IOW surfing through the decades

Friday September 3rd

Friday September 3rd

A short movie from Friday afternoon at Compton Bay.


September Sessions

September Sessions

Friday saw the peak of the swell and Compton became as busy as I’ve seen it in a long time. A lovely glassy early morning with many of the girls getting their fair share of the waves and one guy out with a very old school, looking belly board. Joe Truman grabbed a few nice ones as did Andrew Tyrrell amongst others too.


September Swells Photo Blog (JS) Part one.

September Swells Photo Blog (JS) Part one.

South coast surfers spend long flat summer days dreaming of September swells arriving from far-off tropical storms and hurricanes


September Swells begin

September Swells begin

The start of September and we have a lovely little swell to get us all back into water. This morning I got up early and was in the water before 6am, although not first in the water as 5 guys went running past me at speed desperate for waves. Still a little wait between sets but like they say, ‘good things come to those who wait’. Shaun Jones came down with a jet ski to practice some tow in surfing. Keep practicing Shaun, at least it kept us amused, in between sets.


The only way home

The only way home

I have been told a story about Paul Taylor, Dave Grey & Chris Salter once doing a trip to the west country. At the end of the trip and time to think about returning home they realised that they were all skint, totally penniless. The boys soon came to the conclusion that the only way [...]


1970′s IOW Surf Club Movie

1970's IOW Surf Club Movie

Isle of Wight Surf Club movie made in the very early 1970′s by Annie Macpherson

Footage from Compton, Niton and Freshwater Bay starring Roger Cooper, Dave Salero, Roger Backhouse, Dougie Saunders, Sid Pitman, Keith Williams, Tony Macpherson, Pete Brown, Magic ‘Cosmic’ Surf, Dave Jacobs, Brian Hill and others.


IOW Surf Club mugs

IOW Surf Club mugs

Over the last few months we have been given these lovely mugs that were given out at the 1982 and 1984 Isle of Wight Surf Club competitions. On the mugs it says they were sponsored by Burts Brewery. We would love to know more about the mugs and the competitions, if anyone has further information [...]


3rd for Al at the 60’s Stylemasters

3rd for Al at the 60’s Stylemasters

The Stylemasters is purely for 60′s boards, only surfboards dating to before 1970 are allowed to be ridden. Surfers go into a draw to pick one of the 10 boards for the competition. Bilbo’s, Dewey Webber, Harbour are just some of the boards that are available to ride, some of which are quite heavy. Rollercoasters, Cavemans & El Telephonos as well as other vintage moves are what score the points in this competition. The rules are no leashes and to try and surf as stylishly as possible without losing your board.
Not until you try to surf one of these boards yourself do you realise just how talented these guys are.


Island Breaks 2000 Magazine

Island Breaks 2000 Magazine

A great shot of Lennie Parker was used in the Isle of Wight – Island breaks 2000 official guide. Len now lives in Florida but regularly gets back to the Island and catches up with a family and friends.


Whale Stranding in print

Whale Stranding in print

Isle of Wight County Press IW Men in New Zealand whale rescue TWO NEWPORT men have been part of a desperate struggle to save a pod of pilot whales beached on New Zealand’s South Island. Former County Press employee Paul Blackley, of Caesars Road and Richard Harvey, of Field Place, were driving with friend Richard [...]


Save the Whales

Save the Whales

On Wednesday 17th November of 1993 myself (Paul Blackley) and Richard Harvey were on our way to the South Island of New Zealand in search of waves. We had traveled down from New Plymouth and were on the cross Island ferry about to disembark at Picton at 10pm when we heard a call on local radio from the Dept. of Conservation for volunteers to help to try and rescue stranded Long-finned Pilot Whales at Farewell Spit, Golden Bay, South Island, New Zealand.


The Girls were there too…..!

The Girls were there too…..!

During the early sixties it wasn’t just the boys enjoying the waves, there were some pretty hardcore girls surfing on the Island with no wetsuits or leashes too.


Will 2010 be the year when the Military Road is closed?

Will 2010 be the year when the Military Road is closed?

I think by now everyone will have heard the news, or maybe even had a look themselves, at the recent landslip along the military road


A Surf Club is born

A Surf Club is born

During the early 1960’s a group of friends had started to hang out on the cliff tops between Ventnor beach and Steephill Cove. These bored teenagers soon began to focus their attention on the ocean. The Island at that time still had many unexplored pockets of coastline or so it felt to this group of friends. The ocean soon became their playground.


2010 with Tad Ciastula

2010 with Tad Ciastula

I managed to contact Tad recently and thought many of you would be interested in what he is up to. Tad has also promised to dig out some good shots of the first surf trip to Biarritz in ’71. If you went to Biarritz in ’71 too, please let us know? Tad is still in [...]


Johnny Fryer – Wavelength Cover

Johnny Fryer - Wavelength Cover

Johnny Fryer made cover for The British Surfing Magazine Wavelength, issue Sept 168 in 2007. The article to go with the cover shot was entitled ‘The Magnificent 7 ride’.  It was a piece about a boat trip to Indonesia with a selection of Britain’s best surfers Oli Adams, Gary & Danny Wells, Isaac Kibblewhite, Matty [...]


Epic Swell February 2010

Epic Swell February 2010

February 2010 – Freshwater Bay Some great footage here of Freshwater Bay on 6th February 2010, filmed and edited by Chris Court Many thanks Chris


Morthoe Surf Trip 1987

Morthoe Surf Trip 1987

Isle of Wight Surf Club Trip to Morthoe 1987 In 1987 The Isle of Wight Surf Club organized a Surf Trip to North Devon about a week or so before the infamous storm of ’87. This was my first ever time to the West Country and my first ever surf trip with friends. We loaded [...]


Niton video – Feb 6th 2010

Niton video - Feb 6th 2010

In the water… Steve New, Matt Harwood, Scott Gardener and Manni.


Perfect Swells

Perfect Swells

“one of those days that will be etched in everyone memory as being one of the best swells anyone has seen for a long time”


Epic swell greets exhibition in new home!

Epic swell greets exhibition in new home!

heavy waves, nice long walls of water and some fine surfing


Hawaii to the Isle of Wight

Hawaii to the Isle of Wight

There were little pockets of surfers scattered around the Island all experimenting with surfing in their own ways


Guestbook

Guestbook

Guestbook for ‘The Exhibtion of Surf Photography’ at Dimbola Lodge, Freshwater Bay from the 15th – 31st January 2010


Congratulations

Congratulations

Congratulations on your exhibition – from Andrew Turner MP I read with interest the recent article published in the Isle of Wight County Press regarding your photographic exhibition at Dimbola Lodge in Freshwater and I would like to take this opportunity in congratulating you on the exhibition. I am pleased that the exhibition, showing some [...]