A Surfing Life-by Sid Pitman, (or the ramblings of a senile idiot).
I consider myself extremely fortunate to have been involved at the start of surfing in Great Britain and especially on the Isle of Wight. The friends I have made and the great times /fun we had together can never be erased from my memory.
My involvement with surfing started with body boarding in the early sixties, as soon as I could drive and could get to Compton, with a homemade plywood board curved at the front and painted blue (a lot of my boards have been blue).
I then saw surfing on Television from Makaha Beach Hawaii and I knew that was the sport I wanted to follow, I was hooked,
I had no idea on the exact shape or length of a surfboard, only that they were made of some sort of foam with a fibreglass outer shell, I decided to try Polystyrene foam and shaped my first board with a handsaw and a surform blade. When I had got the shape I thought it should be it was cut lengthways in half and an oak stringer glued in after covering with cascamite and newspaper it was then fiberglassed and painted blue with white and yellow stripes, hence the cover shot of wight surf history. I had this board a few years before giving it to Rob Clark when he started.
I had seen other guys at compton surfing but not met them until an advert appeared in the County Press announcing the Isle of Wight Surf Club had been formed and to contact a Ventnor phone number which I did with my mate Ben Kelly. That’s when I met Roger backhouse and his girlfriend Sue Ellis, Geoff (Ned) Gardner, Rusty Long, Jon Jon Ainsworth, Colin Burgess, Colin Hickey, Bob Booth, Steve Brown. Very shortly afterwards others joined including-Keith Williams, Roger Cooper, Rory Angus, Ian Vallender, Mary Hughes, Dave Bottrell, Glynn Kernick, Rob Eldridge Dave Saleroe, Doug Saunders,Mr Cosmic(Derek Thompson) and many others
Soon after the formation of the surf club Sues mum and dad allowed us to have Clare Cottage in Spring Hill Ventnor as a clubhouse, where we could meet-up hold parties and film shows. It was quite something to find 80 people crammed into a small two bedroomed cottage watching a super 8 surf film, Having Spring Hill outside also enabled us to try out the new surfing craze “Skateboarding” invented by a Californian to practice on when the surf was flat. Someone got an old pair off roller skates, removed the wheels and bolted to the bottom of on old piece of wood and we were away. Rusty Long memorably overtaking a car one evening.
In the 60s and 70s the car park at Compton was obviously considerably larger that it is today, and on the left hand front side, was a large wooden shiplap café/shop belonging to a chap called Ron Munt who sold everything from ice creams to plywood surf boards, this shop was there for many years before the inevitable erosion of the cliff face took its toll on it, likewise the early surf club was fortunate to be able to lease one of the many quite large two roomed beach huts from the National Trust, that were situated in the small valley to the right side of the car park, unit that to fell victim of erosion although we did manage to move it with a “Cheek Bros Crane” away from the cliff edge on one occasion, (any photos would be appreciated to add to this).
My First surf trip was to Porthtowan Cornwall to go to see the Cornish and Open Surf Championships in which our Honorary club president Rod Sumpter was completing, Rory Angus and myself travelled down in Geoff (Ned ) Gardners Standard 8 car.it took 6 to 8 hours driving to travel down in those days and at about two in the morning Ned by this time was understandably getting tired,and at that time you had to go through Launceston were you had to negotiate a hairpin bend, Ned unfortunately missed the bend and shot up an ally opposite, after doing a three point turn we returned to the main road and continued to Cornwall, after about half a mile a police mini van over took us blue light flashing and stopped us, Ned got out walked up to the policeman who was emerging ominously from his vehicle and said-“Hello Gilbert, I suppose it’s about that whoreing u bend we missed back there”. The copper was so non plussed at this approach he just said “Well I saw you had one go at that bend when you returned for a repeat I thought I,d better stop you” He graciously let Ned off with a warning and a form to produce his documents at a police station within seven days.
