Jack Eden Classic ’61

Another gem from Jack Edens classic portfolio. This time its Brian Jackson, Alan Wingate and John Murphy hanging out 60’s style.From the pages of Tracks.

Bobby Brown

Bobby Brown was the orginal hot dogger in Cronulla in the early 60’s. He was the first to nose ride which at the time was the hottest move a malibu rider could pull. What set Bobby apart from other local riders was his ability in all kinds of waves. He could handle the Point and Voodoo on those big days as well as walk the board and he did it all with style. Photo by Jack Eden.

 

Jack Eden

Jack Eden started taking surfing photos in the late 50’s and published 24 issues of Surfabout magazine in the mid sixties, which gave the Southside its first coverage. The first photos of Cronulla Point, Voodoo and Sandshoes opened up the possibilities that the Southside had to offer. Riders like Bobby Brown, Frank Latta and Qld transplant Keith Paull before returning north where  regularily featured. Many of his images captured the sport in what Jack refers to as the golden era of surfboard riding. It was all experimental as there was no guidlines and the surfers back then were making it up as they went. Jack below shows off some of his work  which is like a time capsule and is regularily featured in museums.

 

Voodoo

Jack Edens Surfabout Magazine Vol 2 No 8 featured an article about this mysterious reef wave not far from Kurnell.Surfers like Scott Dillion had been frequenting the wave for sometime and Jack  captured the first images of this unique wave. Circa 60’s.

Norm Casey

Early 60’s Norm Casey 9ft Malibu with D Fin.

Terry Steen Cronulla Point ’65

Cronulla Point has always been a haven for surfboard riders since the earliest days. In the early  60’s it was Gary Birdsall, Bobby Brown, Ray “Dags”Greenaway and Graham Ferris that first conquered the difficult tube on their long boards. As boards got a few feet shorter and more maneuverable riders like Terry Steen pictured below were able to angle their boards and get barreled more regularly. Water shots in ’65 were quite rare so this shot taken by Bob Weeks was a classic back then and still one now. From Surfabout Magazine.

Bill Penrue

This pic of taken at The Point appeared in Surfabout magazine in ’63. The caption read “Bill Penrue locked in a transperent early morning wave and on the verge of being wiped out. A local rider keeps a wary eye on Bill”. Photo by legendary surf photographer Bob Weeks.

Jack Eden.

Another classic Cronulla Point shot from the Jack Eden portfolio appeared in a story in Surfabout Vol 2 No 10 in 1965. At the time Jack was one of the very few photographers who were shooting water angles. Water housings were pretty rare so often photographers would paddle out with their camera in a plastic bag and sit on the shoulder on top of their longboards risking their equipment. Jack was a pioneer in this area and he captured many iconic surf images of that era.  He also gave Southside surfers some well earned coverage.

 

 

Jackson Adv. 1965

From the pages of Surfabout 1965.

1956 USA Surfers Visit Cronulla.

In 1956 The American Life Saving team out here for the Melbourne Olympics arrived in Cronulla and showed off their new revolutionary Balsa wood fiber-glassed surfboards. A big crowd turned up at South Cronulla to see them. Photo courtesy Dags.