10th January 2013

Posted on January 10, 2013 by geoffcrow

Redhead Beach sunrise 26/1/2013

Redhead beach 26-01-13

Redhead Beach sunrise 25/1/2013

Redhead Beach sunrise3 25-01-13

25/1/2013 Surfers out at dawn Redhead Beach

Redhead Beach sunrise2 25-01-13

16/1/2013 Sunrise Redhead Beach.

Redhead Beach Sunrise 1 16-01-13

16/1/2013 Redhead Beach Sunrise with Bonnie and Seagulls.The seagulls flew into frame and Bonnie went in to to chase them and it made a nice entry into the picture.

Redhead Beach Bonnie and seagulls16-01-13

8/10/2013 This is Bonnie, a beautiful lovely dog – rescued and now re-housed by Amy’s Animal Rescue. See the web site www.aaarescue.net – Amie’s Pets are currently advertised on Gumtree, contact her if you can help.Amy’s Angels goal is to save as many pets from death row as possible. Please consider adopting a pet from an animal rescue if you want a pet – as 63,000 good unwanted animals were put down just in NSW last year.

Bonnie 08-01-13

16/6/2012 An Octopus’s Garden. Since 1965 I was like what’s Ringo on about ” I’d like to be under the sea in an Octopusses garden with you”. Well I went for a paddle on my SUP in Marks Point Bay and in the shallows I noticed a pile of shells As I approached an angry Octopus popped out from a hole in the middle – no lie – brandishing a beer bottle in one hand. One Octopusses garden – but I dont think he was so keen on sharing it. I quickly pushed him off my board with my paddle and swung around to take this photo.

16-06-12 Octopus with beer bottle

As Frank Zappa said – the Ocean is the ultimate solution. Seems like it is for the problem of garbage -washed up at Redhead Beach after a storm 11/6/2012.

11-06-12 Redhead Beach flotsom washed up

Redhead Beach 25/6/2012 Nice wave good surfer.

Redhead Beach Surfer1 26-05-12

Method 22/4/2012. Method played at Dudley Oceanview Pub – Great 2 piece band keep an ear out for them.

Method 4 Oceanview 22-04-12

16/6/2012 Mark’s Point Bay Starfish. A large bright starfish missing a leg and appears about to lose 2 more.

6-06-12 Marks Point Starfish

Redhead surfer 25/11/12 Yound Mal Rider

Redhead Beach surfer4 25-11-12

8/4/2012 Dweezil Zappa and Band Zappa Plays Zappa at Panthers Newcastle, what a great band, played music by Dweezil’s dad Frank Zappa.

Dweezil Zappa Band 8-4-12

16/6/2012 Marks Point Bay cloud reflections in the water.

6-06-12 Marks Point reflections

16/6/2012 Marks Point early morning.

16-06-12 Marks Point

Redhead Beach October 2010

Posted on December 15, 2012 by geoffcrow

Saturday morning a cool stiff sou-wester sprung up. The surf was small and flat but picturesque between cloud banks.

Redhead Beach October 16 2010

The flags were up but there were no takers, the wind chill and cold upwell had made it unpleasant but it still looked peaceful.

Flags up no takers Redhead Oct 16 2010

But the next morning the surf had jumped up and the Sunday morning Nippers had to stay dry, confined to beach events due to the dangerous surf. I would describe conditions as narnar – double gnarly.

Redhead too big for Nippers 1 Oct 2010

Col Smith hanging 5 at Redhead 1978. This was not a popular surfing manouver at the time on short boards, but has come back in favour with the reappearance of longboard riders.

Col Smith Redhead 1978 hanging 5

Newcastle Show 1978 – the Spruker talks up the Haunted House Ride.

Haunted House Newcastle Show 1978

The Redhead Gables 1978. Flying into Redhead, as you do, the first property you saw was a large grand old house with tennis courts known as the Gables, originally a Miners Hostel, then a Convent, now a housing estate. Development in Redhead has now caught up to it on both sides of the road.

The Redhead Gables 1978

The Gold Coast Nightlife 2001. Summed up by leaving the camera on at night for a minute.

