The Boland is home to some of the toughest Surf Ninjas in the country, which is not surprising when you consider some of the serious waves in the area, the jagged rocks that surround them, and the sealife that keeps their toes up. Well, this wave assassin is cut from Boland cloth, and is as comfortable in the pit as he is above the lip or carving the face. Meet this week’s Surf Ninja, Charl De Waal…
NAME: Charl de Waal / @charldewaal
AGE: 22
LOCAL SPOT: Caves, Kogel Bay
BEST THING ABOUT SURFING?
Going on a surf trip with your friends and then scoring all-time surf. Big barrels are also hard to beat.
WORST THING ABOUT SURFING?
Snapping a magic surfboard.
TO MAKE A LIVING I..?
I am a third year electrical engineering student at the University of Stellenbosch.
THREE TRACKS THAT HELP YOU SHRED?
Inhaler by Foals
The Wizard by Black Sabbath
The Hand That Feeds by Nine Inch Nails (The song from Andy’s section in Campaign 2)
BEST SURFER IN THE WORLD RIGHT NOW?
Filipe Toledo in the small stuff, John John Florence when the waves get serious.
DAWNIE OR ARVO SESH?
Dawnie. I like to get to the beach early and then hang out there all day.
WHICH SPOT DO YOU HAVE TO SURF BEFORE YOU DIE?
North Point, WA.
WHEN YOU ARE NOT SURFING, YOU CAN BE FOUND WHERE?
In the lab of the engineering faculty in Stellenbosch trying to get my projects to work, or hanging out with my friends on the beach.
GREATEST FEAR?
Not being able to surf.
BEST SURFING MEMORY?
In December 2014, Adin Masencamp and I did a spontaneous trip to Mossel Bay. The forecast looked pretty average, but we were tired of bad waves at home. We couldn’t find anywhere to stay (everywhere was fully booked because it was December), so we slept in my little Hyundai Getz. After one night of sleeping in the car, we got taken in by local surfer Wayne Tourell and his wife. We stayed in Mossel Bay for five more days and the waves fired every day from dawn till dusk. I was completely surfed out and stoked after our trip.
