Aussie Surfer Seemingly Just As Up-To-Date On Local Drama In Uluwatu As He Is With East Ballina

CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT

A northern New South Wales man has today showcased an commendable cross-cultural skillset.

During a passing conversation with another likeminded part-time tradie full-time surfer at the Lennox Head showers, nearby eavesdroppers were struggling to keep with the geographical leaps and bounds that were taking place between the two cone lords.

The Ballina-based certified cabinetmaker at the centre of this yarn, Joel Nathanjake (36) is bordering on what the groms would call a 'veteran surfer'.

This means he's old enough to remember the pure joy of being featured in a printed surfing magazine.

It also means he's old enough to remember what the once quiet Balinese village of Uluwatu looked like before the Russians and Victorians discovered it.

In fact, he's spent so much time visiting the Indonesian surf breaks that he's completely up to date with the local drama in this far-flung corner of a developing Asian nation of over 700 dialects and 17,000 islands.

"Shits going down over there" Joel tells his seemingly Bali-literate surfing acquaintance on the roadside of Pacific Parade this morning.

"You know Kadek? Big Kadek?"

"Nah nah not that one. That's the school teacher. Big Kadek is basically the night watchman at the Temple. Hell mad surfer. Anyway, apparently he's been sprung playing up on his wife. But his wife's brother is real high up in the cops over there."

"He's pulled a runner. Now the Temple has gotta find a new guard. Couple of the boys reached out but sounds like he's proper on the lam"

While this extremely niche Island gossip appears to be exciting enough for nearby surfers to listen it, Joel suddenly makes a very fluid transition to talking about extreme local drama taking place in the Northern Rivers of NSW.

"Yeah you heard about this new pub in East Ballina? Fuck me the blow-ins are not making many friends"

"Yeah apparently it's not even running areal hotel license. It's like technically a cafe or restaurant or some shit. Now they are putting on bands and the old heads are spewing."

"Plus they've done a deal with Balter so they are the only joint in town that gets to serve it. Thinking I might give Fanno a call aye"