Wayne Lynch: The Surf Legend's full interview with Skyler Thomas
Ойын-сауық
Wayne Lynch’s words offer so much for us to learn from that I’ve decided to post his entire interview. Sit back and enjoy the wisdom and entertaining shark stories from one of Australia’s greatest surf pioneers.
Background: When I was in Australia to make the film ‘Great White Lies’ in 2014 I was fortunate enough to have Kent Stannard (accomplished surfer and founder of Tag for Life) introduce me to surf legend Wayne Lynch. We drove from Melbourne to Wayne’s home near Urquhart Bluff in South Victoria overlooking the very waves Wayne used to surf. We proceeded to chat about the culling taking place in Western Australia (at that time), his feelings about culling, how surfing and the approach to surfing have changed, keys to surviving the ocean, Vietnam and dodging the draft, and some of his best ocean stories (including crazy shark tales).
Great quotes from the interview:Regarding surviving sharks - “Part of surfing was reading the signs, and I don’t mean the signs on the beach. There were some indications that were clear, but sometimes you just had a feeling. You had to be aware, and awareness seems to have decreased now. There are people from all walks of life with minimal understanding of the ocean who are now into surfing.”
Regarding shark numbers supposedly increasing - “I grew up surfing in the 60s and there were way more sharks back then. We saw sharks regularly and had to get out of the water regularly.”
“We are ecological members of the planet and if anything we should be stewards of it.”
“This ocean was alive with fish…with everything. Now the ocean is diminished on all fronts. I remember a day watching thousands and thousands of dolphins go by nonstop for hours and times when the bay was so full of fish there must have been one every few inches.
Sharks were everywhere, going past me, under me…it’s just something you lived with.”
“Sometimes sharks told me to get out. They never really took an interest other than sometimes letting me know they weren’t happy with my presence.”
“One time an 18 footer slid its head above the surface without a sound and looked at us. When a shark gets that big you don’t look at the length, you look at the width.”
Regarding Vietnam. “We had no place there. I wonder how many wars we would be in if politicians were sending their children to the front lines.”
“I truly sympathize with people who have lost a loved one to a shark, but I just can’t see how killing other sharks solves that.”
Photos appear courtesy of and with permission of Lalo Saidy and Maarten Jozef Billen. Video footage by Skyler Thomas.
whitesharkvideo.com/blog/waynelynch
Shark videos without the hype of shark fear. If you can suffer through not having your emotions manipulated by typical shark production drama, stick around and you might learn something on this channel!
Footage shot by Skyler Thomas for White Shark Video unless otherwise stated. Stock footage licensing is available at www.whitesharkvideo.com/footage
Пікірлер: 34
Well that was 1h12m12s of KZread time that I feel fortunate to have witnessed. Wayne Lynch is a real waterman, in every sense.
I was surfing perfect boneyards, petticoat, not tas. 6 ft. Pumping. One of my favourite surfs ever, just me and a backpacker from Lorne, my dishy. I just got a full adrenalin rush, totally spooked. Kept calm and paddled in. Sat on the rocks. I couldn't move or speak for about 30 minutes. Something happened, I didn't see anything. Just got this gut feeling to get out now. Never happened before. Got it again a few times further south. Mouth of Glenelg, Whites once and Inverloch Bar about 5 years ago. I can't describe it. Just a sudden chill.
@abelgunnar7651
3 жыл бұрын
pro tip: you can watch series at Flixzone. I've been using them for watching loads of movies lately.
@kristopherangel2307
3 жыл бұрын
@Abel Gunnar Yup, I have been watching on flixzone} for since december myself :D
I don't know why this video has a down vote, it's excellent. Wayne is part of a rare breed. I was listening intently to Kent talk about his most memorable shark when the video ended...
@Whitesharkvideo
6 жыл бұрын
Tim Horan Sorry about that, all batteries died. That camera was on its last legs too. Will have to do a live chat with Kent.
@jamesoeming5022
5 жыл бұрын
sometimes people can accidentally or unwittingly hit the down button.
Excellent interview. What a true waterman. Thank you.
He said.. You have to be aware of your surroundings, but not fearful because that's not a good thing if a shark did appear. To me, that's a very fine line. He said, that you always thought about sharks...always. How does the thought of sharks be always on your mind, but not be afraid? I just can't comprehend that paradigm. And if a white pointer wants you, there's absolutely nothing that you can do. It's going to come and hit you. Yet, he says that they for the most part aren't interested in humans, except for the one who is. Sounds like playing Russian roulette, spin the revolver and pull the trigger. Ah...no thanks. Especially in known waters where white pointers live. I could listen to him talk about white sharks for hours, and his experiences with them.
He’s funny. Great guy.
Seems like a great guy. Thx for posting.
