Frother Of The Month – Otis Carey

By Brad Malyon on April 28, 2011 in People

Photo: Brad Malyon

This month we managed to tie down Otis Carey and pick his brain about being a dad, surfing with the pros and coming from sleepy Coffs to the big smoke.

Name: Otis Carey
Age: 22
Local break: Bondi
Board shaper & dimensions: Misfit Surfboards – 5’8”, 19 ¼”, 2 ¼”

Favourite surf spot?
A beach break back home called Macauleys Beach. It’s got everything from a left point to a rip bowl shore break. It’s all time epic!

You’re originally from Coffs Harbour, how did you find the move to Bondi?
Yeah, Coffs is an awesome place but there are so many more opportunities in a big place like Sydney. The change over from a small coastal town to the city was pretty gnarly. I’m still trying to get my head around it.

As an indigenous surfer you are an inspiration to many, does this affect the way you look at surfing?
No, I wouldn’t say it affects the way I look at surfing at all. If anything it would help me push my surfing. If me being an indigenous surfer inspires people then that alone motivates me to push my surfing to the best it can be. In the end I just love to surf and be a part of the ocean.

You have a little baby boy, how has he changed your life/surfing?
My son beige is six months old now. My whole outlook on life changed the second I saw him come into the world. I think having him in my life has helped my surfing by one hundred percent. Everything makes much more sense having him around. I can’t wait for the day he can surf with me!

I must say, you always look very smart. Are you into fashion?
Ha ha! I’m into fashion but I’m not into the smart looking side of it. I like wearing ripped up jeans and all sorts of weird things to weird people out. I don’t follow fashion blogs, trends or anything like that. I just wear whatever.

You recently won the Arnette Roulette Aerial Series, nabbing a wildcard entry into the Boost Mobile Surf Sho – can you tell us about that?
I’m still so stoked I won the Arnette Roulette Series! I’ll most likely be stoked off that for the rest of the year. Winning the wildcard for the Boost Surf Sho was such an awesome experience. Ozzie Wright, my all time hero, was in the Surf Sho so to surf and hang with him made the experience just that little bit better!

What tips would you give the kids who want to start performing airs?
Cuts, bones, bruises and surfboards can all be fixed so stop being a girl and go hard.

Where would you like surfing to take you?
Ultimately, around the world would be pretty epic.

Any last words?
I’ll sleep when I’m dead.