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...
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...

1968 Isle of Wight French Surf Trip

An Isle of Wight Surf trip to France in 1968 remembered by Graham Sorensen who shared a campsite and waves in a field along with Bob Ward, Elizabeth, Angus, Hutch, Mo, Trevor, Dita and Pat.  Traveled in a green kombi van with a kiwi emblem drawn on the front. Taken in...
Future of my life – Rob Ward

Future of my life – Rob Ward

When I was in Simonstown Naval Dockyard with HMS Jaguar (in South Africa) I had made friends with a young fellow on a Naval  replenishment vessel. We’d met, so to speak, in the Mozambique Channel, during a RAS  (“Replenishment at Sea”). He and I...
Elite Clique Surf Club

Elite Clique Surf Club

Before Rob Ward set off to Cactus I asked him about the ‘Elite Clique Surf Club’, Roger Mansfield and how his preperations were coming along. Elite Clique Surf Club – I can’t quite remember how it went but evidently we weren’t allowed to...
First Official Isle of Wight Surf Club Trip

First Official Isle of Wight Surf Club Trip

The very first official Isle of Wight Surf Club trip was to Newquay at Easter in 1967 Just after the club was formed. It seems like the Stone Age now. The thinking was it would be relatively warmer by then and it would be a chance to surf some proper waves. It was the...