When we camped we had no tents only ex Army Sleeping bags which we lay either between the cars (before the days of VW campervans) or under hedges or walls, after consuming generous quantities of Scrumpy to ease the often very wet nights. Some very boisterous evenings were had including one notorious one in the Old Albion ,Crantock, which involved first eating large amounts of baked beans drinking lots of beer and a lit cigarette lighter, those who were there can remember Derek Thompson rolling on the floor helpless with laughter, it also cleared the pub of locals.
The next trip to porthtowan I shared a berth in Roger Coopers van, only to get him to wake me at three o,clock in the morning with him saying “ Do you want some prunes sunshine?” I politely declined, where on he commenced to eat the whole tin.
Later surf trips included Mort Hoe, The Gower, and France, one memorable trip in 1980
Found over 15 members of the surf club assembled on the sea front at Bidart, where the inevitable party ensued, during that trip one of my memories was of about 200 people enjoying the 8ft shore break at La Barre ,being rolled over in a multinational jumble of arms, legs, bodies, sand and gravel great fun!
Anyone who has ridden Freshwater Bay remembers the first paddle out and drop-in, the heart in the mouth feeling of anticipation not knowing for certain what is going to appear on the horizon to the east of the needles, seeing the large lumps of sea building and not knowing exactly how big the next set is going to be. The bay has an unnerving habit of doubling in size every 10 to 12 minutes to catch the unwary that are caught on the inside. For the brave or skilled the best take off zone is in front of the rocks in front of the Albion Hotel.
As you start to paddle if the sets are much over head high it is advisable to paddle at an angle to the wave or immediately turn before the drop, as the wave is so hollow you may well free fall down the wave if you attempt to bottom turn. Once on the wave you face a collapsing section of wave we christened “the Cabbage Patch” once past this a long wall of peeling surf will follow you if over 8ft it will sound like thunder cracking and spitting in your ears, if over 10ft the light goes darker as the wave blocks the sun from the south and you need to race the break to the centre of the bay.
Years ago I remember surfing the bay when a large patch of maggots had accumulated in the calm zone in the middle from some form of dead marine animal and when you finished surfing you had to remove them all from your wetsuit and baggies.
Any Surfer knows when there is no surf it can get pretty boring, on one such episode after taking a walk along Compton beach I thought it would be a good idea to have a mud slide on one of the wetter parts of the cliffs near the fields, after generating some interest from about ten others we dammed up a small rivulet on the cliff and made a pond at the bottom. After experimenting a bit it turned out to be quite a bit of fun and we filmed it. A couple of months later Mike Smith saw a National competition for any film to do with mud to be presented to Johnson and Johnson, so mike took the film I had and added it to his and edited the film and sent it off, After a couple of months Johnson and Johnson told Mike that he had won a 8mm sound cine camera.
My first custom board was a Surfboard Basques, made by Len Howarth and Bob Ward,
bob, who in my opinion was one of the greatest surfers the Island has ever produced.
Other island pioneer board makers have been Roger Cooper- Zippy Sticks, Tad Ciastula- Vitamin Sea, Keith Williams, Dave Jacobs and Tony Macpherson –Jake Wilson Surfboards.