Gold Coast night life 2001

Body Boarders Redhead August 2010

Posted on December 15, 2012 by geoffcrow

August 2010 – The sand banks have not been good for surfers – except for the hardy bodyboarders getting some gnarly closeout barrels. Unknown bodyboarder Redhead Little Beach August 2010

Bodyboarder Redhead August 2010

A week later a little smaller, but good shape for the bodyboards. August 2010. Is that Bob the barber walking down for a session on the right? Yep.

Redhead Bodyboarder August 2010

Simon Anderson wins Bells 1977. Simon surfed powerfully in a solid swell to win and he enjoys the moment after a close final.

Simon Anderson 1977 Bells Beach Winner

Ian Moss – Cold Chisel … sings Georgia at Belmont Sportsmans Club 1976.

Ian Moss – Cold Chisel sings Georgia 1977

A Hunter Valley Coal Mine around 1986.

A Hunter Valley Coal Mine around 1986

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles show Speers Point Park 1999. Surfers liked the Ninja Turtles, as the movie characters acted and spoke like Corky Caroll, the 1960’s legendary 5 times US surfing Champion who created surf speak and lives the carfree fun surfing life we all dream of.

Ninja Turtles show Speers Point Park 1999

The BIG Right hander in the Sky. A Storm coming over Redhead around 1984.

Storm Cloud Wave Redhead 1984

Peter Garrett and Rob Hirst Midnight Oils at the Mawson Hotel about 1978 getting serious.

Mignight Oil Garret & Hirst 1978 Mawson Hotel

Redhead Surf Club 70th Reunion around 1977. A bunch of old mates meet up over a few cold beers.

Redhead SLSC 70th Reunion

Redhead’s Col Smith in his shaping bay with a new batch of channel boards around 1978.

Col Smith shaping Channel Boards

Surf Gets Big at Dudley August 2010

Posted on December 15, 2012 by geoffcrow

Dudley on a big day in the 1970’s

Dudley-Point-1980s

Dudley Point 1970’s

August 13th 2010 – the swell jacked up with a low pressure system and a stiff wind.

Some hell men were out at Dudley. The next 3 photos courtesy of Geoff Connors.

Big Dudley – surfer unknown 13th August 2010 photo by Geoff Connors

Dudley 13th August 2010 – Photo by Geoff Connors

Dudley unknown surfer 13th August 2010 photo by Geoff Connors

BHP Computer Room around 1976. This large room full of gizmos is equivalent to the last generation of laptops.

Newcastle BHP computer room around 1976

Storm Surf at Redhead in the mid 1970’s. Heavy rain, flooding of the Hunter River and huge surf created this mess of flotsam and Jetsom near the first creek.

Storm surf Debri at Redhead Beach around 1976

NSW SLSC Championships at Corrimal around 1978. This scantily clad and fit looking young lady onlooker caught the eye of Redhead’s boat crew. They asked me to go and take her photo and I said no, she would just tell me to piss off. Hard to say no to these blokes, as is evident from the next picture of them. So they picked me up camera bag and all and carried me armchair style to where she was sitting and dumped me in the sand at her feet. She willingly obliged to have her photo taken bemused by the proceedings.

Redhead Boat Crew fan Corrimal 1978

Redhead Boat Crew in 1978 at Corrimal Beach SLSC NSW Championships. A fit looking bunch, great blokes and not bad rowers. Strategic use of Boat Oars aye.

Redhead Boat Crew Corrimal NSW Championships around 1978

Newcastle Surfers with Style in the 70s

Posted on December 15, 2012 by geoffcrow

You gotta make it look good, no good doing the moves without your own style. Surfing has always had stylists to steal a bit off and add your own too. Some of my favourites are Phil Edwards Miki Dora Midget Farelly and Gerry Lopez, more recently Tom Curran and Joel Tudor, they all make anything they do look great.

Newcastle has many surfers with their own style.

For example Steve Butterworth shown here at Redhead in 1978, tubed with style.

Steve Butterworth Redhead 1978

Paul “Davo ” Davis – the legend of the Leggy at the Mattara contest Newcastle 1978. Paul surfed the Leggy with style and with an uncanny wave knowledge, always making it through the bowl.

Paul Davo Davis at Newcastle Mattara comp 1978

Around 1964, one of the first great Leggy surfers was Peter “Hector” Hogan who surfed it with a few Redhead guys with only a sprinkle of other guys. Hector was fearless and rode the place well always coming from behind, and it was long before legropes, and as such his boards were always a mess.

