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YOUR ONLINE SURF AND TRAVEL STORE © PATTERSON PREMIUM SERVICE, PREMIUM PRODUCTS. THE MOST CONVENIENT PLACE TO GET YOUR SUMMER GIFTS! WWW.POLLYWOG.CO.ZA ZAG READERS WILL GET TO ENJOY A MYSTERY DISCOUNT FROM 10% UP TO 30%, JUST USE THE PROMO CODE: ZIGZAG On selected catalogues only. Valid until 10 December 2018. T’s & C’s apply. MATT BROMLEY ©CRAIG MATT R49.00 INCL. VAT OTHER COUNTRIES R42.61 EX VAT. NOV/DEC 2018 ©2018 Vans, Inc. VANS.COM ZAG 42.8 / CONTENTS Jordy Maree puts his head down and gets to work in Ballito. ©VAN GYSEN 10: LETTERS 58: SHOT BRU 16: THE TASTE OF FEAR 40: STIMULUS PACKAGE Tales from the pit during Indo’s historic Got the travel itch but not the budget? July ‘18 swell. Charge Nias with Bromdog, Well, Zag have put together a stimulus 12: SPAT OUT 60: OFF THE LEASH and drop into macking Mentawais with package that’ll make you stoked to stay Twiggy and a crew of Saffa chargers. at home and get pitted. 32: GNARALOO 70: BUCKS & BARRELS 54: SHOWCASE 63: TRAVEL GUIDE Welcome to the wild West Oz, where Here’s the answer if you’ve dreamed of turquoise blue waters fringe parched red going pro but your skills fell just short: earth, and bone-crunching waves entice become a surf guide. Introducing four 82: SPLAB the bravest to the challenge. Saffas enjoying the other pro career. 6 ZAG 42.8 / EDITORIAL EDITOR’S NOTE - Calvin Bradley My brain has ceased to work, but the next editor probably shreds harder anyways. ©MILLER ave you ever been surfed out? Dumb down the entire act to its core – just With all that said, I wouldn’t swap the H You know, that feeling you get when you, the wave and the feeling you get riding it. last ten years for any amount of money. you’d rather lie on the couch than paddle The best way I know to get pumped up The experience I’ve gained can’t be replaced. out again – after all, conditions have for a session is to go surf somewhere other Many of the people I’ve met on this journey deteriorated slightly after a multi-day run than my local, so my first order of business have become friends, I’ve been on some epic of flawless swell. after I peel myself away from the Zag Cave all-expenses-paid surf trips, learned how to I’ve been feeling like that for weeks now, is to book a ticket somewhere with waves. read and right* better, and got to sit in the chair but not because I had been barrelled out This might explain why ‘Travel’ is the theme I dreamed about as a lightie. All priceless. of my mind prior to my affliction. I think for this issue. Someone else is going to get the honour it’s because for the last decade I’ve been Maybe I’ll ask Richie Sills if I can join him of directing one of the world’s foremost involved in surf media; from the fast-paced on his next mission up Australia’s deserted surfing magazines, be the leader of a online environment to the editor’s chair – north west coast (see Gnaraloo on page 32); publication South Africa can be proud of which doesn’t feel like you’re constantly on perhaps I’ll finally take up Guy Morgan’s (Zag has been there and done that since fast-forward but is more demanding on the offer to sail through the Mentawais on ’76), and connect with the best contributors ol’ brain matter. board his charter boat (see Bucks & Barrels across the globe and an awesome crew of Being exposed to so much radical stuff on page 70); or I might just make a short devoted readers. It’s going to be a wild ride, over the past ten years, combined with the flight across the country and score some icy but that’s what we surfers dig. stresses of working in a tough industry, may barrels in Cape Town, or sharkfin-shaped So I’m kicking out mid-ride at Supers and have caused my mind to melt. So I felt the wedges in the Southern Cape. We’re lucky waving to the surfer on the shoulder to drop- time was right to get my ass off the Ed’s that we don’t need to travel far in South in. I’ve had my share and must remember chair and hit the road on a new adventure. Africa to surf cranking waves. Check out there are some other frothers out there too. Instead of thinking deeply about surfing Stimulus