Up north: Israel - video

Stu Nettle (stunet)
Swellnet Dispatch

Israel's best surfers gather for a surfing contest in perfect conditions at Sokolov Beach. Worth watching for the wave quality from a quiet corner of the surfing world.

Comments

zenagain Saturday, 24 Jan 2015 at 10:56 am new

Wow! Must have been day of the year.

You sure that's Israel? Didn't see one drop-in.

roubydouby Saturday, 24 Jan 2015 at 11:02 am new

Very strange Zen - I'm pretty sure the drop-in is a scorable manoeuvre in Israel.

As functional as the floater.

jessimynott Saturday, 24 Jan 2015 at 11:05 am new

... just down the road from the carnage of war in gaza.

salt Saturday, 24 Jan 2015 at 12:54 pm new

jessimynott wrote:

... just down the road from the carnage of war in gaza.

Yeah meanwhile in gaza...........

salt Saturday, 24 Jan 2015 at 12:55 pm new

jessimynott wrote:

... just down the road from the carnage of war in gaza.

Yeah meanwhile in gaza...........

joshhopp Saturday, 24 Jan 2015 at 11:25 am new

Zen and rouby, what exactly do you mean by those comments?

Next we'll have Mick Fanning with his "fucking Jew" routine.

simba Saturday, 24 Jan 2015 at 11:39 am new

And not a back pack in site........nice waves.

roubydouby Saturday, 24 Jan 2015 at 11:44 am new

Here is how an Israeli guy put it to me in Sri Lanka, while we sat in a predominantly Israeli line-up (easily 75%) watching blatant burning after burning.

"Israel is a wave poor place with lots of surfers. You do what you have to to get waves".

He wasn't the only Israeli person I talked to who described it like that either.

The comment wasn't about Jews or religion, rather about the surf culture in a place, as described to me by people from that place, perpetuating that very same behaviour abroad.

fraser-gordon Saturday, 24 Jan 2015 at 11:56 am new

Yep can vouch on that attitude roubydouby complete nightmare's to surf with. No rhyme or reason must be something to do with the national service they all have to do.

mackdog Saturday, 24 Jan 2015 at 12:20 pm new

They have got to be the worst in the water for etiquette I've ever seen. If you have plans on surfing A-Bay or any of the points in Sri Lanka be prepared to get burned by guys with legropes on their front feet who will also try and call you off whilst wobbling their way down the wave.

roubydouby Saturday, 24 Jan 2015 at 12:49 pm new

hahaha, yeah Mackdog - that takes me right back.

I had one fella burn me, then as he paddled back past me he says, 'My friend, my friend, I must apologise, but also say thank you. That was the best wave of my life.'

I gave him a little splash and grumbled at him.

In the end I just skipped main point and went further afield.

That having been said, I've seen Aussies act like that abroad plenty of times too. Just not usually en masse (cept for the Goldy)

zenagain Saturday, 24 Jan 2015 at 02:47 pm new

The guys above echo my sentiments. It was a reflection of the surf culture in general in Israel, no reflection upon religion.

I would have said the same thing if it was filmed in the Canary Islands.

wellymon Saturday, 24 Jan 2015 at 08:30 pm new

Sorry but............!
Israelis are rude as fuck, I have been to beautiful bush doofs in Australia listening to awesome sounds in such a peaceful environment with all sorts of cultures and they think their shit don't stink...! In 15 years going to these parties, the Israelis are the only one who have caused dramas.....?? No-one else.
Arrogant war torn people with an attitude, they all train army at a young age and are so paranoid. Sorry but don't come here surfing.
F-Off fellas.
I will drown them, cause they cant swim with a gun.

southey Sunday, 25 Jan 2015 at 01:02 pm new

By the sounds of this , I could assume you left Samoa and missed the peak of the swell . ?!
" as for the poor country ?" , for a poor country they have pretty modern military equipment ...
But that's when religion and expats get involved .....

wellymon Sunday, 25 Jan 2015 at 08:27 pm new

yes Southey you are spot on.
But Samoa is a poor country and have no modern military equipment etc... haha
Missed the north side, was gonna cost another $1500, accom, flights, surf tours for one day :(
Weighed it up , had some awesome little waves, Mumma snorkelled like a Mutha F__ka, we drunk good, ate Cajun tuna steaks every night and next time the local village boys want me to stay with them for free...?
As well sussed out the right swells that work in the right places, apparently some long ones.
Loved Samoa, The culture, awesome smiles and respect that probably has not changed for hundreds of years....!!!!!

zenagain Monday, 26 Jan 2015 at 11:05 am new

Cajun tuna steaks every night and next time the local village boys want me to stay with them for free...?

Just read this, Welly you must have really made an impression;)

Loved Samoa, The culture, awesome smiles and respect that probably has not changed for hundreds of years....!!!!!

And don't forget the awesome piggy-back rides:)

udo Saturday, 24 Jan 2015 at 08:42 pm new

Take that !

grumpy Sunday, 25 Jan 2015 at 08:46 am new

Wish they would bloody well stay there. Israelites are the biggest kooks ever, always dropping in with their poo man styles. Sri Lanka sucks due to these muppets ( and the Italians ) Arrogant bay really is a joke these days. Pack mentality worse than dogs. I vowed I would drop in on every Israelite I ever see in Australia just to pay em back a bit . I just don't care about religion I just hate these Agro kooks stinkin up the beach

simba Sunday, 25 Jan 2015 at 09:36 am new

Dont hold back grumpy tell us what you really mean....but your right cause i had a similar experience in the maldives,they seem to think its them only and everyone else is fukked...rude cunts.

udo Sunday, 25 Jan 2015 at 10:38 am new

So they have the same surf etiquette as brazzos but with less surfing skills ?
Critics Arugam bay information- some comments on Israeli surfers.

