Camel

A WA legend, doing it for the love of it.

If Camel keeps diving for crays at Blacks that shark attack might happen, but some how I think not.

Recently he was surfing with two guys who lead the world big wave tour and according to a local legend who is too smart to paddle, reported he was a class above.

But for me his surfing at Gland was epic , his knowledge of that famous 1 mile of reef break is unsurpassed.

Aloha.

More Camel stories please!

Hi Goofy,
if you like Camel stories I got a few good ones.
i remember sitting down on the point at Gland back when the huts were still there.Iam there with all the Hawaiian guys having beers right on sunset and we see someone free fall into this 6 footer get barrelled come out then gets barrelled again.6 seconds later the guy emerges straighten outs and proceeds to come in.

The Hawaiian guys didnt have a clue but we knew who it was.

Couple of minutes later Camel rocks up out of the dark with the worst looking 8 ft ironing board surfboard with an offset fin.

The Hawaiian guys ask if it was him that got that wave he says maybe and they look at the board and all go dumbfoundered ,didnt speak for 5 minutes.

A great Camel moment.

Aloha.

A few Camel stories,

-95 or 96 g-land quiky pro, a few competitors at money trees see a large shark cruise past and postpone the event. Camel somehow allowed to stay in the camp or jungle, whethor in a hut or in his hideout, not sure. paddles out to surf pumping g-land by himself.

96 october, my first trip the winds were funky south most of the time for three weeks. one arvo wind glasses off and changes proper se offshore, we surf speedies with camel for a bit around sunset. it wasnt large just good ovehead and fun. i pull out a bottle of liquid geurana out of my sleeve to which he says "whats that" i say its guarana, like natural speed".
He says " what are you some sort of druggo"," nah its legal and healthy mate"..got one or two more around dark and paddle in. he continues to surf for another hour at least.
(A year later in tubes bar he was on the ad for yoyos jungle camp.
He described living at g-land - "time slows down out here its like natural speed"

Camel still iving in the jungle a few years later, overstayed his visa by 18 months or so.
Bali bombings and all australians are told to leave Bali and indonesia. Rumours or word of mouth inform the police theres some feral guy living out in the jungle of g-land still.
He somehow evades them from g-land to sumbawa, surfing supersuck and scar reef etc.
Moves on again to a remote part of Sumba, story goes, and there are a few different versions that he was eventually captured and jailed in Sumba.
They wanted to send him to a larger prison for 8 years for overstaying his visa.
Somehow climbed out of the roof of the small jail and fled in a fishing boat to somewhere between darwin and port headland.

Not sure how true that last story is. everyone hasa different version. and i havent seen Camel since 98

stories get stretched.....ring the camel.....0406 114 163

Haha yeah they do.

groundswell wrote:

A few Camel stories,

-95 or 96 g-land quiky pro, a few competitors at money trees see a large shark cruise past and postpone the event. Camel somehow allowed to stay in the camp or jungle, whethor in a hut or in his hideout, not sure. paddles out to surf pumping g-land by himself.

96 october, my first trip the winds were funky south most of the time for three weeks. one arvo wind glasses off and changes proper se offshore, we surf speedies with camel for a bit around sunset. it wasnt large just good ovehead and fun. i pull out a bottle of liquid geurana out of my sleeve to which he says "whats that" i say its guarana, like natural speed".
He says " what are you some sort of druggo"," nah its legal and healthy mate"..got one or two more around dark and paddle in. he continues to surf for another hour at least.
(A year later in tubes bar he was on the ad for yoyos jungle camp.
He described living at g-land - "time slows down out here its like natural speed"

Camel still iving in the jungle a few years later, overstayed his visa by 18 months or so.
Bali bombings and all australians are told to leave Bali and indonesia. Rumours or word of mouth inform the police theres some feral guy living out in the jungle of g-land still.
He somehow evades them from g-land to sumbawa, surfing supersuck and scar reef etc.
Moves on again to a remote part of Sumba, story goes, and there are a few different versions that he was eventually captured and jailed in Sumba.
They wanted to send him to a larger prison for 8 years for overstaying his visa.
Somehow climbed out of the roof of the small jail and fled in a fishing boat to somewhere between darwin and port headland.

Not sure how true that last story is. everyone hasa different version. and i havent seen Camel since 98

Groundswell you know that guarana worked well . I can vaguely remember this . surf was 3 or 6ft at end of money trees you gave this to me at end of wave & I was energized so much I surfed for hours longer than expected , you are not a tall guy or weren't at the time ? Geez its vague , & no real shark issues there at G

Thats right except i was fairly medium sized {5'10) and looked a bit younger than my age of 18. i was a fairly thin bodyboarder back then, after that trip i got more into riding surfboards unless shark island was bigger or deserts or supersuck.
I never really knew the true story of what happened with that long stint and escaping. everyone had a story though.
Good times anyway that one sesh at speedies was pretty surreal.

