Community

21 November 2011, Kuta-Bali: Balangan Beach on Bali’s Bukit Peninsula was the final destination for the last Surfer Girl and Oddyseys Big Day Out trip of 2011 on Sunday November 20, which saw almost 20 surfer girls ranging from age 11 to 40 years old meeting up for a day of hanging out, chatting, swimming, eating and of course surfing together on a beautiful and sunny day in paradise.

The waves were pumping at Balangan Beach in the morning at low tide, a little too pumping as it turned out, so the girls elected to hang out in the warung for a bit and then go for a swim in the lagoon to work up an appetite for lunch.  After lunch, 4-time Indonesian Women’s Champion Yasnyniar “Bonne” Gea kept eying the lefthanders cracking across the reef and was keen to give it a go, but a suggestion by 9 year old Tiana’s father Cacho soon had the crew packing up and heading over to one of Bali’s most beautiful and popular beaches of Padang-Padang, where some more mellow 2 footers were rolling in.  And although it was a bit crowded, most of the girls managed to catch a few and with the beach blazing at close to 40 degrees Celsius, it was a perfect way to cool off and enjoy the afternoon.

All too soon it was time to call it a day, so Michaela from Surfer Girl asked everybody to paddle in and gather on the beach for a group photo.  After posing for a great shot, everybody went back to the warung where in a fitting end to the first season of the Big Day Out, Michaela awarded Putri Ombak leader Stella with a Surfer Girl prize pack as a token of appreciation for her leadership and dedication to women’s surfing in Indonesia.  

Stella is the senior surfer in the group and has been supporting Surfer Girl and women’s surfing here in Bali since 2007, and when she was asked why she is so dedicated to the sport she answered, “I love surfing and have so much fun surfing with my friends, and I want to see more women surfing here in Bali and in Indonesia.  I want the surf industry to know that we are out here, surfing and enjoying life at the beach, and that they should always help and support to grow the sport of surfing here in Indonesia.  That’s why I always join in every woman’s surfing event and bring all my friends.  Plus we always have so much fun together!”

The Big Day Out program was started with two goals in mind:  The first was to create a stronger sense of community within the relatively small group of Indonesian women surfers, to encourage and empower them, and the second was to provide them with the opportunity to travel around and surf new and more challenging waves as a group. 

“We started the program in April of this year and so far we have gone to Balian, Medewi, Jasri, and now the Bukit, ” said Surfer Girl’s Michaela Partin.  “Most times we have from 15-20 girls joining in, all different ages and levels of ability, but they all support and encourage each other.  I think that’s what’s gotten me the most stoked on these trips, seeing the more experienced ones helping the less experienced ones catch waves and then congratulating them on a great ride.  That’s what surfing is all about, sharing the waves and the good times.  We’re seeing some great results too, as the number of girl surfers and even girls just interested in hanging out at the beach with the girls surfers is growing, and Surfer Girl is all about nurturing and supporting that growth. ”

Sister’s Pua and Kai are delighted to have such a program to be involved in.  “I love coming to these Big Days Out because we get to go surfing at different places and hang out with all the girls,” said Pua. Added Kai, “Ya, it’s really fun to get together like this, coz we surf and always have lots of fun…and we get to eat too!” 

The Surfer Girl and Odyssey Surf School Big Days Out 2011 is proudly sponsored by Surfer Girl and Odysseys School of Surf, and is fully supported by the Putri Ombak Indonesian women's surfing community. To learn more about these Big Day Out events, view photos, and read our stories from other trips, check out www.surfer-girl.com. 

For any inquiries on how to get involved, please email us at surfing@surfer-girl.com