Great old footage of Camel at G-Land

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dandandan started the topic in Tuesday, 15 Jan 2019 at 10:07am

It's been a terrible flat spell in Tassie lately and so I'm day-dreaming of Indo season this year and came across this footage from the 90's of G-Land. Skip through to the 6 minute mark and there's a section of Camel riding an enormous board in a mix of big and small waves. Pretty good lunchtime distraction.

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udo Tuesday, 15 Jan 2019 at 7:53pm

Cheers dandan that was gd !
Camel how long was that Rhino ?

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stunet Tuesday, 15 Jan 2019 at 8:09pm

Paddling gloves in the first session?

Good find DDD.

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eat-your-vegies Wednesday, 16 Jan 2019 at 12:49am

Gold

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goofyfoot Wednesday, 16 Jan 2019 at 5:45am

Epic style.
Jeez some of the wipeouts in there look nasty

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Craig Wednesday, 16 Jan 2019 at 7:15am

Some bombs there, loved the grab rail bottom turn! A few head to reef wipeouts as well. Gath earning its keep.

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Lottolonglong Wednesday, 16 Jan 2019 at 4:47pm

April 04, my first trip to g-land,we jumped in midnight express to go overland and a guy jumped in van,he had nice manners and was definitely vibrating on a different frequency than any other person I'd met! I'd eaten something in kuta before we left and was fighting a lost battle,our traveling partner told me to drink coke and wished me good luck as he departed the van on some random rd about 4am,we continued on to g-land,for two days I was violently ill! Surf was cracking too! But I had no energy to leave my room,finally on 3rd day I stumbled out to look at waves and there was same guy from van watching waves! It was obvious he had been here before, he offered me mushrooms, I declined, I could barely stomach water let alone anything solid! We chatted like old mates, I assumed he was staying at joyos camp,nope, camping in a tent in bush low key,'less distractions'he said! 3 days later I finally got enough energy to hit the waves,came in as late as I possibly could,it was full moon and a bloke was just paddling out straight past me asking how it was? I said it seemed to be getting better, and he was stoked, a fullmoon solo session! At dinner that night there was talk of a guy named Camel here at g-land,some stories floated around, some good, some not!
I realised that the guy from van with the mushrooms was indeed Camel! He was living a living a life that others only dream about,I SHOULD HAVE HAD THE MUSHROOMS! While others were talking about him,he was living life at that exact moment in time,I'd love to bump into him again!

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Westofthelake Wednesday, 16 Jan 2019 at 7:11pm

Great story LottoLL.

Great vid dan.

When your board's that long, you wear paddle gloves, and your name is Camel, you'll never need a tow(e).

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Bnkref Wednesday, 16 Jan 2019 at 8:31pm

Thanks. That’s the best clip I’ve seen from there (well equal with the one of the Hobgoods at Speedies).

Classic Camel story.

Need to get back there.

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udo Wednesday, 16 Jan 2019 at 8:48pm

surf in gland 2000 youtube
Dave Mccauley and Camel

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Clam Thursday, 17 Jan 2019 at 11:01pm

Udo thats a 9"0 with a skeg box, big single fin with tiny bonzer style stabilizer side fins. The board shaped on a clothes drying rack (with Tony Hardy doing most of the shape) camel was sawing the tail off at the end of the day!
Havent heard that story about mushrooms before....
Sounds interesting though nonetheless.

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goofyfoot Friday, 18 Jan 2019 at 10:01am

Clam was that board made especially for g-land?

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Bnkref Friday, 18 Jan 2019 at 10:39am

What quivers do you lot use for G-land? Had a 6'0 (standard short board) and 6'6 step up last year which was probably just enough for the waves I wanted to ride but there does seem to be a lot of crew on 7'0 - 7'6 boards.

Will never forget one morning last year starting out in classic (albeit a bit fast) 3-5ft conditions down the bottom half of MT. Pulsed fairly quickly. All of a sudden you see some mountains building out to sea. Gunning for the channel, feeling very vulnerable and insignificant on a 6'0, as a 8-10 wave easy 8 foot set comes steamrolling in and throwing out some massive barrels for those few brave enough to give it a crack. Was one hell of a sight. Headed in shortly after that...

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T.Edds Tuesday, 16 Jul 2019 at 2:51pm

Hello Camel,

The way that board is planing looks remarkable. Is it the same board referenced in the old Surfers Journal article? If so would you please elaborate on its bottom contours? From memory you spoke about having the bonzer fins on the outside rail as opposed to the inside.

Beautiful surfing.

