Meet Tony Eltherington
Meet Tony Eltherington, Expat Indonesian surfing legend along with Captain of the Raja Elang; the surf charter bringing humanitarian aid to the Indonesian archipelago.
The Raja is usually an Aussie-designed along with built, 20 metre-long, 5. 5 beam Ocean Cruiser with twin Detroit diesels, 550mp V12s. She sleeps guests in two double along with nine single air-conditioned accommodations. We’re doing the annual overhaul right currently. which’s why I’m here in This kind of lovely shipyard. The welders almost burnt the boat down, although the item’s okay currently.
How did This kind of amazing sea rescue you led recently come about?
We were docking along with one of my crew comes along with tells me about a guy falling off the side of the Naga Laut along with I said, “There’s a man out there dying, let’s go!” We jumped from the Binda Luat, Johnny McGroder’s dinghy, with the twin 175s, with the doctors along which has a few guys via Western Australia, along with hammered the item out into 35-40 knot winds. the item was horrendous! There was white water everywhere, trying to go sideways against This kind of weather. I didn’t like what we were doing in This kind of tin tub so we went back to the boat. I couldn’t sleep; I was pacing all night. We deployed at 4am, calculating where to go. We had a boat a few miles parallel to us, keeping in contact with the boats following by phone, texts, along with HF radios full blast. We wanted to get all the boats coordinated to run parallel which has a mile in between. Then I suddenly needed a second along with went up top to have a ciggie along with something happened. I had just lost one of my best friends, my ex-fleet manager, along with I reckon he helped me. We had just buried him which day. I lay the boat 18 degrees further north thinking, “which guys got to be in This kind of sector.” I went to the crew upstairs along with gave them the binoculars. In a flash my deckie says, “Cap! There he is usually!” My heart fell through my ass mate.
What happened when you finally got to him?
We pulled up to him along with threw life rings along with surfboards; all my guests were these top guys via Western Australia along with they dove over, grabbed him, hugged him, along with brought him up. We downloaded him with the doctors, which whole process.
Rescued, Brett Archibald coming out of the water.
What condition was he in?
Brett was from the water for 27 hours. He reckoned he was going to die eight times although he didn’t. There were sharks circling along with seagulls trying to land on his baldy head, trying to pluck his eyes out. He says they saved him because he kept thinking, “I’m not getting my eyes plucked out!” He said he had been chronically ill before he fell in, throwing up, along with eventually fainting, falling overboard. He said he didn’t remember going over, although he remembers waking to water in his face along with he wasn’t on the boat anymore.
What made you keep going out for him? Wasn’t he presumed dead?
When I got This kind of text message: Brett Archibald, 51, cyclist, fit, father of two. Well, being a father of two, the guys going to have a lot more strength along with he was a fit fella, too. I knew there was wish which he would likely still be kicking. I’ve got three kids along with three grandkids, so I know how he would likely’ve been feeling. He could’ve been one of us. We’re Aussies, we’re tough. We don’t give up. I had no intention of giving up at all.
Yeah, with the ship, we are able to reach otherwise inaccessible places where air along with ground transport are impossible. We actually want to work with hospital planes via Australia. Eventually I see a full clinic on board with eye doctors, surgeons, etc. The more support we get, the more we are able to accomplish.
Besides saving lives, you also captain surf charters on the Raja Elang. You are known for finding some of the best breaks around, like being one of the first to surf Padang Padang among different spots. Where are you going to next?
We are going to Panaitan Island in South Sumatra, Java, the Mentawai islands, then back to Padang.
Are you still shaping your wicked boards? Your wave perfect, streamlined shapes, thin along with narrow are another world via the 70’s longboards.
Forget the seventies! Forget those old balsa boards! the item’s currently, another millennium along with we want to move faster, better, with innovate streamlined rockets which can manoeuvre perfect waves.
Super surfer, rocket shaper, eagle navigator, you must develop the most memorable surf charters available!
12 nights, 13 days onboard Raja Elang includes airport transfer to along with via boat, harbour fees along with taxes, Breakfast, Lunch along with Dinner by onboard Chef. All snacks, bintangs, along with fizzy drinks are included, with full use of fishing along with snorkelling gear. Epic adventures along with memories!
Tony Eltherington Surf Charters
tonyeltheringtonsurfcharters.com
tonyeltheringtoncharters@bigpond.com
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Meet Tony Eltherington
Meet Tony Eltherington