8th May - 2025
I received this photo from Peter Townend this week, PT is making his first ever, surf related, visit to Peru. He said Apple (he always has called me Apple). I've got someone here in Peru that wants to say G'day to you.
The guy standing with PT in Peru is Californian, Bob Newland. When I was working at Peter Clarke Surfboards in our new northside factory in Brookvale in 1968. Keith Paull and Glynn Ritchie were our shapers, Ross Longbottom was part of our production team and I was gloss coater & pinliner. Bob Newland was our glasser.
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(left) Bob 'The Yank' Newland and (right) former
World Surfing Champion, Peter 'PT' Townend in Peru. |
Bob left his home in Ventura, California as a 17-year-old in 1967. He sailed the 7,500 miles (12,000 kms) onboard the P&O ocean liner SS Orsova to Sydney. When he landed in Sydney he had $90.00 in his back pocket and a Visitor's Visa, good for 90-days.
He got his first job at Scott Dillon Surfboards in Brookvale fixing dings and other odd jobs around the factory. Bob said he was drawn to Australian in particular by the style and abilities of Cronulla surfer, the late Bobby Brown.
Bob moved north and formed part of the initial wave of the super early 'American Invasion' of surfers into a slumbersome Byron Bay. To them, California was getting too crazy and too crowded. Or they were trying to escape conscription into the Vietnam War.
In the early '70s in Byron Bay, Bob worked at San Juan Surfboards with founder Ken Adler and Dick Hoole. In 1971, "after a falling out with the new management at San Juan," Bob started Bare Nature Surfboards on his farm outside of Byron, assisted by Bob Rasby.
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The classic downhome Bare Nature Surf Shop
in Byron Bay in the 1970s. |
Newland then started a partnership with Roy Meisel, an "old and still best friend" who had also recently arrived from the US, and the business then moved into the Bay
Subsequently, Roy Meisel purchased Bare Nature Surfboards outright, however, "before he closed the doors, someone stole the name and registered the trademark for it". Roy, very laid back, couldn't be bothered defending my original name which he owned, (and which) I was ready to buy back from him.
Bob Newland then spent some time working for Warren Cornish Surfboards, before starting up Surf Aids in 1973. In the early seventies, Surf Aids was a pioneering company in researching the undeveloped mechanics and science of leg ropes & advanced protective surfboard covers. Bob sold Surf Aids in 1981.
Five years ago Bob sold up in California and moved to the Hawaiian Islands. These days Bob lives on the 'big island' of Hawaii. Over on the windward side in Honokaa. It's peaceful, green and is old school Hawaii. It has plenty of old traditional houses and buildings. Sounds a lot like he's found his new Byron Bay, just fifty years later in 2025.
Link to story about Glynn Ritchie and Peter Clarke's Surfboards northside factory where Bob glassed surfboards in 1968: CLICK HERE