Oct 04, 2010 | Categories: Surfer Profiles, The Sixties | Tags: 1960's, 1967, 1970's, 60's, 70's, 8mm sound cine camera, Albion Hotel, archive, Army Sleeping bags, B&W, baggies, baked beans, beach, Beer, Ben Kelly, Bidart, Bob Booth, Bob Ward, bottom turn, Californian, cascamite, Cheek Bros Crane, cigarette lighter, Clare Cottage, clubhouse, Colin Burgess, Colin Hickey, compton, Compton Bay, copper, Cornish and Open Surf Championships, Cornwall, county press, Crantock, Dave Bottrell, Dave Jacobs, Dave Saleroe, Doug Saunders, fiberglassed, fibreglass, film shows, France, Freshwater, freshwater bay, Geoff (Ned) Gardner, Glynn Kernick, Great Britain, greatest surfers, Hawaii, history, Honorary club president, Ian Vallender, IOW, IOW Surf Club, Isle of Wight, Isle of Wight County Press, Isle of Wight County Press Newspaper, Isle of Wight Surf Club, isle of wightr county press, Jake Wilson Surfboards, Johnson and Johnson, Jon Jon Ainsworth, Keith Williams, La Barre, Launceston, Len Howarth, longboard, maggots, Makaha Beach, marine animal, Mary Hughes, Mike Smith, Mort Hoe, Mr Cosmic(Derek Thompson), mud slide, National Trust, oak stringer, Old Albion, parties, people, photo, photographs, Plywood, plywood board, plywood surf boards, Police, police mini van, Polystyrene, Porthtowan, portrait, Rob Clark, Rob Eldridge, Rob Ward, Rod Sumpter, Roger Backhouse, roger cooper, Roger Cooper- Zippy Sticks, roller skates, Ron Munt, Rory Angus, Rusty Long, Scrumpy, Sid Pitman, Skateboarding, Spring Hill, Standard 8, Steve Brown, stoked, Sue Ellis, Super 8, super 8 surf film, surf, Surf Trip, surfboard, Surfboard Basques, Surfer, surfing, Surfing Life, surform blade, swell, Tad Ciastula, the Cabbage Patch, The Gower, the needles, The Sixties, Tony Macpherson, Ventnor, Vitamin Sea, VW campervans, waves, wetsuit, Wight Surf History, wightsurfhistory, Zippy Sticks | 1 Comment »
Sue came up & introduced herself and I remember her asking my girlfriend if she wanted to become a full member or just a ‘beach bunny’. That was the start of the best period of the Surf Club for me. In a matter of weeks the membership had grown to 90+ due in no small part to the CP ad. Friday night was the highlight of the week, with Clare Cottage bursting at the seams for the club meetings. Very soon there were movies being shown, mostly taken on 8mm by Dave Bottrell, and skateboarding down Spring Hill. I well remember Sid remarking that Merry Hughes (a quite well endowed young lady) had done a 6 point landing having fallen off her board halfway down. Hands,knees & boobs for those with no imagination. Also, a decision was taken as to where the club would be surfing at the weekend. Bear in mind that the majority of members had no board & were reliant on the good will of the established members, mainly the Ventnor crew, to borrow boards, thus meaning that everyone had to turn up at the same place at the same time. My belated thanks to Rog & Sue, John Ainsworth, Rusty Long & Colin Burgess.
Oct 04, 2010 | Categories: Surfer Profiles, The Sixties | Tags: 1960's, 1966, 6 Point Landing, 60's, 70's, 8mm, Advertisement, Albert St, Albert Street, Aluminium Fin, Aluminium Surfboard fin, Anthony Macpherson, archive, Austin A50, B&W, Baby grow, beach, Beach Bunny, Bedford Dormobile, Beer, Beers, Beford CA Van, Bilbo, boards, Boobs, Brian Loader, Calbourne Garage, Camp Hill Prison, Cascemtied Blank, Chequered Flags, Chris Kernick, Clare Cottage, Club Funds, Colin Burgess, Column Geer Change, compton, Compton Bay, Cornwall, county press, CP, Cross Family, Dave Bottrell, Doug Saunders, Dougie Saunders, Fields, Folly Inn, Freshwater, freshwater bay, fuel, Girlfriends, Glyn Kernick, Governor, Hands, history, IOW, IOW County Press, IOW Surf Club, Isle of Wight, Isle of Wight County Press, Isle of Wight County Press Newspaper, Isle of Wight Surf Club, John Ainsworth, Keith Williams, Kernick Brothers, Kevin Digweed, Knees, Learning, London, longboard, Lorraine Paddon, Malibu, Malibu Boards, Membership, Merry Hughes, Michelin Man, Motorbike, movies, Mr Cross, Murphy, niton, oil, people, photo, photographs, Popout, portrait, Rob Clark, Rob Clarke, Rog Backhouse, Rog Cooper, Roger Backhouse, roger cooper, rudder, Rusty Long, Sail Board, Schmoo Suit, Sid, Sid Pitman, Skateboarding, Skeg, sleeping bag, Spring Hill, stoked, Sue Backhouse, Sue Ellis, Suf Club Hut, surf, Surf Trip, surfboard, Surfer, Surfer magazine, surfing, Susan Backhouse, Susan Ellis, swell, The Hut, The Secretary, The Sixties, Tony Macpherson, Ventnor, Ventnor Crew, wave, waves, wetsuit, wightsurfhistory, Wooton, £12.50 | Leave A Comment »
A DAZZLING display by surfer Johnny Fryer won him the open title at the Quiksilver British National Surfing Championships in Newquay.