So you were boogyboarding at the time that you shared the guarana ? There's proof that boogers are good crew too , I can't rember that you was booging . The shark was at margys that they canceled the comp so I went for a paddle more than likely

Good on you Camel, Groundswell. Caml hows those desert storm surfboards going? You should write a book mate the camel diaries about your surfing life.

Now there's an idea. A book! Could be $$$ in that, Camel. I'd read it. So would plenty of others I wager. You might need a ghost-writer to transcribe though. An editor like, to help. I reckon Bordster or Samboy might know someone. Keep it underground. Make it happen!

Your the best writer uplift

caml wrote:

So you were boogyboarding at the time that you shared the guarana ? There's proof that boogers are good crew too , I can't rember that you was booging . The shark was at margys that they canceled the comp so I went for a paddle more than likely

Now that makes sense. That era is a bit hazy so it probably was margs. Yes i was on a lid then, new surfboards seemed so expensive too. took me ages to buy a new one rather than spending money on travel.i was an apprentice only on 200 bucks a week though. :(

Mythical Camel from aussie/indo surf folklore. I'd definitely read that book. It'd be better than the pro biographies that don't give more detail than is already fairly widely known.

What happened with your overstay Camel? (trying to tease out the first parts of your biography now)

Best not force an issue that may not readily be told.

caml wrote:

Your the best writer uplift

No it's not Uplift at all Caml.

Someone said Shuanio/Morris, way back in another thread, after reading a few IMO,Gov Funding might have gave it away;)

Haha I've stayed clear of you TT, but if you are who I think, thats funny as.....
Carry on...

Wharfjunkie wrote:

Best not force an issue that may not readily be told.

Fair enough

The overstay escape . Its a valuable story & hasn't depreciated over time ..

wellymon wrote:

caml wrote:

Your the best writer uplift

No it's not Uplift at all Caml.

Someone said Shuanio/Morris, way back in another thread, after reading a few IMO,Gov Funding might have gave it away;)

Haha I've stayed clear of you TT, but if you are who I think, thats funny as.....
Carry on...

Ok well its true that tt turk hasn't actually written as well as uplift did but the mention of two of my mates above ????

caml wrote:

The overstay escape . Its a valuable story & hasn't depreciated over time ..

Care to elaborate then?

Did you ever get any still photos of that epic pit at Tombies Caml ?

And two of my mates for 20+ years, Camel. The book! It can happen!

goofyfoot wrote:

caml wrote:

The overstay escape . Its a valuable story & hasn't depreciated over time ..

Care to elaborate then?

Im holding out sorry . But im not going near a book either . And I forgotten most of the supposed stories . Theres plenty tall tales made up for your entertainment

Blowin wrote:

Did you ever get any still photos of that epic pit at Tombies Caml ?

Leith holtzman has them actually, I thought they were very good . But I don't have them or leiths contact

talkingturkey wrote:

And two of my mates for 20+ years, Camel. The book! It can happen!

Ok well your doing a good job of keeping em guessing

Are there posters with 2 accounts on this forum, is that possible?

caml wrote:

Blowin wrote:

Did you ever get any still photos of that epic pit at Tombies Caml ?

Leith holtzman has them actually, I thought they were very good . But I don't have them or leiths contact

Water shots or land ?

instagram Caml

I don't do Instagram Udo.

best barrel I've ever seen in real life though.

I've seen longer and bigger barrels.

But that thing.....

Yep just watched again.....wicked

Super impressive barrel through a fabled section that has fucked up a few over the years. I'm reminded of one ledge in particular who got his leg shredded. Maybe he can relate the tale himself?

Camel. Book. Think about it.

Book - 20,000 +run worldwide @ $29.95 per copy
Caml think about it ? please.

Edit : actually 20,000 world wide wouldn't be enough copys ..would it ?

Author usually gets 10% of gross as royalties less the advance. 20,000 copies at 10% would net roughly 60k.

It depends what price the big fella puts on his story.

udo wrote:

instagram Caml

What does this mean ? I dont have the photos . Do u mean holtzys instagram ? Does he have ig ? Has he posted them ?

Meaning if you wished to contact him thru his insty or facebook.

Ok yeah I just checked hes on instag but no surf fotos there . Whoever wants the fotos can contact him , I woulda done it already - if I cared that much . Udo whats your insty name ? I will send u some stuff

youd want a photo of that thing for your book surely.