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
Feb 11, 2017 | Categories: The Noughties | Tags: archive, beach, blog, compton, Compton Bay, Dave 'Digger' Gray, Dave Gray, David Gray, Digger, history, IOW, IOW Surf Club, Isle of Wight, Isle of Wight Surf Club, people, photo, photographs, portrait, stoked, surf, Surf Trip, surfboard, Surfer, surfing, swell, The Noughties, waves, wetsuit, wightsurfhistory | Comments Off on Farewell Dave Gray
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 Gray aged […]
Jan 23, 2017 | Categories: Surfer Profiles, The Noughties | Tags: 1970's, 70's, archive, B&W, beach, blackley, blog, compton, Compton Bay, Cornwall, Dave 'Digger' Gray, Dave Gray, Dave Grey, David Gray, david Grey, Digger, Freshwater, freshwater bay, history, IOW, IOW Surf Club, Isle of Wight, Isle of Wight Surf Club, longboard, paul blackley, people, photo, photographs, portrait, stoked, surf, Surf Trip, surfboard, Surfer, surfing, swell, The Noughties, wetsuit, wightsurfhistory | Comments Off on Dave Gray 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 homemade plywood board, curved at the front and painted […]
Jul 20, 2014 | Categories: Surfer Profiles, The Noughties | Tags: 1960's, 1970's, 60's, 70's, archive, B&W, beach, Ben Kelly, blackley, blog, Bob Booth, Colin Burgess, Colin Hickey, compton, Compton Bay, Cornwall, Dave Bottrell, Derek Thompson, Doug Saunders, Freshwater, freshwater bay, Geoff (Ned) Gardner, Glynn Kernick, history, Ian Vallender, IOW, IOW Surf Club, Isle of Wight, Isle of Wight Surf Club, Jon Jon Ainsworth, Keith Williams, longboard, Mary Hughes, Mr Cosmic, paul blackley, people, photo, photographs, portrait, Rob Eldridge Dave Saleroe, Roger Backhouse, roger cooper, Rory Angus, Rusty Long, Sid Pitman, Steve Brown, stoked, Sue Ellis, surf, Surf Trip, surfboard, Surfer, surfing, swell, The Noughties, Ventnor, waves, wetsuit, wightsurfhistory | Comments Off on Sid Pitman R.I.P.
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 Club, ex English Champion and Honorary President of […]
Dec 18, 2013 | Categories: The Seventies | Tags: 1970's, 1978, 70's, archive, B&W, beach, blog, comp, Competition, compton, Compton Bay, contest, Dave Gray, David Gray, Digger, history, IOW, IOW Surf Club, Isle of Wight, Isle of Wight Surf Club, Keith Williams, longboard, people, photo, photographs, Rog Powley, Roger Powley, Sid Pitman, South Coast, stoked, surf, Surf Trip, surfboard, Surfer, surfing, swell, waves, wetsuit, wightsurfhistory | Comments Off on 1978 South Coast Contest
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 trips to the West Country. […]
Dec 18, 2013 | Categories: The Seventies | Tags: 1970's, 70's, archive, B&W, blog, compton, Compton Bay, history, IOW, IOW Surf Club, Isle of Wight, Isle of Wight Surf Club, longboard, Sid Pitman, stoked, surf, Surf Trip, surfboard, Surfer, surfing, swell, Varp lighting, waves, wetsuit, wightsurfhistory | Comments Off on The Noble Art of Varp Lighting
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 There is only one way to […]
Dec 13, 2013 | Categories: The Eighties | Tags: 190's, 1983, 80's, archive, blog, Clive Richardson, compton, Compton Bay, Dave Phillips, duck diving, guide, history, IOW, IOW Surf Club, Isle of Wight, Isle of Wight Surf Club, Keith Williams, Learn, Learning, paddle, Paddling, prone, purling, Rof Butler, Roger Butler, Starting, stoked, surf, Surf Trip, surfboard, Surfer, surfing, swell, waves, wetsuit, White water, wightsurfhistory | Comments Off on IOW Surf Club Guide to Learning to Surf
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 had a couple of these boards on the Island around […]
Dec 12, 2013 | Categories: The Nineties | Tags: archive, beach, Bert, compton, Compton Bay, Custard Point, dog, history, IOW, Isle of Wight, longboard, Martin 'Bert' Spencer, Martin Spencer, people, photo, photographs, portrait, stoked, surf, Surf Trip, surfboard, Surfer, surfing, swell, waves, wetsuit, wightsurfhistory | Comments Off on Surfer’s and Dogs Delight
Keith Williams finds a little barrel on the inside at Compton during a lovely little swell in the 1980’s.
