MIKI DORA'S LAST INTERVIEW AKA UNDERGROU

Miki Dora's Last Interview aka Underground Journals was originally written in 2003 as a magazine article and was unpublished. Over the years it has gone through many drafts, and there are several manuscripts of earlier drafts of the book which have been given to known and unknown surf world people in France, California and Hawaii, so that in a sense, it has been published "underground." Now for the first time, it is being released to the general public. These are actual letters and post cards from Mickey Dora, from 1983 through 1995. Most are concerning film deals in Hollywood about Dora's life. It also includes Mickey Dora's own movie treatment about his life. There are also the comic details of a film deal in which Dora's nefarious business dealings are laid bare. This document contains Dora's own writing, as taken from his letters during this time, never before seen by the public. Taken as a whole, it shows the spirit of Mickey Dora, as one who is out to live his life to the fullest, and not bend to the conventions of society.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

How I got the first air, as Mickey Dora is my witness. by Gerry Kantor

This was back in the 1970s, probably 1973. Biarritz, France. We were standing at Chambre D'amor, watching a backwash shoot pretty high into the air over approaching waves on the north jetty there. Mickey says, "go out, and if it looks interesting, I will come out."

So I paddled out on a 7-6 rounded pin, the board of choice for that time. (When traveling back then, you did not bring a "quiver". You traveled with only 1 board. You wanted a longer board in case it got big, but not too long of board so you could still ride it in small waves. If you brought a smaller board, then you woudn't have anything for bigger surf. This was before board bags, and boards were checked in at the airport with baggage in a big cardboard box, which surf shops sold for $10.)

The backwash would shoot me up into the air, then I would jump up from the board and away, both me and the board way into the air, so that when I and the board came back down, I would not land on the board and be injured.

I got a few of these, then Mickey paddled out. But he did not come over to the jetties where I was getting launched by the strong backwash, he surfed in front of the rocks a little south of there. I watched him from behind as he smoothly ran up to the nose, the tail of his board visible through the back of the wave.

Later, back up on the parking lot, Mickey was saying that I had something there, that flying up into the air. I said I was just getting launched. But he insisted that I had something. I did not land any of the airs, and the airs were propelled by the backwash, not from "hitting a ramp" or whatever.

So I am claiming the first air, witnessed by Mickey, but not claiming to have landed them, or to have launched them. I was launched by the backwash. Mickey thought it was a bigger deal than I did.