Go on fill us in

Mine is surf beach, best session when I was about 16 (1995), flawless head high barrels

Geraldton Back Beach - Pipeline...when I was 15 head high lefts peeling like G-Land (or so I thought)

Watermans in the 80s when I got my first glass single fin, must of been 84 I recon

I have a two part tale that also includes Watermans...

Back in '83 when I was studying for my TAE finals Perth got a freak swell - Trigg Point was going off at 5-6ft perfect rights... crew from both down south and over east were coming over. One of those that came over was Cheyne Horan when he was #2 in the world... It was even on the Ch9 news as some east coaster who was not familiar with the reef went left and got in a bit of trouble and had to be rescued...

The following day knowing that Trigg was beyond me, I headed out with two mates to first reef Watermans... was paddling into a wave and got called off from deep on the inside... I turned to see the reef nearly drain dry and Cheyne Horan pumping the sh!t out of this wave and come racing past us with a big reo... Stunned, we were even more stoked when he paddled back past and gave us a friendly G'day... about 6 of us 'groms' surfed with him for about an hour.

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GPA said...

I have a two part tale that also includes Watermans...

Back in '83 when I was studying for my TAE finals Perth got a freak swell - Trigg Point was going off at 5-6ft perfect rights... crew from both down south and over east were coming over. One of those that came over was Cheyne Horan when he was #2 in the world... It was even on the Ch9 news as some east coaster who was not familiar with the reef went left and got in a bit of trouble and had to be rescued...

The following day knowing that Trigg was beyond me, I headed out with two mates to first reef Watermans... was paddling into a wave and got called off from deep on the inside... I turned to see the reef nearly drain dry and Cheyne Horan pumping the sh!t out of this wave and come racing past us with a big reo... Stunned, we were even more stoked when he paddled back past and gave us a friendly G'day... about 6 of us 'groms' surfed with him for about an hour.

Faaark you are old GPA

Local was either brighton/Kay st or Nth Scarbs/Contacio. Best session(s) would have to be night surfing city beach in the early-mid 90's from midnight til the sun came up. Best uncrowded waves i have surfed metro with only me and few mates catching waves from infront of the groin to down past the clubbie rooms out of the light. Barrells off the groin then just long walls the rest of the way. Sooo good. Haven't seen it work like that in years....

Doggie and GPA, I am hearing you....have very fond memories of those days... before the Hillaries Marina stopped the natural sand flow and killed Watermans, Firsts, Seconds and Gravis!

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theWaterBoy said...

Doggie and GPA, I am hearing you....have very fond memories of those days... before the Hillaries Marina stopped the natural sand flow and killed Watermans, Firsts, Seconds and Gravis!

Watermans had some of the best waves back in the day, shame its rooted now

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doggie said...

GPA said...

I have a two part tale that also includes Watermans...

Faaark you are old GPA

Steady on doggie... I'm only 4.5yrs older than you... just happy to still be surfing at (nearly) 45yo... - as none of my mates are...

...and yes theWaterBoy... those days are gone. Mate still surfs 'Gravis' (we called it Grabbers) but 1st reef has never recovered... and there's not even a decent wind wave in the Bay anymore... unless you are a 12yo grommet.

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GPA said...

doggie said...

GPA said...

I have a two part tale that also includes Watermans...

Faaark you are old GPA

Steady on doggie... I'm only 4.5yrs older than you... just happy to still be surfing at (nearly) 45yo... - as none of my mates are...

...and yes theWaterBoy... those days are gone. Mate still surfs 'Gravis' (we called it Grabbers) but 1st reef has never recovered... and there's not even a decent wind wave in the Bay anymore... unless you are a 12yo grommet.

Funny how you get older and more and more of ya mates stop doing it, Im more passionate now than 10 years ago!!

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Tux said...

Geraldton Back Beach - Pipeline...when I was 15 head high lefts peeling like G-Land (or so I thought)

i remember those days there ...and of course the bloody southerly and the weed. what about separation point in the bay. The left was mechanical but now doesn't break at all.

all those spots, but seem to remember Mettams being really good and Toms, school bus use to go along West coast hway, so we got to check everywhere. Then it was home to convince the parent with the largest car to ferry us to wherever we saw the best peak, even had a board stashed at a mates in Cott just in case he reckoned it was cranking or "filth" as we used to say.

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GPA said...

I have a two part tale that also includes Watermans...

Back in '83 when I was studying for my TAE finals Perth got a freak swell - Trigg Point was going off at 5-6ft perfect rights... crew from both down south and over east were coming over. One of those that came over was Cheyne Horan when he was #2 in the world... It was even on the Ch9 news as some east coaster who was not familiar with the reef went left and got in a bit of trouble and had to be rescued...