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mikehunt207 Sunday, 28 Jul 2019 at 1:04pm

Just recently went to Gland and had the unfortunate experience of coming across a slithering group of suits from the WSL and their Indonesian proxy, laptops, briefcases and all the fruit. It would appear plans are afoot for a contest at Gland next year, the new road in is bringing with it more regular tourists and now a lot of rumour and speculation in the jungle but it sounds like all camps will be completely booked out for a month june or july, probably QS at this stage. Way to fuck up a spot , have a contest there and shove it back into the limelight.
Otherwise was a very peaceful time and mostly a very civilised crowd, lot of old timers on their 20th trip there and the ever growing group of Ruski learner surfer/ social media "influencers".
"Bad roads bring good people - Good roads bring all people"
Fuck you WSL coacroaches

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GuySmiley Sunday, 28 Jul 2019 at 1:57pm

Feeling your pain mike, cockroaches

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factotum Sunday, 28 Jul 2019 at 2:11pm

WSL coming next year, no doubt. Just quietly...

I'm going again in a month.

Pumping season.

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Ash Sunday, 28 Jul 2019 at 3:14pm

If this is true this is where the US corporate company WSL steps over the line in the sand, using money as their lure. Got no issues with the comps being held in the spots they have already but when they want to invade and expose some of the best gems for their own gain it sucks. They'll get no opposition from the Indo government, which they are banking on and the subsequent exposure will be the start of the place going into ballistic tourist mode, Joey Turps doing it tough in the jungle will be in 7th heaven, so much to talk with Potts about.

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Blowin Sunday, 28 Jul 2019 at 3:27pm

WSL coming to take a massive steaming dump on a beautiful surf spot near you !

Cause Dirk really needs the money....

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thermalben Sunday, 28 Jul 2019 at 3:33pm

Is this a big surprise though? Ever since the Quiksilver Pro in 1997 (see article below), G’Land has always been part of the broader discussion around where the ASP (and now WSL) should have world tour events.

Every time someone whinges about events being held in Brazil, the next sentence usually starts with “why are there not more events in Indo”, followed by “why haven’t they gone back to G’Land”?

https://www.swellnet.com/news/rearview-mirror/2018/06/08/day-luke-egan-w...

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crg Sunday, 28 Jul 2019 at 3:33pm

Not that I'm for the comp going back there...but hasn't there been a lot of people whinging about the WSL and how they want quality waves like Fiji and GLand back?
Old saying goes...be careful what you wish for.
Speaking of new roads...just got back from a lovely little road trip to stay with friends in Angourie. That new section of highway and bridge will be bringing the hoards down from up north quicker than ever. Locals are concerned that's for sure.

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Ash Sunday, 28 Jul 2019 at 4:05pm

I remember the old ASP comp in particular Joel Fitz's efforts as a caddy, but the WSL is a different machine and Joey loves to sell to all who listen how good a place is. It's live and global and totally different from the 90's and as such puts a flashing green light on places, add this better road into it and you've got the recipe for concrete and infinity pools where there was none. The WSL should stick with built up tourist destinations.

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freeride76 Sunday, 28 Jul 2019 at 4:32pm

just put it at Ulus.
thats good enough and already totally infinitied pooled and gentrified out.

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goofyfoot Sunday, 28 Jul 2019 at 5:04pm

Yeah please not g-land.
After doing a boat trip through the Mentawai’s recently and seeing how busy it is, Grajagan is the only place in Indo I would go back to

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mikehunt207 Sunday, 28 Jul 2019 at 5:21pm

Exactly! The sweaty white button up shirt guy and his entourage of cool guys with big hats and the indonesian minder I saw would be much more suited to hanging by the pool sipping cocktails at Blue Point than surfing in the jungle. Board room pros fingering surfing for surfers. How did it come to this? Leave Gland alone

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factotum Sunday, 28 Jul 2019 at 10:48pm

Haha. Here's a hypothetical. Better to be in the tent pissing out, or vice versa? Got an opportunity to be roped into camp during comp. Good for personal wave count reasons or worse? Discuss.

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tux Monday, 29 Jul 2019 at 1:54pm

You'll be in the lineup with 44 of the best surfers in the world plus all the assorted hangers on that think that just cause they carry Gabby's shoes there higher up the chain than you are...the pros won't fuck up many waves and they'll take off deep so no sitting on teh shoulder....I'm assuming there won't be a massive local crew so any manners they put on at places like bells and j bay will be out the window...

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Bnkref Monday, 29 Jul 2019 at 2:19pm

I’m all for an Indo leg but leave it at Keramas or preferably move it to Ulus.

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factotum Monday, 29 Jul 2019 at 3:08pm

Tux, who ever gets knocked out whenever they do is gonna split. Entourage hangers-on too. That just leaves WSL infrastructure crew?

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tux Tuesday, 30 Jul 2019 at 4:49pm

Yeah maybe bro unless teh waves are pumping then some will hang around..I'd be aiming to go after they leave

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mikehunt207 Tuesday, 30 Jul 2019 at 10:12pm

Take plenty of tabasco sauce Facto, I hear a bit up the ass will keep you hard all night

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factotum Wednesday, 31 Jul 2019 at 10:48am

Ha ha. You only HEARD about that Mikey?