Sharks are fine. White pointers are pure evil. And that feeling..... 20 years ago Augusta river mouth WA , overcast, black water no vis, 500m out. Saw nothing but pure fear came over me. Felt like a mulie. Same feeling about 5 years ago scurfing in Comet Bay Mandurah WA. Totally overwhelming. Overcast midday. Pulled myself on the ski rope to boat and jumped at boat. Mates were like what the fuck. Next morning got a call at 7am from Adam 12y Hill telling me to get the paper and ring him back. Got the paper... " 5m great white spotted from air Comet Bay around midday. Rang 12 back and all he said was "I don't ever want to talk about this again". True story! coltrump🇦🇺 RIP David Meakes
@Whitesharkvideo
4 жыл бұрын
There is only one animal on this planet that is evil
@motoz30
2 жыл бұрын
"White pointers are pure evil." people like you are the real problem, and you obviously haven't had any real encounter w/ a shark. if any shark wanted you you would've been gone yesterday. those "evil" creatures have decided to spare your sorry ass every single time you've stepped into the ocean. you're a paranoid drama queen who shouldn't leave your fear bubble.
I know that feeling, its the feeling of being pray...don't get that very often in this world we live in...usally were the predator...
@ 44:00 One of the "experts- researchers" that had a "guess" of the white pointer numbers left in the wild also has a shark cage diving business. Nothing to do with his business interests of course. Then there's the burly factor of teaching and associating boats & humans with burly/food.
26:00 interesting, what wayne lynch was saying, reminded me of a clip i seen of a woman named Anna Breytenbach who in this particular clip communicated with great white sharks through telepathy ( Quantum Physics). She talks about things that wayne sense out in the ocean with sharks.
Every time you are in the water you are in the water with sharks. It's no big revelation. Back in 05 I was at Folley Beach SC. We surfed a few sets in a laid back cove for a couple of hours. No worries right? As we went up beach people were showing us where there was a white shark patrolling the outer bank since the morning. Was there fear? No since I didn't know. I was in the water with sharks, because every time I'm in the water I am in the water with the ENTIRE ecosystem.
@Whitesharkvideo
6 жыл бұрын
Good comments. Now a different question. Those of us who know the ocean realize, even if it's far in the back of our minds, that sharks are likely around. But, if you had known about the white shark before you got in that day would you have still gotten in?
@NitroModelsAndComics
6 жыл бұрын
There was scuttlebutt all year long that SC beaches had a large population of sharks and white sharks were among them. There were also attacks that year if I recall. We went there to race skateboards in truth but got rained out. So we went boogie boarding and brought a few short boards. That very morning I mentioned the sharks and we all agreed we were less likely to be attacked than run over by the shuttle that brought us to the beach head. We surfed between two dilapidated old launches that were all but collapsed. We'd surf em down, then haul up the beach to surf em down again. A few times in the back of my head I thought of the rash of sightings yes I will not deny it. There were a few moments waiting a pitiful small set when I wondered what went on underneath me 30 or so feet down. Never once did it occur to me I might fall prey. Knowing that a white shark was 500 meters out might have changed my attitude. In fact, I may not have entered the water. I wanted to race skateboards at Folley Beach, not become a statistic. I live in Massachusetts these days and have booked two sight seeing tours of white sharks in and around the Cape. Focusing on Chatham beach and the large Grey seal colony there. I hope to be eye to eye with the Man In The Grey Suit this summer. As honest as I can be.
@irockuroll60
6 жыл бұрын
White Shark Video if you know there is sharks in the water-don’t get in. Doesn’t give humans the right to kill them. They live there. There are so few shark attacks on an annual basis. Dogs bite and kill more humans than sharks. It’s ridiculous
@Whitesharkvideo
6 жыл бұрын
Robert Frias it’s hard for the mind not to go there! Our greatest battle is the mental one. Who did you book the tours with?
@NitroModelsAndComics
6 жыл бұрын
I booked with a guy in Fairhaven. Private charter.
"There are people from all walks of life*** with minimal understanding of the ocean who are now into surfing.” This sums up Wayne Lynch in the surfing world and the 1960's generation of..... I, Me and MINE. Always opinionated. I've know these ....Me 'local' you kook... guys for most of my adult life. The World isn't big enough for them and they are the center of THEIR Universe. In the after life they will be permanently surfing some great spot ALONE for ETERNITY. In his case circled by Massive White Sharks like the one that took Harold Holt off Back Beach Victoria. *** human beings other than Wayne Lynch
@lorenzo6mm
3 жыл бұрын
@slučajni prolaznik that's right. Its a Big Universe. And BILLIONS of un ridden waves somewhere.
Thanks Wayne, just delete the yanks voice and it'd be bloody perfect
@nextari
5 жыл бұрын
I'm a yank, and I approve of this message.
You can’t educate mugs...
@col2959
4 жыл бұрын
Mark Ferrari are you a mug ?