The following day knowing that Trigg was beyond me, I headed out with two mates to first reef Watermans... was paddling into a wave and got called off from deep on the inside... I turned to see the reef nearly drain dry and Cheyne Horan pumping the sh!t out of this wave and come racing past us with a big reo... Stunned, we were even more stoked when he
paddled back past and gave us a friendly G'day... about 6 of us 'groms' surfed with him for about an hour.

We must be of the same vintage. If I remember right it was the first day of school in '83. I took the bus along WCHighway to school and everyone was going nuts. Got home after school and went out at the local - Toms. Us groms including future pro Matt Branson had to paddle out via the swimmers area at North Beach. Don't recall getting any waves and came in the same way.
Benton Moran wrote an article in Tracks about it called "the swell of doom".
Triggs point was absolutely going nuts. I hazard to think what was happening down south.
Would love to check some historical data and see what the swell was then. I think they ever only predicted small, medium, heavy type things so they properly didnt have an accurate bouy.

^^^
Yeah - I remember Matt Branson & Benton Moran (and if you named a few other high profile locals from that era I'd probably know of them also). Watched most of them in a 'legends' round at King of the Point comp a few years back..

In 1984? my olds went halves in one of matt bransons ex team boards from cordingly when the shop was where OB city is now? It was 5,4 thruster pretty radical for the times. Though if I look back now it was chunky compared to todays boards.

I remember heaps of epic surfs at city and floreat where i grew up as a grom. Waves breaking easy 30m directly behind the groin and running along to the club house.

We went on a school excursion to city beach(some art thing) and all the non believers from more northern beachies were gobsmacked. Winter swell was pushing sucky head high barrels on south side and only 4 or 5 local crew out.consistent to.

Best surf I remember(in perth) was a christmas day early and no one except me and two other local lads. was also in the 80;s i rekon. Decent barrels with sketch takeoffs in front of the groin. Does it even do that any more? was it just a case of grommititus thinking everything was "sick" Does any one remeber a big chrissie swell in the 80's?

im pretty sure metro waves used to be heaps better " ïn the old days"
Now I rarely bother. Or was it just because I was a super keen grom?

Yeah remember the local rippers the obvious that you mentioned, Brano, Moran. and others Matt Manners, Richard kelly ""Rk", Browny, Stuart Bedford Brown, Dave Lewis, Torryn Crocker, my fav Dave Mac ( still tearin it up ) just to name a few.

I remeber seeing Shane Horan around a few times and spinning out over his weird mcoy boards and trippy fins.

My sister ended up getting a mcoy board and even though it looked like a pig it went really well!

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captainkaos said...

Richard kelly ""Rk"

Sort-of mates with his brother as a grom (I think, maybe another Kelly family).

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captainkaos said...

Stuart Bedford Brown

Absolute dickhead from my local area.

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captainkaos said...

Dave Lewis

The shaper? Still regularly surfs City Beach.

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captainkaos said...

Torryn Crocker

Went to school with his brother, good bloke, sort-of mates.

The late eighties and 90's was different down my way, 4x4 to the surf through big dunes. Now there is a housing estate on top of those dunes and a carpark on the beach. Strange thing is this is the first year we have had decent banks for a few years.

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swalkington said...

The late eighties and 90's was different down my way, 4x4 to the surf through big dunes. Now there is a housing estate on top of those dunes and a carpark on the beach. Strange thing is this is the first year we have had decent banks for a few years.

Ahh - the 'now' southern version of crowded Trigg beach... I remember getting my '74 Torana bogged getting into that beach... (mates old FB holden made it through).

Last time I went there was mid week about 2yrs ago - and was still too many crew. For me, it's just as quick to Lano and a slightly better chance of getting a peak to yourself...

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swalkington said...

The late eighties and 90's was different down my way, 4x4 to the surf through big dunes. Now there is a housing estate on top of those dunes and a carpark on the beach. Strange thing is this is the first year we have had decent banks for a few years.

I know exactly where you are talking about and dido

Even though captain kaos will call bull$hit, Moore River mouth for me, up there every weekend as a grom and had some incredible waves. Picture perfect A frames up to 4ft or so, could backdoor it either way at it's best.
Until the Gingin shire started digging the mouth through on the south side and bingo no more banks, completely changed the ecology of the river too, no more prawn run, no mulloway run and increased siltation.

Why would I call bul$hit Mick? But thought it was a Secret

Nah I have good memories of that place and have surfed it bloody good with you coupla times .
Always bigger for you though being on your knees and all!


