Angourie 1978 4 guys out.

Angourie 1977 4 guys out

Angourie 1977 4 guys out

 

HOW TO GET MORE CHIPS.

In 1968, on a weekend surfari  up the north coast, a small group of starving surfers head into town for a feed after a long day of surfing at Green Knob. They stop at their favorite Taree Fish & Chip Shop. The boys walk up to the counter and the beaming old guy behind the counter asks “Yesssh Pleassshse Boyssssh! “ Yes he had a squeak to every S.

Without batting an eyelid one of the guys orders first (…let’s just call him Jim, a normally quiet reserved guy perhaps bouyed by a great day surfing) “Can I have a hamburger and 10 Cssssentssss worth of chipsssh pleassssh!” (10 cents worth is about $3 worth now)

We all roll our eyes and figure we will be thrown out and go starving now… but the gentleman remains cool and proceeds to take the other orders then make the food.

After a tense 10 minutes of subdued behavior from us, he hands over the first order to Jim – and low and behold there is enough chips to feed an army!  The rest of us get the standard portion serving of chips.

I guess he felt an affinity to the fellow speech afflicted Jimmy – or perhaps he just admired his cheekiness! The moral of the story – be an up front complete bastard and you can get away with anything.

 

Ronnie is getting good waves up the coast right now, here is Byron Bay in May 2010, photo by Ronnie Rudder.

Byron May 2010 photo by Ronnie Rudder

Byron May 2010 photo by Ronnie Rudder

 At Bells Beach Surfing Comp in 1977 – I spot the other Mr Pipeline, the revered Rory Russell taking in the scene. Aprehensively I raise my camera, Rory spots me about to take his picture, I baulk as I don’t like to take anyones photo without approval. Rory breaks into a big grin then waves, Whew! Click! The next week he was cruising past Newcastle and dropped in to see Col Smith. Col says “where were you yesterday I brought Rory around to your place”. I was at work. I did however get to meet Buzzy Kerbox when he visited Col, real nice guy.
Bells Beach 1977 Rory Russell the other Mr Pipeline

Bells Beach 1977 Rory Russell the other Mr Pipeline

Whats this big piece of Crap below? What’s it got to do with surfing? Who put it there? Why?
This photo was taken from Nobbys Beach in 1978. It is the now decommissioned Zara Street Power Station. Not 300 meters from the beach, it used to belch out smoke all over Newcastle. In its place now is the Nobbys Forshore Park - thanks goes to all who decided to remove it.
Nobbys Power Station 1977

Nobbys Power Station 1977

On Big Brother Mountain over looking Laurieton and Camden Haven.
View of Laurieton 1983

View of Laurieton 1983

 

Frank “Meatball” Skewes surfs a punchy right peak in 1975 at Redhead Beach.

Frank Meatball Skewes Redhead 1975

Frank Meatball Skewes Redhead 1975

 

The Angels good Doc Neeson blesses his followers and there was plenty.. and it was good.

The Angels Doc Neeson gives his blessing at the Mawson 1978

The Angels Doc Neeson gives his blessing at the Mawson 1978

Dweezil Zappa, son of Frank, brought his dad’s music to life again in Newcastle at the great Civic Theatre in April 2009. Dweezil played amazing guitar. I saw Frank Zappa play back in 1972 and 1974, awsome. He had guest Norman Gunston (actor Gary MacDonald) play a harmonica solo. Here Dweezil rips out another guitar solo, this one was from the song Montana. My daughter Ellen took this picture.

Dweezil Zappa plays at Newcastle Civic Theatre 2009

Dweezil Zappa plays at Newcastle Civic Theatre 2009

Mark Richards gouges a cutback on his twin fin at Leggy Point around 1977, classic style.
Mark Richards Leggy Point 1977

Mark Richards Leggy Point 1977

Redhead’s Col Smith around 1979 in his shaping bay with some almost completed Channel boards, this one’s mine.
Redhead's Col Smith Shaping Channel Surfboards 1978

Redhead's Col Smith Shaping Channel Surfboards 1978

Midnight Oil’s Peter Garrett on keyboards and guitarist Jim Mogine on guitar playing at the Mawson Hotel at Caves Beach in 1977.  Awsome night. Not long after they were  packing the places out wherever they played.
Midnight Oil 1977 Garrett & Mogine mawson Hotel 1977

Midnight Oil 1977 Garrett & Mogine mawson Hotel 1977

Looking back up from Redhead beach to where I was living in 1975 . Before the tar car park, the grassy hill and the real big houses.
Landscape above Redhead Beach in 1975

Landscape above Redhead Beach in 1975

Crow &  Bird and Bridgette my Curly Coated Retriever in 1977 on the verandah.
Crow and Bird and Bridgette 1977

Crow and Bird and Bridgette 1977

Martin Littlewood cranks a turn windsurfing Blacksmiths around 1978.
Martin Littlewood Windsurfing at Blacksmiths 1977

Martin Littlewood Windsurfing at Blacksmiths 1977