Watch: Tim Bonython // Death Slab
This clip's a few weeks old now, and we've run a short extract from it before - the wave where Dylan Longbottom breaks his ribs - but for those who enjoy Tim's content, it's worth watching in its entirety.
Few paddlers out but not many catching waves, even Nathan Florence paddled for "two or three hours and didn't get a single wave" before getting thrown the tow rope and getting "five mental ones that made the whole day worth it."
Comments
Heavy
the meat grinder/ love is gonna get ya
Props to the sponge lords who found, named, and charge the place harder than anyone.
They didn't find, they got wind of it! And then sold their souls to a couple of booga mags for their five minutes of fame.
the audacity to rock up from a thousand km's away with a jetski and endlessly drop in on the local paddle surfers. bloke needs a reality check
Wouldn't hurt to tow a local or two into a few waves as a sign of respect. Especially after nearly running them over repeatedly.
6:14 looks particularly close.
What is he, a foot away?
why do they put up with it. must be more to it than what we see.
not to many local surfers are chasing it at size conrico, josiah, johnny and jai are the keenest. tassie crew hit it hard along with whatever pros are around season to season, Been charged and chased for a while now. Heavy wave with allot of nasty injuries amongst the golden moments. Fragile area worth looking after.
Fuck you guys would do well to get out of bed with this guy. He's pretty fuckin average.
This is like seeing one of your mates in a toxic relationship. You keep trying to warn them but they have their rose-coloured glasses on.
Whipping people through crowded line ups is so bad, to celebrate it with film is even worse.
Yuck.
Couldn't agree more.
I challenge anyone of any surfing substance to sit through more than 5 minutes of that.
I got to minute 4
At least the music was good.
Best watched with no sound and at 2 x speed
I thought most of those paddlers were with them and waiting for a turn with the rope. No one was even looking at the bombs anyway. I can't help but envy Tim, (despite him being a kneeboarder.) Growing up a ridiculously good looking rich kid allowed him to follow his dreams, despite his old man's expectations. Jet setting around the globe with the elite of the elite big wave hellmen chasing swells, his eyes have seen things most people could never imagine. What a life he has lived. Good on him. Without his beautiful crystal clear well edited clips, along with a great ear for music, so many amazing moments would never have even been witnessed by us mere mortals. However, if I was a desert local, I'd want to kill the prick.
I was joking about the music.
That thing around the 4.30 mark was unlistenable.
Yeah on point.
My issue with his videos is that the blueprint is identical in almost every one I've seen.
A word '99 typeface over a still. A half assed chat about getting pumped for the swell at an airport or here, a rental car depot. Normally an awkward report on what's going on in the water from a ski while cracking jokes to someone off camera. Then 75% of footage in slow mo of guys getting shacked from the same angle x 20. Accompanied by songs that would do well not to exist.
The guy has great content. But jesus fucking christ he could use some imagination.
Don't forget the insightful post session carpark debrief
Don't forget filming his own unwatchable mug at times
Why watch it then? Captain Slowmo’s videos are all the same.
I remember Tim's early days. Super8 film of Pondie and Chimamans an old FC, or one of those old Holdens, home was a castle on top of Mt Lofty. He's been living the dream for a very long time and to his credit has produced some brilliant footage, the music choice, well that's his choice. He cops a lot of criticism but he keeps filming and archiving some epic sessions.
He's an excellent cameraman but a lousy filmmaker and doesn't seem to realise it.
He needs a director and an editorwith good taste, but probably can't afford it.
Yeah good cameraman with a cut down , no frills docco style. I won't criticize him for that, but I do agree with others about this clip and the tow rope through the line up and how dangerous and disrespectful the action of the ski driver and person being towed was.
Incredible? Nah incredulous. Dropping in with crap and c#$@ jet ski behaviour so close to the paddlers who were out.
Couldn’t stand watching it
Appalling behaviour, just disgraceful. Whether the other guys wanted a crack or not we'll never know, didn't look like they had a choice.
I wonder how Dylan and his French mate would act if some blow ins came to their spot and towed right through the line up ? Shitty example set by guys who should know better. Only a matter of time before someone get,s a tow rope round the neck or run over . But at least Tim will get his shot...
Yes....there was one scene where a dude had to duck dive the tow rope. I can't believe they get away with that. Even on a good day at your local without the death consequences - it's SOOOOOO uncool to paddle straight out the back and sit inside. I was squirming watching that. Just obscene arrogance.
