MARCH 2013

MARCH 2013

Pelos Peaks...

A

nother sunny crisp morning to kick off the March comp, great conditions all we needed was a nice little peak anywhere along lakes beach.

When I reached the top of the path to greet the crew there was no breaking wave to be seen as far as the eye could see. The big high tide had really put an end to any thought of a surf here, but never fear we are a very resourceful bunch and had the scouts heading to all the nooks and crannies south of Lakes.

Word back from the scouts was not looking good, but Pelos was going to be the only option for us, so we dragged our heels down there in no particular rush waiting for the tide to drop. The slow walk was well worth it, as low and behold there was a nice peak with 3 feet lefts and rights and a shorey that you had better steer well clear of.

Its great setting up here, you feel a million miles from anywhere, so much so that in my

What a roll up this month. It was awesome to see all the young fellas there, the Fraser boys, Terry Byrne and a cast of new faces, hope to see you all back this month at Avoca...

first heat I failed to score a ride, was this the trickery of Homer beckoning me out to sea to watch him catch the one wave sets, or was it just too relaxing out there with the Dolphins’. I cant really put my finger on it, but I do have to thank some of the judges for scoring me on two waves (nah I didn’t take em honesty prevailed).

What a roll up this month, it was awesome to see all the young fellas there, the Fraser boys, Terry Byrne and a cast of new faces, hope to see you all back this month at Avoca.

another board and headed back into the heat, great to see.

As the day progressed there were some big lulls at different times, but if you were in one of the lucky heats with the swell pulses there were some great waves to be had and some real sucky ones too, as one of the new fellas found out breaking his mal in two. It didn’t faze him one bit, he just paddled in grabbed

We were toyed with by a huge pod of dolphins that put on an awesome display, and as the day drew to a close all thoughts were on the feast to be had. This was almost not going to happen as some kind sole (rather not swear) had decided that the padlock on the trailer needed some repair Continues next page

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2013 and conveniently jammed glue and sticks into it. We are a very resourceful bunch, and Paul had his brothers Oxy & Acetylene with him, who made short work of the sabotage so the threat of starvation was averted.

Raffles drawn, Gumby given out to the pres who not only didn’t get a wave in the first round, but did successfully put his elbow through the bottom of his board in the second (sometimes your better off staying in bed). Sorry Mick ill give him back next month. There should have been a clear winner for the green man on the day, and the value of staying quiet surely does prevail, but rather than be an ungrateful recipient, I believe a few clues could be in order as to the identity of the other nominee.

Missing eskies, equals man in a red rugby jumper sounding like Sean Connery, singing My My Delilah who is this????

T

he Magoo is less than a month away now, so come along and join in the fun and have an awesome weekend up at Norah Head.

We need assistance from all our club members to set up and pack up over the weekend, and we will require help tallying and just being available to help with all things Magoo!

on a daily basis with the equipment that the Magoo charity classic and CCMB has bought to care for the patients.

Everyone involved throughout the years should be extremely proud of what they have achieved. Congratulations to all involved especially the Sponsors and Competitors who have supported the event for the last 14 years.

Also if you have any items at home you believe could bolster the Auction goods please bring them along to the next club day or have a chat with Sojo.

See you all this weekend April 14th at Avoca 7.00am sharp!

The Gosford Hospital Cancer Centre was opened a couple of weeks ago and I had the good fortune to be invited to the opening. Whilst our donations seem small against the 39 million dollar complex – our contributions did help, and continue to help

check out the new magoo website and register online

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The Prez

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voodoo to

sandshoes

And a Bit Further South...

“Back when I was just a boy”.

How many stories do we hear starting with this old phrase? Even “oldies” such as the bloke penning this little piece still hear it from time to time.

Well, sit back, relax, take a breath and absorb a little (mostly factual) surfing history as I recall it from the decidedly dim recesses of my slightly mushy grey matter.

