Blinded By A wave
NZ SURFING MAGAZINE|Issue 186

We’ve seen it on the news, a traveller paraded before the worlds media as an example of what happens when you break certain countries laws.

Blinded By A wave

Over the years there have been many high profile cases, with those caught up in a seedy underworld attempting to plead innocence to a world that has already judged their case. But for one particular kiwi surfer being blinded by the ultimate opportunity to surf the kind of waves that we often jokingly make the statement “I’d give my left nut to surf a wave like that!” Almost resulted in the loss of not only a left one but his life! For reasons of anonymity, and to protect the local people of the region involved and to avoid being hunted down by hitmen from the underworld, we have kept names and locations a secret. But this is indeed a true story, that could have ended so very much differently.

Sitting back on a dreary Aotearoa winter’s day, Mr X a electrician by trade, received a phone call from across the ditch, he had never met or spoken to this person ever before, but a mutual friend couldn’t do the job so had put forward his name, feeling that he would fit the job description perfectly “I couldn’t believe my luck! Out of the blue this random guy called me up and offered to fly me to the work on his resort which sat out in front of some of the best waves on the planet, he offered me $200 a day, all flights and expenses paid, and pretty much sold me the dream that I would have my own boat to go surfing as much as I could. I had just finished a big job back home and had a gap in my workload, so I thought, this is the dream job! I’d always heard about mates scoring jobs like this every now and then and I had never had an opportunity like this come up, so I was in!”.

This story is from the Issue 186 edition of NZ SURFING MAGAZINE.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the Issue 186 edition of NZ SURFING MAGAZINE.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM NZ SURFING MAGAZINEView All
Trigger Finger
NZ SURFING MAGAZINE

Trigger Finger

Ask any top surf coach and the two elements they will concentrate on and recommend are a solid bottom turn and being able to develop speed - as they say, speed is your friend, and many of the best surfers on the planet also happen to be the fastest surfers.

time-read
2 mins  |
NZ Surfing Magazine #188 October /November 2019
THESHAPESHIFTER ROGER HALL
NZ SURFING MAGAZINE

THESHAPESHIFTER ROGER HALL

Ladies and Gentleman Choose Your Weapons: How to decide on your next surfboard.

time-read
7 mins  |
Issue 188
The Olympians
NZ SURFING MAGAZINE

The Olympians

Over 50 years ago surfing’s greatest ambassador of all time, the legendary Duke Kahanamoku, had a vision that one day surfing would become an Olympic sport.

time-read
10+ mins  |
Issue 188
The Gladiator Pit
NZ SURFING MAGAZINE

The Gladiator Pit

Born from the era of the Roman Empire, armed combatants known as gladiators would enter the arena also known as the Gladiator Pit to face up against other gladiators, animals and criminals in fierce battle in what was seen as entertainment often ending in death to one or the other.

time-read
4 mins  |
Issue 188
Rising Grom Asia Braithwaite
NZ SURFING MAGAZINE

Rising Grom Asia Braithwaite

There are those young athletes that get into sport who possess natural talent, even the X-factor, yet as the road is usually a far-too-easy passage, they either take it for granted or don’t push beyond their capabilities.

time-read
6 mins  |
Issue 188
Licence To Score
NZ SURFING MAGAZINE

Licence To Score

The adventures behind the wheel of Mount Grom Luke Griffin.

time-read
3 mins  |
NZ Surfing Magazine #188 October /November 2019
Land Of The Long Lefts
NZ SURFING MAGAZINE

Land Of The Long Lefts

It was the year 1966 and the sport of surfing was sweeping the world.

time-read
4 mins  |
Issue 187
Theshapeshifter - Roger Hall
NZ SURFING MAGAZINE

Theshapeshifter - Roger Hall

Ever heard of a Mini Simmons?

time-read
6 mins  |
Issue 187
The Road Less Travelled
NZ SURFING MAGAZINE

The Road Less Travelled

Take a look at a map of our coastline and you will see thousands of kilometres of coastline, 15,000 to be almost exact, making it the 9th longest in the world.

time-read
4 mins  |
Issue 187
Then & Now
NZ SURFING MAGAZINE

Then & Now

It was the early 80s and the world of sport was evolving rapidly.

time-read
6 mins  |
Issue 187