Stab Magazine | Watch: A Backdoor Tube Clinic On The Steep Shores Of Panama

Live Now — Episode 3 Of Surf100 Challenge Series Presented By Pacifico

265 Views

Watch: A Backdoor Tube Clinic On The Steep Shores Of Panama

Simon Hetrick and Sam Neiger come a’knockin’.

cinema // May 16, 2019
Words by Stab
Reading Time: 2 minutes

“It was all of our first times to Panama,” writes Maryland resident and chronic tube occupant Simon Hetrick. 

He also starred in and edited the film above, along with penning the below. A triple threat! 

IMG 9588

Simon both conceived and reared this adorable child in his two weeks on the island. Is there nothing the teen can’t do?

Simon:

Sam Neiger, Matt McQueen, and I were pleasantly surprised to find all of our friends that we usually see on Hatteras Island road trips down in Bocas del Toro. Lucas Rodgers had been camped out there for weeks ruling with his filmer Snacks, and Brad Flora flew back to meet us.

Sam hurt his ankle on the first day after getting the bomb you see at the end of the second section, but after a few days of handycamming, he was surfing like nothing ever happened.

0meis73 0meis73 R1 033 15

A tube and coconut addict’s Valhalla.

Mcquangus ate a bug, grew wings, and then scales after 5 days of third-degree sunburn.

Carnival rolled around and we ran through the streets with the Panamanian devils with whips, who cracked us all. You can see Matt get smoked at 1:37.

Our friend Bolivar who lives on a sailboat showed us around Bocas. In the water, we encountered sea sickness and barrels, and out of the water we encountered plenty of friendly faces. One of the most memorable was that of a local woman who hand-fed Brad Flora her world famous rice pudding, and vice versa.

0meis73 0meis73 R1 023 10

Every day, all to themselves.

After realizing staying at bluff is where it’s at, we moved to Playa Bluff lodge with Lark and the Florida boys. Around the same time Dane, Droid, Andrew, Mini & Sharpy rolled into town with Scott from Red Frog and we shared a few sick solo sessions and good times.

Getting pushed by my favorites gets me fired up, and sharing a pumping empty beachie with the boys was dreamy. Thanks for the good times Panama, we’ll be back soon.

Comments

Comments are a Stab Premium feature. Gotta join to talk shop.

Already a member? Sign In

Want to join? Sign Up

Advertisement

Most Recent

Matty McG Skydives Into CT Heat, But Jordy’s Still The Main Event

A full day of heats at J-Bay, and only one shark warning.

Jul 12, 2025

Controversial Opinion: No One Needs To Yoga In Boardshorts

12 Trunks for the traditionalist.

Jul 12, 2025

Correction: J-Bay All Foreplay, No Climax

Slim pickings on Day 1 of the Corona Cero Open J-Bay 2025.

Jul 11, 2025

What Do Hollywood, Surf Lessons, Michael Jackson And Traction Pads Have In Common?

A Stab Interview with Teva Dexter, the man behind surfing's hardest new hardware brand —…

Jul 10, 2025

Surf100 Challenge Series Presented By Pacifico: Episode 3

"The tribe has spoken," Dane Reynolds pronounced, and a surfer's torch was snuffed.

Jul 10, 2025

How Josh Ku Nearly Died Trying To Cross From Ulus to G Land by Hydrofoil

“If someone finds me dead at least they can find my phone and know what…

Jul 10, 2025

Expect No Kiss, All Climax At The “World’s Most Perfect Pointbreak”

A Corona Cero Open J-Bay 2025 preview.

Jul 9, 2025

SEOTY: Liam O’Brien stars in ‘Friction of Perception’

"Hopefully I don’t come across like too much of a peanut."

Jul 8, 2025

10 Shapers To Watch In The Next 10 Years — Part One

“It’s like a drug empire, man. Cut the head off the snakes, and more will…

Jul 7, 2025

Mason Ho Joins Ritual Vision, Releases Remix Of Greatest Hits

Dion Agius riffs on the eyewear brand’s U.S. expansion, Ritualistic Tendencies, and the new stars…

Jul 7, 2025

Is It Time For A New Judging Format?

We have a modest proposal — a WSL head judge disagrees.

Jul 7, 2025

Luke Thompson Turns Last Year’s Priority Disaster Into Ballito Gold

+ earns himself a wildcard into Jbay.

Jul 7, 2025

Fiji Has Its First Professional Surfer, And He’s Unbelievable

16-year-old James Kusitino’s incomprehensible tube lounging leads to a deal with Former.

Jul 6, 2025

Laird Hamilton on The Limitations of Being a Purist, Invention vs. Ownership + Why He Never Had a Sticker Deal 

Untold stories from his How Surfers Get Paid interview.

Jul 4, 2025

When Surfer’s Eye Is Actually Cancer

Erin Campbell's brutal journey from surf camp dreams to chemo drops, cryotherapy, and surgical horror.

Jul 3, 2025

Surfing’s 2025 Q2 Report

An assessment of surfing's vital signs throughout the second quarter of 2025.

Jul 2, 2025

What Actually Happened to Occy’s Mad Max Plunger Pool In Yeppoon?

Surf Lakes’ brass talks: internet hecklers, the unplugging of the plunger, and the Tom Curren…

Jul 2, 2025

Poor Goofy Foots 

Data shows that the world is stacked against goofs — they even make 15% less money than…

Jul 1, 2025
Advertisement