shaun Sunday, 25 Jan 2015 at 02:13 pm new

Due to financial circumstances I shared a house with 2 israelie guys and an aussie which meant that we had to put up with 10 other israelies hanging out at our place, could not get a seat at our own table, had to physically pull them from the chair, stole our fucken food, arrogant pieces of shit !
As bad as braso's , similar but way worse, be thankful they are not allowed into indonesia.
In my travels I have met and surfed with many, I can count on one hand the likable ones and they were good blokes, but it's a needle in a haystack.

wellymon Sunday, 25 Jan 2015 at 08:31 pm new

Classic Shauno,
Geez did I start something here.......?
Australia day tomorrow fellas.

shaun Sunday, 25 Jan 2015 at 08:38 pm new

Under the bridge

wellymon Sunday, 25 Jan 2015 at 09:31 pm new

OOOOooohhhhhhhhh Yeeeeeeeaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh.
I got a great scab on my knee actually ;)

shaun Sunday, 25 Jan 2015 at 02:14 pm new

Incoming missiles!!

mikehunt207 Monday, 26 Jan 2015 at 12:15 am new

If the shoe fits wear it. Sucks to cliche the israelis but just because their country is so paraniod of everybody thats not kosher it shouldnt mean they have the right and mindset to fuck them over because of it, religon gone mad, a country of trained bullies spreading it into the lineup not to mention the world stage. I guess the Indonesians have got something right with banning them.

simba Monday, 26 Jan 2015 at 08:21 am new

Didnt know they werent allowed in indo.......thank the Gods.

mick-free Monday, 26 Jan 2015 at 09:49 pm new

Me neither. No wonder they are in the Maldives.

shaun Tuesday, 27 Jan 2015 at 06:23 am new

Technically I am wrong. Israeli passport holders can get visas to indo, but there is so much red tape involved that the effort to get visas for a whole platoon of surfers together so they could comfortably take over a break would be too much effort.

But just imagine that they were allowed easy access, sitting up on the cliff at Ullu watching a gang of Brasso' going head to head with a platoon of Disraeli's in the surf.

MDL Monday, 26 Jan 2015 at 04:32 pm new

And what a bunch of racist dickheads on this forum. Geez no "religious"based comments........

Aussies are by far the most racist and obnoxious sort on this planet. We all need to look in the mirror.

silicun Monday, 26 Jan 2015 at 05:30 pm new

MDL wrote:

Aussies are by far the most racist and obnoxious sort on this planet. We all need to look in the mirror.

Israeli's would give us a good run for our money, goyim

Blowin Monday, 26 Jan 2015 at 04:43 pm new

I think you've got to be Jewish to become a citizen of Israel. I could well be wrong.
But , if true, isn't that a form of discrimination to rival racism ?

"Aussies are by far the most rascist and obnoxious sort on this planet" ......If I didn't know better, I'd say this statement was rascist in itself .

Ahhh the irony of the finger pointing bigot.

MDL Monday, 26 Jan 2015 at 04:59 pm new

Blowin - geez mate you must be one of those conspiracy blokes. Let me guess 9/11 was a CIA conspiracy. Harold Holt was taken by the Japs. Need a lessor two on history and racism to be throwing around comments like that. Been to Saudi Arabia or perhaps Iran lately?

I'm 5th gen Aussie....to preempt your next comment..... "mate"

shaun Monday, 26 Jan 2015 at 05:04 pm new

Mdl, I believe that racism is disliking a person because of their race, all the comments are about behaviour in the surf.

This is also not racist, as I have no idea where you were born. So it is my unbiased opinion, your a dickhead ;-)

Blowin Monday, 26 Jan 2015 at 05:09 pm new

A fifth generation Aussie you may be. Doesn't render you're generalisations any more or less accurate than the other contributors on here. How's that for a next comment, mate ?

MDL Monday, 26 Jan 2015 at 05:13 pm new

If only unbiased comments followed a story about pumping swell in Israel.

Blowin Monday, 26 Jan 2015 at 05:40 pm new

If only all the posters previous hadn't been pestered to the point of disgust by Israelis....

Actually , you're right. The surf was pumping that day in Israel. And I'm pleasantly surprised by the standard of the finalists . But maybe there could be a thread of truth amongst the stories told. Would it be rascist to consider that there may be a modicum of truth to the experiences presented as fact ?

mikehunt207 Monday, 26 Jan 2015 at 06:52 pm new

Bombing kids because they are Arabs and you want to take their land comes across a a tad racist and very heavy handed me thinks. Meeting rock throwing with bombs is not defense and dragging the rest of the world into a fight you start because of guilt and money is just fucked. The crusades were hundreds of years ago and looking very much like starting up for another round thanks to what is going on in the middle east and Israel particularly and outsiders ( us Australians) having an opinion on ones actions cause and effect in not necessarily racist either. Back to surfing hot and small here.

burgsurfer Tuesday, 27 Jan 2015 at 09:01 am new

Wow, I have never surfed with an Israeli but must say it does sound like surf manors are unfavorable to outsiders. Must admit though that on a good day at Ulu that it is mainly Ausies displaying those traits highlighted in comments above. As for superbank... fun as it is, I could not imagine anywhere in the world being worse for blatant and aggressive drop ones - Actually, I can think of worse Reunion Island and Mauritius were really bad in the 90s and really 2000s - people tell you to go in, throw punches for no reason etc and I don't think they would have changed. At St Leu we got told to go in everyday we surfed by multiple kooks and one dropped in on me and then tried to start a fight... apparently he is a notorious local who has been lots of punch ups including hitting a guy in the head with a rock - messed up.