Indo Surfing 97

1994 to 1999 was an exciting time in Queensland surfing, with a lot of big swells and emerging talent who would later go on to greater things.

The Coastwatch cameras captured the action on a weekly basis, resulting in a video vault full of the history of that era. Rather than let them gather dust on a shelf, we post them up here on the Coastwatch web site, for those interested in the recent history of surfing.

This week the search for waves for the 97 Billabong Challenge

97 G Land Pro

1994 to 1999 was an exciting time in Queensland surfing, with a lot of big swells and emerging talent who would later go on to greater things.

The Coastwatch cameras captured the action on a weekly basis, resulting in a video vault full of the history of that era.

Rather than let them gather dust on a shelf, we post them up here on the Coastwatch web site, for those interested in the recent history of surfing. This week the 97 G Land Pro.

Brenden Margieson - 1997

1994 to 1999 was an exciting time in Queensland surfing, with a lot of big swells and emerging talent who would later go on to greater things.

The Coastwatch cameras captured the action on a weekly basis, resulting in a video vault full of the history of that era. Rather than let them gather dust on a shelf, we post them up here on the Coastwatch web site, for those interested in the recent history of surfing.

This week, Brenden Margieson-1997.

Surfin' is fun

1994 to 1999 was an exciting time in Queensland surfing, with a lot of big swells and emerging talent who would later go on to greater things.

The Coastwatch cameras captured the action on a weekly basis, resulting in a video vault full of the history of that era. Rather than let them gather dust on a shelf, we post them up here on the Coastwatch web site, for those interested in the recent history of surfing.

This week, a little clip shot in 96 called “Surfin is fun”.

Coastwatch highlights of 95

1994 to 1999 was an exciting time in Queensland surfing, with a lot of big swells and emerging talent, of which many would later go on to greater things.

The Coastwatch cameras captured the action on a weekly basis, resulting in a video vault full of the history of that era. Rather than let them gather dust on a shelf, we post them up here on the Coastwatch web site, for those interested in the recent history of surfing.

This week, we have a look at the highlights of 1995.

Coastwatch highlights of 94

1994 to 1999 was an exciting time in Queensland surfing, with a lot of big swells and emerging talent, of which many would later go on to greater things.

The Coastwatch cameras captured the action on a weekly basis, resulting in a video vault full of the history of that era.

Rather than let them gather dust on a shelf, we post them up here on the Coastwatch web site for those interested in the recent history of surfing. This week, we have a look at the highlights of 1994.

Bryan Weir - 1995

This video was shot in 1995 and features Bryan Weir, who has lived all his life on the Sunshine Coast and runs the Inside Edge Surf Shop at Cotton Tree.

He has been a really good surfer for 40 years, but is never one to brag or strut and is without a doubt one of the nicest people in surfing.

Bryan Weir is an oasis of calm and aloha spirit in the sea of madness that has become the Sunshine Coast, and a true water man.

Russell Specht - 1996

This video was shot in 1996 and features Russell Specht, a classic surfer and waterman who grew up surfing the powerful waves at North Stradbroke Island.

Despite his laid back attitude, “Speccy” has earnt respect and gets it wherever he surfs. He held his own with the best of his time, but turned his back on pro surfing and lives a quiet life on Straddie working as a chippy and surfing when the waves are good ... and isn’t that what life should be all about.

Wayne Deane - 1994

This video was shot in 1994 and features Wayne Deane, who for the past 40 years has been tearing apart the classic point breaks at the southern end of the Gold Coast.

Anyone who grew up in that area has respect for this consummate water man. He didn’t head into pro surfing, instead he stayed true to his culture and lived the classic Gold Coast locals life, with a mixture of work, family, friends and surfing every chance he got.

Good news is … he’s still doing it.

Mick Fanning at 16

This video was shot in 1997 and featured sixteen year old Coolangatta surfer Mick Fanning.

It was obvious back then that Mick not only had heaps of natural talent, but a burning desire to be the best in the world, which he achieved in 2007 when he was world champion on the ASP World Tour.

Despite travelling the world and being world champion Mick is still pretty much the same as when he kicked off, a stoked Coolie boy who loves his surfing.

Kangaroo Island

This video was shot for Brownies Coastwatch in June 98, just before the South Australian leg of the Billabong Junior Series.

Sydney surfer Christo Hall and Dave Rastovich from the Gold Coast had a few days to spare and headed off to Kangaroo Island off Cape Jervis hunting waves.

They took Coastwatch cameraman John “Gordo” Gordon along for the trip and he filmed the boys enjoying the local hospitality and waves. Kangaroo Island is a beautiful place, but it does get cold in winter.

Parko at 13

This video was shot for Brownies Coastwatch in December 94 and featured 13 year old Sunshine Coast surfer Joel Parkinson.

Joel started surfing when he was 3, so he already had 10 years experience when the story was done and it was pretty obvious back then, that he was going to be something special.

He already had the cool approach to his surfing and his attitude was that he surfed because he loved it. Nothing has changed, except Parko has got bigger and stronger and surfs way better.