Mark Richards at the Leggy in 1978 cuts back effortlessly and gracefully and with style.

Mark Richards cutback Leggy1978

Dave Robbo, Col Smiths sidekick, at Redhead in 1979. Dave is an excellent tube rider and him and Col, were always getting tubed at Ghosties.

Dave Robbo Redhead 1978

Roger Clements had his own style, shown here at the Mattara contest 1978. Roger seemed to just skate around sections on a tiny twin fin.

Rodger Clements Newcastle Mattara contest 1977

Kenny once told me a clanger about style. He was surfing in Bali when an Italian guy paddles out with the nose of his board way out of the water and he was paddling with a very shallow stroke. He says to Kenny – heya mate you surfa good, you givva me some tips aye. Kenny tells him he could give his paddle style some improvment and catch waves if he moved up the board a bit and did deeper strokes. The guys goes – now way – THATSA MY STLYE! Well at least he had his own style and was happy with it.

Onother kind of style. Aussie girl in Bali 1977

Aussie surf girl in Bali 1977

Weather worn rock formation. Over years holes have been worn by wave movement of small rocks.

Rock weathered patterns 1980

The country side was pretty as picture at Sale in Victoria around 1977. When I found the negative was a bit worse for wear I photo shopped this one to look like a watercolour painting.

Sale Victoria countryside in watercolour

Surf EXPO 1987 – In conjuction with Surfest an exhibition of Newcastle’s finest surfing collectors items was arranged by Ronnie Rudder and others. A photo shoot was arranged at Redhead beach, then the boards were displayed at the Newcastle Showground, with buses provided from Newcastle beach and back. Here the Redhead groms eagerly grab some Newcastle surfing history and pose with a fine collection of 60’s Mals.

Surf Expo 1987 Mals Redhead Beach

Surfing at Redhead and other stuff

Posted on December 15, 2012 by geoffcrow

Col Smith 1978 Surfing Redhead’s Lefts. No one surfed them better.

Col Smith in 1978 surfing at Redhead

Lennox Head 1978. This place is one of the narliest place to paddle out.

Lennox Head 1978

Little Green Frog 2008. This little fellow was in full Ribet mode just outside our back door. Cool eyebrows aye.

Little Green Frog 2008

Redhead Bluff in July 2010. Heavy rain has washed the red colour down the clifff face.

Redhead Bluff face after rain July 2010

Me on my first motor bike in 1968 at Redhead 2nd creek. This was a 1948 Jawa, you didnt even see many of those around then. What is interesting in this picture is, in the top right you can see the initial revegetation of the sand dunes after rutile mining. A floating dredge went along the beach from Redhead to Blacksmiths and back.

Crow in 1967 on 1948 Jawa CZ Redhead 2nd creek.

Almost everyone in Newcastle took a photo of the Pasha Bulker grounded at Nobbys in June 2007, it just looked so surreal. Thankfully they got it off before any major damage was done to Newcastle, or the ship, or anyone being hurt. Great work all involved.

Pasha Bulker grounded at Nobbys June 2007

Sandy and Sam at Redhead Beach summer 1991. The water was beautiful.

Sandy & Sam Redhead beach 1991

Ant on Christmas bells Redhead bluff 1992

Ant on Xmas Bells Redhead Bluff 1992

Redhead Beach May 1978

Posted on December 15, 2012 by geoffcrow

Redhead Beach May 2007. Not a bad right and no one out. A film company making the movie “Newcastle” were set up in the beach car park, so other surfers were surfing a bank further down the beach. I paddle out here 5 minutes after taking this photo, when from the other side of the shark tower, one of the films surfing actors paddles out with a cameraman shooting from the water. I struck up a conversation with the surfer and he advised it was no problem with me out during the filming, so we shared the break for the session with just the two of us out.

Redhead Beach May 2007

Jellyfish. Photo by my daughter Ellen.

Glenrock Lagoon further up stream in 1993, not far from the now Fernleigh Track car park.

Glenrock Lagoon up stream 1990

Martin Littlewood 1977 surfing behind the Redhead Shark Tower.

Martin Littlewood Surfing Redhead 1977

Martin Littlewood shaping Delta Design surfboards 1977. In the old Chicken Shed Surfboard factory at Redhead. This was most probably my new board.

