‘Mum once admitted that the only time she thought I was truly safe was when I was out in the water, beyond the breaking waves, in the tranquillity of “The Outside” . . .’

Larry Blair shot to fame at just 19, coming from nowhere to take out the biggest ever cash prize in surfing. The outsider from Australia backed it up by winning Hawaii’s revered Pipeline Masters at the world’s deadliest wave, twice. In an instant, he was a household name, transcending sport to become an actor, model and personality.

But Larry was harbouring a deadly family secret.

His dad, ‘Baldy’ Blair, was a bank robber; his mum, Patricia, was a beautiful jewel thief who regularly hosted all-star gatherings of underworld personalities, dreaming up their next heist from the comfort of the family home.

A record-breaking armed robbery and a brutal murder led to the family fleeing the notorious ‘Toe Cutters’ gang – climbing out of motel windows, escaping from planes and hiding out in desert caves. In the aftermath of the vicious gang war that followed, and tired of the family arm tussling for control of his future, the teenage Larry decided he wanted out. His exit plan: a very long surf trip and a dangerous journey of self-discovery into some of the most exotic, forbidding places on earth.

Written with long-time friend and surfing partner Jeremy Goring, The Outside is Larry Blair’s extraordinary story of overcoming impossible odds, and harnessing a deep love of the ocean, to find peace, community and a new beginning.