The Best of The Bukit

Not only did the weekend mark the arrival of the swell of the year in Indonesia, it also saw the first solid session for the jewel of the Bukit Peninsula. Expectations were high, crowds were thick and the wave so good they named her twice, brought the goods.

"Jeeeezzz it was busy, I knew it was going be out of control but that's partly 'cos this season hasn't really kicked off yet," says Nick Chong after a day hustling for shacks of shacks. "It's pretty rare that a bump like this would last over 72 hours and stay juicy. Even though it wasn't huge, it still had a lot of energy which is what you need."

Nick Chong knifing off the bottom of Padang Padang a screamer.
© 2015 - Federico Vanno / Liquid Barrel

With neap tides keeping a fair bit of water on top of the reef all day, the usually more narrow window for Padang was wide open making every session a good session.
"She pretty much broke consistently on a nice mid to low for about 8 hours a day, so every session delivered some epic nuggets if you picked the right one," continues Nick. "I knew it would end up on Padang's doorstep at healthy 6ft. That's a lot of energy to push through and keep holding like that, even though the swell was a little south there were still some perfect nuggets that ran deep from second rock."

Pig dogging on an absolute whomper out the back at Uluwatu.
© 2015 - Federico Vanno / Liquid Barrel

The beach packed and the cliffs lined, half the island was there to either get a bomb or watch a bomb, and few went home empty handed.

"It's a pretty damn good feeling to get some Padang water time cause she's been sleeping for a while and a lot of surfers love and respect that wave," says Nick. "The waves of the day for sure were made by Adi Bol Putra. Every session, every day. No one even come close to him bro. He's hands down the best to ride Padang and does it with style and grace. He's an animal out there."

Adi Bol Putra
© 2015 - Federico Vanno / Liquid Barrel

Tumbling Sudiantara Padang.
© 2015 - Federico Vanno / Liquid Barrel

"It was pumping but I didn't get many waves, there were too many people out. Wish I had it all to myself," laughs Tumbling Sudiantara. "Tomorrow they said it will be a bit bigger, so I'm keen to get back out there then. I got a really good one but someone dropped in on me."

At 12-years-old Tenshi Ishii may be the youngest surfer to take on Padang Padang at this scale, and drawing perfect lines on set waves, what a champ.
© 2015 - Federico Vanno / Liquid Barrel

Tonyo Darmaputra locked in a Padang tunnel.
© 2015 - Federico Vanno / Liquid Barrel

Julian Wilson snags a few amongst the pack.
© 2015 - Federico Vanno / Liquid Barrel

Daniel Emslie Uluwatu Bombie
© 2015 - Federico Vanno / Liquid Barrel

"I didn't really know what to expect Saturday morning, there was a lot of talk about this swell for the last 2 weeks," recalls Daniel shortly after the above shot was taken. "I think it lived up to the hype, there was some big, really powerful waves. On Sunday i creased my board and banged my foot up a little coming so i had a lay day today. Hopefully we get a few more swells like that this season."

Mustofa Jeksen.
© 2015 - Federico Vanno / Liquid Barrel

Waves for days. The arrival of the swell of the year at Padang Padang.
© 2015 - magicseaweed

Demian Amar.
© 2015 - Federico Vanno / Liquid Barrel

"I was out there for 4 hours, trying to get the best one," tells Demien Amar. "For the first 2 hours I couldn't get one because I sat way to deep and somebody always dropped in on me. But luckily I got a couple. I expected I'd get more, but I can't complain,one good one is all you need."

Randy Dinar
© 2015 - Federico Vanno / Liquid Barrel

Gerry Lopez, Uluwatu Bombie
© 2015 - Federico Vanno / Liquid Barrel

Mattia Morri.
© 2015 - Federico Vanno / Liquid Barrel

"The Padang session was good, less scary than the Ulu's one in the morning," Mattia Morri said. "I always have a look at the Padang lookout and get put off by how many people there usually are out, but this time I didn't bother looking and went straight out, ended up getting 2 ok ones. Wish I'd paddled out earlier. I didn't have a plan really, I had my 7'2" in the car in case Ulu's was good and my 6'1" for Padang. Used both of them so it wasn't a bad day."

Sandi Slamet Padang:
"The waves were so clean and really hollow. I got my best waves from this swell at Padang for sure."
© 2015 - Federico Vanno / Liquid Barrel

Bete Merta.
© 2015 - Federico Vanno / Liquid Barrel

Mustofa Jeksen.
© 2015 - Federico Vanno / Liquid Barrel

Mustafa Jeksen: "Today was a great day, the perfect swell arrived and perfect direction for Bukit. This is what we want. I had really good session today. I hope tomorrow and the next I'll catch better bigger. My plan is to go to somewhere looking for something different and uncrowded. At the moment in our home always busy not just on road we get traffic, we get traffic in the water too."

Adi Bol Putra.
© 2015 - Federico Vanno / Liquid Barrel

Mega Semadhi
© 2015 - Federico Vanno / Liquid Barrel

Looking at the shots of Padang, you could draw the conclusion that the swell didn't arrive with the intensity that had been hoped. A quick look at Ulu's and those fears are put to rest.
© 2015 - Federico Vanno / Liquid Barrel

"This weekend was the first time this year that Padang Padang came to life," tells Kayu Viannaso. "All the boys were frothing to get a couple, which made it hard to share but when the good ones came it was worth the wait. Swell was a bit too South so some of the bigger ones wouldn't hit the bank properly, but I can't complain, I got some good waves and its always good to surf Padang with all the boys. My plan for other surfs this swell would be to try to surf Uluwatu bombies or outside corner, but I heard that Deserts was pumping also."

Rizal Tandjung Padang:
"Some sets were far too big for Padang, missing the reef and not barreling."
© 2015 - Federico Vanno / Liquid Barrel

"This was the best Bukit for two days swell of the year pretty much solid 5-7ft swell," standout of the weekend at Padang, Adi Bol Putra explains. "So glad I was at home for this swell I guess next swell I'm going to Lombok for Desert Point. It's a different challenge for me."

Mega Semadhi Padang: "This swell was big but really long gap between sets, 30-45 minutes."
© 2015 - Federico Vanno / Liquid Barrel

"I've been waiting for this session," says Sima. "I'm so happy i got the best and the bigger waves. The next waves will be bigger around Padang and G-land. I hope I can get them all."

Alfredo Dominguez behind the bushes at Padang

The Best of The Bukit

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