Martin Littlewood shaping a board 1977

Sandy and our kids walking back from the beach at Sand Bar 1993.

Sandy and the kids taking a drink break walking back from the beach at Sand Bar 1993.

Sandy & the kids Sand Bar 1993

Pacific Dreams – Wood and Glass Exhibition 8-9th December 2012

Posted on November 17, 2012 by geoffcrow

Some of Newcastle’s elder surfing statesmen have got together and will be putting on an exhibition of classic surfboards at Pacific Dreams Surf Shop at 9 Darby Street Newcastle on the weekend 8th-9th December 2012. Some of Australia’s vintage shapers will be on hand for a chat or signings, bring in any boards of their brands and get it verified. The list includes Sam Egan, Roy Lee, Bob Brown, Bob Keno, Brian Jackson and Barry Bennet. The collection of boards includes solid Rewoods, hollow ply and foam along with some classic boards from famous surfers.

Poster for the event: Gee some of those photos on the poster look familiar. And the guy with the redwood is legendary Redhead Beach inspector Wally Berwick.

Pacif Dreams Exhibition 8th and 9th December 2012

The guys got together over a few cold ones at the Pacific Dreams board factory and came up with the ideas for the exhibition. From left Roy lee, Ron Rudder,Glen Benton, Steve Butterworth, Peter McCabe and Sam Egan.

Roy Lee and the team

Wood and Glass Surfboard collection Saturday 8/12/2012.

Lots of Newcastle’s surfers met up and checked out some classic surfboards.

Pacific Dreams Wood & Glass Board Collection 8/12/2012

A chance for some old mates Crow, Jim, Al and Roy to catch up at Roy’s Pacific Dreams Surf Shop 8/12/2012.

Crow Jim Al and Roy at Pacific Dreams 08-12-12

Domma and Ted Harvey checking out Domma’s restored classic – a 10 foot Sam Egan owned by Ted around 1966.

Domma & Ted Harvey at PD's Wood & Glass 8/12/2012

Domma & Ted Harvey at PD’s 8/12/2012

25/11/15 Redhead’s Neil Dalby

Redhead 25-11-12 Neil Dalby

25/11/12 Crowd on a sunny day at Redhead beach

Redhead Beach Crowd 25-11-12

June 2011

Posted on November 15, 2012 by geoffcrow

Newcastle surfer 3-6-11

I met young photographer Sam Glohe at Blacksmiths last Sunday when I was going out for a paddle. Sam took some water shots in the solid closing out but sunny conditions and his photos are awsome.

Check his site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/samglohe/

Here is some of his stuff –

Blacksmiths by Sam Glohe

Pulled Back by Sam Glohe

Closed Curtain by Sam Glohe

Stringy by Sam Glohe

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Redhead local Bodyboarder John early April 2011 morning Redhead Little Beach.

Redhead Beach bodyboarder John 2-4-11

Blacksmiths SUP Surfer Rick 14th May 2011

Blacksmiths SUP rider Rick

Newcastle Beach mid week May 2011

Newcastle Beach May-2011

Overlooking Newcastle May 2011

Newcastle 1-May-2011

Surfer at Redhead Easter 22nd April 2011

Redhead surfer 22-4-11

Surfer Newcastle 3rd June 2011

Newcastle Beach surfer 2-3-6-11

Another Newcastle surfer 3-6-11

NewcastleBeach surfer 3 3-6-11

Windsurfing in the 1970’s

Posted on November 15, 2012 by geoffcrow

Digger windsurfing at Blacksmiths around 1979 – At full throttle and fins out.

Martin Littlewood Windsurfing Blacksmiths around 1979. Martin makes all sorts of surfing equipment under the name Delta Designs at Margaret River WA.

This is what happens if you stay in the water too long. Barnacles growing on driftwood washed up at Redhead Beach around 1980.

Barnacles on driftwood Redhead Beach 1980

Egypt’s Pyramids. Photo by my daughter Ellen 2006.

Crescent Heads 1980 Late afternoon session.

Redhead Third Creek 1985. The third creek was man made, dug out to aliviate flooding at the Jewels Crossing, unfortunately it deviated a lot of water from the Second creek which rarely runs now.