Dec 11, 2013 | Categories: The Eighties | Tags: archive, blog, compton, Compton Bay, history, IOW, IOW Surf Club, Isle of Wight, Isle of Wight Surf Club, Keith Williams, longboard, photo, stoked, surf, surfboard, Surfer, surfing, swell, waves, wetsuit, wightsurfhistory | Comments Off on Keith Williams
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 IOW Surf Club Darts […]
Nov 27, 2013 | Categories: The Seventies | Tags: 1970's, 1976, 70's, archive, B&W, B.H.C., Biarittz, Biarritz, blog, Canaries, Colin Graham, compton, Compton Bay, Darts, Dave Grey, Dave Jacobs, Freshwater, freshwater bay, history, IOW, IOW Surf Club, Isle of Wight, Isle of Wight Surf Club, Keith Williams, La Fitenia, longboard, Lyn Powley, people, Pete Brown, photo, photographs, portrait, Rog Powley, Roger Powley, Sid Pitman, stoked, surf, Surf Trip, surfboard, Surfer, surfing, swell, Tad Ciastula, waves, wetsuit, wightsurfhistory | Comments Off on Wight Water – Issue No 2
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 places on earth; however, a […]
Nov 25, 2013 | Categories: The Sixties | Tags: 1960's, 1970's, 60's, 70's, archive, Atlantic, Atlantic surfboard, blog, Colin Williams, compton, Compton Bay, history, IOW, Isle of Wight, people, Phil Jays, Phil Jays Surf shop, photo, photographs, portrait, stoked, surf, Surf Trip, surfboard, Surfer, surfing, swell, waves, wetsuit, wightsurfhistory | Comments Off on Colin Williams
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 help from Colin, Mike, and his wife Lyn […]
Nov 22, 2013 | Categories: The Seventies | Tags: 1970's, 70's, archive, blog, compton, Compton Bay, Cornwall, Dave Jacobs, Freshwater, freshwater bay, history, IOW, IOW Surf Club, Isle of Wight, Isle of Wight Surf Club, Lyn, Mike Smith, newsletter, Powley, Rog Powley, Roger Powley, stoked, surf, Surf Trip, surfboard, Surfer, surfing, swell, waves, wetsuit, Wight Water, Wight Water Magazine, wightsurfhistory | Comments Off on Wight Water Magazine
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 a few months to be […]
Nov 21, 2013 | Categories: The Seventies | Tags: 1960's, 1970's, 60's, 70's, archive, blog, British Surfer, British Surfer magazine, compton, Compton Bay, Freshwater, freshwater bay, history, IOW, IOW Surf Club, Isle of Wight, Isle of Wight Surf Club, Keith Williams, longboard, Magazine, niton, No 4, Number 4, Rod Sumpter, Roger Backhouse, stoked, surf, Surf Trip, surfboard, Surfer, surfing, swell, The Noughties, Ventnor, Vol 1, waves, wetsuit, wightsurfhistory | Comments Off on Island Surf – British Style
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 surfboards […]
Nov 11, 2013 | Categories: The Seventies | Tags: 1970's, 70's, archive, B&W, beach, blog, Cheek Bros, Cheek Brothers, Clive Richardson, compton, Compton Bay, crane, Dave Downer, Dave Phillips, Graham Skelley, history, Hut, IOW, IOW Surf Club, Isle of Wight, Isle of Wight Surf Club, Keith Williams, longboard, National Trust, people, photo, photographs, Rex Haines, Roger Butler, Sid Pitman, steve williams, stoked, surf, surfboard, Surfer, surfing, swell, waves, wetsuit, wightsurfhistory | Comments Off on Isle of Wight Surf Club Hut Moved
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 […]
