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...
Lord Louis Mountbatten surfing in 1920

Lord Louis Mountbatten surfing in 1920

In March 1920  Lord Louis Mountbatten was posted to the battlecruiser HMS Renown and accompanied Edward, Prince of Wales, on a royal tour of Australia in her. After Australia the Renown went on to Fiji, Samoa, Honolulu, and then to Colon via the Panama Canal. During...
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...
Lee Sheaff

Lee Sheaff

We received some very sad news last week that Lee Sheaff passed away last Sunday due to complications with his cancer. Below are words from friends and fellow surfers and some great pics of Sheaffy in action. Paul Blackley I didn’t know Lee well but would bump...
UNDERGROUND EXPLORER: ROB WARD

UNDERGROUND EXPLORER: ROB WARD

Roger Mansfield has very kindly let me publish this great piece on Rob Ward taken from his book ‘The Surfing Tribe’. The story of British surfing would not be complete without reference to its underground surfers – those who passed up competition, fashion...