Ol Keramas, Bali’s eastside jewel, has changed somewhat since me and a pal surfed it by ourselves, the wave revealed via a hand-drawn map from a surf photographer, back in the real early two thousands.
It wasn’t a total secret, not even close, but for a few days in 2003 we surfed it by ourselves, whiling away the days with reo contests, and races across the black sand to the single warung for dripping Coca-Colas pulled out of old buckets and supplemented with banana and honey jaffles.
Later, Kuta Boogie for titty kisses and manual relief.
Today Keramas features a lavish resort called Kommune that has a vast swimming pool and yoga lessons and delicious food and booze and luxury suites to ease the ache of trying to surf the celebrated right-hander with fifty manic locals.
In 2018 and 2019 it hosted a WSL event, the contest best remembered for Stephanie Gilmore’s sublime use of rails to score ten points and Kelly Slater’s promise to remove Filipe Toledo’s head from his shoulders.
The joint is under threat, howevs, after it was revealed in a Keramas Village meeting on Sunday that plans are afoot to install a marina and a floating restaurant.
The construction of a marina could “permanently destroy the surf break,” according to a statement from Komune Resort.
“Keramas is known as one of the best surfing locations in the world and has hosted three World Surf League events. This marina will permanently destroy the surf break, resulting in the loss of thousands of tourists each year and a devastating impact on the surfing industry in Bali.”
There ain’t a hell of a specifics on the marina and floating restaurant, including timelines, exact plans, or the status of approval from local authorities, so it’s hard to discern where the devil is, as they say.
The post Surfers rail against plan to build floating restaurant and marina at world famous Keramas in Bali appeared first on BeachGrit.
