See the waves even Nathan Florence is too scared to catch!
Two weeks ago at the Big Wave Awards, Nathan Florence, brother of US Olympian John John, officially become the alpha male of the Florence squad, which also includes little brother Ivan and shredder mom Alex.
The cups for Surfer of the Year and Ride of the Year were both awarded to Nathan Florence, and only nine months after he was rushed to hospital following a wipeout during a twenty-foot day at Jaws.
You’ll remember Nathan Florence took to social media to credit his powerlifting routine for saving him from a life in a wheelchair.
“Deadlifts are to thank, I believe,” he said.
Despite recent revelations Kainoa Igarashi has started to read, Florence, who is almost thirty and named after the son of the Hebrew King David, is widely regarded as the “world’s smartest surfer”.
(It ain’t the highest bar. Like the best white linebacker in the NFL or best Jewish sprinter.)
Anyway, Florence likes to be out there at the edge of things. He approaches big waves with steady unfaltering movements for he knows fear releases power.
But even the Surfer of the Year sometimes hits a wall, where fear of the unseen menacing beast, tusked and terrible, overcomes his terrific lust for waves.
And, so, we find Nathan Florence at a wave called The Cave in Portugal.
“The whole reef shelf comes out, the wave is dangerous at any size but especially at dead low,” says Florence. “It’s a mix of Backdoor, Off the Wall, but more shallow and heavy with a big reef chunk in front of it.”
Alone, he paddles out, a twitching pulse beating in a bladder of bones and skin.
Waves are examined, avoided. The sea breathes like a stinking dog.
Eventually, Nathan Florence, surfer of the year, paddles in without catching a wave.
“I’ll admit I was afraid,” he says.
But then, redemption as he returns to surf the wave with friends, for he knows that to share fear is the greatest bond of all.
Essential.
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Toledo would go!
“My testicles don’t make me any less a woman…” from a double Olympian long distance runner with a twitching pulse beating in a bladder of bones and skin. “Should I be scared?”
Didn’t Mom-John teach him not to speak with food in his mouth?
proper dining etiqutte goes a long way in producing three world-class surfers…”you’re not hitting the water without eating all your veggies…dishes in the sink…don’t paddle out until you can see me on the beach, especially in Portugal!”
Fear can keep you out of the hospital smart move nathen
common
kitchensense…“… was he distracted by WSL conspiracies to fix women’s big wave competitions? Or perhaps daydreaming of perfect, pedestrian, Emirates wave pools? Could he have avoided the full frontal attack if not contemplating the cliff hanging episode 3 of ‘Surf Virgins’? More as the story develops.”
Reminds me of the time I went women-less for a week in Portugal. They sure are scary.
He raised the bar too high too early , fat drunk and coke is all that left for Nath now
Marty Thomas did it better at the Cave in Sarges scrapbook
I too fear he has peaked. How do you top those two in Ireland? A life left chasing the elusive dragon.
Fantastic recall.
A very brave and clever chap …. just too scared to drink the tap water.
Nowhere’s safe from the world’s smartest surfer and his crew.
It’s a wonder he hasn’t been given a clip tbh…
Still rather watch This is livin, just so I can stare at Koa’s chicks rust hole
Yea – well there’s that I spose….
But fuck koa and the other koa … rapists.
Fuck I’d love to cuck that cunt
He’s too fucking nice. That’s why…it shits me bad
Yes yes, but what about the bitey whitey at Port Noaralunga?
Light face wound! Great White attacks so numerous, only the killings and near killings worth mentioning.
Brave swimmer suffers life changing injuries in head on collision with fearsome Great White Shark
There, I’ve done half of it for you. Just needs some copy to be dragged from the Port Nora Herald.
To bastardize an old Hollywood saw,
Mr. Reilly doesn’t roll over in bed for less than a severed limb. Two if it’s below the elbow.
I and my extended family participate in a family swim race from the pier to the beach every Boxing Day. Extra danger this year!