An Evening In Honor Of The Gnarest Of The Gnar

Looking out over the crowd last night at Turtle Bay, you’d be hard pressed to recall a more star-studded and firepower-heavy gathering, and all in the name of one man: Nathan Fletcher. 

As anyone there for the evening—everyone from Dane Reynolds and Bruce Irons, the Brothers Gudangs, any number of the Big wave contingent, etc.— will profess Nathan’s influence, personally as well as on the culture at large. You ride quads because of Nathan Fletcher. If you’re a Big Wave Dave, you’re on 11′-12′ boards because of Nathan Fletcher.

As guests decimated fingerfoods and downed house palomas, Vans pater familias Steve Van Doren opened up the evening with a fitting introduction, before handing the mic over to Herb Fletcher, who is no stranger to a mic, nor to narratives in the first person. 

“I’ve been getting that for thirty years,” Joel Tudor joked as he took the stage after Herb’s radical if rambling Nathan Origin Story. 

Tudor was brought into the Fletcher fold at 13, with Herbie taking note of the skinny North County Outlier’s classic approach on a longboard. 

“Astrodeck was my first sponsor; the first package that I ever got from a surf company was from Herbie, and it was like, Whoa,” Tudor said of his earliest memories with the family, before getting to the heart of what makes Nathan such a unique character within the culture. For three decades Nathan’s been a progressive fore bar none, and like his grandfather and father before him, will continue to move the needle for decades to come.  

“It’s not easy staying relevant in an industry that is constantly trying to cycle through people,” Tudor said, before Nathan joined him on stage for a most downplayed Q&A. 

As the evening wound down, Michael Oblowitz shared the most recent trailer for his forthcoming bio-flick on Nathan, Heavy Water, before the crowd made their way back to their Turtle Bay condos, or back to the houses on the beach, or merrily into Surfer The Bar for some night caps or three. 

Click through the gallery above, and scroll south, for a look at a most radical evening in the name of the gnarest of the gnar. 

Give Herb a microphone and watch him go…

Photography

Sam Moody.

One of Nate’s oldest surrogate bros, Joel Tudor.

Photography

Sam Moody.

The Guest of Honor, himself.

Photography

Sam Moody.

Dane Gudauskas and 2000 Thrasher Skater of the Year, Geoff Rowley.

Photography

Sam Moody.

Herbie Fletcher and Alex Knost.

Photography

Sam Moody.

Another of Nathan’s brothers from another mother, Bruce Irons.

Photography

Sam Moody.

Tosh Tudor looking the part.

Photography

Sam Moody.

Delon Bone, Karina Rozunko, and Alex Knost.

Photography

Sam Moody.

Herb and Bruce holding court.

Photography

Sam Moody.

Alan Cleland, Tomas Hermes, Pat G., Steve Van Doren, Tanner G., Wade Goodall, and Nathan Florence.

Photography

Sam Moody.

Wade Goodall and Nathan Fletcher.

Photography

Sam Moody.