In 1976 young surfer Lou Corkill worked as a deck hand on Graeme Pateman’s fishing boat Contessa out of Hamelin Bay. Lou lived in a farm house for $10 a week at Karridale with another deck hand Graham Roscoe.
Skipper Graeme Pateman moved from Mandurah to Augusta to continue fishing in mid 70s. More recently Graham did shark research for the State Government after a spate of shark attacks in the south west.
These are Louie’s recollections.
I knew Graeme Pateman back in Mandurah, he was a cray fisherman on his other boat ‘Trimmer Wheel’. When he moved to Augusta I joined Graeme on the Contessa.
We fished for crays, shark, tuna & scale fish.
1976 Refit of Contessa at Fremantle Yacht Club. Graeme Pateman pics Left: Louie with shipwright building new wheel house on Contessa. Right: Relaunching Contessa after refit.1976 Lou fishing on Contessa. Graeme Pateman pics. Left: Lou with big Kingie at Boranup. Right: Lou working in salt bin.1976 Lou fishing on Contessa. Graeme Pateman pics Left: Lou in fashion shades Right: Lou catching herring for cray bait with Mark Atkinson and Graham Roscoe. Hamelin Island in the background.1976 Lou fishing on Contessa. Graeme Pateman pics Left: Lou diving for snagged pots with Graham Rosco and Mark Atkinson at Deep Dene. Right: Lou onboard Contessa.1976 Lou fishing on Contessa. Graeme Pateman pics. Left: Louie and Graham Rosco setting pots at the back of Hamelin Island. Right: Lou dhuie fishing Hamelin Bay.
night fishing on Contessa.
1976 Lou fishing on Contessa. Graeme Pateman pics. Left: Lou going dhuie fishing with Graham Rosco and Mark Atkinson. Right: Lou
I surfed off the boat at Hamelin Bay, Deep Dene, Conti and Boranup. I also surfed some unnamed surf spots between Conti and Marg’s.
At other times Skipper Graeme dropped me off the cray boat and I paddled into waves at Cow Bombie & Margaret River Bombie.You can only paddle into the bombies when the swell is 10ft plus.
During this time I also surfed ‘A’ frames at Boranup Beach with WA surf legends Terry Jacks, Terry James and Jeffery ‘Re’ Marshall.
1990s Boranup beach ‘A’ frames. Pics by Jeff ‘Re’ Marshall and Terry James. Hamelin Island can be seen on the left in Re’s pic.2003 Boranup beach ‘A’ frames. Pics by Jeff ‘Re’ Marshall.
US ex patriot Leon Thomasian was the lighthouse keeper on the Cape Leeuwin lighthouse at Augusta. Our boat crew used to hang with Leon at the light house and listen to him jam on his guitar.
Coming soon a SDS story on Leon ‘Lighthouse Keeper’ Thomasian.
1976 Lou and Leon in the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse at Augusta. Graeme Pateman pic.
After finishing fishing I headed back up north surfing at Red Bluff with Billy Gibson and then started fishing at Port Samson. I ended up working at Argyle diamond mine and Leinster nickel mine.
In 1976 young surfer Lou Corkill worked as a deck hand on Graeme Pateman’s fishing boat Contessa out of Hamelin Bay. Lou lived in a farm house for $10 a week at Karridale with another deck hand Graham Roscoe.
Skipper Graeme Pateman moved from Mandurah to Augusta to continue fishing in mid 70s. More recently Graham did shark research for the State Government after a spate of shark attacks in the south west.
These are Louie’s recollections.
I knew Graeme Pateman back in Mandurah, he was a cray fisherman on his other boat ‘Trimmer Wheel’. When he moved to Augusta I joined Graeme on the Contessa.
We fished for crays, shark, tuna & scale fish.
Left: Louie with shipwright building new wheel house on Contessa. Right: Relaunching Contessa after refit.
Left: Lou with big Kingie at Boranup. Right: Lou working in salt bin.
Left: Lou in fashion shades Right: Lou catching herring for cray bait with Mark Atkinson and Graham Roscoe. Hamelin Island in the background.
Left: Lou diving for snagged pots with Graham Rosco and Mark Atkinson at Deep Dene. Right: Lou onboard Contessa.
Left: Louie and Graham Rosco setting pots at the back of Hamelin Island. Right: Lou dhuie fishing Hamelin Bay.
night fishing on Contessa.
Left: Lou going dhuie fishing with Graham Rosco and Mark Atkinson. Right: Lou
I surfed off the boat at Hamelin Bay, Deep Dene, Conti and Boranup. I also surfed some unnamed surf spots between Conti and Marg’s.
At other times Skipper Graeme dropped me off the cray boat and I paddled into waves at Cow Bombie & Margaret River Bombie. You can only paddle into the bombies when the swell is 10ft plus.
During this time I also surfed ‘A’ frames at Boranup Beach with WA surf legends Terry Jacks, Terry James and Jeffery ‘Re’ Marshall.
Hamelin Island can be seen on the left in Re’s pic.
US ex patriot Leon Thomasian was the lighthouse keeper on the Cape Leeuwin lighthouse at Augusta. Our boat crew used to hang with Leon at the light house and listen to him jam on his guitar.
Coming soon a SDS story on Leon ‘Lighthouse Keeper’ Thomasian.
After finishing fishing I headed back up north surfing at Red Bluff with Billy Gibson and then started fishing at Port Samson. I ended up working at Argyle diamond mine and Leinster nickel mine.
Thanks Lou, for sharing your Contessa adventures.
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