning onshore sets in, signaling the end of the day’s session. My arms are thankful.

The days that follow we awake with the sunrise. The swell continues to roll in from the South. We surf until we’re tired. Not because we’re freezing. What a treat for a Cape Town born surfer.

Six days later I’m donning my 4:3mm steamer and scraping off that warm water wax. 30 guys out in the line up-I go for a paddle anyway. No dodgy rock jump or bait bins. Perfect, icy, sand bottomed straight-handers. An hour later and the ‘claw’ sets in. Time to get out. I slip into those cosy, Ugg boots and warm up with hot chocolate. I feel refreshed and alive from the inside-the feeling only a cold water surf can give you. As the sun dips into the horizon, the sky ignites into brushstrokes of luminescent orange and pink. Lion’s Head winks at me as if to welcome me home.

As Capetonian surfers we are spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing a spot to surf. The way the Cape Peninsula juts out into the Atlantic ocean creates two defined coastlines known locally as ‘the Atlantic’ and ‘False Bay’ sides.

The Atlantic side of the Peninsula would include spots such as Big Bay (Bloubergstrand) and Milnerton. The ‘False Bay’ side would include Muizenberg and Strand. There are an array of other surf spots along these coasts, however we have only made mention of those spots suitable for beginner to intermediate surfers.

Once you have done our ‘Uber-Stoked’ 4- surf lesson package and feel confident to paddle out into the appropriate beginner surf on your own, it’s time to start understanding the way the geography of the Cape Peninsula affects the prevailing wind and swell conditions (and in turn the surf).

Starting with the element we as Capetonians are very familiar with-the wind

An ‘offshore’ wind is a wind that blows from the shore to the ocean. Generally, this is the most desirable wind condition for most surf spots as an offshore wind grooms the face of the wave into a smooth wall and assists in ‘holding’ the wave up so one can usually surf it longer. Offshore winds are characterized with a plume of white spray blowing off the back of a wave.

Wind is named from the direction from which it blows i.e. a South Easterly wind blows from the South East. If you look at the diagram below, it is clear that a South Easterly wind will result in ‘onshore’ conditions on the False Bay coast, and ‘offshore’ conditions on the Atlantic coast. The converse is true when a North Westerly wind blows i.e. it will be ‘onshore’ along most beaches on the Atlantic Coast and ‘offshore’ in False Bay. This is a very general statement. When you improve your level of surfing and start venturing out to other surf spots, you may find certain spots along these coastlines that ‘work’ in supposedly onshore conditions.

Swell direction (along with height and period) is the other factor one needs to consider when choosing a spot to surf. Swell is generated by low pressure systems that form along the ‘Roaring Forties’ i.e. at 40 degree south of the equator. The high winds that are generated by these low pressure systems displace of water (in a similar fashion to the ripple effect that is created when you blow on the surface of your cup of coffee). This displacement of water sends out powerful ‘ripples’ or bands of swell into the ocean.

This swell then moves until it finds landfall. The trough’s of the swell are slowed down by the continental shelf (ocean floor), causing the crests to catch up resulting in a breaking wave.

The beaches where one will find the best waves, will depend on the direction in which the swell approaches the Peninsula as well as the wind that is blowing at the time. i.e. generally, a South Westerly/Westerly swell (the most predominant swell direction along the Cape Peninsula) with a period of 12s or more, combined with a South Easterly wind produces better waves along the Atlantic Coast.

However, these are broad statements. As you gain further insight into how waves are affected by the local geography and meteorology, you will find protected bays that shelter certain winds or that are exposed to any bit of swell that hits the Peninsula. These are kept as local’s secrets, the right of passage being many hours in the frigid Atlantic waters and many kilometers driven in search of the best spots.

There are various websites you can consult before hitting the road. At Stoked, we use a combination of www.windguru.com, and www.surfline.com There are also webcams set up around the Peninsula which you can find here:

If the surf is up, load up the boards and hit the road with a flask of coffee and some good tunes. As Cape Town surfers we often look for greener pastures hoping that the waves in the next bay will be better than our first spot check. Conditions can change quickly. We have learnt that if there are good enough waves in front of you, stop your search and paddle out. The only way to know-is to go.

So you’ve done the surf lessons bought the surfboard, know where to surf and now it’s time to get out there. Before setting foot into the ocean outside of the controlled surf lesson environment, there are a few golden rules that we encourage you to abide by to ensure a safe and enjoyable surf experience:

#1 Drive with care

Before you hit the road, make sure that your boards are tied down securely. There’s no need to speed, even if the waves are cranking. Be careful in parking lots at the beaches. Ensure there are no boards (or small children) behind your car before reversing out of your bay. If traveling through smaller coastal towns or the more rural areas of Southern Africa, drive with care.

#2 Study the surf and currents

We recommend watching the ocean for 5-10 minutes (or at least for a set or two) before paddling out, studying the currents and taking note of where the main peak is. Look out for any possible dangers like rock or reef. If it is the first time you are surfing a break, we recommend chatting to a local to ensure there’s no danger you may have missed. Most locals are happy to assist if you ask.

#3 Surf waves suited to your ability

Do not paddle out somewhere that is beyond your capability. Not only can you put yourself in danger, but you run the risk of putting fellow surfers in a dangerous position too.

Just got back from a morning of watching Cape Town’s local big wave chargers brave the ‘Dungeon’. 15-18ft mountains of ocean marched in from the roaring forties finding landfall at the famed Dungeons big wave surf spot just off the Sentinel in Hout Bay. This spot requires a specific combination of swell height and direction along with light winds for it to be possible for the surfers to paddle in to the waves rather than to tow in. Today Neptune smiled upon these guys producing a fantastic show drawing a crew of cameramen, safety jet skis and several boat loads of spectators. A whale even graced us with its presence as it came to investigate what all the deep ocean activity was about. Some surfers got steam rolled into the inside by massive sneaker sets. Several took some steep air drops into the pit. Some made it. Some ate it. Others returned to shore with broken boards. All of us left humbled by the power of the ocean. Here are some amateur shots capturing a bit of the drama:

Jetski lineup at Dungeons.

Dungeons Peak.

The Media Crew Dungeons Media Crew.

Bowling Dungeon Peak.

Dungeons Death Pit.

Dungeons surfer blown off the back of the wave.

Classic Dungeons.

Steep drop. But he made it.

Surfing Dungeons.

Pitching Dungeons Dungeons line up.

Starting at the Dungeon.

Chasing the foam. Dungeon Rider.

Dungeons Broken Board.

Skippering at Dungeons.

Over the falls and eating it.