That wave of Dylans was absolute PSYCHO!!!!!
I wonder how many of those mutant death slabs would have been ridden if not for the ski? If Nathan Florence didn't go, then I'd guess none. Anyone who thinks those waves were paddle-able must be tripping. Swan diving off the lip of one those beasts into 2 feet of water would be suicidal.
Good reality check thereabout the paddle in being challenging
No doubt. But towing right through the paddle pack is poor behaviour of the highest order. Go deep and live with the consequences if you get assistance.
Not surprising but you’ve missed the point entirely.
If there are people paddling you out your JetSki away. It’s simple
I think the music mustn't carry any copyright? so its no cost? why else would you try to marry it to this footage?
Perhaps they're postparty grooves he recorded while he was deejayin at some elite's party cos they sounded so cool when he was lit
Jerome says ‘he has so much respect for the local guys’ - after he near on decapitates a couple of paddlers whipping in……
………looked like a shit show.
How does this crew afford to do this?
I’ve had the misfortune of being in the same lineup as Jerome in indo a few times. He doesn’t have respect for anyone.
I was in the water in Morocco for those swells when Kemper got messed up a few years back. Jerome’s a tool, he was on the ski dropping those boys back up the top of the point after every set, or snaking everyone himself. Wanker
I remember one of the American surf mags doing a profile on him maybe 7 or 8 years ago. Apparently his dad/ family owns and runs the ports in Morocco, so he’s from serious money. Seems to be your typical entitled rich prick. He surfs well, but no better than your average ripper at your local.
Dylan on the other hand is a true gentleman, have had nothing but good encounters with him.
https://www.surfer.com/features/nomadic-jerome-sahyoun
God. I had to stop reading that. The surf media is such an embarrassing thing, not a critical bone in its body. This guy basically lives like landed gentry, proudly spewing out carbon so he can do a little bit of surfing here and kill some things there, ordering his surf entourage to amass infrastructure and vehicles, cook and clean, drive thousands of pointless kilometres, using power and influence to bend the world to his whim, and the surf industry - which still clings to this idea that it’s countercultural and sticks it’s finger to the man, doesn’t think to hang shit on him? I know it’s a few years old but Jesus Christ how did things get so pathetic.
Yep nailed it. I just reread it, and wow the sycophantic levels are off the charts. No wonder surfer mag when bust.
Starts off sounding like he’s a feral but by the end you realise he’s probably the most pampered surfer on the planet!
I don’t care what he does.I don’t get upset over other peoples trips just focus on my own.He might be a prick in the water but there’s more than a few of them around.So what.Is your next trip to Bali “thousands of pointless kilometres” ??
Yes, it obviously is. There’s also a difference of scale that’s real and relevant - someone getting on a plane once or twice a year is not really the same thing as the surf media celebrating chasing a single swells across the entire planet. I’d say anyone who can’t recognise that is just arguing for the sake of it (which is fine, this is the internet after all).
And it’s good to be critical of structural things! We don’t live in a world where “only our own trips” matter, particularly at this point in time. My critiques aren’t even of Jerome, but of the surf media that seems largely incapable of casting a critical eye over anything. I think we’d all be better off as surfers if it did.
Good grief... "those experiencing grief go through a series of five emotions: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. "
Reference https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_stages_of_grief
I accept that surfers who profit from sport & industry ( eg. jetset mindset, ski/boat/plane assist, sus sponsors, glamorising luxurious living in the 3rd world, etc) during the MAJOR climate change ) can do better for the local communities & the planet their living on.
"Antarctica is losing ice mass (melting) at an average rate of about 150 billion tons per year, and Greenland is losing about 270 billion tons per year, adding to sea level rise. "
Reference https://climate.nasa.gov/vital-signs/ice-sheets/
Reality check needed? or ..... views via pretty satellite images
https://eyes.nasa.gov/apps/earth/#/
https://eyes.nasa.gov/apps/earth/#/vitalsign?vitalsign=sea_level&altid=0...
Air temperature around the world ...ATM...
https://eyes.nasa.gov/apps/earth/#/vitalsign?vitalsign=air_temperature&a...
