The Weekly Bugle: Epic Nazare, Wave History, My Mate Dave Rastovich, Kelly (Again) and Condoms On a Banana
A weekly dive into the weeds of the surfing week.
The Rest Is History
I can’t resist a deep dive into the history of waves. Every time I’d see historical photos of my home beach at Redhead, I'd check the banks and the waves, see what rocks were present and if the creeks (interestingly named First, Second and Third) had shifted. Anyway, this San Clemente account's case study of Trestles is a great example. And if John John Florence wins a third World Title with a backside rotor on a left at the WSL Finals, he can thank an hour of rainfall back in 1982.
The Moods Of Nazare
Born and raised in Nazare, Helio Antonio has an incredible knack for capturing the moods of Nazare in all its different forms. “Helio is the silent killer. He’s always at the right place at the right time, always doing his thing, getting the right angles,” said Nic Von Rupp. Helio has been dropping his favourite shots on Insta this week, and each and every image is mesmerising. This sequence though, for me, showed just why this joint pops everyone’s tiny mind. While the image of Lucas Chianca standing up facing a wall of water is destined to be iconic.
He's Talking About Kelly Again
Kelly Slater? Heard of him? I hadn't seen this shot before, but if there was ever an image that was a predictor of future greatness, it’s this one. I recently talked to Kelly about his early days growing up in Florida (and the rest of his life) and posted the conversation on the Bugle. It’s about 3000 words, but you'll be relieved that 95 per cent of them are his. Check it out here.
Condom On A Banana
I remember when our Sex Education teacher demonstrated how to put a condom on a banana. Even with zero experience, I sensed that it was a demonstration that wouldn’t hold up IRL. I felt the same for any learner surfers who looked to this for any help.
White Water SUP and a 360 Rock Spin
Obviously, Stand Up Paddling rapids is a thing. Why wouldn’t the discipline called White Water not exist? And it looks like these dudes are pretty good at it. However, it is the 360 spin off the rock at about the 10-second mark that really tickled me, though there’s lols elsewhere in the clip. I’ve watched it a dozen times and laughed every time.
The Best Bodysurfer In The World
I was lucky enough to do three or four Indonesian boat trips with Dave Rastovich in the noughties. I rate him as easily one of the best surfers I’ve ever seen live, one of the easiest crew members I’ve sailed with (though unsure if that assessment would be reciprocated) and without a doubt, the best bodysurfer. On some epic days of waves, Dave (he prefers Dave, dislikes Rasta as his good friend know) would swim out with his fins and put on a show that seemed to defy all known water physics. This clip of Rasto (sic) reminded me of what a freak he is. And gave me a chance to act as if he was a mate of mine.
