Watch: Von Froth // The Best Skeleton Bay In Years

Stu Nettle picture
Stu Nettle (stunet)
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First discovered in 2008, Namibia's Skeleton Bay is an oddity of the natural world. In a 2012 article, we showed how the shoreline was radically different leading up to 2008, to the point that the wave most likely didn't exist.

And just as the shoreline was different prior to 2008, it has subsequently changed much in the last fifteen years. Since our 2012 article, the shoreline has moved over 200m north - surfers now park their cars where they used to get barrelled. Yet despite the distant shift, the wave retains the same uncanny shape.

Recently, the wave went into a protracted slumber with no significant swells hitting since about 2020. The timeline roughly aligning with our recent La Nina visit yet there's no known link between the two.

Though there was minimal swell during those three years, the sand kept coming around the corner and accreting on the inside bank. Word was spreading that the alignment is changing to the point where it was outside the parameters needed to create perfect waves.

Well, this week the first big swell came and the Donkey did what the Donkey does. It broke just like it had prior to the dry spell.

Over the course of this swell, Monster Energy sponsored an event, the Skeleton Bay Shootout, with no entry fee or coloured rash vest, just a simple first place prize of $30,000 Nambian Dollars (AUD$2,400) to the person who gets most barrelled.

We've no idea who won the contest, yet this clip from Nic Von Rupp shows there were no losers.

Comments

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Thursday, 22 Jun 2023 at 8:56am

Jordy Maree GoPro angles (think it's him at 4:40 too):

Sprout's picture
Sprout's picture
Sprout Thursday, 22 Jun 2023 at 10:20am

Yep, sand's fine. How's the local having a look at 6:52.

sirboonie's picture
sirboonie's picture
sirboonie Thursday, 22 Jun 2023 at 9:44pm

good spot, i missed that

Stok's picture
Stok's picture
Stok Thursday, 22 Jun 2023 at 10:52am

Sheesh $2.4K prize money from Moster? Kind of embarassing....feels like the equivalent of getting a $200 Coles gift certificate.

southernraw's picture
southernraw's picture
southernraw Thursday, 22 Jun 2023 at 11:09pm

Ha! Hardly
When you're getting barrells like that, 2.4K is just the cherry on top.

Stok's picture
Stok's picture
Stok Friday, 23 Jun 2023 at 4:10pm

Hey for me I'd be happy to part with $2.4K for a trip and a few cracks at Skeleton Bay, but come on, multi national energy drink company can only muster up that much to reward these poor free surfers?

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Thursday, 22 Jun 2023 at 12:21pm

Looks like it's smaller than it used to be, likely because it's further inside the bay, and also not quite as square? Still an incredible wave.

Mishad's picture
Mishad's picture
Mishad Thursday, 22 Jun 2023 at 2:44pm

The angle of the big swell was quite tight. In fact I almost drove up there but pulled the pin cos of the dubious angles and forecast. Been skunked driving up on that forcast before. The boys who went tho scored as the swell was powerful enough to get in there but looked inconsistent too.

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Friday, 23 Jun 2023 at 6:01am

Yeah, did have a bit of south in it.

Island Bay's picture
Island Bay's picture
Island Bay Thursday, 22 Jun 2023 at 12:29pm

Best ever Von Froth clip. Waves were mesmerising, and he didn't say a word!

Seabiscuit's picture
Seabiscuit's picture
Seabiscuit Thursday, 22 Jun 2023 at 1:54pm

Spot on!

gcart's picture
gcart's picture
gcart Thursday, 22 Jun 2023 at 12:43pm

That's a proper wave machine Kelly

harrycoopr's picture
harrycoopr's picture
harrycoopr Thursday, 22 Jun 2023 at 1:04pm

That's bullshit

radiationrules's picture
radiationrules's picture
radiationrules Thursday, 22 Jun 2023 at 1:06pm

those takeovers look makeable vs. prior years

garyg1412's picture
garyg1412's picture
garyg1412 Thursday, 22 Jun 2023 at 1:09pm

How's the view at 4:25.
Makes the Surf Ranch look insignificant really.

garyg1412's picture
garyg1412's picture
garyg1412 Thursday, 22 Jun 2023 at 1:14pm

This angle gives you a much better perspective of how mechanical this wave is.

blackers's picture
blackers's picture
blackers Thursday, 22 Jun 2023 at 1:44pm

Goodness me, what a wave. Wave at 22 secs finally gets shut down at 1:12, 7 distinct barrels with 80% of the wave under the hood. Never gets dull.

donweather's picture
donweather's picture
donweather Thursday, 22 Jun 2023 at 1:47pm

I now know where all the sand from Nth NSW beaches has gone!!!!

Chipper's picture
Chipper's picture
Chipper Thursday, 22 Jun 2023 at 4:51pm

Unbelievable...
If i had one word for it - FAST!!!
Didn't see too many Natural Footers ...lol

sean killen's picture
sean killen's picture
sean killen Thursday, 22 Jun 2023 at 6:58pm

Don’t talk just surf von ..really enjoyed for that reason

Solitude's picture
Solitude's picture
Solitude Thursday, 22 Jun 2023 at 9:11pm

What a freak show. Incredible.

Wave aside though, looks like an eerie, ugly and desolate place.

southernraw's picture
southernraw's picture
southernraw Thursday, 22 Jun 2023 at 11:11pm

Incredible.
Hows that weird gurgly double up one that swats that fella.
Didn't know that place did that!
Changes the game a little bit from sheer perfection to perfection with booby traps!

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Friday, 23 Jun 2023 at 7:15am
swab's picture
swab's picture
swab Wednesday, 5 Jul 2023 at 8:22pm

Terd

mibs-oner's picture
mibs-oner's picture
mibs-oner Friday, 23 Jun 2023 at 11:55am

Enough to make me go back next year

Iced vovo's picture
Iced vovo's picture
Iced vovo Friday, 23 Jun 2023 at 12:23pm

What a force of nature and the drone footage was excellent. Those pulled back shots of the lineup are the bollocks, great surfing too, really enjoyed that.

ryder's picture
ryder's picture
ryder Friday, 23 Jun 2023 at 1:52pm

Great wave for an 8 or 10 channel Phil Myers Free Flight. Someone please!

Bungan33's picture
Bungan33's picture
Bungan33 Friday, 23 Jun 2023 at 3:13pm

Any natural footers on here actually ridden it? Would be fascinated to hear how your competent average punter maintains speed on their backhand - or whether it gets away from you.

Mishad's picture
Mishad's picture
Mishad Friday, 23 Jun 2023 at 7:00pm

Yes, basically rail control...hold it high and tight for maximum speed and read the curve of the wave so you don't get pitched. It gives you ALOT of time to set up your stance and get comfortable time and time again so you can just hold on and enjoy the view. Guys reckon quads all the way also. In fact my shaping mate who surfs that wave well has made an assymetric tri fin thing made especially for that wave...2 fins one side (quad set up on only 1 side), single fin on the other. Yet to be tested.

san Guine's picture
san Guine's picture
san Guine Friday, 23 Jun 2023 at 10:22pm

Nice one von Froth, let the wave do the talking, great sounds too

harrycoopr's picture
harrycoopr's picture
harrycoopr Saturday, 24 Jun 2023 at 9:26am

Why are all the vehicles white? ...racist

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Saturday, 24 Jun 2023 at 12:53pm
Bnkref's picture
Bnkref's picture
Bnkref Sunday, 25 Jun 2023 at 8:43pm

Tune is Pachanga Boys - Time if anyone is interested.

How far are these guys going on the longer waves? Would they be going 30-40 km/hr or so?