Bali Beaches Are Closed…Again

With the arrival of the Delta Covid-19 variant, the heaviest lockdown yet is in effect on Bali.

Beach closures, restaurants and bars closed, essential businesses shut by 8 pm, and anyone caught not wearing a mask is now risking deportation.

“It’s wild,” says White Monkey Surf Shop owner Pete Matthews, “Worst yet. Mason just split and I am still hosting Ian Crane and Crosby Colapinto. The big tourist beaches are closed. The out-of-the-way spots can still be surfed, but that’s about it.”

The current lockdown is currently in place until July 20^th. Despite this, there is good news. Project Nasi, the grassroots aid organization founded by Aussie surfers Sam Mahony and James Foley on Bali, is still tirelessly helping the neediest of locals get through this pandemic.

In the past year, Project Nasi has managed to provide over 280,000 meals to those who need it most. And with the latest and strictest lockdown to date on tap, conditions on the island feel like early 2020. Despite the current lockdown, Project Nasi has expanded its operations to Bali’s sister island of Nusa Lembongan. This new wave of restrictions has caused a dire need for baby food and supplies and also supplies for the elderly. Partnering with the Nusa Lembongan Boardriders Club, project Nasi is currently organizing boatlifts of badly needed supplies.

“Our boardriders club has stepped to the front of this emergency,” says the Boardriders Club’s president Komo Wilson. “We are such a small and humble island, but so many surfers have come and enjoyed our waves over the years. We are hoping now they will help our young and old that are in need of so much”.

The NLBC focuses on community needs, organizing and delivering the food and supplies once they hit the beach. “It’s heartbreaking sometimes to hear of the people’s trouble,” continues Komo. “But us local surfers are working hard to keep everybody healthy and fed”.

The Project Nasi boat operations have been a challenge, and daily deliveries are becoming harder to manage with dwindling supplies. “We are just a small operation,” says co-founder James Foley, “and it may seem like we are just a drop in the bucket. But it is those drops that eventually fill buckets. We hope any surfer out there that has ever surfed Nusa Lembongan will donate so we can keep our boatlift Ops cranking”.

Project Nasi contributes 100% of all donations directly to the cause. It’s easy to donate, just visit gofundme.com and hit the search button for Project Nasi or you can Paypal.