Koa's West Coast Call

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South Africa, and in particular the West Coast of this troubled land, is a favourite destination for Koa Smith, a surfer who eschewed an elite career on the WSL Championship Tour to live the dream as a pro freesufer. Born and raised in Hawaii, he is a three-time National Scholastic Surfing Association National Champion, and has the surf breaks of his home island Kauai completely dialled.

From a young age, he has cracked the code. He makes a living by having fun, creating content and amassing followers, with sponsors such as Nike, Oakley and latterly Hurley queueing up to bask in he is Basically, he is the Zen master of the Great Rock 'n Roll Surf Swindlesome of his charisma and class. Basically, he is a Zen master of the Great Rock 'n Roll Surf Swindle. He gets to travel the world to surf the sickest waves and gets paid handsomely for it.

With a quarter of a million followers on Instagram (@koasmith), his Youtube videos get serious traction. Correction, the Youtube channel he runs with his two brothers Alex and Travis gets serious traction. You'd have to think so when you consider The Smith Brothers Youtube channel has 106,000 followers, and growing fast. Their video Brother Nature: Our life in Hawaii two years ago has been viewed more than half a million times.

All of this is very exciting for those who work for the anti-mining NPO Protect the West Coast. Smith's latest vlog Got Lost in Africa - in which he and South African friends camp and surf on a remote untouched stretch of coast - is a well made and evocative celebration of the West Coast.

WILD THING: There's nothing like a surf trip through a raw, pristine wilderness. Video screengrab

But for PTWC CEO Mike Schlebach, it is the massive punt that Smith gives to PTWC - including an urgent call to his fan base asking them to sign a PTWC petition - that is a game changer. The video has had almost 50,000 views in two days since it premiered on the 3 August.

"Koa is a great friend of South Africa. His love affair with the West Coast goes back years since he first visited Skeleton Bay. His friendship with Frank Solomon has led to much exploration along the South African portion of this coast," Schlebach says.

"Just because its desolate, does not mean the West Coast is not beautiful or rich in bio-diversity. Koa recognises this, and with his huge following, it really gives our cause to stop the heavy mineral sand miners from destroying the West Coast a massive boost."

CHECK AT THAT: Footprints on an empty beach, and a tubing wave that cracks near the shore.

Schlebach said that Smith's video comes less than three weeks before an inaugural surf contest at Hondeklip Bay that could provide further media coverage of the threat facing the West Coast. The WSL sanctioned Experience Northern Cape Namakwa Challenge presented by Billabong Adventure Division is a specialty event for 20 of the top South African and African surfers.

In some ways, Smith can thank the West Coast, in part certainly, for his success. Sure, he is a brilliant surfer, and that is the main reason he managed to pull in and make that unbelievable 30 second barrel People still regard that wave as the longest and best barrel that has ever been recorded.at Skeleton Bay in 2014. His penchant for heavy waves like Pipeline and Jaws and Teahupo’o would have helped lay the foundation.

However, he has the metronomic Namibian wave itself to thank for that barrel. The POV footage from his Go Pro won him the Best Barrel award at the 2014 Surfer Poll, as well as the inaugural GoPro of the World compeitition. People still regard that wave as the longest and best barrel that has ever been recorded.

His Go Pro video at Skeleton Bay went ballistic, and laid the platform for his future social media success. Its not just surfing that pushed him further into the ether of stardom. In 2015, he won the prestigious MAN/Ford modelling competition, and took part in the reality TV show The Runner with his brother Travis, who like the multi-talented Koa, is a sucessful model.

GREEN ROOM: The crew score thumping rock slabs at a remote break far up the West Coast.

As his profile says on www.worldsurfleague.com, "Koa's positivity and charismatic personality have made him a star, it is his surfing ability that has underpinned all his success. Strip everything else away, and he remains one of the best surfing talents of his generation."

Instagram: @koasmith @sunriseshack @smithbroshawaii

SIGN THE PETITION, SAVE THE WEST COAST: https://bit.ly/3inyIms

DISCLAIMER: Spike assists with PTWC media and communications