Nathan Bartlett was no ordinary surfer, but a gifted one. Lauded as the best on the South Coast and one of the finest in Australia, his tragic end in the waters of Jervis Bay on Wednesday afternoon has left the local surfing community in deep shock.
The 43-year-old was riding waves off the Cape St George Lighthouse just outside the bay, nearly 200km from Canberra, when tragedy struck.
According to NSW Police, emergency services were called to the scene at about 1.55pm on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, following reports of two surfers in trouble.
Officers from the South Coast Police District and Marine Area Command responded, retrieving two men from the water. They were later identified as Mr Bartlett and his 38-year-old brother, Byron.
Mr Bartlett was unresponsive when pulled from the water and died at the scene. Byron was assessed as a precaution by NSW Ambulance paramedics at the nearby Murrays Beach Boat Ramp.
The news of Mr Bartlett death while doing what he loved most was received with disbelief by the surfing community, especially in his hometown of Manyana, south of Jervis Bay.
"We are all in shock. We are very saddened," said a childhood friend and fellow surfer from Ulladulla, who asked not to be named until the Bartlett family had given consent.
"I first met Nathan at a surfing contest in Ulladulla when he was 11 and I was seven. He was amazing on the big waves," his mate recalled.
Mr Bartlett came from a prominent surfing family, and all three brothers were accomplished boardriders on the South Coast.
The 43-year-old had previously made headlines in 2017 after surviving a near-fatal accident while surfing at Desert Point in Indonesia. Despite suffering severe head and facial injuries, he made a full recovery and returned to the sport.
Award-winning cinematographer and surf filmmaker Tim Bonython paid tribute to Mr Bartlett, calling him "one of the best surfers to grace the wave".
Mr Bonython, who filmed Mr Bartlett in numerous events over 15 years, fondly remembered him as a standout talent.
"He was a free surfer and one of the best with the big waves," the filmmaker said, recalling Mr Bartlett's performance at Depot Beach near Batemans Bay, which he had photographed.
Away from the surfboard, Mr Bartlett was a professional carpenter and a merchant mariner.
"He was a lovely, confident guy who was all about his family. It was work, family, and surfing for him," his friend said.
Nathan Bartlett is survived by his wife and two young children.
