Watch: RCJ on the rocks at Nazare

Stu Nettle picture
Stu Nettle (stunet)
Swellnet Dispatch

It may have a better wall on it, but here's why surfers rarely go right at Nazare. Today Ross Clarke-Jones, who's been holed up at Nazare for the better part of the season, whipped right on a medium-size wave only to get caught in the "death zone".

With his vest inflated RCJ pinballs around the inter-tidal zone before making it ashore and waving the white flag.

"I think I'm done for Nazare's season, " says a deflated Ross afterwards. "I'm gonna call it a day - just look at castles or something."

For the record, RCJ is 51-years old.

 

A post shared by Alexander Triebel (@young.shoot) on

 

Comments

Ant agonist's picture
Ant agonist's picture
Ant agonist Monday, 26 Feb 2018 at 10:58am

What a weapon RCJ is
Total unit

simba's picture
simba's picture
simba Monday, 26 Feb 2018 at 11:21am

look on the bright side, he did get a couple cover ups behind those rocks!

freeride76's picture
freeride76's picture
freeride76 Monday, 26 Feb 2018 at 11:23am

Thats an exact illustration of why mandatory lifejackets for rockfishermen will be fatal in as many cases as it saves lives.

You can't swim away from the danger zone with that thing inflated.

That was hideous, he's lucky to be alive.

Terminal's picture
Terminal's picture
Terminal Monday, 26 Feb 2018 at 11:45am

Agreed, that was hideous. Lucky he was covered in rubber to absorb a little of the impact (better than nothing I suppose). For the Rock fisherman, maybe they could swim out of the danger zone and then inflate jacket?

shoredump's picture
shoredump's picture
shoredump Monday, 26 Feb 2018 at 11:39am

If you look real closely, you can see he’s imagining himself on the dance floor

50young's picture
50young's picture
50young Monday, 26 Feb 2018 at 11:59am

Always loved that line shorey

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Monday, 26 Feb 2018 at 12:08pm

HAHA!

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Monday, 26 Feb 2018 at 12:26pm

Yes!!

Lanky Dean's picture
Lanky Dean's picture
Lanky Dean Monday, 26 Feb 2018 at 3:06pm

man, that situation id say he was imagining he was in the pit at a slayer concert.
gnarly...........

zenagain's picture
zenagain's picture
zenagain Monday, 26 Feb 2018 at 11:58am

Madman.

3dfins's picture
3dfins's picture
3dfins Monday, 26 Feb 2018 at 12:15pm

heavy but RCJ knew what to do hiding behind the rocks probably saved his life.

John Eyre's picture
John Eyre's picture
John Eyre Monday, 26 Feb 2018 at 2:14pm

No way he didnt hide......he was just getting a little barrel......

simba's picture
simba's picture
simba Monday, 26 Feb 2018 at 1:38pm

Out of interest does anyone know if you can deflate those jackets after inflation or regulate the amount of bouyancy?

Chipper's picture
Chipper's picture
Chipper Monday, 26 Feb 2018 at 1:48pm

Classic line - "I think I'm done for Nazare Season ..... I think i'll look at castles or something"... Hilarious!!!

John Eyre's picture
John Eyre's picture
John Eyre Monday, 26 Feb 2018 at 1:58pm

Surely there is a deflation pulley avaliable in floaty vest options..... they aren't that Fkn dumb are they !

memlasurf's picture
memlasurf's picture
memlasurf Monday, 26 Feb 2018 at 1:58pm

Yep always get behind the rocks that was hairy.

frog's picture
frog's picture
frog Monday, 26 Feb 2018 at 3:35pm

Those whitewater walls weren't even that big and it looked heavy. Imagine a 50 ft wall at high tide slamming in as often happens there. One day someone will face it.

Tim Bonython's picture
Tim Bonython's picture
Tim Bonython Monday, 26 Feb 2018 at 4:08pm

and that's what scares me. Guaranteed death for sure.

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Monday, 26 Feb 2018 at 4:20pm

“I caught my first wave on the second peak, which I went right,” Clarke-Jones said. “Bailing off the wave, I was pulled under the water for about 30 seconds, using my Quiksilver Airlift to inflate me to the surface. I came up looking directly at the cave and rocks.”

