Redhead Bodyboarder 10/3/2012
Redhead surfer 11/3/2012
Horshoe Beach early morning 8/4/2012 Photo by Jo Layzell
Stormy night drive 8/4/12 Photo by Ellen Moore
The band Zappa Plays Zappa Newcastle Panthers Club 8/4/12
Dweezil Zappa and the band were awsome, fun and brilliant and showcased the many fine tunes from Frank Zappa’s massive 60 plus album repertoire in a 3 hour show.
Dweezil Zappa guitar solo
Zappa plays Zappa Band with dance contestants
Dweezil Zappa and Dancers
Singer Ben Thomas Zappa Plays Zappa with Dance Contestant.
Guitarist Jamie Kime
Dweezil signing autographs after the concert

Redhead 8/3/2012 Clean and mean.
Dad and Grom Silhoutte Surfcheck Blacksmiths Beach 4/3/2012. The early sunlight blazing off the chop created a blinding glare. Alas the onshore wind was up already.
Redhead Double ski 4/3/2012 Mick and Ray take a long line in.
Bird on watch Redhead Shark tower on a damp and gloomy morning 5/3/2012.
School of bream in the shallows of Lake Macquarie 5/12/2012.
Belmont Yacht races 5/2/12 These two boats pass at full throttle with not much to spare.
Blacksmith’s Beach Litterer - the Crow. The early bird gets it out of the bins for breakfast. Maybe we can train then to put it back in.
Redhead sand dunes showing a bit of colour after some rain 5/3/2012.
Redhead’s big rip 11/2/2012. There has been an awsome rip out the front of the 1st Creek for a while now that keeps you paddling the whole time to keep your lineup.

Redhead Beach 22/1/2012
Redhead Body Boarder 4/2/2012
Redhead first Creek wind on the water 22/1/2012
Redhead Beach 4/2/2012
Redhead First Creek 22/1/2012
Redhead Shark Tower 21/1/2012
Photos by Jo and Geoff from their New Zealand South Island hiking trip last week. Some beautiful landscapes, a very beautful place.

Redhead regular and a real nice bloke, Glen “Lenny” Folkard was attacked and bitten by a shark surfing at Redhead Wednesday afternoon 18/1/2011. With him keeping a cool head and the gutsy efforts of the guys in the water, he was brought in quickly. The Lifeguards and luckily some paramedics were there to help slow the blood loss and with the Ambulance’s speedy attention he is recovering in hospital from some large gashes.
The guys who helped should get unlimited waves from now on. Many thanks to Nathan, Steve, Tony and Danny and any others who were there and helped.
From all the Redhead guys, we wish Lenny all the best in his recovery and hope he can put it behind him. Did it rattle us? Yes … eveyone’s talking about it and going back out in the water very warily. This is the first shark attack since the 1930′s at Redhead, so the odd’s were big considering how many people have gone into the water in over 80 years. But we know they are out there. Fifty sharks were sighted that day between Blacksmiths and Newcastle from the air.
Steve Butterworth and Col Smith with Jim Pollard Channel Boards at Redhead 1978. This photo appeared in Sea Notes Magazine in 1978 .
Surfhouse Surf Shop top of town Newcastle. A great place to browse for surf related gifts and a range of local surf photography to hang on your wall.
Colourful Sunset Redhead 10/1/2012
Newcastle Harbour and Nobbys Headland 12/11/2011
Herron looking for a feed Belmont South 14/1/2011
Swans in Belmont South Bay 14/1/12

Redhead beach 26/12/11 boxing day morning
Redhead beach 26/12/11 close out set.
Redhead surfer 26/12/11
Redhead Beach 27/12/11
Redhead Shark Tower 29/12/11 – Sun on the water.
I was thinking of the beautiful song by Kirsty MacColl -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDzYqJs5HMM
Redhead Beach 29/12/11 Lone swimmer.
Black Neds Bay wildlife 8/12/11 The neighbours have a big mean pets
Black Neds Bay Ducks 8/12/11
All the best wishes for the new year.

