PT - Fishing at Joe's in North Cronulla

13th June - 2025

Yesterday on Facebook, Cronulla Surf Museum posted my 1997 photo of PT standing at what then was the end of the Kingsway in North Cronulla (The Alley), at old Joes Milk Bar in North Cronulla.

The photo, which is now 48-years old and has pulled in an amazing 336 'Likes' in just 24-hours!

Holy guacamole.

Gordon Woods Surf Shop - Cronulla 1969

11th June - 2025

I remember it well, the Gordon Woods Surfboards Surf Shop in Cronulla. It was located in the Beach Park Arcade, directly opposite the Cronulla Railway Station.

It was run by the larger than life, TV Sports Commentator, the late Darryl Eastlake. Back in the late '60s, big Darryl was the first person to ever do a specialised 'southside' surf report on Sydney radio.

*Ad from Surfing World Magazine c.1969.

Cronulla surf conditions rarely got mentioned by the early surf reporters. Cronulla was then considered an 'end-of-the-line' beach and didn't rate up there with the more glamorous and highly famed Bondi and Manly beaches.

Darryl installed a direct 'landline' connected to the shop so that he could do his surf reports over the uninterrupted link to Sydney AM radio station 2UE, where Surfing World magazine founder and editor, the late Bob Evans, would host the main surf report.

Then when Darryl left, another assertive Cronulla surf personality took over the reins of the Gordon Woods shop. It was Wes King. Wes was president of the strong Eastern States Boardriders Club who were, in those days, based mainly at Cronulla Point.



Thanks for the SW image to Darryl Von Weirdo:
https://www.instagram.com/seagypsiesoftasmania

Third in the World with White Stag wetsuits

Thursday 4th June - 2025

Dale Matheson my Tassie mate that owns and runs the Scamander Beach Surf Shop in Scamander, Tasmania sent me this ad shot today. It was taken from Tracks Magazine. Issue No.26. Cover date: December 1972.

It's not only a shout out to my old mate, former World Champ, Peter Townend, but more importantly, a shout out to one of Australia's original surfing wetsuit manufacturers; White Stag. A brand that was actually put together right here in The Shire, in Taren Point.

This strongly reinforces the deep heritage value of surfing in the Sutherland Shire. Check the 'White Stag' street address, they were stitching and gluing neoprene at 6 Bay Road, in Taren Point. The exact same street where we had the Peter Clarke Surfboard factory which was located at 53 Bay Road in the '60s and '70s.

PT proudly displaying his 'third in the world' trophies

from Ocean Beach Pier in San Diego, California. 1972

Also sporting his 'White Stag' rolled seams, long john wetsuit.

My own, very first surfing wetsuit back in 1964 was a 'White Stag' long-sleeve Spring suit with a classic 'beavertail' flap. 'White Stag' was a strong surfing brand around the early '60s surfing scene long before Rip Curl was even invented.

Initially they were a household name with the underwater diving enthusiasts, but they ventured a strong crossover into surfing by offering some colourful fusion into their imaging and branding.

I remember 1966 World Champion, Nat Young wearing White Stag wetsuits for a time as well. Also the world famous skin diving couple, photographers Ron and Valerie Taylor were captured wearing White Stag neoprene at all the world's leading dive locations.

This Tracks ad was celebrating the fact that Peter Townend came 3rd in World Surfing Titles held alongside the Ocean Beach Pier, in San Diego, California in 1972. An amazing 53-years ago!