Up the Coast

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Angourie 1978 4 guys out.

Angourie 1977

Angourie 1977

Arrawarra 1977
Arrawarra 1977

Arrawarra 1977

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 Bay 2010 by Ronnie Rudder

Byron Bay 2010 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 baulked 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.
Bells Beach 1977 Rory Russell the other Mr Pipeline
Bells Beach Rory Russell 1977

Bells Beach Rory Russell 1977

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 old power station 1977

Nobbys old power station 1977

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

Laurieton View 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.
Doc Neeson Mawson Hotel 1977

Doc Neeson Mawson Hotel 1977

 

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