Redhead 20/11/11 Early morning sea fog during Redhead SLSC Proficiency.
Saturday 26/11/11 The wind started as onshore then swung offshore and cleaned up the surf. Redhead lineup.
Redhead surfer dogging thru behind the tower.
Redhead Surfer inside a nice left
Redhead body boarder on a nice clean one.
Redhead surfer on one starting to wall up.
Monday 5/12/11
A week of rain pushed lots of fresh water out to sea, then a raging southerly whipped it up to make some serious froth. Redhead shark tower.
The foam was pushed into the Redhead Bluff painting it white.
A close up of the thick goo whipped up by wind on fresh water, maybe with some additives the compliments of 20th century living.
Blacksmiths same day the other end of the beach, clean as.
Blacksmiths, minutes later than the sunny shot above, a rain cloud parts and sun shines through onto the water.

A cloudy Saturday morning, but the clouds were a little bit fancy. Redhead Saturday 12/11/2011.
Early Sunday Morning 30/10/11 Redhead surf check showed an overcast day coming, but within seconds the sun seared a hole in the clouds and it came out sunny.
Redhead Surf 6/11/2011
Redhead boardriders comp 5/11/2011
Nobbys Beach 12/11/2011 a fully loaded ship exits the harbour while kite surfers have a ball in the stiff North Easter and clear water.
Newcastle Harbour 12/11/11. 3 tugs make their way back home after pushing another loaded ship out to sea.
Nobbys Beach 12/11/11. A very idyllic Beach Volleyball competition venue.
Sandy’s Chooks. 3 Broody chooks, on strike having a sit in November 2011.

Black Ned’s Bay at Swansea is a picturesque place to go for a paddle. The wind was stiff from the east and no beaches were worth a look for a surf but, a paddle out here on a SUP, or anything that paddles can make up for that. It is quiet beautiful protected and there is lots to look at. Best go at high tide as the bottom has some sharp oyster shells on the Mangrove roots. I had a paddle here a month or so ago and a pelican came flying toward me, landed not 10 foot from me and grabbed a fish, I though – I wish I had a camera on me so I came prepared today.
Black Ned’s Bay entrance from Swansea Channel
Pelicans on a sand spit at Black Ned’s Bay
Boats moored at the entrance
There are lots of islands to explore
The mangrove trees reflect into the glassy water
A Ski paddler comes the other way, a smile and a wave is common place
There are lots of pelicans here as the bottom is shallow and they can see their dinner
The shallow water has some sharp oyster clusters to beware of. I suggest you don’t jump in, maybe wear booties in case
Another spreading Mangrove tree with its reflection in the water
I took a run under the Swansea Bridge and I noticed a bloke looking over with interest. I recognised it was Kevin Harman – the Lake Macquarie areas master of all things to do on water and a great bloke, I stopped for a chat. Kevin is an icon in our area having built and ridden surfboards in the 60′s, windsurfed in the 80′s then became the World Champ Masters ski paddler as well as winning Aussie State and Branch titles.

Dudley Beach 25/6/11
Newcastle Big winter swell 13/7/11
Newcastle Harbour Tug 14/6/11
Blacksmiths Surfer 4/6/11
Redhead surfer 4/6/11
Redhead Surfer 2 4/6/11
Newcastle Beach Big surf close up 14/7/11
Redhead Bluff up close 10/6/11
Redhead Beach early morning right hander 14/10/11
Saturday morning 22/10/11 around 7:30 am.
The surf was very ordinary at 2 foot with a light onshore starting up, but it was the best place to be to watch the local dolphins throw a party. Dozens of dolphins gathered just outside the break in what appeared to be an introduction of the new young calves to the extended dolphin clan. The young ones were accompanied by adults as they cruised around and around, meanwhile the young adults cavorted further out getting some serious air. They threw some awsome stale fish moves but without grabbing a rail. They stayed for almost an hour in the same area while the few surfers out watched in awe a few metres away.

Another weekend of torential rain, at least the footy finals are on.
2/10/11 Another Sunday surf check you don’t get out of the car for.
Saturday early Redhead surfer 1/10/11
Redhead Surf 1/10/11 A left from behind the shark tower.
Redhead Surf 1/10/11 A right down the beach a bit.
The swell jumped up quick and this one had the guys scrambling for cover.
Jimmy Lewis HP98
Behind the scences at the beach girl contest Rehead 1985
Arial view from out of a Cessna Redhead Beach around 1978
A 2 headed choock? No just a fluke photo – 2 of Sandy’s chooks 1/10/11


































































































