Oka Point is for the girls: Foiling in Indonesia

July 17, 2023

Two weeks after tossing our graduation caps into the air, my best friend Presley and I decided to venture to Bali for what was initially planned as a two-week escape. Little did we know that this adventure would lead us on an unforgettable journey spanning an entire month in Indonesia. We both grew up on Lake Austin and were fortunate to have lake access throughout our college careers at the University of Texas at Austin. We spent most of our weekends behind boats foiling with our closest friends. We both love our chill vibe of pumping around rollers generated by our big boats full of our girlfriends listening to a curated playlist and, of course, a cooler full of white claws & beer. When we caught wind, we could foil in Bali - we were ecstatic. We booked our foiling sessions through the Rip Curl School of Surf in Sanur. Kipli, our instructor, was thrilled when he learned we could hold our own on the foil, and we became immediate friends. We spent many days foiling with Kipli at Oka Point the next month.

My first time at Oka Point was unforgettable. There was a swell that weekend, and the waves were well overhead. Presley and I have traveled our fair share, but we landlocked Texas girls have never surfed or foiled waves that big, let alone been so close to waves of that nature in our lives. Kipli pulled us into some decent size waves towards the beginning, but by the end of our day, we were all hooting and hollering as he was towing us into the biggest waves of each set. That day set the tone for Presley and me for the rest of the trip. I will never forget Kipli laughing while launching me into a massive wall, yelling, “Go big or go home.”. From that moment on, Presley and I became stoked about ocean foiling, and it was crystal clear we would be staying in Indonesia longer than we told our family & friends.

As the month unfolded, we returned to Oka Point for more unforgettable foiling sessions with Kipli. Each time we hopped into the tiny towboat, the atmosphere was filled with laughter, encouragement, and an undeniable camaraderie. Our foiling skills kept progressing, and the positive vibes kept us returning for more! P and I would take turns hanging on the boat, and towing each other in. Kipli taught us the art of “Yo-ing,” making big turns and carving on the waves to generate more speed. We both quickly got the hang of this new art form as we were, *excuse my colorful language*, hauling ass while connecting our turns. The best part of each of our foil sessions was the friendship the three of us shared. Presley and I have been best friends since the 6th grade when I moved to Texas, and we can’t help but give each other a tough time with anything. Kipli couldn’t help but join in either and comment on our foil style. Presley rides with her back knee a little knocked in, but not to worry; it’s just her style, and we love it. I ride in a full squat and always throw my back arm out when I turn, like a stiff arm. Nonetheless, we could hold our own at Oka Point and were eager to be in any wave Kipli would throw us into. We could ride any wave out and extend our ride time by pumping back to other waves.

More often than not, we had Oka Point to ourselves. There would be another occasional tow boat out there, but nobody had quite the energy of our crew. I am sure the whole beach of Sanur could hear my team out there. Nothing is more special in any sport than the beauty of the nature surrounding you and the people you are with. There was not one wave that we rode without hearing a “yew” from the tow boat or Kipli yelling at us to “Yo” in a certain direction. If there were other people out there, it would typically be older men, and I could imagine their confusion of seeing Presley and I *respectfully* ripping the same size waves as them. Our hands quite literally were stuck in a shaka sign with full seriousness. It’s not every day that you see two girls tow foiling in Bali; we felt that. That’s why we would laugh and yell, “Oka Point is for the Girls… & Kipli!”. So with that being said, my deepest apologies if you heard two Texas girls disrupting the peace at Oka Point in June. But in our defense, the stoke was real. We will absolutely be returning to Bali in the future and it would not be a trip without foiling with Kipli at Rip Curl School of Surf. I have never been so grateful for a trip and the people I met during my time in Indonesia.

XO,

Weez