Icelands glaciers receding, earth plates expanding
https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/150147/dusty-glaciers-in-iceland
"in good faith and based on the best evidence they then had "...."I am not sure ....a better course ....was then open".... 0- 1min30sec
"I dont want to speak for others, as were all different"
Total f#$$ing cringe... nothing worse than daddy's little rich kids taking all their privileges for granted... self-entitled jerks par excellence. F$$k off in your Prado's etc...
Wow, Jerome sounds like a good candidate for the ole wolf creek desert hostage set up. Much easier target than Gina or Twiggy.
Grrr, no etiquette
That was ridiculous you dont tow when there are people paddling period. Then to film and demonstrate idiotic behaviours is even more woeful
Bonython's a rich knob's kook.... unwatchable.
Looks like the SW jurys' verdict is in Stu.
Yep. So we'll all meet again in the comment thread of Tim's next clip.
Does Tim pay Swellnet at all?
No.
Thank you Stu. Swellnet's transparency is a large part of why I pay my sub and it's appreciated.
Other way ‘round…
For sure. No worries.
And the people can choose wether to watch it or not.
"So we'll all meet again in the comment thread of Tim's next clip."
Haha. Nice riposte Stu.
Stu, are you mates with Tim?
WTF?
Not really. I mean, I know him of course.
I just don't understand the connection. His videos constantly show extremely bad form with the tow rope. Swellnet is the only major platform that gives him any exposure (that i know of)
Oi Burleigh it’s Trent. It’s before midday and I’m not drunk. If you bitch this much about something that you can quite easily scroll past or not comment then I can only imagine how much you must nego-out loooking at your shit fkn life. You worse than Tim and that’s Nek level
I like your work Trent. The waves you shoot ain't nobody paddling.
Fuck tim mate he wouldn’t piss on you to put the fire out, unless he could sell the clip . Chances of him fucken the clip are 60-40
Just cause u can doesn’t mean u should. I’d be embarrassed to put that display on the internet. Jeezez. Worlds gone mad….but I didn’t need to see more proof.
Pity there was no contrast showing how the paddle crew made the wave. Echo the sentiments of a towed rider slashing through the line up.
Mr Longbottom showed the same lack of respect in one of his last clips towing his daughter through the pack when it was a paddle session .
Always surprises me how many folk dislike Tim's videos but still watch and feel the need to comment. Again.
If you don't like him, or them, then there's really no one making you watch. If you don't like the music, mute it. If its too slow for you, speed it up. Solutions abound.
I watch this to the end on my lunchbreak and thought it was pretty good. From an entertainment perspective certainly the price was right.
Probably hard to comment on etiquette or lack thereof if not there. If Nathan Florence couldn't paddle into one in 3 hours sounds like it was a tow only day anyway. Plus anyone paddling likely was not interested in the same mad waves the tow crew targeted.
Also sounds like the tow crew offered the rope to a few of the paddle surfers (read spectators) and whipped them in to some too. Good times.
Dylan's crash was mean. No thank you.
Always enjoy Tims' content and photography...it's free after all.
Don't like the whole "tow through the crowd" bollocks.
To look at it a different way, this spot is a long way from any medical help. If the ski wasn't in the way, one of those paddlers may have been stupid enough to try to catch one of those MF's and ended up dead. If one of them had tried it would have been the ski saving what's left of them. It looked to me like most of the paddlers were part of the entourage waiting for a tow, I couldn't see any boogers. It would be good to know. Btw I'm not too cool or ashamed to say I dig the moody electronica music. Cheers.
Can cut'n'paste electro'beat mix tech's do it live though....?
Jeez some of you are a picky lot.
I really enjoyed that. I especially enjoy Tims' stuff in thier entirety because I prefer to have the time to absorb and appreciate these flexing, warping, mutating, pain in the arse waves that absolute legends of our day take on.
Keep doing what your doing Tim. I suspect though that you don't need me to tell you.
Ha now he's got Ai answering in the forum.
Don't think so yo.
Algorithms wouldn't be calling these waves a 'pain in the arse'.
Also, I wouldn't be getting out of bed at 3am to get any of em. Tim and his mates can take them.
or croon along to Creep
Im not buying a Dylan surfboard
This wave and others west of Penong are our last frontier. It’s shameful seeing them overtly exposed and exploited. Have some dignity.
100% agree.
apparently a car window was smashed, and tyres slashed recently, on the Lower EP !
Gotta love those rascally xenophobic EP locals. Doing their bit for Australia and keeping O’Briens and Bob Jane in business.