Finding My Surf Groove with Ketut Dana

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SANUR SURFING

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If you’ve ever struggled with surfing or felt like it’s not for you, I can’t recommend Ketut enough. He’s not just a surf coach — he’s someone who knows how to make you feel confident and relaxed in the water. Whether you’re a complete beginner or looking to improve your skills, Ketut and Baby Reef might just be the game-changer you need.

I still remember the first time I tried surfing back in 2018. A friend of mine, who had been surfing for a while, invited me to join him at Berawa. I was excited but also nervous. The excitement didn’t last long, though — I got completely wiped out, over and over, like I was stuck in a washing machine. It was exhausting and honestly, pretty scary. After that experience, I told myself that maybe surfing just wasn’t for me.

Fast forward to last year — I decided to give surfing another shot. It had been sitting at the back of my mind for years, and I felt like it was time to face that fear. I started trying again at Kuta, but it still didn’t feel right. The waves were rough, and I wasn’t really improving. That’s when my friend Tiara told me about her surf coach, Ketut Dana. She said, “Better you tried to surf in Sanur with Ketut, kak. He patient, and help me to calm my fear in the water”. I figured it was worth a try.

I contacted Ketut and set up a session with him in Sanur, at a spot called Baby Reef. From the moment we met, Ketut was super friendly and professional. He took the time to explain the basics — things like technique, safety, and wave reading — things I surprisingly never learned in my previous lessons in Kuta.

That first session at Baby Reef was incredible. The waves in Sanur were so different from the beach breaks in Kuta and Canggu. The reef break gave me time to breathe and think before popping up on the board. It wasn’t as intense as the beach breaks, and that really helped me find my balance. I caught a long wave that day, and for the first time, I felt like I was actually surfing, not just surviving the ocean.

Ketut was so patient and encouraging. He could tell I was still carrying some fear from my earlier experiences, and he knew exactly how to help me work through it. When I wiped out, he didn’t let me get discouraged — instead, he’d laugh it off with me and remind me of what I was doing right. That kind of support made a huge difference.

Since that session, I’ve kept coming back to Baby Reef. Surfing there feels like a completely different experience compared to the chaotic waves of Kuta or Canggu. There’s something about the rhythm of the waves in Sanur that just makes sense to me. I finally understand why people get hooked on surfing — it’s not just about standing up on the board, it’s about finding that connection with the ocean.