Six months since the Snake - video

Stu Nettle picture
Stu Nettle (stunet)
Swellnet Dispatch

Mick Fanning riding the 'Snake': Can you recall your thoughts upon first seeing it? Dumb question really, surfers were united in wondering where the hell it was. Such perfection, so anonymous. Who wouldn't be fascinated?

The wonder quickly descended into a surfing version of Pokemon Go with Google Earth the tool of trade. Of course, with so many people scouring the coast for clues it was inevitable the wave would be found, and soon.

"If its still a secret by St. Patrick's Day I'll be surprised," said Matt Warshaw giving the searchers a generous 28 days to find the location. The truth, as they say, is out there.

Yet 28 days elapsed and it hadn't been found. Matt Warshaw was wrong. We were all wrong.

The Thursday just gone marked six months since the clip dropped and the 'discovery' has been all but forgotten. So as the surfing world looks to the next shiny thing and the YouTube count slows to a trickle Swellnet would like to offer one final toast to the crew involved. Espcially those that kept their lips sealed and set the new gold standard in surf travel.

Comments

zenagain's picture
zenagain's picture
zenagain Saturday, 15 Jul 2017 at 9:40am

Someone the other day asked which was the best righthander in the world?

This one one would have to go close I reckon.

bigredcouch's picture
bigredcouch's picture
bigredcouch Saturday, 15 Jul 2017 at 10:13am

The new gold standard in surf travel is to have the largest surf wear company film it and distribute it to as many people as possible to sell as much product as possible? How sad.

Island Bay's picture
Island Bay's picture
Island Bay Saturday, 15 Jul 2017 at 12:50pm

Have you done any further sleuthing, Stu? Do I owe you a six pack of warm Aussie beer? I still haven't found a better candidate than the one I put forward.

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Saturday, 15 Jul 2017 at 2:20pm

No doubt that it's a phenomenal wave and Mick is a pretty perfect match... but, who else would you have liked to see surfing it?
For me:
*rasta
*parko
*jjf
*bruce I
*herc
*clay marzo
*???

Winkipop2017's picture
Winkipop2017's picture
Winkipop2017 Sunday, 16 Jul 2017 at 7:48am

Wayne "rabbit" Bartholomew!

indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming Monday, 17 Jul 2017 at 3:24pm

Kelly.

sypkan's picture
sypkan's picture
sypkan Saturday, 15 Jul 2017 at 6:55pm

Me

sypkan's picture
sypkan's picture
sypkan Saturday, 15 Jul 2017 at 6:58pm

The rest can Fuck off....

Except herc.....maybe....

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Saturday, 15 Jul 2017 at 7:26pm

I'll bet you $100000000000000000 that Herc ( so butch !!!!) wouldn't get to his feet at this wave on the highest tide of the year.

Coaster's picture
Coaster's picture
Coaster Saturday, 15 Jul 2017 at 10:48pm

Sandy Island in the Coral Sea.

Winkipop2017's picture
Winkipop2017's picture
Winkipop2017 Saturday, 15 Jul 2017 at 11:38pm

Have to say I want one of micks new boards!
I am going to take a guess what mick and Darren are working on!

1 a jbay model without channels!

2 a ducks nuts that's a bit shorter a little wider with a touch more volume! 5'10 18/78s x 2/38s. Sound nice! 27.8 liters same as the jbay spot on.

Winkipop2017's picture
Winkipop2017's picture
Winkipop2017 Saturday, 15 Jul 2017 at 11:39pm

And firewire/slater boards are looking very good round one.

PedroPete's picture
PedroPete's picture
PedroPete Sunday, 16 Jul 2017 at 4:54pm

Surfed it on 11th June. I have a couple of videos if anyone is interested. The couple of well known pros that were there weren't behaving particularly nice to us 'locals'. I use term locals loosely as I had been living in the country for 4 years and have only just left.

Winkipop2017's picture
Winkipop2017's picture
Winkipop2017 Monday, 17 Jul 2017 at 5:59am

Surfed what ? Mick's wave or Moreton!

Of course I want to fucking see them!
Will you post them or do you have a link?

PedroPete's picture
PedroPete's picture
PedroPete Monday, 17 Jul 2017 at 5:30pm

Micks wave.

Happy to post two vids on here since you're so polite Winki! I just don't know how to do it.

