I’ve been hunting waves around the globe for 30 years. I’m no stranger to a good, feral surf trip in pursuit of perfect rides. Given this context, there was something magical about our first Unifoil team trip to Bali. From the logistics, to the surf, to the crew, it was the best and most gratifying travel experience I’ve ever had. And it wasn’t just the waves, a large part I credit to my new teammates and their massive good vibes.
The only real hiccup I experienced were the flights from Florida to Bali. My first connection was canceled and it set off a chain reaction of flight rebookings that had me crisscrossing the globe, consuming two full days of travel and a delayed board bag. But from there on, everything went mint.
Even with the delays, I still managed to arrive a day ahead of my fellow team riders and catch a warmup session with the Unifoil General Manager, Toby Atkins. We previously only knew each other through Zoom, so what better way to get acquainted than a jet lagged session at Oka Point, Sanur, in well overhead waves. I instantly knew Toby and I would get along great when I watched him lay down a deep power turn on a 6ft wave, fueled by tree-trunk-legs, a Ragnar Lothbrok ponytail, and matching viking beard; his past life as a professional surfer was immediately apparent. Toby rips and was referred to as Lars The Viking throughout the rest of the trip.
The following day