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/feb/26/hell-of-a-time-big-wave-surfer-ross-clarke-jones-nearly-drowns-at-nazare

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Monday, 26 Feb 2018 at 5:03pm

Christ what a bloody Maddog

evosurfer's picture
evosurfer's picture
evosurfer Monday, 26 Feb 2018 at 5:08pm

I cant even watch that. I got pinballed through the rocks
last year resulting in 5 fractures in my back and massive
bruising I will never be the same and still have nightmares
about it. Lucky boy RCJ

Lanky Dean's picture
Lanky Dean's picture
Lanky Dean Monday, 26 Feb 2018 at 5:32pm

heavy,
where were you surfing ? if i can ask ?

southey's picture
southey's picture
southey Monday, 26 Feb 2018 at 10:26pm

oh was that you Evo .? I thought it was Blindboy . Everyone has a horror story from there .

Chaz's picture
Chaz's picture
Chaz Monday, 26 Feb 2018 at 7:24pm

Pity he didnt have a block of that special wax ,from back in the day tucked away in that vest!

Albertinelli's picture
Albertinelli's picture
Albertinelli Monday, 26 Feb 2018 at 9:37pm

ROCK CLAD JACKET known as Ross Clark jones

truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher Tuesday, 27 Feb 2018 at 4:04am

***** Commando Bodybash'n!

Cue:(Peel Sessions)The Fall - Australians in Europe ...(Never Ever Breathe) {R.I.P}

whaaaat's picture
whaaaat's picture
whaaaat Tuesday, 27 Feb 2018 at 1:09pm

Where's Mark Visser when he's REALLY needed?

Quint's picture
Quint's picture
Quint Tuesday, 27 Feb 2018 at 2:14pm

Ehmergerd its a sea monster.

smithyg's picture
smithyg's picture
smithyg Tuesday, 27 Feb 2018 at 8:32pm

Life in the fast lane. Mad Wax

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Wednesday, 28 Feb 2018 at 7:58am

This first picture captures how heavy the siutation really was..

scottindo's picture
scottindo's picture
scottindo Wednesday, 28 Feb 2018 at 10:53pm

RCJ always HELL MAN !!!

Mort's picture
Mort's picture
Mort Thursday, 1 Mar 2018 at 12:19am

Galapalogas Lizard!

Mort's picture
Mort's picture
Mort Thursday, 1 Mar 2018 at 12:17am

Like a fucken explorer who has jumped off a ship.
I remember the story he told, if your in the white water , you breath between your teeth to take advantage of the oxygen and obviously take deep breaths at opportune moments.

He reminded me of a Galapalagos Lizard that had made it. He did not spurt out his nose though.

Mort's picture
Mort's picture
Mort Thursday, 1 Mar 2018 at 1:18am

David Attenborough Narrative

This lizard continues to go out in the wild ocean. This species is peculiar in that it tries to ride the waves in after. This almost slightly resembles Human behaviour, in that it might it may die.

It scapers well and it nice to watch sit on the rocks and take a breatha. It will continue to look for a mate, though it will nest in the back of the Island.

johnruciak's picture
johnruciak's picture
johnruciak Thursday, 1 Mar 2018 at 9:54am

Doesn't sound to flash...slurring a bit, concussion? Also can a bartender make me a RCJ on the rocks.

Ash's picture
Ash's picture
Ash Thursday, 1 Mar 2018 at 11:16am

The RCJ on the rocks, shaken or stirred?

50young's picture
50young's picture
50young Thursday, 1 Mar 2018 at 12:01pm

Not often you can get an RCJ shaken, he's a hellman!!!

truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher Saturday, 3 Mar 2018 at 9:17pm

No doubt a 60 Minutes $1m Wipeout/Bodydouble deal that went belly up!
Same bat time same bat channel will RCJ survive the Ratings War....Sunday 4/March/2018

truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher Saturday, 3 Mar 2018 at 9:36pm

Mort!
What do you get when you cross your Galapagos Lizard with a Lollapalooza Gizzard ?
A Bizarre Nazare Whitewater Wizard.