Got one vid from a smaller session in February, and one from June.

freerider.'s picture
freerider.'s picture
freerider. Monday, 17 Jul 2017 at 11:54am

Hey Stu, thanks for bringing this upI think the only reason it hasn't been discovered (exploited) yet is because it has a super small swell window and it only breaks on a super low tide, plus the sandbar is constantly changing. put all of these together and it might only break once or twice a year. Don't think the Rip Curl Surf and Exploit had anything to do with it. I wouldn't trust Rip Curll to guard my bar of wax at the beach.....

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Monday, 17 Jul 2017 at 12:04pm

You know, that may or may not be the reason, but whatever it is I hope the outcome serves as a lesson for all filmmakers to be extra vigilant in covering their tracks. The cameras aren't going away, but those controlling them can be totally obscure about geography and still make a popular clip.

That's what needs to be acknowledged

caml's picture
caml's picture
caml Monday, 17 Jul 2017 at 1:40pm

Good point stunet

freerider.'s picture
freerider.'s picture
freerider. Monday, 17 Jul 2017 at 4:10pm

I think Rip Curl is doing themselves more harm than good continuing with the Rip Curl Search. I think people have seen what has happened in the past and are fed up with surf exploitation for advertisements.

freerider.'s picture
freerider.'s picture
freerider. Monday, 17 Jul 2017 at 4:18pm

And while filmmakers might be able to hide their tracks, I think the Surfers are more likely to have loose lips. Going to have to leave you with a Lewis Samuels quote--" the surf industry is not surfing--my brief forays into the dark sickly heart of the matter have reminded me of that."

southey's picture
southey's picture
southey Monday, 17 Jul 2017 at 12:50pm

It broke again this month . I think i'm onto Stu .

p-funk's picture
p-funk's picture
p-funk Monday, 17 Jul 2017 at 3:09pm

Pause at 2m16s - smoke stacks or buildings on the horizon?

indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming Monday, 17 Jul 2017 at 3:29pm

Well spotted...No idea.

Winkipop2017's picture
Winkipop2017's picture
Winkipop2017 Monday, 17 Jul 2017 at 5:10pm

Well looking from the point at Morten you would see the holiday apartments at Caloundra! And there's shipping markers there too!

p-funk's picture
p-funk's picture
p-funk Monday, 17 Jul 2017 at 6:26pm

I've scoped North Point to Dog Ck on quite a number of large NE swells and I can tell you with a high level or certainty its unlikely to be Moreton. Like pretty much all SE QLD north facing island bays, the beach is very flat and inshore zone too shallow to allow swell of that size that close to the beach without breaking. The beach in the video is also very steep whereas the area you speak of has a very flat beach. The sand also looks quite coarse which is the opposite to SE QLD. Could be wrong though.

fitzroy-21's picture
fitzroy-21's picture
fitzroy-21 Monday, 17 Jul 2017 at 3:34pm

Or channel makers, ships masts...................

nogo's picture
nogo's picture
nogo Monday, 17 Jul 2017 at 3:16pm

Funny thing happened on the weekend. A mate was showing some pics I hadnt seen from a trip from a few years a go. He hadn't seen the MF vid.

We looked at the vid and pic and its the same place!

Its not as secret as you would think :)

indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming Monday, 17 Jul 2017 at 3:30pm

That song never gets old, perfect song for that vid.

Winkipop2017's picture
Winkipop2017's picture
Winkipop2017 Tuesday, 18 Jul 2017 at 11:06am

Not at all indo! I knew people that went there all the time 15 years ago said they where getting shacked!
I just never botherd i mean the same swell will have the bar going sideways with a crowd of 100 but only 15 really wanting it! You will get waves if you can surf "OURS"
Wurty will be sick thats where i would be...
Then theres plenty of other options!
I didnt know that mick had surfed it!
And to be honest i still dont care! Im not getting on a plane next swell!and i know i can get waves with crazy barrells the same day driving 10 mins and walking over a sand dune on the sunnycoast anyway.
Secret spots are nice! But like mavs and skeleton bay there comes a time when it's time to share it with everyone!
Fuck if you have had it for years!
Don't you want to see others enjoy it too!
Fuck I do! I don't give out spots or talk about them online!
But realized the reality of when a pro puts a clip up you have under a year left before it becomes public.

freerider.'s picture
freerider.'s picture
freerider. Monday, 17 Jul 2017 at 6:04pm

I think Rip Curl is doing themselves more harm than good continuing with the Rip Curl Search. I think people have seen what has happened in the past and are fed up with surf exploitation for advertisements.

freerider.'s picture
freerider.'s picture
freerider. Monday, 17 Jul 2017 at 6:05pm

And while filmmakers might be able to hide their tracks, I think the Surfers are more likely to have loose lips. Going to have to leave you with a Lewis Samuels quote--" the surf industry is not surfing--my brief forays into the dark sickly heart of the matter have reminded me of that."

