Nat's Nat and That's That
comprising 512 pages
of gloss matt art paper with 184 black and white pictures
scattered through the 220,000 word text.
This is a truthful autobiographical account joining
25 short stories from surfing legends Nat Youngıs first 50
years...Henry and me with the Grunter ...Mickey Dora and
his Lotus on Pacific Coast Highway ...2nd prise over Buffıs
shoulder...Smoking the wallopers bob hope... and another 20
tales of his adventures with the most colourful characters
involved in the surfing world.
With the aid of his mum's journals and press
clippings he was able to join the pieces of his life story
together. Nat has diligently worked on the manuscript since
a serious snowboarding accident six years ago in January
1994.
In chapter one Nat is introduced as a typical baby boomer,
born to working class parents in November 1947, being
fortunate enough to grow up in the beachside suburb of
Collaroy, 25 kilometres from Sydney. The reader is invited
to share Natıs first sexual experiences with his mates and
understand how his deep love of the ocean developed despite
the "Yobbo"environment created by the members of the
Collaroy Surf Club.
Surfers took over the beaches of the world in the
early 60s, surfboard riding contests sprang up everywhere.
In Australia Nat Young was one of Australiaıs first shining
stars winning the 1963 Australian Open, the prise was a
first class air ticket around the world. After spending 3
months in Hawaii, Nat was arrested in California for being
under 17 in America without a legal guardian, which created
another incredible story. Going back to school was
impossible after 6 months on the road, Nat was offered his
first sponsorship at 16 years of age with "Hang Ten" a
Californian Clothing company.
In 1965 Nat placed runner up in the first World
Championship in Peru, the dramatic contrast between the
wealthy Peruvianıs and Australians lifestyles was an
interesting comparison to write about. Nat became aware of
what a "Kahuna" is, through his association with the great
"Buffalo" Kahalana.
Winning the next World Championships in California
was the real capping on his competitive career. Nat won a
new Chevy Comero and introduced the surfing world to a new
style of surfing on his revolutionary "shortboard". Being
World Champion in any field opens many doors and
opportunities, the stories around this period are a
fascinating insight into Nat's real personality. He had a
chance to gain understanding of business by working as a
manager of a division of Speedo Knitting Mills and fell in
love with an Olympic skiing champion who introduced him to
skiing. In 69 He built a beautiful house hanging over the
cliff face at Whale Beach in Sydney and married his
childhood sweetheart. Many hot surfing movies were made of
his exploits travelling the world in search of quality
waves but the stories behind these adventures have never
been told until now.
As a committed "back to nature" hippie, Nat and his
family moved to Byron Bay where he experienced the
incredible changes that effected everyone in that period.
Being one of the first pioneers to surf Indonesia in 73
gave him an interesting insight into another culture. His
new found love of skiing gave him a deep understanding of
the similarities between surfing and skiing and in 79 he
wrote and produced an award winning documentary called
"Fall-Line". In 82 Nat married Ti and the Longboard was
introduced to professional surfing. Ironically he became 4
times World Champion on the style of board he had been
responsible for making obsolete back in 66. Ti and Nat
opened two surf shops in this period, Ti worked hard
managing them while Nat surfed all over the world on the
Longboard tour for the next five years.
Nat passed his pilots licence in 1984 and the adventures he
had with flying and owning a Maule airplane are very
revealing. November Alpha Tango was the call sign of the
single engine aircraft he imported from the states after
selling his movie "Fall-Line" to American cable television.
The New York fashion house of Ralph Lauren invited
Nat to model their clothes and this eventually led to a
strong association with a French surf clothing manufacturer
called Oxbow. Nat worked for Oxbow for 10 years as a
professional surfer and in a management capacity,
eventually returning to a simpler life living on the farm
at Nymboida. While living on the farm Nat and Ti built a
holiday unit complex on the beach at Angourie on the north
coast of New South Wales.
1993/4 was a disaster on many fronts. Natıs best friend and
business partner was murdered, leaving Nat and Ti with a
hugh financial commitment to complete the final stage of
the holiday complex. In February 93 Nat crashed the plane
and had a snowboarding accident in Sun Valley as well as a
serious surfing accident when he returned to Angourie. A
disastrous trip to Europe around this time convinced Nat
that he should leave Oxbow and concentrate on his family
and home base at Angourie. "The Church Of The Open Skyıs
the chapter pertaining to this period.
The final chapter is named after Natıs home spun philosophy
to life after 52 years. "Make It A Beautiful Life" its up
to you, you are not going to get another opportunity so
make the most of it, enjoy life to the fullest.
