Surfing, Skateboarding, Music, Photography, Travel, Culture and general antics of the youth on the run.

Nate Lawrence nearly robbed To get you this Collected Thought Number 107 lineup shot

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I nearly got robbed trying to get a lineup shot.

I probably deserved it though. After all, I am exposing surf spots. And taking photos of a wave and making it look prettier than it is. The wind? It was onshore. The crowd? It was packed. But that’s the thing with us sketchy photographers, it’s all an illusion. A way for us to get paid to, well, surf. But let’s get back to the real story. The near robbery. Cause that’s why you’re still reading this.

Me and a few buddies went on a surf trip. Not to this crowded onshore wave you see in this photo. But to a beautiful offshore bay with no one around. Where’s the photos? C’mon, I’m not that stupid. So we surfed three times a day and after the second day we couldn’t paddle anymore so I decided to go and try and get my surf trip paid for. Take a few lineups and tell my boss (hey Travis!) that I was busy shooting this swell. The photo would look that good that he wouldn’t really notice the attached invoice for the rental car, hotel and gin and tonics.

We left in the evening on a Saturday night to drive to Desert Point (oops). A rental car guy from my last trip had warned me not to drive to this area at night. He didn’t even want to rent me the car once he heard where I was going. So I was telling this story to James and Scotty who were in the car with me. Not 10 minutes later I see a parked motorbike in the middle of the road. Then I see a person walking out trying to block the side of the road I was driving on. Already being warned about this area, I had planned in my mind what I was going to do if someone tried to block the road. So I sped up and drove directly at him.

My brights were on and as we got closer he started reaching around to his back with both hands like he was pulling a gun or knife out of his back pocket.

I sped up even more and at the last moment I swerved the car off the road and went around him. All of us ducked as we went by him as we thought there might be a bullet fired at the car.

I continued to drive super fast, not sure if he would follow on his motorbike. All of our hearts were beating fast. Was he behind us? Did he actually have a gun? 10 minutes later we reach our hotel and explained to the staff what just happened. They told us to hit him with the car next time.

I looked at them with confusion, then I looked at James…All this for an average lineup shot? —Nate Lawrence

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Craig Anderson, Mentawai Islands Collected Thoughts 111: Horrible waves in Indo aren’t that bad

“We hopped on the Bintang boat and got the best waves of our year. Shortly after, we got back on that same boat and got the worst waves of our year. Turns out, horrible waves in the Mentawais still aren’t that bad…” —Nate Lawrence

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Gunner Day Mind Pump Collected Thoughts 110

“A three week flat spell led to an over-hyped swell. The over-hyped swell led to a crowded lineup. The crowded lineup led to searching for other waves. Gunner Day. A first timer to the inside-mind-pump section.” —Nate Lawrence

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Have Surf Magazines Lost their Minds? Collected Thoughts 109

Have surf magazines lost their minds? First off, surf photographers have always been creepy people. Writers, not much better. But it seems in my years dealing with surf magazines that the people in charge are usually pretty turned on. They know how to make a very selfish sport look fun and inviting. I always looked…

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Too Much Perfect in Indonesia Collected Thoughts 108

Living in Bali has it’s perks. It’s cheap, warm and has waves all year round. It also has it’s downsides. Traffic, pollution and kooks. But the perfect waves always conquer the cons when contemplating if there is a better place to live. But just recently the perfect waves didn’t seem so perfect. I found myself…

what youth nate lawrence collected thoughts indonesia

Nate Lawrence nearly robbed To get you this Collected Thought Number 107 lineup shot

I nearly got robbed trying to get a lineup shot. I probably deserved it though. After all, I am exposing surf spots. And taking photos of a wave and making it look prettier than it is. The wind? It was onshore. The crowd? It was packed. But that’s the thing with us sketchy photographers, it’s…

Dillon Perillo, Indo Collected Thoughts 106: “Dillon lost his mind out here, which is kind of like finding it for him.”

On an island in remote Indonesia, Dillon Perillo can finally surf again. 5 hour sessions in the middle of the day with no one out. And then again just before sunset. This is not Malibu. —Nate Lawrence

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Chippa Wilson on the “Duo”, Bali Collected Thoughts 105

I was pretty amazed when Chippa pulled out this Neil Purchase Jr surfboard with only 2 fins and decided to ride it at pumping Uluwatu. The takeoffs were late and the drops were steep, but it didn’t hinder Chippa’s surfing. The positions in which he was riding the waves were something I hadn’t seen before.

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The Bukit Peninsula Collected Thoughts 104

The warm water splashes on your toes as you pass mostly naked women on the beach on Bali’s Bukit Peninsula. Left, right, left. Your head can’t stop spinning. Then you see the waves. One, two, three, four. Lines stack up to the horizon and then you pick your time and go. Paddle towards the sun….

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Julian Wilson in Bali Collected Thoughts 103

Still think spraying someone who’s paddling over the shoulder is one of the best things (and brattiest) in surfing. Julian Wilson partakes in Bali recently. —Nate Lawrence

Collected Thoughts 101 Bronson Meidy

Bronson Meidy, 12, Keramas Collected Thoughts 102

There’s a new kid to the surf scene in Bali. His name is Bronson Meidy and he just turned 12 this week. I usually don’t like to say anything about kids this young because you just want them to be kids. Eating candy and shit. Not worrying about sponsors and sticker placement. Just going surfing…

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The Indian Ocean Spotlight: beach parties, waves and Scandinavian women Collected Thoughts 101

The Indian Ocean is back in the spotlight. Swells are stacking up and surfers are busy paying excess baggage on flights. So what’s new? It’s still hot, dirty and full of Brazilians. There’s still corruption and crazy tourists. People are still getting crunched my motorbikes daily. But there are parties every night and Scandinavian women…

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Chippa Wilson, Bali 2016 Collected Thoughts 100

“Sometimes it feels so good to dig your back hand in the water and do a nice Larry layback. Chippa in Bali recently unveiling his new Brixton stickers.” —Nate Lawrence

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