Browney

Adam Brown rode for CBC and was a regular finalist in local ametuer comps and club events. Browney also stood out of the surf with his cutting edge looks and style. Here he is belting  the lip at Midway around mid 80’s photo Stroh

Surfabout ’76 Cronulla Point

Coca Cola Surfabout came to Cronulla Point in May 1976. with it some of the surfing superstars of the time came too, they  stood on the Point, spoke to the locals and surfed a comp.For the young local kids it was a dream come true. We’d only seen  these guys on the big screen or in pictures in surf magazine. Photos by Tim Vanderlaan.

Left to right Mark Warren, Rory Russell,Gerry Lopez, ?,Geoff Luton head judge and Mark Richards.

Left to right…Col Smith, Mark Warren,Ted Spencer,Gerry Lopez, Geoff Luton Claw, Terry Fitzgerald, ?.

Geoff Solness’79

The late Geoff Solness fearless Island charger on a warping beast, shot taken around ’79 by Chris Stroh

G&S and Popout ’77

Classic shot of Gerry “Popout”Manion at Cronulla -point riding a Banksy shape from Gordon and Smith photo by Greg Button.

Peter Britton

During the 70’s the reefs of Cronulla became a haven for alternate wave riding vehicles. With hollow tubes like The Point, Suckrock and Shark Island kneeboarders like Peter Britton where a familar sight in the lineup. This shot taken at Boat Harbour around ’76 was taken by Dave Shaw.

Jack Eden.

   

 A few tales about legendary surf photographer Jack Eden……Jack lives at Ramsgate,and started surfing at Bondi,before invading our territory. we were not keen on Jack, because he a noisy bugger on a wave,shouting ,yahooing etc .he was riding a board that had  a sharp turn up in the nose,much like a “pixie slipper “.so the nick name i gave him was “Pixie” ( still is ).it didnt take long for Jack to make it with the locals. he was always noisy out the back. when The Point was on,and a big set was on the way, he would yell ” save the women and children ! no f… them ,save yourselves.!! Jack was the first guy i saw do a floater at the point. he slid into the water, pushed a poop out, and it floated, and as he tried to get back on his board ,the thing was floating up his back. around this time,two of his brothers billy (flaps ) and tony (cuppies ) were surfing with us too . Jacks youngest bro Harry played presidents cup for St George.the captain was Ivan Henjak.(boo Broncos ). so during winter we would surf the morning,then go out to the football. i would go with “cheeks”. in those days you would get 4 games in an afternoon. also the game of the day was at SCG. so we would park in dowling st opp the Bat and Ball,sink a couple and walk thru the park, grab a couple of hot dogs,then up in the stands, and cheer on the Saints. the Eden boys could make a lot of noise. so when i was living at Coolum, i used to go to Noosa festival of surfing, and check out the prog to see anyone i knew ( yes i looked for you doug ) and Jacks name was there, so i found him and he didnt know me. i gave him some clues,no go, and then he said “wots my nickname ?”too easy jack Pixie,after all i named you !! just call me al (alzheimers ) he said.not long ago Birdshit said he was not well,after all he would be 80 this year……From the Ray Greenaway memory bank. Photo above Jacks magazine Surfabout 1962 edition.

Soulman ’80

June 198o Geoff Solness scores several double page spreads in Surfer Magazine in  an article on Shark Island written by PT. Photo by Daryll Jones

Gerry Manion Jan ’76

Popout must have been loving this day…no bodyboards back then and no crowds. The shots were taken in Jan/ 76 by Tim Vanderlaan

First Memories and Impressions by Dags

 Before the Yanks brought out their balsa  boards in ’56 , there was only  the long racing boards,at about l6ft. in length. Mostly ridden by Clubbies (SLSC) and the boards were kept at the board shed. Made of ply,with flat top and round bottom,blunt nose and long tapered tail. Some called them “cigar” boards. You had to be a strong bloke just to get them to the water.Every beach had their share of guys  who could make them slide.

Board Hire 1963

According to photographer Bob Weeks who shot it…This  pic  was taken at Red House in 1963 when Bob Findon set up a board hire business on weekends. I think he borrowed the boards from Jacko. That’s Bob on the left and Ian Selig with the hat and I don’tknow who the other guy is.
Filthy Findons board hire. when the North Easter came up we would put our own boards in with Filthys. It usually made enough for pie or cake at Cronulla pie shop remebers Ray “Dags”Greenaway.