Redhead Bluff 2010

Posted on November 12, 2012 by geoffcrow

A close inspection of Redhead Bluff (not too close, there’s rocks falling off – like in Billy the Mountain) shows a Tubular Section in it, recent rain has done some corrosive damage and has hollowed out a literally tubular gnarly slab.Redhead Cliff with wave June 2010

Redhead Cliff with wave 14-06-10

A solid swell pumped through on the last Sunday of May 2010 and the wind held them up. Unknown surfer behind the Redhead Shark Tower.

Redhead surfer May-201

An email from Julie and Shayne advised me of the surfing footage from the 70’s taken from the movie Fantasea, of Col Smith and also Steve Butterworth is on Youtube site: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38YzceIQAtE

Not somewhere in Europe – Hunter Valley Gardens in Cessnock’s wine country, a lot of very nice different types of gardens, very well put together. Hunter Valley Gardens 2009

Hunter Valley Gardens 2010

Catherine Hill Bay in 1975. Catho hasn’t changed much in 35 years – lets hope it stays that way. Catherine Hill Bay Township 1975

Catherine Hill Bay 1975

Lou Reed at the Majestic Newcastle Civic Theatre around 1978. Lou had a great band and played great guitar and had the crowd on their feet.

Lou Reed Civic Theatre Newcastle 1978

Lou Reed Civic Theatre

Justin Lee, one of the most consistant long term surfers from the Lake Macquarie Beaches on a VERY solid day at Dudley September 2009. Photo by Geoff Connors. Justin Lee surfing at Dudley September 2009

Justin Lee at Dudley Sept 2009

The Redhead Surf Crew celebrate Gilly’s Graduation around 1978.

Gillys Graduation

Redhead Surf Club in the 1970’s

Posted on November 12, 2012 by geoffcrow

Redhead Surf Club is a big part of Redhead’s life style and has always had a great crowd.

Redhead Beach on a crowded summer day showing Redhead surf club around 1978.

Redhead Beach 1980

The annual Redhead verses Swansea-Belmont touch footy comp presentation had all those present bemused, when PJ impersonating a female dignitary, presented the losing captain of Swansea-Belmont with this Lumsdon Cartoon. A very funny moment is captured here and a good arvo was had by all. Redhead SLSC Touch Footy presentation.

Redhead Swansea surf Club Presentation

The NSW Championships, held down at Woolongong around 1978 had the bus load of Redhead members celebrating big time after Peter Bale won the state flags. This picture shows all members were happy with the result. The ride home was very lively to say the least. Redhead Surf Club Members Bus Trip NSW Championships 1978

Redhead SLSC at NSW Championships 1978

The Redhead Boat crew were a fit lot and enjoyed their sport. Shown here cruising down a nice wave at Redhead around 1978.

Redhead Surf Boat Crew 1977

Peter Bale shown here winning the Newcastle Flags at Blacksmiths Beach 1978

Peter Bale Newcastle Beach Flags

Grant Kenny was a convincing winner shown here already on the beach.

Grant Kenny winning at Redhead around 1978

Grant Kenny Winner Redhead

Grant proved a popular draw card and was surrounded by fans and he graciously did some autographs on the way up the beach. Grant kenny with fans at Redhead beach 1978

Grant Kenny and Fans Redhead

The Redhead Annual Surf Club Reunion nights are always big nights. Here the 70th had a good crowd of old mates. Redhead SLSC 70th Reunion

Redhead SLSC 70th Reunion

Surfing at Redhead around 1976

Posted on November 12, 2012 by geoffcrow

Redhead surfer Col Smith also had a great backhand. One of the top Hawaiian surfers was quoted as saying he was the best backhand at Sunset he had seen after Col had won the Pro Am there.

Col Smith Backhand at Redhead

If you wanted a new board made in 1976 at Redhead, this is the front door to the board shop where Martin Littlewood (Delta Designs) and Roy Lee (Pacific Dreams) were making their own designs. This was an overgrown abandoned chicken shed.

Redhead Board Factory 1976

Martin Littlewood (Delta Designs) and Roy Lee (Pacific Dreams) making surfboards in the Chicken Shack Surfboard Factory at Redhead 1976.

Martin & Roy chickenshack 1977

Steven Butterworth 1978. Seve was a local at Redhead and got the hang of the lefts on offer.

Steve Butterworth at Redhead 1978

A trip up the coast mid week scored nice waves with only a few out at Scotts Head around 1978.

Scotts Head 1976

Redhead Shark Tower surf 1986. A rain storm came through and the surf cleaned up and lots of locals were on it as the sun came out again late arvo. This is a typical right behind he tower day with the right conditions.

Redhead SharkTower 1986

Col Smith surfing in a Redhead club comp around 1976. The negative is a bit worse for wear but shows Col in full flight and eh, he probably won it.

Col Smith Surfing Redhead in Comp 1976

Mark Richards surfing a local Newcastle break around 1978.

Mark Richards at Leggy Point 1977

A young Don “Uncle” Ashton on a nice one in the middle of the Little Beach Redhead around 1978.

Redhead surfer Don Ashton

Gary “Boston” Searl on a thumper that will end right in behind the Shark Tower rocks at Redhead Beach.

Redhead Gary Searle

More surfing photos at Redhead from the 1970’s

Posted on November 12, 2012 by geoffcrow

Col Smith surfing at Redhead 1976

Col Smith Redhead 1976

Water shot of Wayne ”Smiley” Warmsley on the Little Beach at Redhead around 1979.

