Natxo Gonzalez // A Dream Come True - video

Stu Nettle picture
Stu Nettle (stunet)
Swellnet Dispatch

"Four years ago Natxo Gonzalez found an area on Google Maps that looked like it had great potential. After waiting for a long time the charts finally revealed a swell that was traveling thousands of kilometres across the ocean and he knew that this was his opportunity."

"Arriving in the fading light of the first day, the waves were small but looked perfect. But doubts remained: was the wave too fast? The next day all questions were answered, all the dreams and expectations were about to come real..."

Those words accompany this video of Natxo and Kepa Acero surfing an isolated desert left, and I can't help feeling conflicted when I watch the vid. Sure Natxo gets one long, racing pit (out of a whole day surfing?)....but is it really that good? Are my expectations too high? Has Mick Fanning ruined my dreams?

Decide for yourself...

Comments

campbell's picture
campbell's picture
campbell Friday, 20 Oct 2017 at 10:07am

Cats out of the bag now those guys have "discovered" it. Doing well to keep it under wraps when you see it on 3 different surf related websites the same day. Just wait for it... claim! Gotta claim a tube ride (even if it's just you filming yourself I guess? On ya nachos. Next time there will be 20 intrepid explorers on site

dewhurst's picture
dewhurst's picture
dewhurst Friday, 20 Oct 2017 at 10:19am

D'you really think people are gonna drop a couple K to surf an extended closeout?

Except for the one he made (admittedly good) I can get the same waves on any half decent swell at home.

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Friday, 20 Oct 2017 at 10:36am

Hey dewy, where do ya live? I won’t tell anyone...

dewhurst's picture
dewhurst's picture
dewhurst Friday, 20 Oct 2017 at 10:44am

OK, maybe a fully decent swell.

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Friday, 20 Oct 2017 at 10:52am

Ha

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Friday, 20 Oct 2017 at 10:36am

Is it Fanning’s Wave? I know he’s in a wetty but it looks pretty similar

aussieguy's picture
aussieguy's picture
aussieguy Friday, 20 Oct 2017 at 11:29am

Wow, awesome clip. If you can make the drop and the bottom turn, you've got the ride of your life (well until the next set comes through).

indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming Friday, 20 Oct 2017 at 2:50pm

Could easily be the same wave as Fannings these kind of places can totally change with sand movement perhaps Fanning really lucked out (with I'm sure much help from others) and caught it when it was more rideable banks.

Elliedog's picture
Elliedog's picture
Elliedog Friday, 20 Oct 2017 at 4:13pm

That was just strange...weird almost. The behaviour of this guy i mean. I dont think id enjoy surfing with this man. Am i out of touch but its a closeout isnt it?.

frother's picture
frother's picture
frother Friday, 20 Oct 2017 at 9:53pm

One of the nicest "closeouts" I've ever seen

syril500's picture
syril500's picture
syril500 Friday, 20 Oct 2017 at 4:46pm

very nice wave. heaving. i can understand his stoke

syril500's picture
syril500's picture
syril500 Friday, 20 Oct 2017 at 4:46pm

very nice wave. heaving. i can understand his stoke

mattlock's picture
mattlock's picture
mattlock Friday, 20 Oct 2017 at 5:27pm

Sick waves. Some makeable sections,therefore not a close out

Schreinermeister's picture
Schreinermeister's picture
Schreinermeister Friday, 20 Oct 2017 at 5:38pm

Pfff... I've see waves that good made within ear shot of the bongo circle at Main beach.

inzider's picture
inzider's picture
inzider Friday, 20 Oct 2017 at 10:34pm

that music was a travesty

Buckshot Surf Company's picture
Buckshot Surf Company's picture
Buckshot Surf C... Saturday, 21 Oct 2017 at 9:18am

Eddy would go!!

Mr Mr's picture
Mr Mr's picture
Mr Mr Sunday, 22 Oct 2017 at 9:14am

It's not the Fanning right. We know where the Fanning right is, and you won't be getting it like that. Fanning has a rich team watching cyclones etc for him with instant flights. Do you? Go to the Fanning right area and sit around for six months if you like. It's hot. This one is cold water. Why would anyone wear a steamer if they didn't have to? Would Fanning freeze his balls off in cold water wearing boardies?

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Sunday, 22 Oct 2017 at 9:46am

Ok then, where is Fannings wave?

Gary G's picture
Gary G's picture
Gary G Monday, 23 Oct 2017 at 10:04am

It's not that hard to find the Rattlesnake if you know where to look: It's a relatively short reach around from Inside Gary's.

Conditions are always well groomed but you really need to get in front of it to get your head around the other dimensions; it's a bit of a grower.

Dan K's picture
Dan K's picture
Dan K Monday, 23 Oct 2017 at 1:39pm

Hahahahahahahaha!!
If it's the spot I'm thinking of Gary G then it has a mean spit at the end too.

indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming Sunday, 22 Oct 2017 at 9:58am

Geez I've never heard of a place where water temps or air temps change during the year, where some months you can surf in shorts or a spring suit while other months you need a 3/2 or 4/3.

And why would you need a rich team to watch cyclones?

It's really not that hard to log onto the internet and watch weather systems and if you have the time and money it's quite easy to get last minute flights.

With the amount of people I've read on the internet that know the location and conditions of Fannings wave, if it really is that fickle it sure is going to be crowded next time it breaks.

amb's picture
amb's picture
amb Monday, 23 Oct 2017 at 5:12pm

"Geez I've never heard of a place where water temps or air temps change during the year, where some months you can surf in shorts or a spring suit while other months you need a 3/2 or 4/3." - South Oz Summer vs Winter ID

indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming Monday, 23 Oct 2017 at 6:07pm

I was being sarcastic just about everywhere in Australia you need or feel more comfortable in a full length wetty in winter then in summer you can surf in shorts or a spring suit.

When i lived in QLD i even use to surf in a full 3/2 for a few weeks to months during winter and when i lived in Tassie there was even times we would surf in shorts during summer.

Some places that even have a similar all round climate and can be quite warm can have times of the year where cold water currents come in.

So basically them wearing or not wearing a wetsuit means very little and doesn't confirm anything.

freerider.'s picture
freerider.'s picture
freerider. Sunday, 22 Oct 2017 at 4:16pm

Four years ago he found a spot on Google Maps and it took him this long for the right swell to turn up? It must have a super small swell window, don't think it would be worth the hassle.

freerider.'s picture
freerider.'s picture
freerider. Sunday, 22 Oct 2017 at 4:20pm

In the early days of surf exploration, Surfers would wear wetsuits just for a few magazine pictures, just to help throw people off the real place of the wave.

Halibut's picture
Halibut's picture
Halibut Tuesday, 24 Oct 2017 at 10:34am

I've tried to surf Flinders Beach under those conditions plenty of times. All that happens is that you get an express trip to Amity Point and burnt-out rotator cuffs. Still, it's a good workout in a pair of boardies, way more fun than the gym. I dunno if I'd bother in a steamer though, that's taking it a bit far.