Alexander “Alex” Gray – the Californian surfer, not the similarly-named Atlanta Falcons player – had a thrilling experience in Mexico this summer. The proof is partner-in-crime Mike Nulty’s exciting new edit. It features drone-and-GoPro camerawork, stunts and slip-ups on the waves off Oaxaca, and Young the Giant’s “Something to Believe In.” Fresh on Turkeymelt, Gray’s YouTube channel (possibly based on a long-time nickname), comes “Smoke Bomb.” The name presumably comes from the video being a blast.
The surf portion of the video begins with Gray wiping out and giving a big thumbs-up from the wash. The edit also concludes with a dramatic zoom-out of him riding through a barrel … that swallows him. However, don’t be fooled. This guy didn’t win gold at the 2015 Red Bull Qiantang Surfing Shoot-Out for nothing.
In between these goofy slips, he gamely outraces the crash of the waves, sometimes even crouching to avoid the crest. His balancing posture can be taken – not mistaken – for calm, even confidence. At one point, Gray even shoots out of the barrel and ends up riding the crest in seconds. This pro is no slouch.
When Did Gray and Nulty Film This?
Nulty filmed Gray between July 7 and 14, if Gray’s Instagram is anything to go by. On the 7th, he uploaded a picture with the location tagged at Puerto Escondido. In the days leading up to the 14th, he posted more photos from the Punta Conejo Resort. Both locations are surf spots in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. Also, none of the pictures tagged in Mexico show Gray surfing. Perhaps he did this on purpose, to stoke interest in a video?
Oh, and he also wrote on the 14th, “That last run of back to back swells in #Mexico exceeded all expectations. … Excited to show you our upcoming #turkeymelt edit from @nuttynulty.” It even includes the hashtag “#smokebomb.” Mystery solved.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BWjPqVnjzxN/?taken-by=a_gray
Want another thrilling edit from this past summer? Here’s one from Queensland’s own Mitch Crews.
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