Watch: Nathan Florence // Sydney Slab

Stu Nettle picture
Stu Nettle (stunet)
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On Monday morning, as older bro John John wrangled West Oz caverns, Nathan Florence flew into Australia's East Coast to resume his Slab Tour. First stop, the OG slab wave, a place with a long and proud history, and that's produced generations of great tube riders.

First session out there, before the sun is even over the horizon, and ol' Nate is putting on a show worthy of a veteran.

Comments

conrico's picture
conrico's picture
conrico Wednesday, 19 Apr 2023 at 6:10pm

As much as I hate pro surfing culture (ie blowing up breaks), you’ve got to appreciate Nath’s amazing attitude and discretion regarding spots. Seems like a great dude

Andrew P's picture
Andrew P's picture
Andrew P Wednesday, 19 Apr 2023 at 6:13pm

+1

Godarren's picture
Godarren's picture
Godarren Monday, 24 Apr 2023 at 10:00am

+2

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Wednesday, 19 Apr 2023 at 6:14pm

Now to match it up against the replays! Good footy around the 7am mark.

lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy Wednesday, 19 Apr 2023 at 6:35pm

Good to see Graham Kennedy at the end there.

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Wednesday, 19 Apr 2023 at 6:58pm

Crazy clip!

shraz's picture
shraz's picture
shraz Wednesday, 19 Apr 2023 at 7:08pm

Good footage! When I see highly skilled surfers on super high performance boards getting crushed by a ripple in a death slab it reminds me why single fin pinny's were all the rage in the old days! Yeww! Ride to survive!

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Wednesday, 19 Apr 2023 at 7:10pm

I can remember years when the SIC comp organisers would wait whole winters for a day like that.

Nate scores it the first morning of his first trip.

Charmed life.

Tobiasl's picture
Tobiasl's picture
Tobiasl Thursday, 20 Apr 2023 at 10:41am

I don't think they would've run on that day. But that said I lived on the point for an autumn/winter to ride that joint & got 1 swell

wax-on-danielson's picture
wax-on-danielson's picture
wax-on-danielson Thursday, 20 Apr 2023 at 7:20pm

That’s what I was thinking and he looked like he had the joint wired after one wave.

Sprout's picture
Sprout's picture
Sprout Wednesday, 19 Apr 2023 at 7:20pm

And out at the box today. Charmed life alright.
Nice to see sticks tolerated out there these days, like lids at Pikers.

Tim Bonython's picture
Tim Bonython's picture
Tim Bonython Wednesday, 19 Apr 2023 at 9:44pm

farrrkkk, where was i???????

Dan87's picture
Dan87's picture
Dan87 Thursday, 20 Apr 2023 at 7:58am

Hahaha. Love this.
But seriously, where were ya!?

Phillthy_Phillberson's picture
Phillthy_Phillberson's picture
Phillthy_Phillberson Thursday, 20 Apr 2023 at 4:39pm

Love the comment too. It’s always good to show face and keep up appearances.
If I had to guess, you would have been blowing up a lesser known spot ya silly paparazzi. Don’t worry I’m sure all the fellas keep you around for your company… I’m telling ya, it wouldn’t all just be about the footage I reckon. Keep trying to feel relevant old mate!

Trentslatterphoto's picture
Trentslatterphoto's picture
Trentslatterphoto Thursday, 20 Apr 2023 at 6:04pm

Stfu Phil. if you don’t have anything nice to say go back to bouncing on thick black boabs yah piss weak hero

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Thursday, 20 Apr 2023 at 6:44pm

Hey mate, I deleted your comment. Email me on [email protected] if you need an explanation.

Michael Adam's picture
Michael Adam's picture
Michael Adam Saturday, 22 Apr 2023 at 6:59am

Haha. Those who sell surfing…

seeds's picture
seeds's picture
seeds Wednesday, 19 Apr 2023 at 10:06pm

Deleted

Alex Papas's picture
Alex Papas's picture
Alex Papas Thursday, 20 Apr 2023 at 8:27am

not to throw shade on the many local chargers but it’s pretty rad when you see a pro wrangle your local without any real intimate knowledge of the reef. shows that it’s kind of a different sport for the top tier haha

Solitude's picture
Solitude's picture
Solitude Thursday, 20 Apr 2023 at 9:11am

I agree Alex. Same as when the pro's turn up to Pipe - for many their sheer skill is enough to override their lack of time out there. Has been many a year where the local wildcards have been shown this during the Pipe CT.

BD's picture
BD's picture
BD Thursday, 20 Apr 2023 at 9:46am

Remmeber watching slater years ago at deadmans and instantly took off behind the peak etc where guys at that point werent game. Opened everyones eyes.....i still s(h)at on the shoulder

Lougher's picture
Lougher's picture
Lougher Thursday, 20 Apr 2023 at 12:00pm

Easy on.

BD's picture
BD's picture
BD Thursday, 20 Apr 2023 at 12:04pm

Haha very long time ago late 90’s v early 2000 but my memory terrible. Joel and Kye fitz were charging then and Dayan/Kai Otton just starting. Anyway he took off deeper etc was unreal, the guys surfing it now blows my mind.

billie's picture
billie's picture
billie Thursday, 20 Apr 2023 at 7:43pm

And when Kelly surfed it 3 years ago he was taking off deep on the inside peak. Not an easy thing to do. On dark, I was watching after I came in and Kelly took the drop on a solid six footer impossibly late. It was AMAZING.

Gowsa's picture
Gowsa's picture
Gowsa Thursday, 20 Apr 2023 at 10:06am

What is it with the florence Brothers and their Cat Weasel beards?

wally's picture
wally's picture
wally Thursday, 20 Apr 2023 at 10:38am

I particularly liked the pov footage. Hats off to whoever first thought, you know what, I’m gonna put the gopro in my mouth. It’s uncanny how that technique usually delivers a great stable angle despite the circumstances.

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Thursday, 20 Apr 2023 at 11:03am

I also enjoyed it, but how much did it take the size and heaviness away. It undersells it.

wally's picture
wally's picture
wally Thursday, 20 Apr 2023 at 11:40am

100% agree. The famous “GoPro effect” of flattening things out. An unfortunate trade-off with the width and clarity of the view. It’s partially compensated, like here, when they show the land-based view of the wave followed by the GoPro

zenagain's picture
zenagain's picture
zenagain Thursday, 20 Apr 2023 at 4:47pm

Great clip.

Nate is one of the very few vloggers I can actually watch. Agree with above- seems like a good bloke.

nicko74's picture
nicko74's picture
nicko74 Thursday, 20 Apr 2023 at 8:19pm

Animal

Robwilliams's picture
Robwilliams's picture
Robwilliams Friday, 21 Apr 2023 at 10:47am

How to shake, rattle and roll. He's going to go nut's. Incredible surfer. Can and will eat slabs for breakfast. Last few vids have had some epic paddling. Crew charging it.

sacash's picture
sacash's picture
sacash Friday, 21 Apr 2023 at 6:28pm

This blokes an absolute dog, globe trotting the world doing clips while the rest of us where in lockdown, never forget

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Friday, 21 Apr 2023 at 7:04pm

Would you if you could of?

Michael Adam's picture
Michael Adam's picture
Michael Adam Saturday, 22 Apr 2023 at 6:57am

A bit of mis-directed anger there. Those who locked us down are the dogs, mate. Never forget.

zenagain's picture
zenagain's picture
zenagain Saturday, 22 Apr 2023 at 8:14am

Correct.

Sprout's picture
Sprout's picture
Sprout Sunday, 23 Apr 2023 at 12:30pm