Surfing Uluwatu in 1975 - From Chasing The Lotus Film
Vložit
- čas přidán 29. 08. 2024
- A cinematic journey around the world covering over 40 years of surf discovery ( 1960 to present) as captured by two underground surf cinematographers Greg Weaver and Spyder Wills. Narrated by Jeff Bridges. With epic unseen super 8mm footage of surfers Gerry Lopez, Sunny Garcia, Herbie Fletcher, Stacy Peralta, Rory Russell and many other surf legends.
I first arrived on Bali in August, 1979. I was 28 and turned 29 there the next month. Many of the Balinese surf breaks that are now crowded and well known now were places I explored and surfed by myself. Uluwatu was about a two mile hike along a dusty trail from where you parked your rented motorbike then. There was one thatched warung atop the cliff. Clambering down the bamboo ladder into the cave you paddled out from was always interesting. Many days I surfed there with only a few people out. I spent two months in Bali and Nusa Lembongan that trip chasing waves.
I returned to Indonesia in 1981. That trip I made to the little known island of Nias off the coast of Sumatra. Killer right hander. It pumped every day for the two weeks I was there. It was 15-18 feet Hawaiian on the first day and no one out. I had an 8’4” pintail gun that my buddy, the late Dick Catri, made. It rocked.
Two weeks on Nias. Then on to Bali where I stayed for 2 1/2 months before heading to North Shore Oahu for a three month winter stay there. I made it to Oahu every winter for years back then.
I was very fortunate to have been able to travel like I did. Caught epic waves. Had epic wipeouts. Saw beautiful sunrises and sunsets at beautiful beaches around the world.
You mentioned Dick Catri. He was a tremendous help to me when I visited his surf shop touring with my film (Bali High). He told me he always dreamed of going to Neas. Did he ever make it?
@@MrIsomer Dick never made it to Nias, but he sure enjoyed seeing the photos I took there. He was a great guy. I always enjoyed his company when we got together.
this is epic - more tales like this pls
Youd know d kelly right?
Hey , same time I went there , August 16, 1979.
It was like going back in time ,,,but not any more unfortunately.
I surfed Uluwatu in 1901. I used a wooden plank and my boardshorts were made of wool.
I surfed Uluwatu in ‘92 before all the hotels, restaurants and bars were built. It’s an epic wave that’s been overrun with too many people. I can only imagine what it was like in the ‘70’s…
First time I went was 97', just huts on the cliff, great memories. probably a Starbucks there now
Very rare footage. Thank you for posting!
Surfed Ulu one evening, small racetrack about 3 to 4 foot. A guy wearing a tinted dive mask was getting a couple and I talked to him for a few minutes before I realised it was Mr Lopez. Asked him about the mask and he said his eyes were fried from years of surfing and the mask helped him out. Pretty cool guy, surfs well, very polite. Nice afternoon.
I went and surfed there for the first time in 75. I sat across from Jerry Lopez and Jan Michael Vincent on the plane. Jan was from my home town. I think they were shooting scenes from Big Wednesday. I don’t know if that was this particular time, but when I was there Rory Russell was there, and was really being cool, because I was intimidated to go out with these guys because they were legends, and I felt like a kook. Uluwatu was a Goofy footers dream after living around right point break heaven in California. That was a great experience.
You beat Wattsy down there Jay.?
I’d hardly label that being a kook…
Gerry & Rory, Hawaiian legends in reality, opened a can of worms for the surfing world! Without those videos, no one would know of Uluwatu & other Indo surf spots! Now its crowded but, the perfection is the same! Aloha
Muchas gracias por todo surfing años 1970
My wife went to bali 79 she said it was paradise then we went back 2017 and could not believe it now
I'm indebted to Spyder's partner, Greg Weaver, for setting me up with the water housing I used for my films. Great working with you down there Rory - good times...
...how about all those little dogs of bali
Totally indebted to those dirty little dogs!
I got to stay in Bali for almost two years druring the Pandemic. It was a blessing.
Thanks for posting this!
love this movie and StyleMasters probably my two favorite surf along with endless Summer.
My grandfather first surfed here in 1890
my son discovered and surfed Uluwatu in early 17th century already
I'd love to see the early days filmed and surfed at G-Land. great video of surfing history
The beginning was 1972 and the beginning of the end for the Bukit Peninsula it's peanuts, casava, corn, Uluwatu and Penang Penang was the 1981 Bali Pro that saw a track carved out for access. Not too sure we can be proud of that.
We went there in 96 and 98. Loved banana pancakes and mie goreng for a dollar😂
those banana pancakes were the best huh, 97' I went
at local warung is still 1$ today..
Was there surfing in June '75, had malaria (from Thailand), To me, it was crowded, with fellow Aussie boys then.
😂😂
Good story
Fantastic footage. My hasn’t the country changed
Amazing that the wave is exactly the same.
My surfing heros.
They surfed on single fin slug boards...can you imagine the footage IF they had modern day tri fins?
epic
You have the good stuff 😊
I surfed there and the mentawai s in 1995 no hotels at ulu.none on the mentawai islands we surfed.as we were leaving the search 2 crew was arriving good times.
it was one of the trips where laird and gerry saw G-land from the plane and decided to explore it...
A time when surfing was about adventure and not business.
What year this vid dude. You got typing cramps?
Crew been surfing Bali for 10+ years before you got there in 75 with your cameras.... now look at it...Legends you are for sure, just not in the way you think.
And the European tourists were here 30 years before that😂
@@russelldavies1423 my son was there already in the early 17th century
Yeah sure 😂@@ericlange1524
The population of the world was half it is then. Everything changes man, we gotta just change with it.
I meet so many surfers a generation above me who are so pissed all the time that the lineup isn’t 4 people anymore. It’s a shit place to be at. Just accept it’s a popular sport and everyone does it and just do some other fun shit instead of being pissed about it. Way easier.
Legend comment
💖
81 to 98 for me surfed ulus 5x a week.....never going back its a zoo now
Gerry wasn,t the first to surf it either.
Yep, aussie found it
Pre-“development”: Heaven 🤷🏻🤩
It really is a crime that a person (or persons) can gather funds + ‘approval’ & permanently deface a wonderful slice of the natural world 🗺️ 🤷🏻♂️
Shame it is now ruined.
Alot of empty waves up to jembrana, lots of rivermouths unsurfed
leave them alone ffs. we dont need to fuck everything up until there is nothing left
Gerry ! Ha ha . Incredibly beautiful style . Just ask him . Met him in LA at the shop I surfed for . He actually had the balls to tell Terry he wanted to surf “ the Ranch “ Only way in was with a land owner……… Terry “ Natural Progression “
Terry “ why should I ? You’re no friend of mine “!
Self proclaimed legend very big fat head . Now ? Hopefully he’s found some humility with age 🤞
Jan Michael Vincent was a loser. I worked with him in the studios. Never seen anybody ruin a great gig as bad as him.
This is now the Uluwatu (off season) czcams.com/video/Jn1PD47wSBg/video.html
Rory surfing had really not much style in his surfing so many guys back then had amazing style takiyama,, Dobson,, Gary Beecher from Encinitas and his brother mike so many rippers back in the 80