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Monday, 17 Jul 2017 at 7:22pm

Winkipop2017 - utter cock and wears it with pride.

What can you say to that ?

Misanthropy reaffirmed.

Winkipop2017's picture
Winkipop2017's picture
Winkipop2017 Monday, 17 Jul 2017 at 7:26pm

Maybe you need to go live in the desert where that attitude belongs!

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Monday, 17 Jul 2017 at 7:29pm

That's exactly what I do.

Maybe you should stay in the zoo of the suburbs where fuckwits such as yourself should be sentenced to share the lineup with other mindless cocks unto eternity.

Winkipop2017's picture
Winkipop2017's picture
Winkipop2017 Monday, 17 Jul 2017 at 7:33pm

I live in Victoria mate not Queensland we know how to manage our crowds down here.

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Monday, 17 Jul 2017 at 7:35pm

You know how to live in the worst state in Australia to be a surfer.

Congratulations.

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Monday, 17 Jul 2017 at 7:36pm

Jeez thats low

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Monday, 17 Jul 2017 at 7:38pm

NT and Canberra are territories , right ?

Victoria wins...or loses.

Sorry , Goofy. I thought you knew ?

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Monday, 17 Jul 2017 at 7:49pm

Had no idea.. The illusion is over! (sad face)

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Monday, 17 Jul 2017 at 8:08pm

Chin up , mate.

If you want to get specific .....at least you dont live at Manly.

Nick Bone's picture
Nick Bone's picture
Nick Bone Monday, 17 Jul 2017 at 9:58pm

Shitoria is like my puppie that chewed my passport weeks before heading off to mex. She pisses me off immensely but i still love her unconditionally.

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Tuesday, 18 Jul 2017 at 11:16am

Ha, I'll bite. Be surprised the amount of quality surfs within a 2km radius and the crowds aren't an issue most times, just a lot of people unable to read the incoming sets and conditions ;)

Winkipop2017's picture
Winkipop2017's picture
Winkipop2017 Monday, 17 Jul 2017 at 7:29pm

Looks like I'm coming to DhD to pick up my free Skeleton Key surfboard prize for picking the winner!

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Monday, 17 Jul 2017 at 10:03pm

Your prize is the entire surfing world identifying you as the sort of clown that would reveal the location of an epic wave for a split second of spiteful joy.

If there's any karma in the world you'll go to sleep tonight and wake up tomorrow as the sole portaloo at a sold out music festival in Goa.

mattlock's picture
mattlock's picture
mattlock Monday, 17 Jul 2017 at 8:51pm

You guys need to GOI.
That wave is the Hump at Port Nourlunga shown in reverse with Fanbelt going goofy.....gotta be.
Or somewher else on the Mid and you are all welcome to join us.

freerider.'s picture
freerider.'s picture
freerider. Tuesday, 18 Jul 2017 at 2:53am

Dudes, if you want to point fingers, Point them at Rip Curl, withhout Ripcurl you wouldn't be having this discussion and the wave would still be a secret.

freerider.'s picture
freerider.'s picture
freerider. Tuesday, 18 Jul 2017 at 2:55am

Surfers everywhere should boycott Rip Curl for their blatant surf exploitation scheme

Clam's picture
Clam's picture
Clam Tuesday, 18 Jul 2017 at 11:08am

Someone gave the kids sugar

trolleyboy's picture
trolleyboy's picture
trolleyboy Tuesday, 18 Jul 2017 at 11:13am

What a thread. This Winkipop idiot is tone deaf and thick as a brick. There's also something of the "fifty year old grandad who's just discovered the internet" about him.

Comment all you want mate, but when you go about bragging about exposing secret spots is when you need to pull your head in.

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Tuesday, 18 Jul 2017 at 11:33am

Comments closed...