Oct 31, 2013 | Categories: The Nineties | Tags: 1993, 999, Aaron Rogers, Andrew Plenty, archive, B&W, Baywatch, BBC, BBC 1, BBC1, beach, blog, Britain, Chicky babes, compton, Compton Bay, Cornwall, Girl, Hawaii, history, hunky, IOW, Isle of Wight, J17, Jamie Isaac, John, June, Just 17, Just Seventeen, Kelly Slater, Magazine, model, Neighbours, people, photo, photographs, portrait, programme, rescue, SAS, Scott Michaelson, stoked, surf, surf culture, Surf Trip, surfboard, Surfer, Surfers Against Sewage, surfing, swell, Sydney, teen, teen girl, tv, waves, wetsuit, wightsurfhistory | Comments Off on ‘Do the Wight thing’ – Just Seventeen magazine
‘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 inclusion in this August periodical. An ostentatious little […]
Oct 17, 2013 | Categories: The Seventies | Tags: 1970's, 70's, archive, blog, compton, Compton Bay, Dave Gray, Fart, farts, history, IOW, IOW Surf Club, Isle of Wight, Isle of Wight Surf Club, stoked, surf, Surf Trip, surfboard, Surfer, surfing, swell, waves, wetsuit, wightsurfhistory | Comments Off on F.A.R.T.S. by Dave Gray
Isle of Wight featured in the 1972 book ‘Surfing In Great Britain’ by Carl Thomson Obviously prices, telephone numbers and much of the information given below is now not relevant and only for historical interest. For example please do not expect to get a ferry for £1.50. Extract on the Isle of Wight below: Isle […]
Oct 14, 2013 | Categories: The Seventies | Tags: 1970's, Arch Rock, Arch Rock Freshwater Bay, archive, B&W, beach, Bez Newton, blog, compton, Compton Bay, Cornwall, Cosmic, Cosmic Leashes, Cosmic Surf, Cosmic Surf Products, Derek Thompson, Dunnose, Freshwater, freshwater bay, history, IOW, IOW Surf Club, Isle of Wight, Isle of Wight Surf Club, roger cooper, stoked, surf, Surf Trip, surfboard, Surfer, surfing, swell, Ventnor, Ventnor Pier, waves, wetsuit, wightsurfhistory | Comments Off on Island feature in ‘Surfing In Great Britain’ 1972
On Sunday 29th September the Isle of Wight Surfing Community came together to paddle out at Whitecliff Bay as a tribute for Lee Sheaff who very sadly passed away earlier this year. About 60 people came from all over to paddle out at 5pm to form a circle in remembrance of a great friend. Many […]
Oct 01, 2013 | Categories: The Noughties | Tags: Always Smiling, archive, beach, blackley, blog, Chris Mannion, Circle, compton, Compton Bay, Freshwater, freshwater bay, history, IOW Surf Club, Isle of Wight, Isle of Wight Surf Club, Johnny Fryer, lee sheaff, longboard, Matt Harwood, Memorial, paul blackley, remembrance, sheaffy, stoked, surf, Surf Trip, surfboard, Surfer, surfing, swell, The Noughties, Tribute, waves, wetsuit, Whitecliff, Whitecliff Bay, wightsurfhistory | Comments Off on Always Smiling – Lee Sheaff
During a beach clean at Compton last year organised by Surfers Against Sewage local surfer Jamie Currie and his daughter olivia found this satellite tag. Jamie managed to contact the tagging company and received an email from a Gérard Biais from La Rochelle; The tag that you found was attached on a porbeagle in June […]
Sep 29, 2013 | Categories: The Noughties | Tags: archive, beach, Beach Clean, blog, Brittany, compton, Compton Bay, history, IOW, Ireland, Isle of Wight, Jamie Currie, La Rochelle, Olivia, Porbeagle, SAS, satellite, shark, Spain, stoked, Surfer, Surfers Against Sewage, Tag, The Noughties, tracking, wightsurfhistory | Comments Off on Porbeagle Tag found on SAS Beach Clean
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 into him at the beach all the time. […]
Jun 17, 2013 | Categories: Surfer Profiles, The Noughties | Tags: archive, beach, compton, Compton Bay, Freshwater, freshwater bay, history, IOW, IOW Surf Club, Isle of Wight, Isle of Wight Surf Club, Le Sheaf, Lee Sheaf, lee sheaff, photo, photographs, Samoa, Sheafy, stoked, surf, Surf Trip, surfboard, Surfer, surfing, swell, The Noughties, Thurso, waves, wetsuit, wightsurfhistory | Comments Off on Lee Sheaff
