The tide is getting high. I'm sitting in Froggy's Warung with a bunch of surfers from Italy, Australia and Indonesia. They all are Pros, waiting for the right moment to enter the water, preparing their board or fixing a broken leash. A quarter passes when the waves are covering the beach more, coming close to the warungs and hitting the wooden stilts. The time is ripe. It's time to go.
Welcome to Balangan Beach, Indonesia where the waves get high, and pro's come to have some fun.
The boards are waxed, muscles stretched, and faces covered in zinc. An hour passes, and the warung seems empty. Only the spectators remain. The waves have grown to a couple of meters on one of the world-renowned beaches with excellent surfing conditions. I got to admire the finesse, struggle and unbeatable power of the forces of nature. Of course, nothing is more powerful than Gareth McNamara's 33m wave surfing in Nazaré, Portugal. Yet, this is not at all the point. It's about connecting with the wild and uncontrollable, taming the forces of nature using only your skills, being laser-focused and remaining calm in the face of danger. That's the mind and body in synergy.
I was surfing on Pantain Balangan (pantai in Bahasa Indonesia language means 'beach') as a beginner a few times. I gained respect for how uncompromising nature can be. The surfers I've met struck me as really fit (ripped might be a better word here), patient, chilled and in the zone.
I learned that those last few traits were of significant importance. When riding a big wave or going into wipeout one needs to be calm and make decisions on the spot. Knowing how to duck dive or turtle roll can save much energy and reduce the risk of accidents. One of them is being short of breath due to excessive energy use - whether the body is smashed by tons of water or the brain intensely looking for a way to escape. Keeping calm and alert in those moments can work wonders.
Being able to spot a rip current and get out of it when getting back ashore can be a lifesaver. The mentioned traits enable one to conserve energy, think clearly and respond to what is happening. Sometimes the response might be doing nothing else than signalling for help or doing your best to work with the forces of nature. All in all, you are there to have fun and get a few adrenaline shots.
When thinking about the above, I sit under one of the beach restaurants leaning against one of the stilts. Stray dogs running in front of me with the otherwise empty beach. Above me, the surfers chilling with a nasi goreng and a coconut while others walking down to the beach through the wooden stairs next to me. They start with a short warmup. Some prefer yoga for that while others something they learned at the gym. Afterwards, they stand still and observe the waves in search of the perfect entry point. It can take a while for the sea to get calmer. Then, it takes them 5 minutes or less to get to the point break where the magic happens when they are ready. I continue to watch.
Each surfer has their own style and board, as well as the way they approach waxing. Most of the Pros I've seen prefer to use shortboards which are much leaner and better suited to counter the wave when faced with whitewater. Yet, some also went for the classic longboards or even SUP boards that come with a paddle. For me, it does not matter that much. I came here to tune in with nature and watch women and men do amazing things paying respects to Poseidon and fine-tuning their senses.
Life at Balangan has a distinct rhythm to it. Nobody's rushing or being rushed. The cycle of high and low tides dictates the day. When the sea recedes and uncovers the reef, the local fishermen go hunting for smaller sea creatures. Only some surfers use it as an opportunity to catch waves that break far away from the shore yet very close to the naked reef. When the water is high, it reaches the stilts of warungs making it unsafe to use the beach below yet exciting.
Late evening when it's already pitch black, is when everything comes to a halt. Surfers are long gone. Local fishermen are back home resting. The stars and the moon are the only guiding light for anyone willing to take a stroll. The only thing that continues is the perpetual motion of the sea. Unconquered yet tamed. The distinct sound continues just like a serenade dedicated to all the people who it had fed, carried on its shoulders and delivered safely to shore. I sit there looking at the heavens reflections in the water, getting carried away by this music with an empty mind yet a full heart.
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