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

A few old photos

Posted on November 12, 2012 by geoffcrow

Newcastle has a few favourite sons – MR, The Chief, Joey, Hoyo, Sam Egan,etc – but everybody’s favourite Newcastle identity is this bloke – Super Hubert. Internationally acclaimed magician, super hero, entertainer, comic and all round nice bloke, who still finds time to make kids and adults laugh and amaze them with his tricks and antics. Super puts on a show for my son’s 6th birthday party 1994.

Super Hubert awsome magician

A peaceful scene – an elderly couple take in the view overlooking Terrigal Haven around 1983.

Peaceful Scene Terrigal

A big swell overnight cleaned up and swung in early morning at Redhead

Big left behind Redhead Shark Tower 1979

Big Wave Redhead 1979

In the pouring rain this pelican just opened up his beak and got a free drink of fresh cool water at North Haven. A pelican takes a drink of rainwater at North Haven around 1988

Thirsty Pelican Camden Haven

A flight in a friends Cessna over Lake Macquarie was an absolute eye opener. Looking over Swansea Channel around 1979.

Swansea Channel arial 1978

A trip out in the Newcastle Shark Boat got 3 hammerheads out of the nets this day around 1978. Hammer Head Shark pulled out of the shark nets around 1978.

Hammerhead Shark

A country coastal dirt road may lead you to an uncrowded wave. If it didnt, it was nice to look around anyway and maybe just have a swim. Somewhere up the coast around Coffs Harbour 1978.

Country Road Nth Coast

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

Redhead surf 4-6-11

Awsome Redhead Beach shark tower left 4-6-11. This was a big wide one.

Redhead Beach shark tower left 4-6-11

The paddle out was a bit hairy. Redhead Beach paddle out 4-6-11

Redhead paddle out 4-6-11

There were some great surfers out. Redhead Beach surfer 1 4-6-11

Redhead Beach surfer1 4-6-11

Redhead Beach surfer 2 4-6-11

Redhead Beach surfer2 4-6-11

Redhead Beach surfer3 4-6-11

Redhead Beach surfer4 4-6-11

Redhead Beach surfer5 4-6-11

Redhead surfer6 4-6-11

Redhead Beach surfer6 4-6-11

Blacksmiths Beach was pumping off the Breakwater too.Blacksmiths 4-6-11

Blacksmiths surf 4-6-11

Blacksmiths Surfers 4-6-11

25th November 2011 Pacific Dreams Surf Shop

Posted on November 9, 2012 by geoffcrow

25/11/11 Pacific Dreams opened their new Darby Street Newcastle surf shop.

The shop is full of new boards, some second hand ones and a lot of surf gear.

Pacific Dreams surfshop opening

One of the features in the shop is a huge skylight highlighting 4 large surf photos.

This one I took around 1975 of Roy lee and Martin Littlewood working together in a lantana covered chook shed at Redhead.

Pacific Dreams photowalls

PD owners Roy and Jan join the boys Ronnie and Bidsar in celebrating some hard work getting it all together.

PD’s Roy Jan Ron Bidsy

Roy Lee enjoys a beer with Ronnie Rudder and board maker Peter McCabe. Peter’s boards are available from Pacific Dreams surfshop.

Check out Grubby’s boards on web site http://www.petermccabesurfboards.com.au/

Roy Ronnie Peter at PD

Pacific Dreams surfshop. The girls in front of the huge amount of surf gear on offer.

PD Girls in Shop

The boys at Pacific Dreams surf shop opening enjoying a few beers.

The boys at Pacific Dreams

Chris and Megan Totterman with Roy in front of the wall of photos Chris worked hard in creating.

Chris Megan Pacific Dreams

Shane and Ronnie maybe trying to tell me there is something up on the roof.

Shane and Ronnie PD’s

A rare trip in front of the camera Roy and Crow. We went to school together and started surfing together around 1964.

Roy & Crow at Pacific Dreams

Roy has a couple of beers literally, just remember Roy you got to get up early and get this shop up and running tomorrow.

Roy & Beers PD’s

December 19th 2011- Chicken Story

Posted on November 9, 2012 by geoffcrow

Merry Christmas! I was trying to think of something to do with Christmas and it’s with thanks to Dale and Zoe I have the true tale of Wendy Bendy Bertha.

Poor Wendy (formerly named Bertha) the Chicken, somehow broke her leg. Dale and Zoe took her to the righteous vet at Raymond Terrace who set her leg in a cast. Her name now is Wendy Bendy Bertha.

Poor Wendy had to be suspended in a basket and with lots of loving care was slowly on the mend.

Poor Bertha

Because she was so good, the next trip into the Vet for a checkup Wendy got a little special treatment.WBB went shopping

Wendy picked out a video – her favourite Chicken Run of course.

Wendy picks chicken run

Wendy went in to try on some new shoes.

WBB goes shopping 1

Wendy even picked a handbag to match.

WBB goes shopping 2

Wendy paid from her own credit card.

WBB goes shopping 3

Wendy even got to sit on good Santa’s knee and tell him what she wanted for christmas.

Wendy and Santa

Wendy eventally got back out in the paddock with all her friends especially Scooby the horse, but now Wendy has a very unique Chicken Strut .WBB back in the paddock

WBB & Scooby

10/12/11 The surf was solid and choppy but this Redhead Body boarder finds a gem amongst the trying conditions.

Redhead bodyboarder 10-12-11

Rique Smith at Redhead with a selection of his dad Col Smith’s channel boards.Photo with thanks from David and Brendan.

Rique Smith Col Smith Channels

Crow's Garage

Category Archives: Surf

Surfing at Redhead around 1976

A few old photos

More surfing photos at Redhead from the 1970’s

Surfing photos from 1970 to 1980

Surfing in the Seventies

Photos of Redhead Beach

Scenery from Redhead Beach

Redhead and Blacksmiths surf June 2011

25th November 2011 Pacific Dreams Surf Shop

December 19th 2011- Chicken Story