Last night the Freshwater Parish Council invited Paul Blackley to be guest speaker at their Annual General meeting at Freshwater Memorial Hall. Paul showed the Councillors and members of the public a slideshow of images taken form the recent Exhibition at Dimbola Museum and Galleries and talked about how the Wight Surf History Project. With […]
Mar 20, 2013 | Categories: The Noughties | Tags: 1960's, 1970's, 60's, 70's, Al Reed, alan reed, archive, B&W, beach, blackley, blog, Chris Mannion, Clive Fleury, compton, Compton Bay, Cornwall, Freshwater, freshwater bay, Freshwater Parish Council, Gill Kennet, history, IOW, IOW Surf Club, Isle of Wight, Isle of Wight Surf Club, joe truman, Johnny Fryer, Keith Williams, longboard, Matt Harwood, people, photo, photographs, portrait, Roger Backhouse, Sally Woods, Sid Pitman, stoked, surf, Surf Trip, surfboard, Surfer, surfing, swell, The Noughties, waves, wetsuit, wightsurfhistory | Comments Off on Surfs Up for Freshwater Parish Council
Isle of Wight Surfing History goes back over many decades and in 2012 Wight Surf History put together an exhibition including images at Dimbola Museum and Galleries at Freshwater Bay, Isle of Wight. The Exhibition closed with an amazing Jubilee party with live music from Sam Scadgell, Black House Crows and The Shutes. Here are […]
Mar 18, 2013 | Categories: Surf Exhibitions, The Noughties | Tags: 1960's, 1970's, 60's, 70's, Al Reed, alan reed, archive, B&W, beach, blackley, blog, Chris Mannion, compton, Compton Bay, Cornwall, Freshwater, freshwater bay, history, IOW, IOW Surf Club, Isle of Wight, Isle of Wight Surf Club, joe truman, Johnny Fryer, Keith Williams, longboard, Matt Harwood, paul blackley, people, photo, photographs, portrait, Roger Backhouse, Sid Pitman, stoked, Surf Trip, surfboard, Surfer, surfing, swell, The Noughties, waves, wetsuit, wightsurfhistory | Comments Off on Isle of Wight Surfing History in Pictures
Both Wight Surf History Exhibition Prints are now displayed at The Waterfront Bar and Restaurant, Totland Bay, Isle of Wight. If you somehow missed the exhibitions previously then get yourself down to Totland Bay. It may not have great waves but it has to be one of the best places on the Island to enjoy […]
Nov 03, 2012 | Categories: The Noughties | Tags: 1960's, 1970's, 60's, 70's, Al Reed, alan reed, archive, B&W, Bar & Restaurant, Bay, beach, blackley, blog, Chris Mannion, compton, Compton Bay, Cornwall, exhibition, Freshwater, freshwater bay, history, IOW, IOW Surf Club, Isle of Wight, Isle of Wight Surf Club, joe truman, Johnny Fryer, Keith Williams, longboard, Matt Harwood, paul blackley, people, photo, photographs, portrait, Roger Backhouse, Sid Pitman, stoked, surf, Surf Trip, surfboard, Surfer, surfing, swell, The Noughties, Totland, Waterfront, waves, wetsuit, wightsurfhistory, wsh | Comments Off on Wight Surf History Exhibition now at The Waterfront
The Shutes are a four-piece from the Isle of Wight who make well-crafted indie-rock with psychedelic and surf flourishes. The Shutes are Chris Jones, Michael Champion, Dave Champion and Rob Potter.
“The most far our rock ‘n’ roll joyride to leave the Isle of Wight since August 31st 1970, when Hendrix’ trailer pulled out” – NME
The band grew up on the Isle of Wight and still live and record on the island, taking their name from a long, winding pathway known as ‘the Shute’ which runs down the cliff edge to the shore near their homes.
