The Brah Grill - with Zigzag cover-holder, David Scard

THE ZAG BRAH GRILL - WHERE WE INTERROGATE THE FAMOUS, THE UNKNOWN, AND THE INFAMOUS.

 It is unusual that a South African does not score the Zag’s front page. A prestigious spot that, in most cases, is strictly reserved for Saffas. But on some rare occasions a session goes down or a photo lands in our inboxes of such monumental proportions that it warrants the coveted page 1. This was the case with our latest issue where underground Aussie charger, David Scard, made history. In September Dave was in Fiji for not only one of the biggest sessions at Cloudbreak in years, but scored what’s being hailed as one of the biggest, deepest paddle-in tubes ever. Not one to pull back Dave stroked into a 15-foot-plus freighting set, pulled in nonchalantly and scored the barrel of a lifetime. Contributing Zag photographer Andrew Shield was on hand to get the shot, our inbox bleeped, and the rest is history
 
Seeing as our former boss, Craig ‘Simsy’ Sims, now lives down under, walks around saying “fair dinkum” and wears one of those hats with corks hanging off of them, we asked him to track our latest cover-holder down, and naturally grill him.

---

Craig Sims: Have you heard of Zigzag?
David Scard: For sure, I have spent some time in SA. Even blind Freddy knows about Zigzag!
 
CS: You’re a married man with kids and a full time job, and don’t look like a hellman who upstages full time pros in the heaviest swell of the year.
DS: I’m pretty under the radar, I like it that way - nobody treats you any differently. It’s great even with all this exposure that nobody still knows what I look like!
 
CS: You’re not unfamiliar with heavy left barrels. You worked as a surf guide at G-Land?
DS: I have put in many days in G-Land. It’s my second home. I have G-Land, the Sunyoto family and the staff to thank for 12 years of unlimited access the best goofy footers’ fun park in the world.
 
CS: Had you ever surfed Cloudbreak before this session?
DS: No, but I had been wanting to for as long as I can remember. Until recently I thought it was never going to happen. That changed all very suddenly.
 
CS: What were you expecting when the trip was being pulled together?
DS: I was hoping my prediction of 10-15ft waves was correct. I wasn’t really expecting 15-20.
 
CS: So when the boat pulled up and you saw how big it was, what were you thinking?
DS: Wow this is a dream come true, until I saw a 20ft set I started thinking, “Are we going to be able to dodge those and get into the 15 footers?”
 
CS: Did you know that wave was going to be a barrel when you paddled into it?
DS: I was hoping so, it wasn’t until I got close to the bottom that I realised it had soooo much wall on it. And that wall was going to heave its guts out...
 
CS: Once you were into it you had little option other than to drive through the barrel, did you think it was going to be a quick in and out or did you think it was going to be a either the wave of your life or the end of your life?
DS: Yeah, there was a fair bit to negotiate and I had to pump my 7’2" like crazy. Then I was planted next to the foam ball for a while. It wasn’t until it was all over I sat and went, WTF just happened?
 
CS: Did you go straight in after that?
DS: I did, I thought about going back out but it wasn’t long and then the wind came up.
 
CS: Did anything come close to that wave on the trip?
DS: I’m not sure anything I paddle into will come close. I would like to surf Cloudbreak like that again for sure but I’m not sure when that will happen?
 
CS: How did that wave rate on a scale of the best wave you’ve ever had?
DS: For sure all things considered the best wave of my life. It plays over and over like a song in my head.
 
CS: Does your family relate to the footage of that wave in the same way we all do?
DS: Yeah my wife understands very well what I did/do and the dangers. I guess as you get older you’re much more calculated in what you do. When I was younger I used to break boards all the time, get hurt, do stupid stuff. Now I ride the same waves but do it smarter. Something I have learnt from all the older crew in G-Land is patience.
 
CS: Any plans to come to South Africa, maybe pull into a few pits at Dungeons?
DS: I love SA, I would love to come and surf Cave Rock again - that place is insane! Hi to all my mates over there, you know who you are.