We used to take a train and bus ride from Hurstville out to Careel Bay where my

Grandfather had built a home around

Beach at the end of a dirt track. The shack

1960’ish. My Uncle who was a fair bit

was on timber stumps raised about 3 or 4

younger than Dad was still at home and on

feet off the sand, an ideal place to leave

these visits would volunteer to drive me

what was my first “real” surfboard.

down to Palm Beach and hire a surf mat for

My first “real” plank! Due to a very real

me. I clearly remember my first time out on

shortage (and the high cost) of available balsa

my own down in “kiddie’s corner” catching

at the time a few blokes were making pretty

the little foamies rolling through. I was

good frame and plywood facsimiles of the

totally hooked!

boards bought out by the visiting yanks in

I also had an Uncle on my Mum’s side who

1956. Gordon Woods was one of these

had a fishing shack he had built right at the

craftsmen and after working for extra

southern end of the sand hills at Wanda

pocket money I somehow got hold of a

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voodoo to

sandshoes decidedly second hand one (wouldn’t I love

carry mostly drag. The latter method

entertainment watching me slipping,

to have it now!) as my first Malibu. Ten foot

certainly having a decidedly detrimental

sliding and hanging on for dear life as I

long, a bung in the tail to drain out the

effect on what was left of the original

struggled to maintain control of “the beast”

inevitable sea water ingress and certainly a

varnish finish.

as it was dubbed by many of the locals.

good bit heavier than a balsa mal and me a

I was, and still am, a lousy swimmer as

I think I may have benefited a great deal

pretty scrawny 15 year old!

I tend to sink like the proverbial stone and

from the no wax experience as when I did

About this time I broke the piggy bank

of course this was the worry of my parent’s

wise up; (as no one was silly enough to tell me)

open and blew a great deal of pocket

life (among a few other teenager indiscretions!)

it felt like I was literally glued to the board.

money, 3 shillings and sixpence, (about 35

As a result my Dad, in his total innocence,

They were a pretty good crew though and

cents!) on Volume 2, No.1 of Surfing World.

very thoughtfully, purchased a cork life vest

most did guide me through those formative

I wasn’t just hooked this time; I became a

for me to use while surfing! Fifteen years

weeks and months and even when in a

rampant, completely stoked gremlin of the

old, Cronulla/ Wanda in the 60’s, I don’t

generous mood would allow this

highest order. I was inspired and doubly so

think so! The life vest of course ended

“gremmie” to tag along on a few local day

as I had recently taken the train and ferry

up slowly disappearing into the sand

surfaris in their old wagons.

ride out to Manly to witness Midgets

somewhere well under the house.

famous World Title win.

I suspect Dad new this all along, but

Things were a bit different back then

coming from a pretty wayward teenage

around 1962/3, hitchhiking, trains,

background himself was wise enough

pushbikes and just plain walking were the

to keep it to himself.

norm if you were either not old enough to

This, naturally for a weak swimmer, led to a

bodyboards) and the magic of foam was

have a licence or just didn’t have the

number of pretty hairy situations, (that my

slowly making its emergence onto the

necessaries for a car. Cars were mainly the

Dad of course was never made aware of), due

rapidly growing phenomenon that was

domain of blokes with good jobs or from

to the fact that leggies were still a long way

surfboard riding in Australia.

well-to-do families and at fifteen years of

off and strong swimming was a pretty

age I certainly didn’t know anyone in this

critical skill to have on your side. I soon

position and neither did any of my mates.

learned out of absolute necessity to hold

So off I would head from Hurstville to

my breath very well and keep myself afloat

Wanda by any one of the previously

for what sometimes seemed like an eternity.

mentioned means available, to my precious

I’m still here!

hollow log safely tucked under Uncles

It probably would have helped a lot if in

beach shack. No way could I ever hope to

those first exciting days some kind fellow

carry that lump all the way over those

surfer had informed me that it would be a

P.S: To avoid severe eye strain and headaches

monster sand hills to the beach, (I could

heck of a lot easier to stay upright if I put a

part one of this story has been greatly abridged

only just get my arm around it and hold on by

bit of paraffin wax on the deck.

for the readers (and also the authors) own

the fingertips!), so it became a case of part

Nonetheless I’m sure it made for some great

personal health and safety!

So this was my introduction to the world of mal riding, there were still a few fellas riding the old toothpicks, mainly down at Cronulla, a few of the rich ones had balsa boards, some had paipo’s (plywood

Of course this was being experimented with a few years earlier; however, it wasn’t until the processes of foam and fibreglass were perfected in Australia that the massive movement gained the momentum of a runaway freight train and did quite literally boom.

Look out for Part two in the next exciting issue of the CCMB newsletter.