The band formed about 5 years a go when Mike, Chris and Rob got together for a jam having met through playing in other bands. Within a few months they were playing gigs in London and released their first cd soon. The band has toured Europe three times, playing in Hamburg, Berlin, Zurich, Vienna to name but a few. They have supported the likes of The Go! Team, The Bees, Alexander Ebert and Peter, Bjorn and John and will be supporting Level 42 at Northwood Park this Jubilee weekend.
In recent years The Shutes have headlined at the ‘Barfly’ and Koko in London and closer to home have played the Isle of Wight Festival and Bestival for the last 4 years. In 2011/12 The Shutes recorded in London studios their latest release, ’Echo of Love’ which was released earlier this year.
Chris and Mike met through surfing on the Island. Mike grew up surfing around Niton while Chris’s local breaks were Compton and Freshwater Bay. It was a few years before they both realised they had a passion for music.
Mike was inspired by the likes of Raff with his retro style and Chris started surfing with people like Dougie Richards, Ian Pacey and friends.
May 16, 2012 | Categories: The Noughties | Tags: 1970, Alexander Ebert and Peter, archive, Barfly, Bestival, Bjorn, blog, Bright Blue Berlin Sky, Chris Jones, compton, Compton Bay, Dave Champion, Dimbola, Dimbola Museum and Galleries, Dougie Richards, Douglas Richards, Echo of Love, Even Sweeter Marie, four piece, Freshwater, freshwater bay, group, headline, headlined, Headliner, Heavy Thunder, Hendrix, Here, history, Hits like Morning, I C Sky, Ian Pacey, indie, IOW, Isle of Wight, Isle of Wight Festival, Isle of Wight radio, Jobie Wells, John, Jubilee, Jubilee Weekend, Koko, Lee Webster, Level 42, Michael Champion, Mike Champion, music, My Blood Runs Clear, niton, NME, Noah's Ark, Northwood House, Northwood Park, Only, Pacey, people, photo, photographs, piece-piece, pop, portrait, Raff, Rob Potter, rock, rock 'n' roll, rock and roll, Sam Wells, She Said, Shute, Shutes, stoked, surf, Surf Trip, surfboard, Surfer, surfing, Sweeter Marie, swell, The Bees, The Go! Team, The Noughties, The Shutes, Tim Wells, Ventnor, Waltz Alone, waves, Wells brothers, wetsuit, Who De Lang, wightsurfhistory | Comments Off on The Shutes
A huge thakyou to everyone who made the effort and put in some really hard graft in the cold a wet weather to help clear up the rubbish from the beach last Saturday. We shifted at least 6 big Biffa bins (6600 litres) of plastics and other debris from the beach at Compton Farm Beach (Fields).
A couple of weeks a go I posted a picture of some of the rubbish and asked it anyone would get together with me to help clear some of the rubbish at Compton Farm Beach. It got a fantastic response and then I disapeared off to Wales for a nice long weekend. When I got back Oli Harvey and Matt Harwood from the Isle of Wight Surf Club had done an absolutely fantastic job organising everything. They had got in touch with the SAS (Surfers Against Sewage), Robin Lang at the National Trust and Biffa bins, done advertising, organised bags and gloves. Great work guys and a big thank you from everyone who enjoys Compton Beach to all involved.
The majority of the rubbish was from boats and mainly plastics but also lethal entaglements of fishing line and ropes. It is very concerning for our marine and bird life along our coast. I am sure you have all seen what can happens to these animals if they get caught up in fishing lines or rope.
Well done, it’s your beach so take ownership of it.
May 09, 2012 | Categories: The Noughties | Tags: archive, beach, Beach Clean, Biffa, Biffa Bins, blackley, blog, Champions, compton, Compton Bay, Compton Farm, history, IOW, IOW Surf Club, Isle of Wight, Isle of Wight Surf Club, Jenny Bell, Kirra Bell, Matt Harwood, National Trust, Oilver Harvey, Oli Harvey, Operation Fields Beach Clean, paul blackley, people, photo, photographs, portrait, Robin Lang, SAS, stoked, Surfer, Surfers Against Sewage, The Noughties, wightsurfhistory | Comments Off on Beach Clean a huge success