Perth based photo-journalist Ric Chan started going on surf trips to Bali in the early 80s. In 1985 he was lured to Bali to help set up and run Cheaters Night Club in Kuta’s entertainment strip, near the famous Peanuts Club.
Ric lived in Bali until ’91 and then returned to his native NZ after his wife Sami passed away. Ric and his sons Taron & Tao settled in NZ’s North Island.
This is a glimpse of Ric’s 80’s Bali photo gallery and a taste of quieter times in Bali.
Ric Chan – Peter Neely is an old mate who was in Bali when I was there.
Peter runs the web site INDO SURF and LINGOwww.indosurf.com.au and has provided background comments on some of Ric’s Bali pics.
Photo: 1985 Poppies Lane Kuta Bali
Peter Neely – This is on the corner of the main road Jalan Legian. You’d often see ritzy older tourists from Sanur being dropped by taxi there, on their way to Poppies Restaurant, but looking confused and a little bit scared at how small and dark the lane is.
Back in 1975 the owner of Poppies ran a power lead 100 metres from the restaurant to this corner, then placed a neon “Peter’s Icecream” sign on the ground. It was the only bright light in the entire village. It was the only safe place to eat icecream as they had electricity before any other cafes which still used metre-long blocks of ice which were delivered every other day from the city’s Denpasar iceworks. Rumours said the ice was made with polluted water direct from the filthy Denpasar river, so everyone was told “Don’t put ice in your drinks”.
Photo: 1985 The Doggies Bar & Restaurant Kuta
Photo: 1985 The Pub & Bali Indah Restaurant Kuta
Photo: 1980 Sri Lanka surf break just north of Nusa Dua, on the south coast of the Benoa peninsula.
Photo: 1980-83 Bali Nusa Dua aerial pic.
Peter Neely – A small day with Outside Nusa Dua reeling off at around 6 foot, but hardly breaking at the secret Nikko reef in the foreground. Now overbuilt with hotels and breakwaters.
Photo: 1980 Balinese surfer at Kuta
Photo: 1980 Balinese surfer at Kuta
Peter Neely – The curly hair makes me think this is Bali’s first official “champion” surfer Wayan Sudirka. He stood out with a smooth flowing style, learnt from Gerry Lopez and his Hawaiian buddies.
Perth based photo-journalist Ric Chan started going on surf trips to Bali in the early 80s. In 1985 he was lured to Bali to help set up and run Cheaters Night Club in Kuta’s entertainment strip, near the famous Peanuts Club.
Ric lived in Bali until ’91 and then returned to his native NZ after his wife Sami passed away. Ric and his sons Taron & Tao settled in NZ’s North Island.
This is a glimpse of Ric’s 80’s Bali photo gallery and a taste of quieter times in Bali.
Ric Chan – Peter Neely is an old mate who was in Bali when I was there.
Peter runs the web site INDO SURF and LINGO www.indosurf.com.au and has provided background comments on some of Ric’s Bali pics.
Photo: 1985 Poppies Lane Kuta Bali
Peter Neely – This is on the corner of the main road Jalan Legian. You’d often see ritzy older tourists from Sanur being dropped by taxi there, on their way to Poppies Restaurant, but looking confused and a little bit scared at how small and dark the lane is.
Back in 1975 the owner of Poppies ran a power lead 100 metres from the restaurant to this corner, then placed a neon “Peter’s Icecream” sign on the ground. It was the only bright light in the entire village. It was the only safe place to eat icecream as they had electricity before any other cafes which still used metre-long blocks of ice which were delivered every other day from the city’s Denpasar iceworks. Rumours said the ice was made with polluted water direct from the filthy Denpasar river, so everyone was told “Don’t put ice in your drinks”.
Photo: 1985 The Doggies Bar & Restaurant Kuta
Photo: 1985 The Pub & Bali Indah Restaurant Kuta
Photo: 1980 Sri Lanka surf break just north of Nusa Dua, on the south coast of the Benoa peninsula.
Photo: 1980-83 Bali Nusa Dua aerial pic.
Peter Neely – A small day with Outside Nusa Dua reeling off at around 6 foot, but hardly breaking at the secret Nikko reef in the foreground. Now overbuilt with hotels and breakwaters.
Photo: 1980 Balinese surfer at Kuta
Photo: 1980 Balinese surfer at Kuta
Peter Neely – The curly hair makes me think this is Bali’s first official “champion” surfer Wayan Sudirka. He stood out with a smooth flowing style, learnt from Gerry Lopez and his Hawaiian buddies.
Photo: 1985 Sami & Ric Chan Jimbaran Bay
Photo: 1985 Uluwatu surf break & warungs
Photos: 1980s Uluwatu cave. (Left) Steve ‘Hog’ Hannett descending bamboo ladder.
Photo: 1980 Uluwatu wave on low tide.
Photo: 1985 Uluwatu surf break view from Warung on the cliff.
Photo: 1985 Bali sunset through palm trees
Coming soon 1980s Bali Photo Gallery by Ric Chan with comments from Peter Neely #4
You can inquire on the SDS Web & Facebook sites to view Ric’s previous Bali photo galleries.
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