Redhead Beach Smiley Warmsley

Greg ” Bugsy” Bargwana on a speed run surfing at Redhead Beach around 1978.

Greg Bargwana Redhead 1976

Col Smith executes a nice bottom turn at Redhead around 1978, riding an early Jim Pollard channel bottom.

Col Smith Redhead on Pollard Channel

Col Smith showing off one of the Hawaiian bound Jim Pollard Channel designs and his sponsor’s Tracker jacket. The channels worked well for Col there. Taken the day before he left for Hawaii around 1976.

Col Smith & Pollard Channel

Surfing photos from 1970 to 1980

Posted on November 12, 2012 by geoffcrow

I went through my old photos, negatives and slides I have had stashed away for years and picked out some old surf shots from the 1970’s

Peter Kuba jams a cutback on the inside rights next to Redhead Shark Tower around 1978.

Peter Kuba cuts back Redhead 79

Bill Giles on a big left behind the Redhead Shark Tower around 1978.

Bill Giles Big Redhead 1976

Taken on the same day as the above – unknown surfer at Redhead, whoever he was, he knew what he was doing.

edhead Unknown big day 1976

Water shot – no one on it, but still worth a click Redhead Little Beach 1976

Redhead water shot 1976

Bells beach finalists 1977, nervously waiting for the results, they all surfed well, but Simon Anderson eventually got the nod for first place.

Bells Beach finalists 1977

Unknown surfer Bells Beach 1977

Bells beach 1977 finals

Paul Bates pulls into a nice left next to Redhead Shark Tower around 1976.

Paul Bates Redhead 1976

On a trip up the coast mid week, we got Boomerang to ourselves for a while. Kneeboarder Paul “Foot” Johnson on a nice wall around 1976.

Paul Johnson Boomerang 1976

Paul took the camera duties to catch me on a couple.

Crow surfing Boomerang 1978

Surfing in the Seventies

Posted on November 12, 2012 by geoffcrow

Mark Richards, 4 times world surfing champion taking time out to surf a local break.

Mark Richards Leggy Point 1977

Martin Littlewood and Roy Lee making boards in the old Chicken Shed down along the Redhead Road around 1976. Both are now established respected board makers. Martin as Delta Designs in Margaret River and Roy as Pacific Dreams in Newcastle.

Martin & Roy chickenshack 1977

Windsurfing was big in the 70’s and Jim Wiley was one of the best shown here at Blacksmiths.

Jim Whiley Windsurfer Blacksmiths

This was a big day at Redhead in 2001, the waves were huge and some of the local guys were ripping. Unknown surfer.

Redhead big surf july 2001

A classic line up at Byron Bay in the late 70’s

Byron Bay surf 1980

Bells Beach Surfing Competion in 1977. The surf was good and big for the finals. I think the surfer was Bruce Raymond

Bells Beach Final 1977

Another good line up – Newcastle Cowrie Hole in 1978.

Cowrie Hole 1978

Out of control storm in June 2007 making a mess of Redhead beach. The storm grounded the Pascha Bulker at Nobby’s the day before.

Redhead storm surf 2007

Photos of Redhead Beach

Posted on November 12, 2012 by geoffcrow

Redhead Beach by Moonlight – Time exposure taken around 1984.

Redhead by moonlight 1984

Shark Tower Time Exposure

Redhead Beach in the 1940’s – Details of photo unknown.

Redhead arial photo 1940s

Time exposure overlooking Redhead beach with a full moon rising in 1976.

Redhead by Moonlight 1976

Redhead 2nd Creek – June 2007 Storm. The Pascha Bulker grounded at Nobbys and Redhead’s Second Creek finally got enough water to break its banks and flow again. A rare thing since the 3rd Creek was created and diverted the water flow.

Redhead 2nd Creek 2007

Scenery from Redhead Beach

Posted on November 12, 2012 by geoffcrow

Cloud Wave at Redhead Beach – A southerly buster on the way around 1984. I took this and then headed for cover. The cloud looked like an enormous right hander.

Redhead Beach Cloud Wav

Jewells Swamp – Solarisation 1978. I tried to make the trees growing out of the swamp look a bit spooky by reversing the developing process – called Solarization. Actually I just switched the light on in the dark room when the photo started developing and all the light bits went black.

Redhead Swamp Reflections

The Cliffs from Redhead to Dudley and the rock platform below are well worth a look. Access is from the Goat Track at Redhead Bluff. Wild flowers are everywhere along the top in Spring and there are a variety of interesting rock formations down below.Redhead to Dudley Coastline 1980’s

Coast view Redhead to Dudley 1980s

This close up of the tree roots of a Paper Bark tree along the Redhead to Dudley Bluff Tops had some scary features. Maybe its just me that sees them.

Tree Roots & imagination

Redhead Shark Tower in the June 2007 Storm. The wind, waves and rain whipped up a creamy froth that covered the beach.

Redhead Shark Tower Storm surf June 2007

The history of surfboards – A collection of all types of surfboards, gathered together for a photo shoot at Redhead Beach before being shown at the Surf Expo in the 1980’s.

Redhead Beach Surfboard Expo

A popular event on the beach in the 1980’s was the Beach Girl Contest as shown here at Redhead Beach.

Redhead Beach Girl Contest 1985

Redhead and Blacksmiths surf June 2011

Posted on November 12, 2012 by geoffcrow

The swell jacked up for Saturday morning and there were some big gnarly waves at Redhead and some real hot surfing. Blackies was going off too. Redhead Beach 4-6-11