The History Channel

that was great. thanks. although now i've lost all my momentum for doing any work today.
i so want to be a dashing sociopath.

You nailed it chook, what a piece of work Dora must have been.

credit goes to the vanity fair writer...i just put the two words together.

david rensin's book is brilliant. i can't work out if i'm obsessed with dora or more the cultural moment that i see him representing -- the pre-gidget surf culture of so-cal.
his later life seems sad and desperate. all for a few perfect waves really does capture it.

I loved the book too Chook - Dora really was the ultimate anti-hero but of course was nothing to emulate.
The descriptions of how he behaved after his rented place in South Africa burnt down, and also a sentence or two telling how he used to "check out" on maybe codeine pills for days at a time in France gave some pretty good insights as to how his mental health progressed.

Biarrritz 1984. My bother and I were backpacking around Europe and had just returned from Spain and Portugal and were heading back to Paris. We were staying at the Youth Hostel at Anglet and there was a ride share note on the noticeboard, sharing petrol $$ to Paris. I spoke to the Aussie guy behind the jump and he said he'd connect us. As a throwaway he said "...yeah, you'll like the cat, he's a good bloke". I'm thinking, ..no it couldn't be. Sure enough the next day up rocks this old old van and out jumps the man himself. At this time, I only knew of his reputation as a surfer and not as a scammer. Anyway, off we go... first stop is a beach break up the coast a bit and we surf with and chat to Miki all day. Then, in the van and off to Paris. The first servo we get to Miki fills up and says "you guys get this one and I'll get the next one". Next servo, the same, next servo, the same. So my brother and I are thinking...OK, we're going to get done over here but no big deal really as we would have had to pay for the train anyway. Spent two and a half days with Miki Dora, top bloke.

AND ... he paid us every franc he owed us when he dropped us off in Paris!

Classic! Care to expand on the trip?

Conversations, general impressions?

damn, lurker...when you do stop lurking, it's to deliver pure rolled gold!
what an experience. amazing.

Thanks boys, it's a story only surfers truly appreciate! Yes Andy, as mentioned we had no idea about his non surfing antics at the time. Sure, he was a little paranoid ( "no photos, NO PHOTOS!!") and a real oddball but I put this down to the whole Matt Johnson/Big Wednesday, changing of the guard thing. We didn't know that he was on the lam and wanted big time back in the States. He told us that he lived in the van in the forest out the back of Biarritz but upon reflection ( a long time ago now) he was pretty scant on any personal detail. We talked mostly about travelling and surfing, especially the time he spent in India surfing in Goa and Trivandrum, not all time but the experience seemed to resonate with him. He told us he was off to visit some chick in Ireland but who knows...maybe the Gendarmes were onto him! One thing for sure...he ripped. I certainly don't disbelieve anything that has been written about Da Cat but you take 'em as you se 'em and for those two days he was a true gentleman who paid his debts.

Great story Lurker, cheers!