Right..............................

A reverse Bloody Mary! Useful in the jungle!

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factotum Sunday, 4 Aug 2019 at 10:37am

When the Wizzle collapses in a heap, and after the initial comp-influenced influx of Russians and Chinese (except for the ones already $ invested) and other 'foreigners' (not us, obviously!), and when someone then inevitably gets scalped and/or breaks a pelvis/back/leg and gets helicoptered to Bali at an exorbitant rate, or worse, driven on the new road, and dies, THEN things will be back to that certain jungle normality we've all enjoyed over the decades. Maybe even the malaria will make a comeback!

Like the health of the actual reef, I will bet 10000* on it!

Don't fuck with the jungle!

*shitcoin.

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The Fire Wednesday, 31 Jul 2019 at 6:22pm

@lottolonglong

Whilst there’s only one caml, the surf world would be a better place with more camls.

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oldgreg Thursday, 1 Aug 2019 at 4:52pm

Got some time off late October and I know it’s very late season , any chance G land still be open and possibly a chance for good conditions?

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groundswell Saturday, 3 Aug 2019 at 9:09pm

Oldgreg yeah october sometimes pumps but likely winds could be southerly more often the later in the season you go. i went one october and scored 3-4 foot solid chickens which handled the south winds a bit better than the main reef. swell was 15ft plus out at kongs.

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marcus Thursday, 8 Aug 2019 at 11:18am

groundswell, how good was kongs?
you should have joined me up there

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oldgreg Thursday, 8 Aug 2019 at 4:23pm

Thanks groundswell , need to tick it off the bucket list, then taking a gamble on Lakey region hoping winds have eased enough 1st week in November then maybe bali

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Lottolonglong Friday, 9 Aug 2019 at 4:14pm

I totally agree

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caml Friday, 9 Aug 2019 at 7:34pm

Lottolonglong cool story that sounds about it hope to catch you one day . Ps grajagan rivermouth Nov low tides

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mickseq Sunday, 25 Aug 2019 at 12:38pm

How does Gland compare to desserts? anyone surfed both?

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crg Sunday, 25 Aug 2019 at 1:15pm

Gland much bigger area with different parts of the reef, more water moving around and more sectiony. Almost always a wave there and I've always been able to get waves regardless of crowd. Deserts is more perfect but less consistent and doesn't handle a crowd as well. Love 'em both though :)
Just glad I've been able to surf them before the current era crowd and attitude but they're a win/win situation if you're going.

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crip Sunday, 25 Aug 2019 at 10:08pm

Any more news about the wozzle wankers comp next year? Dates? Confirmations? Etc. We had our flights to DPS booked for a trip mid-may next year before I heard the tragic news, and now wondering if I look at heading somewhere else. Was really looking forward to going back to gland tho.

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stunet Monday, 26 Aug 2019 at 9:19am

There's been no official confirmation yet, the Wozzle usually releases the next year's schedule in November, however the dates for the proposed G'land comp are June 3rd to June 16th.

I rang all the camps, and the ASC, and each one of them gave me those dates.

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Lottolonglong Monday, 26 Aug 2019 at 10:05am

Til we meet again camel!!!!!

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mickseq Monday, 26 Aug 2019 at 12:11pm

I've surfed desserts twice with no one there, however, it was small and did need to be bigger. We just missed the tail end of a good swell run (not too big) that ran for over a week and an average of 15 pax in the water according to the locals.

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Bnkref Monday, 26 Aug 2019 at 12:26pm

crip and Stu, I was there recently and asked the manager at our camp about it. He confirmed that the camp had been booked out. For longer than the waiting period too (which I guess makes sense so there's some bump in and bump out time factored in).

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factotum Monday, 26 Aug 2019 at 12:31pm

Yep

crip's picture
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crip Tuesday, 17 Sep 2019 at 10:50pm

Now looking at Lombok. A week on the south coast near Mawi (hopefully getting a few waves) and then my wife's turn in the sw Gilis. Thinking of a boat trip to DP and wondering whether it's surfable in a "normal" swell - eg. when bali is say head high. Does it work on those average days or does it need to be way overhead to work (in which case it's probably beyond my ability)? And are there any other waves in the area or is DP the only one?

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I focus Wednesday, 18 Sep 2019 at 8:41am

Crip....."seek and ye shall find" wise old jungle saying.

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Ray Shirlaw Wednesday, 18 Sep 2019 at 10:10am

Head high at Ulus? No way. Double head high? Just. There'll be a few peelers on a draining tide. Other waves? Maybe but they'd need to know where . Bulan Baru would know where&when