In the latest riptide #171 there is a wipeout sequence on pages 66 and 67 with a rider getting hammered by the notorious Devil's Horn. In print it states that it is "Beyers Van Der Merwe gets licked as the Horn turns nasty."
The passage should read:
"Johnathan Mellish gets licked as the horn turns nasty"
Beyers was out that day and got a sick one, but it is in fact Johnathan riding in the sequence.
So please sit back and meet the man licked by the Devil........
Doc: Hey Johno,
Can you fill us in on how you see the booger scene in SA as it stands in 2009?
Johno: Ahoy Doc the booger scene in SA is pretty rad man. It’s really small here compared to you guys but we got a tight knit community of guys that are pretty much up there with the best I reckon. In the next couple of years there might just be a couple more Mark McCarthy, Andre Botha types filling through the Saffa ranks. We got some absolute hellmen that are in it for the SOUL as well!
In terms of waves being surfed here people are starting to get on it in terms of actually finding good waves and not surfing the usual protected beachie when the swells maxing. We got masses of coast waiting to be pillaged.
Doc: The latest rippy #171 ran a sequence of a pretty heavy wipeout you took at Devil’s horn – in print written as Beyers van der Merwe who was out in the same session – can you give us a run-down from take-off to take-down of that ride at DH?
Johno: That day was my first proper time surfing that wave and I was pretty pumped to get a big one hhaha. That wave looked like a super bowly one when I first paddled for it, kinda wedged up a bit and thought I was in for some fine backdoor lovin'. Next moment I’m still paddling on the face and it just hits the boil, stepped a bit and it was pretty much survival after that I tried to pull straight but just got pelted. Lucky nothing really happened but a snapped leash.
Definitely an experience.
Doc: You’re from Somerset West, Western Province SA. What is the area like geographically and waves-wise?
Johno: Well where I live there’s only one real bodyboarding wave, goood wedging right beachie best thing ever in my eyes! But if you willing to travel a bit some pretty damn fine wave setups on offer.
Doc: where do you see the moves of BB progressing in the future?
Johno: I see bodyboarding moves progressing into different tweaked variations of invert air reverses and back flips. That invert to backflip of Brendan Backshall's is what I'd call the future hahah. I think things are gunna get crazy.
Doc: what mix of Prone and DK are you riding?
Johno: DK is dead for me. I’m 100% belly.
Doc: What boards are you running in your current quiver and what are your current faves?
Johno: Small quiver of an old dead function that I ride when it’s bigger and a Wez Fisher h.b for everything else.
Doc: What dimensions and core compositions are you finding hot for your riding at the moment?
Johno: I find a thin 41.5 Dow double stringer, mesh, crescent tail, 60/40 very HOT and somewhat pleasing.
Doc: And how about accessories – leash, fins and wetsuits?
Johno: churchills are the only bodyboarding fins worthy of my feat, leashes I opt for the bicep and usually the cheapest leash I can find and wetsuits I've got an Agent 18 and rip curl e3 bomb in my quiver.
Doc: D.O.B height and weight?
Johno: I'm 18 and built like an OX
Doc: Fave breaks – local and overseas?
Johno: cool bay local wedge, cave rock and some SA west coast waves
Overseas Box is amazing.
Doc: What would be the biggest wave you’ve taken on?
Johno: maybe that day at the horn not sure how big it was? Maybe 10-12ft but with limb breaking power.
Doc: And what’s the toughest wave you’ve hit up?
Johno: Devils horn. I would love to master that wave and the way glen Thurston surfed it is the way I’d one day love to surf it.
Doc: Do you have a crew you hang with in the water?
Johno: Yes got a pretty tight crew, Bunch of weirdo’s really! Ranging in age and size hahhaha. Some mad rippas and just some mad guys. I’d name them but you Aussie brethren wouldn’t be able to pronounce the names so no point really. hahah
Doc: What’s the maddest roadtrip you’ve been on?
Johno: 2 weeks camping west coast all the way to Namibia, waves and experiences! Pretty much write offs at the end of it but such good times.
Doc: Best boat trip?
Johno: I’ve done one boat trip in indo so cant speak from experience but that was a pretty good one, got some barrels.
Doc: Who are some of your fave photogs?
Johno: Locally Cobus Bosman is the man! He is the most amped guy I know and is always keen for a mission big legend and his shots are just getting better buy the day.
Internationally probably Mickey Smith Phil Gallagher and Trent Mitchell stand out.
Doc: Board history – any chance you can remember and name the boards you have had under you over time? Fave ride ever of all of them?
Johno: I’ve got a bad memory so can only remember a couple that stand out: first board I had was a purple planet, had a morey mach 38 then rode couple of rad ATD's then rode a funktion that was the bees knees best ever and now riding an h.b Wez Fisher.
Doc: Scariest moment on the boog?
Johno: Probably last year the swell was pretty beeg and we went to a spot in an area known as probably the sharkiest area in SA its also the Mecca of shark cage diving tourism in SA. Anyway looked fun at the time and I was just frothing to get out there so I put my suit on first and everyone else was just like yeah, yeah we coming..... Basically everyone faded and I couldn’t panzy out so I paddled out ended up making it to the back only to realize it was way to big and just a washing machine, me being alone out the back I was getting pretty skitz thinking about johnys so paddled for the first wave I could, ended up getting caught inside and facing some maxing sets on the head got washed up on the rocks with all my mates watching and laughing hahha .. Pretty scary at the time.
Doc: What do you love most about the BB culture?
Johno: bodyboarding is the punk of sports how surfing used to be, raddest sport but everyone that doesn’t know much about it just thinks you a wierdo. I like it that way.
Doc: What do you reckon BB needs most at the moment?
Johno: more hope less dope
na, I don’t think bodyboarding needs anything its just sick as is and wouldn’t have it any other way.
Doc: Who would you like to give a shout-out to?
Johno: mom, dad and mates Thom Cobus Tiaan Beyers hhomas Jared Aden MJ Pik and any other legend guy bro I cant think of right now.
Doc: And finally who are your sponsors?
Johno: HELP A BROTHER OUT! I'm sponsorless!!
Doc: Thanks so much for your time Johno
Johno: no problem bruuuuaaaa.
Da pics:
1. Johnathan Mellish photog: Cobus Bosman
2. Johnathan Mellish photog: Cobus Bosman
3. Johnathan Mellish photog: Peter Lambert
4. Johnathan Mellish photog: Cobus Bosman
5. Johnathan Mellish photog: Cobus Bosman
6. Johnathan Mellish photog: Cobus Bosman
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