98 Billabong Junior Series

This video was shot in March 1998 and features Joel Parkinson, Mick Fanning and Dean Morrison in the final held in average to good Burleigh waves.

When you look at this video, you can see how good these guys were when they were young and the promise they held for the future.

Today they are three of the finest surfers on the planet. Mick was world champion in 2007 and Joel looks like being taking the title this year. Go the Coolangatta boys!

96 Billabong Pro

1994 to 1999 was an exciting time in Queensland surfing, with lots of big swells and emerging talent.

The Coastwatch cameras captured the action on a weekly basis and this has left a video vault full of the history of that era.

This week, John Charlton’s report on the 96 Billabong Pro

97 Billabong Pro

1994 to 1999 was an exciting time in Queensland surfing, with lots of big swells and emerging talent.

The Coastwatch cameras captured the action on a weekly basis and this has left a video vault full of the history of that era.

This week, John Charlton’s report on the 97 Billabong Pro.

Classic Kirra

In the past few years the sand pumping to try to stabilise the Tweed Bar has literally covered the once classic surf break at Kirra Point with sand and surfers and other interested people are now pushing to restore the quality waves that made Kirra world famous. www.kirrapoint.org

If you need to be reminded of what we've lost, this video of the final day of the 94 Kirra Pro from the Brownie's Coastwatch Vault featuring classic  tube rides from Tom Carroll, Munga Barry and Donavan Frankenreiter should do it!

Outside Tweed bar

Shot on the 9th June 1994 this video  features Big Bruce Lee and his mates (well one less mate after Bruce smoked him) carving up the lefts that break outside the Tweed Bar when the sand is right and the swell big enough.

This place is not for the faint hearted and can be only surfed with a great deal of stamina, local knowlkedge and with safety in mind. 

On the ebb tide there is a bad rip running seaward as the rives drains out though the narrow mouth between the rock walls. 

Cyclone Violet

In March 1995, the first cyclone swell of the year hit the southern Queensland beaches. It wasn’t huge and didn’t last long, but it did provide one good day at Kirra.

John Charlton and the Coastwatch camera crews captured the action and it’s once again a sad reminder of what we’ve lost since Kirra has been “drowned” by sand pumped there from the Tweed Bypass system.

Check the big wave at Burleigh ridden by Tony “Doris” Elthrington, the locals talked about that one for a while.

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Cyclone Beti

This video from the Brownies Coastwatch Vault captures another moment in Qld surfing history.

In early April 1996 TC Beti created a big swell along the southern Qld coast.

It was two years before tow-in surfing started and people still talk about Thorton Fallander paddling in to the big drops wide of Currumbin Alley on that swell … and many in the life saving community still mourn the passing of young boat rower Robert Gatenby.

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97 XXXX Sunshine Pro

The 1997 XXXX Sunshine Pro at Point Cartwright on the Sunshine Coast in late January 97 has an important place in Queensland surfing history.
 
It was Occy’s first contest win in 7 years and the beginning of his amazing comeback that culminated in him becoming world champion in 99.

The other finalists were Taj Burrow, Beau Emerton and Dan Wills and they surfed well, but everybody who was there knew they were seeing the beginning of something special from Occy.
 
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Biggest Wednesday

On Wednesday January 28 1998 Australian surf film maker Tim Bonython filmed Aussie big wave riders Ross Clarke-Jones and Tony Ray surfing huge waves at Jaws off Maui.

Coastwatch surf reporter John Charlton caught up with Ross when he returned to Aus and scored a first hand account of the day and a horrendous wipe out when he and Tony were overtaken and engulfed by a massive wave.

Tim Bonython’s video of that day is called Biggest Wednesday and is one of the most popular surf videos ever produced.
 
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98 Kirra Pro D'Bah warm ups

This story from the Brownies Coastwatch Vault was shot in March 1998 in the week leading up to the Kirra Pro.

Over the previous few years, the pre contest warm up sessions at Duranbah had become an event within the event and crowds would come to watch the world’s best rip into powerful Dbah peaks in free surfing sessions that were often much hotter than the contest itself.

This 98 warm up session was one of the hottest and features Kelly Slater, Occy, Kalani Robb and John Shimooka.

Big Wednesday

This video from the Brownies Coastwatch Vault captures the birth of tow-in surfing in Qld.

On Wednesday 25th March 1998 a really big swell was pounding the coast and a huge crowd gathered to watch Kelly Slater, Tom Curren, Dwayne Thuys and Dave Simons use jet skis to tow one another into the massive waves breaking outside Snapper Rocks and Rainbow Bay.

Since then, tow-in surfing in big swells has become quite common, but on that day, seeing it for the first time was a mind blower.

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Big Tuesday

February 23 1999 was a memorable day. Big powerful swells were pushing onto the southern Qld coast as the remnants of TC Frank moved slowly south.

