Three waves that are likely etched in three surfers’ memories. Photos: YouTube//Screenshot
Uluwatu is one of the most famous waves on the planet. Although it has been breaking for far longer, the surfing world was mostly unacquainted with it until the mid-70s, when Gerry Lopez was lucky enough to stumble across it.
The place was nearly empty, as the tourism industry hadn’t realized just how amazing it is, and Lopez was lucky enough to spend a short while enjoying the silence.
“We discovered the biggest candy store for surf there could ever be,” Gerry Lopez said in the 1975 film Chasing the Lotus. “We were completely and utterly just blown away by not only the quality but the consistency of the surf and the lack of people.”
Now, of course, it’s a whole different story. When it breaks, it can be overrun. It’s still about as perfect as a wave can get, though, and in this short video from Surfers of Bali, a YouTube channel that has a pile of footage of Uluwatu, three of the best waves in the last few years are on display.
“They all start around Main Peak,” Surfers of Bali wrote, “and rifle down the reef towards the Racetrack.”
The surfers are Adrian Buchan, William Aliotti, and Usman Trioko, all of whom are obviously very familiar with Uluwatu’s perfection.
