Farewell Dave Gray

More than 80 surfers paddled out at Compton today to say goodbye to Dave Gray with many others lining the cliff tops to give him a really great send off

Dave Gray R.I.P.

I asked Dave Gray if he would let me interview him for Wight Surf History and eventually he sent me this. We actually planned to do a proper interview and he was going to dig out some old photos but sadly it never happened. A history of surfing on the I.O.W. by David...

Wight Surf History Prints part of the Big Art Auction

Wight Surf History has donated two framed photographs from it's exhibitions which were on show at Dimbola, Sandpipers Hotel and The Waterfront Restaurant and Bar to the Big Art Auction. The Big Art Auction is the start of Wight Trash Skateboards and Ventnor Skate Park...

Sid Pitman R.I.P.

Sid Pitman sadly passed away while on holiday in the Mediterranean last week. Sid will be greatly missed by the whole Isle of Wight Surfing Community.  Are thoughts at this time are with Sid's wife Jan. Sid started body boarding during the early sixties with a...

Lone Surfer at Freshwater Bay

Will Rome took on the lumps at Freshwater Bay this morning getting a couple of nice waves.
Farewell Dave Gray

Farewell Dave Gray

More than 80 surfers paddled out at Compton today to say goodbye to Dave Gray with many others lining the cliff tops to give him a really great send off

Dave Gray R.I.P.

Dave Gray R.I.P.

I asked Dave Gray if he would let me interview him for Wight Surf History and eventually he sent me this. We actually planned to do a proper interview and he was going to dig out some old photos but sadly it never happened. A history of surfing on the I.O.W. by David...

Sid Pitman R.I.P.

Sid Pitman R.I.P.

Sid Pitman sadly passed away while on holiday in the Mediterranean last week. Sid will be greatly missed by the whole Isle of Wight Surfing Community.  Are thoughts at this time are with Sid's wife Jan. Sid started body boarding during the early sixties with a...

1978 South Coast Contest

1978 South Coast Contest

Wight Surf History have been given some great pics taken by Rog Powley of the 1978 South Coast Contest, including shots of Dave Gray, Keith Williams and Sid Pitman. The winner of the competition was Guy Penwarden from Wessex Surf Club. In 1976 surfing for Shore Surf...

The Noble Art of Varp Lighting

The Noble Art of Varp Lighting

The Noble Art of Varp Lighting - From a 1977 edition of the Isle of Wight Surf Club's magazine 'Wight Water'. (Or the quickest known way of clearing a Crantock Pub of locals) You may have been fortunate or unfortunate enough to have taken part in one of the IOWSC's...

Rusty Long

Rusty Long

Russell 'Rusty' Long was one of the first to ever surf on the Island and became one of the original members of the Isle of Wight Surf Club. Here are selection of images of Rusty given to Wight Surf History. Rusty was friends with the Roger Backhouse, Sue Ellis, John...

IOW Surf Club Guide to Learning to Surf

IOW Surf Club Guide to Learning to Surf

I have been very kindly lent the IOW Surf Club's 1983 guide to 'Starting Surfing' by Keith Williams. The guide was put together by Dave Phillips and Rog Butler with cover by Clive Richardson. Part 1: Isle of Wight Surf Club Guide - Learning to Surf Learning to Surf...

Surfer’s and Dogs Delight

Surfer’s and Dogs Delight

A postcard found on ebay by Len Parker (now in Florida) titled 'Surfer's and Dogs Delight, Compton Bay' The surfer is Martin 'Bert' Spencer sometime during the early 90's carrying a Custard Point longboard at Compton Bay, Isle of Wight. Len Parker and Ray Hutchings...

Wight Water – Issue No 2

Wight Water – Issue No 2

Issue No 2 of the Isle of Wight Surf Clubs magazine 'Wight Water' came out in the autumn of 1976. It included a write up on the IOW Surf Club longboard competition won by Tad Ciastula, 2nd Dave Jacobs, 3rd Keith Williams, Pete Brown and Dave Grey. It also covers the...

Colin Williams

Colin Williams

Colin Williams remembers all of his family holidays spent on the isle of Wight where he learn't surf during the 60's and 70's. The Isle of Wight was and probably still is my favorite place in the world. I must say that Australia, for me,is the one of the greatest...

Wight Water Magazine

Wight Water Magazine

Colin Graham became the Isle Of Wight Surf Club Chairman in 1976, with Mike Smith and Dave Jacobs also on the committee. Roger Powley was given the job of putting together the IOW Surf Club’s 1st magazine. Wight Water Magazine was born, Rog edited the magazine with...

Island Surf – British Style

Island Surf – British Style

Isle of Wight featured in issue number 4 of what is thought to be the one of the first ever British Surfing magazines. British Surfer magazine no1 came out in March 1969. Surfing UK magazine published by Lindsay Morgan in Porthcawl in Jan 1969 pipped it to the post by...

Movember in Memory of Lee Sheaff

Movember in Memory of Lee Sheaff

Isle of Wight surfers join Movember and grow some sick moustaches raising vital funds and awareness for men's health.... follow the link to donate to such a great cause uk.movember.com/team/1301269 Here are some of the Isle of Wight Team half way through...

Close Call on the Volcano

Close Call on the Volcano

During late September 1995 Jo and I decided to make the trip to Mt Ruapehu, staying at the National Park for some snowboarding at the Whakapapa Ski Field. The forecast was perfect with a fresh dump of snow the night before. We got up early and drove up to base at...

Isle of Wight Surf Club Hut Moved

Isle of Wight Surf Club Hut Moved

The Isle of Wight Surf club were very lucky to be given use of one of the huts owned by the National Trust at Compton. The club paid a donation every year to the NT which gave them use of the hut and free parking at Compton. The original hut was used to store...

Freshwater Bay 4 November 2013

Freshwater Bay 4 November 2013

With 2 metre swell predicted and northerly winds the early risers got some good waves at Freshwater Bay this morning. I got down late but what a glorious morning. With huge tides it was starting to get pretty bumpy when I got there but a few nice ones were to be...

‘Do the Wight thing’ – Just Seventeen magazine

‘Do the Wight thing’ – Just Seventeen magazine

In May 1992 there was a mother and daughter swept out to sea off Compton. It was at the end of a day surfing and about tea time and Isle of Wight surfer Andrew Plenty was just off home. The mother and daughter were hanging onto a rubber ring but panicked and let go of...

Dave Gray shapes a board as a school project

Dave Gray shapes a board as a school project

Wight Surf History has been given a surfboard originally thought to shaped by Dave Gray as part of a school project Dave passed the board onto Russell Farrel during the 1980's and then passed to his brother Steve who has kindly given the board to Wight Surf History....

F.A.R.T.S. by Dave Gray

F.A.R.T.S. by Dave Gray

'Fantasy: The Art of Riding Tubes' (F.A.R.T.S. for short) by Dave Gray A piece in a 1979 copy of 'Wight Water', the Isle of Wight Surf club's magazine In addition to his undeniable talents as a malibu surf rider, Dave Gray has submitted the following piece for...

Tad Ciastula

Tad Ciastula

Tad Ciastula started shaping boards with fellow British Hovercraft Corporation (B.H.C.) apprentice Dougie Clarke, spending their spare time out in the old tin shed at the training centre near Osborne House designing and shaping a knee board like the one George...