Shark Island Surfboards

Geoff Solness loved The Island so much he even named his surfboard company and shop after the infamous reef. This shot was taken around ’83. It was a perfect mid size day. Young Occy and Gary Hughes were out and Soulman who was getting some deep pits. Taken from a seq by Chris Stroh

Grant “Grub” Coulter

As a grom , Grub was a member of the Cronulla Junior Boardriders Club in 1978. The club under the direction of Jim James (Spikes dad) gathered together the best young riders in the area. Every month 20 to 30 of the best groms would gather at The Alley to create a competitive atmosphere for the kids that had been lacking in the area. Grub was one of the standouts  winning a place in the ’79 Schoolboys Titles at Merewether. Over the next decade Grub grew a taste for more powerful wave situations and became a regular Point and Island standout on those big demanding days. This shot Circa 80’s Grants deeply involved negotiating the White Rock section at The Island. photo Chris Stroh

 

 

Steve Core Surf Shop

Steve Core turned a former doctors surgery into a thriving empire in the 80’s opposite Munro Park near Cronulla station before relocating to where Pure Sea now stands in the main street today.

Spike

The caption read…Richard James slotted. Throughout the late 70’s and 80’s Cronulla was blessed with plenty of surfing talent and also plenty of great surf photographers. Very few beaches can claim the amount of talented water photographers that Cronulla has produced during this period. Peter Simons who took the classic shot below of Spike was one of the best.

 

Dog S.W. Cover

Richard Marsh was one of Cronulla’s most successful surfers throughout much of the 80s and 90’s competing on the pro tour and maintaining a Top 16 position for many years. When Dog was back at home the first hint of a south swell and he would be heading south to a certain reef near Nowra. This day featured heavily in Surfing World Volume 202 saw  Dog and Occy and a full crew hit Aussie Pipe going off. Dog scored the fold out front cover. Photo Bruce Channon.

Gary Hughes 81

Tracks January 81. Gary Hughes scores the cover of Tracks during a session at The Point. The start of the colourful 80’s saw the old school rule of black wetsuits only go right out the door. Photo Peter Simons.

Jim Banks

In the 80’s Jim Banks began his serious travel adventures disappearing to exotic wave locations in uncharted waters all around the globe. Banksy would  return  home with great tales of wave discoveries and adventures inspiring countless other surfers to hit the highway. This pic styling at home while planning his next tubular odyssey photo Stroh.

Greeny and Simo

Throught the 80’s Gary Green and photographer Peter Simons hooked up on many occasions to come up with the photographic goods. From memory this shot of Greeny smacking off the top for Piping Hot  was taken on a trip to the desert region of South Oz.

Emerald 80’s Adv.

Bong Boys

This is definitely the colourful early 80’s when Occy, Banksy and unknown Alley grom graced the pages of Tracks in a Billabong adv. Photo Uncredited.