Package on page 40 for a lekker They probably surf better than me anyway. everyday, I’m rather going to just feel it again. photo feature that proves this. 8 *;) ZAG 42.8 / LETTERS SURFING LEGEND: MY DAD ROAD TRIP I have loved surfing from the age of four. Let me start by saying that I’m a booger/ I grew up having respect for the ocean and frog on toast/dick dragger from the Garden eating lots of fish. As a kid I grew up surfing Route, who occasionally dusts-off the old the beach in front of uShaka. log and goes cruising at the local. When I got to high school my dad passed I’ve been buying the Zag for years and it away. He was my surfing legend. I always has been keeping me, and more recently, watched him surf from our house on the my nephew stoked – as you can see. Bluff. After that a lot changed and I started Michael is killing time DROP THE ZAG A LINE ON surfing bigger waves at Umhlanga Rocks. reading the Zag on our [email protected] AND BE HEARD I owe my surfing improvement to my road trip to Cape Town to RAILS FOR A REASON stepbrother-in-law, Dan, who threw me in score some pits. the deep end. I learned very quickly how to I’m a teacher by trade duck dive and my surfing has improved a lot. and quite often see parents I recently watched a video clip online. Surfing has always been my favourite trying to force their love It’s a short clip of Taj Burrow and Aussie sport and if I didn’t board in Maritzburg, of a certain sport or hobby on their kids. grom Dakota Walters – the old pro and the I’d probably be failing school because of it. Michael picked up the Zag all by himself and new grom. The kid can clearly surf, but what Now I sit at backline waiting for the biggest loves the ocean. You okes would be stoked shocked me was his approach to surfing. ones to roll through, which also means that to know that I’ve taken him out on my log He rode a few barrels, but all he basically I take the biggest wipeouts. But I feel closer and got him to stand up. Needless to say did was airs – generally just one air reverse to my dad every time I get in the water. stoke levels are high. after another. I actually fast-forwarded a EïăÉĒoäÌČɆxÉ·ÝĒı Shot for a kiff mag ous. few of his waves because if I saw another Ruan Swart, Knysna air reverse I was going to puke. – Stoked to hear you’ve been charging like your ballie If we look at Taj in comparison, that guy did, Josh. Enjoy every session! – Rad to see the next generation catching the bug. rips! Big lip bashes, tail popping out the We’ll do our best to keep them stoked. back, serious burying of the rail, and we all LOCAL RULZ know Taj has got a major air game. The top WINNING LETTER SCORES A HAMPER FROM RIP CURL pros all have a rail and an air game, and I’ve been surfing most of my life, albeit some of the best still absolutely rip without only on holidays as I’ve never quite got it an air game – Michael Bourez for example. right to engineer a career for myself by Taj was exciting to watch and the kid, the coast. Thus I’ve never earned much despite his talent, was boring. “local status”. So I wanted to ask what So this message is to all the groms out sort of respect should locals be afforded there, who seem to think that popping airs in the surf? is ripping. Rails and fins were attached to a The good news is that almost surfboard for a reason. If you can’t bury or everywhere I’ve been along our coast, gouge a serious rail, then you cannot surf no Saffa surfers are a respectful bunch matter how many airs you can do. and play by the rules. I was starting to In general though, I think the SA hotties believe that “localism” had finally been LETTERS MAY BE EDITED FOR BREVITY/CLARITY have got well-balanced repertoires. Dylan recognised as a feeble surfer’s religion of Lightfoot, Jordy Maree, Adin Masencamp yesteryear, until a recent trip to a famous and many more rip with a mix of hardcore right hander jolted me back to reality. When I asked the one guy who he thought rail turns and airs. It’s the young groms Forty surfers out; conditions nice, not he was, his candid response was, “I’m a local”. I see at Long Beach or Inner Kom that perfect.