Johnny, 26, who lives in Newquay, but grew up in Shorwell, surfed consistently at the Fistral Beach event in the small but contestable surf.
He beat around 60 other surfers to take the title and it builds on his victory in the English Championships last year.
To win the British title the former Carisbrooke High School pupil demonstrated good knowledge and a competitive spirit.
He was presented with a Gibson Les Paul Studio guitar as the champion’s trophy.
Johnny said: “It was a fantastic feeling to win the British Championships because it was something I dreamed about as a kid.”
“Winning the English Champs last year was brilliant, but this tops that.”
He now has sights on winning the Euro Championships and the UK Pro Tour.
Johnny, who has travelled back to the Island to celebrate his win with his family at Shorwell, has been surfing since he was six years old.
He surfed mostly at Compton, but had no lessons and none of his family were surfers.
He now travels the world to take part in surfing events.
Talking about the Newquay event, Joanne Hillman, of the British Surfing Association, said all the competitors had helped to put on a great show.
“Every year the event just seems to be getting bigger and better,” she said.
Sep 29, 2010 | Categories: In Print, The Noughties | Tags: archive, British Champion, British Championships, British National Surfing Championships, British Surfing Association, British title, Carisbrooke High School, Carisbrooke High School pupil, Champion, compton, Cornwall, county press, English Championships, Euro Championships, Fistral Beach, Gibson Les Paul Studio guitar, history, IOW, IOW County Press, IOW Surf Club, Isle of Wight, Isle of Wight County Press, Isle of Wight County Press Newspaper, Isle of Wight County Press Online, Isle of Wight Surf Club, iwcp, Joanne Hillman, Johnny Fryer, Newquay, Quiksilver British National Surfing Championships, Shorwell, stoked, surf, surfboard, Surfer, surfing, swell, The Noughties, UK Pro Tour, waves, wetsuit, wightsurfhistory, winning, won | Leave A Comment »
Al Reed in the County Press for his 3rd place in the 60’s Stylemasters
Aug 09, 2010 | Categories: In Print | Tags: 40, 60's Stylemasters, Al Reed, alan reed, archive, Arreton, Black Da Cat, board, compton, Compton Bay, county press, Da Cat#, Freshwater, freshwater bay, history, IOW, IOW Surf Club, Isle of Wight, Isle of Wight County Press, Isle of Wight County Press Newspaper, Isle of Wight Surf Club, isle of wightr county press, longboard, Mickey Dora, Mickey Dora Black Da Cat, newspaper, North Devon, people, photographs, portrait, Rich Emerson, Rob Wright, Saunton, stoked, surf, Surf Trip, surfboard, Surfer, surfing, The Nineties, The Noughties, waves, wightlink, wightsurfhistory | Leave A Comment »
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 […]
May 12, 2010 | Categories: In Print, The Nineties | Tags: antipodean, B&W, Beached, blackley, county press, Farewell Spit, flukes, Golden Bay, history, IOW, Isle of Wight, isle of wightr county press, iwcp, Long-finned Pilot Whales, mammals, nelson evening mail, nelson evening news, New Zealand, newpapers, news, newspaper, Ocean, paul blackley, people, photo, photographs, pilot whale, Pilot Whales, pod, portrait, press, print, radio station, rescued, rescuers, Richard Harvey, Richard Holmes, save, saved, stoked, Stranding, Strandings, surf, Surf Trip, Surfer, surfing, the dominion, The Nineties, the press, wetsuit, wetsuits, whale tail, whale tails, wightsurfhistory | Leave A Comment »