This story by John Charlton from the Brownies Coastwatch Vault, features Joel Parkinson’s double overhead stand up tube at D’bah, one of the biggest and best waves ever filmed there and footage of Sasha Stocker at Deadmans at Mooloolaba.

Big Monday

Darren Handley will never forget Monday 24th May 1999. In a huge swell, he was wiped out on a jet ski wide of Point Danger.

As he swam for his life, word spread and crowds gathered to watch his plight. He was eventually rescued by Shane Bevan on another jet ski. This John Charlton story from the Brownies Coastwatch Vault records this memorable moment in Qld surfing history.

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64 World Titles rematch

Shot at the 1999 Noosa Surfing festival, for a bit of fun and aloha spirit the five surviving finalists of the 1964 World Surfing Titles got back in the water to show they still have what it takes.

These guys are proof that surfing keeps you young.

Joey Cabell turned 70 in December 08 and he and Mike Doyle and LJ Richards still go surfing, sailing, paddling, diving and snowboarding.  Midget and Mick Dooley live and surf on Sydney’s northern beaches.
 
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"Rabbit"

Wayne “Rabbit” Bartholomew is one the outstanding surfers of the modern era.

From a tearaway young Gold Coast grommet in the mid 70’s to World Champion in 78 was quite a journey, and it’s chronicled in his book released in 1996 called “Bustin down the door”, which is now a movie.

In 1999 “Bugs” became President of the Association of Surfing Professionals, a position he still holds today. Given what he has achieved and put back into surfing, it’s no surprise his efforts have been acknowledged in the Australia Day Honours
 
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WA Super Session

This video was shot by Coastwatch cameraman John “Gordo” Gordon just before the WA leg of the 97 Billabong Junior Series.

The location is a vicious beach break local surfer Taj Burrow took Jake Patterson, Brendan Margieson and Maurice Cole to, so they could taste a bit of WA power and indulge themselves in a free surfing super session sans crowds and contest hype.

It’s good surfing in nasty waves and showcases some of the best young surfing talent of the time.
 
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99 Billabong Junior Series

This video was shot in February 1999 at the Burleigh leg of the Billabong Junior Series.

The final had good waves and three Queenslanders in it, Joel Parkinson, Dave Rastovich and Steve Simpson. In the style of Rabbit and MP shooting it out tube for tube at Burleigh in the 77 Stubbies contest, Rasta and Joel went at it, trading disappearing acts.

The lead changed hands many times until in the death Rasta got a beauty and won the event.

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South Straddie

This video was shot in July 1998 with a hot crew from North End Boardriders carving up what was then, the powerful new surf break created at South Straddie by the sand pumped from the Seaway bypass.

These days, Scott Wilden is a lifeguard on the Gold Coast, Shannon Pollard lives on the Goldy and has a Berri Fruit Juice franchise, Will Lewis is landscaping on the Sunshine Coast and Heath Walker lives in San Diego and works for Reef Clothing.

 All are still surfing.

Hot doggin' at Maroochydore

This story from the Brownies Coastwatch Vault was shot in December 1996.

It’s about a border collie called Max and his human Bryan Weir from Inside Edge surf shop at Cotton Tree. Max loved the beach and surfing with Bryan.

He was 2 years old when this was shot and he kept surfing for another ten years. Sadly he went to doggy heaven in December 07, but when he was around, there was no surfer in the line up at Maroochydore more stoked than Max.

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Jason Blewitt

Jason Blewitt won a hat-trick of Australian long board titles in the late '90s. This profile of him was shot in March 1995, just after the first one.

His style and grace in the water reflects his laid back personality and his control on the nose puts his long board surfing in a class of its own.

Jason gave away competitive surfing some time ago and these days lives between Byron and the Gold Coast, free surfing and testing boards for Feral Dave at Diverse Surfboards at Tugun.

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Choice tubes

This video from the Brownies Coastwatch Vault is a flashback to some choice tube rides from 1999.

The unridden spitter is somewhere remote in WA. The rest are at D'Bah.  The first one is Kelly Slater, the second Richard Coulsen or “Richie Tube” as he is known and the last one by then visiting Hawaiian John Shimooka.

“Shmooks” liked it here and settled in Cronulla, Slater is still being Slater and surfing unreal and Richie Tube can still be seen lurking in D’Bah barrels by those who look deep enough.

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Burleigh barrels

This video is nothing but a bit of fun. Just hot young surfers playing in classic Burleigh barrels.

The footage is from Brownie's Coastwatch vault and was shot at the Billabong Junior Series in March 97.

Hope you enjoy the surfing vids, next week Joel Parkinson talks us through his famous double overhead stand up tube at D’Bah.

D'bah mates session

On September 28 1995 the waves were pretty good at D’bah and the Coastwatch crew had arranged to meet body boarder Paul Barnard there to shoot a story on him.

Occy, Rabbit and Bruce Lee turned up and next thing, a full blown mates session was on the go. Four hot surfers all pushing each other that bit further.

We ended up with two stories that day. This one is one here because it’s what surfing is really all about … having a blast with your mates!