Good times up there doin the earlies as Groms. Also Taylor and herring lure sessions. Ah "back in the day"

Break through this year?

mintox dudes
all those names, breaks and blokes. remember surfing the reef at the point during king of the....long right handers right into comp area thought i was smokin it competitors prob thought i was smokin something else, moore river going off THE SPOT camping out to get the early only to be hassled by "locals" from victoria, missing an exam in yr 10 because Watermans 1st reef was too good to leave (only Art and prob got a better mark by not being there!) METS for SETS grommie memory or did it used ta get big, Toms was a mission jumping off the rock and best waves ever at Melros wen the camping ground and loose ladies were there...now every "lady" down mandurah way is loose...prams n uggies prooof!!

surfed a coupla times with torryn at Strickos, me him 6-8ft FILTH and amourous seals ....SCARY

Bent one Moran made the best board i probly had and sold it in France for enough money to get back to England and buy a pint ont the ferry

ahh glory days...was it better or does the memory play tricks

Memory probably does play tricks but who cares it's all about having fun ey! We used to have a shack north of lano and used to go there on long weekends to get away from the crowds down here. when i moved up that way in the mid 90's to start an apprenticeship myself and a mate went up there all the time. Really great beachies and a few outer reefs with no-one around. Loved it. haven't been back since the road was put in and moved home in 2002. what a place full of memories, any tell me what the crowds are like now the road has opened up? would love to get back up there during springtime.

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synsies1000 said...

Tux said...

Geraldton Back Beach - Pipeline...when I was 15 head high lefts peeling like G-Land (or so I thought)

i remember those days there ...and of course the bloody southerly and the weed. what about separation point in the bay. The left was mechanical but now doesn't break at all.

Yeah, when you could see white water out at African reef you knew there'd be waves at Seppo. What about across the bay at the point, used to get good there as well...that's where i had my best sessions, still remember seeing a couple of mates on their backhand get fully shacked for the first time there. To say they were stoked would be a understatement, they looked like this>

When the southerly came in jumped on the pushie and headed around to Explosives.

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thommo 000 said...

synsies1000 said...

Tux said...

Geraldton Back Beach - Pipeline...when I was 15 head high lefts peeling like G-Land (or so I thought)

i remember those days there ...and of course the bloody southerly and the weed. what about separation point in the bay. The left was mechanical but now doesn't break at all.

Explosives.

Now thats a fun wave!! surfed in 02 for the first time, like a mini Chopes

I had this place with mates cranked.
Its traditionally a left but the right used to spit n twist n fire when good.

There were so many 'all time sessions' as a grom.
Living where i did when i did crowds just werent an issue.
I had 2 beachies and 7 or so reef breaks within a walk/bike ride
It was the best place to have a childhood so many good memories and surfing really defined who we were.

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doggie said...

GPA said...

I have a two part tale that also includes Watermans...

Back in '83 when I was studying for my TAE finals Perth got a freak swell - Trigg Point was going off at 5-6ft perfect rights... crew from both down south and over east were coming over. One of those that came over was Cheyne Horan when he was #2 in the world... It was even on the Ch9 news as some east coaster who was not familiar with the reef went left and got in a bit of trouble and had to be rescued...

The following day knowing that Trigg was beyond me, I headed out with two mates to first reef Watermans... was paddling into a wave and got called off from deep on the inside... I turned to see the reef nearly drain dry and Cheyne Horan pumping the sh!t out of this wave and come racing past us with a big reo... Stunned, we were even more stoked when he paddled back past and gave us a friendly G'day... about 6 of us 'groms' surfed with him for about an hour.

Faaark you are old GPA

No he's not

How good did Watermans use to get
I learnt to surf there and Mullaloo, despite living in Karrinyup (basically where ever the folks would take us in the car) before we started venturing to the Trigg Point on the pushies.
By 78-9 most of my weekends were spent down South camping at Injy (yep I was driving).

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poor relative said...

I had this place with mates cranked.
Its traditionally a left but the right used to spit n twist n fire when good.

Is that your crop in the foreground?

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tightlines said...

doggie said...

GPA said...

I have a two part tale that also includes Watermans...

Back in '83 when I was studying for my TAE finals Perth got a freak swell - Trigg Point was going off at 5-6ft perfect rights... crew from both down south and over east were coming over. One of those that came over was Cheyne Horan when he was #2 in the world... It was even on the Ch9 news as some east coaster who was not familiar with the reef went left and got in a bit of trouble and had to be rescued...

The following day knowing that Trigg was beyond me, I headed out with two mates to first reef Watermans... was paddling into a wave and got called off from deep on the inside... I turned to see the reef nearly drain dry and Cheyne Horan pumping the sh!t out of this wave and come racing past us with a big reo... Stunned, we were even more stoked when he paddled back past and gave us a friendly G'day... about 6 of us 'groms' surfed with him for about an hour.

Faaark you are old GPA

No he's not


By 78-9 most of my weekends were spent down South camping at Injy (yep I was driving).

Yep you are right TL you are

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Legion said...

Is that your crop in the foreground?

Welsh tomatos mate