In 1979 surfer Shaun Summer from Durban South Africa flew into Perth and worked around Perth before heading down the coast. Down South he teamed up with Margaret River surfer Gary Gibbon and his brother John from Queensland and headed up north chasing waves & work.
These are Shaun’s memories of his 1979 WA surf trip.
I am originally from Durban, South Africa. I also studied Teaching and taught for a bit, but always kept travelling and ended up basing myself on the island of Maui. I have been living in Hawaii since 1982 but have continued travelling my whole life. I became a Ships Engineer, and for the last 25 years have sailed far and wide.
I was reminiscing and looking at a few videos of Kalbarri, and suddenly remembered it was Gary Gibbon from Margaret River who took me there! I did a search and was so amazed to find this SDS site and pics, and news of Gary Gibbon! I met Gary in Sri Lanka (Ceylon) in 1979 surfing at a surf spot called Hikkaduwa and was on my way to WA after the Monsoon season finally arrived. He was headed to Queensland to visit family and get his brother John and asked me if I wanted to meet him at Margarets in a few months and go up the coast to Red Bluff. I worked a bit in Perth fixing boats and then found work around Margaret’s fixing boards (I lived in a shack with Pete Natriss (Balin leashes) close to Injidup car park, sacking potatoes and doing some construction work at Gracetown. Finally, Gary showed up and we went on such a lifetime memory trip to Red Bluff and even further North, looking for work in Port Headland or Broome. (I cannot remember), but there were lots of dead kangaroos on the side of the road on the way up there! It was such good fortune to meet Gary and I send the best regards to him and his brother and am always grateful for what he showed me.
It was so amazing to see pics of Gary and John again!
2023 Hawaii I snapped my old 7’ 10” Minami Surfboard today. Had a good paddle in on the tail block!
Apologies if the following pics are a bit amateurish and to anyone in the pics, since I have not askedanyone permission to post, but it is over 40 years ago!Some of the better pics, I am sure were given to me by Gary Gibbon.
South West
1979 Margarets Main Break. Photo Gary Gibbon.1979 Shaun chilled after Margarets surf.1979 Fun South Pt. Cowaramup.This is a lady called Bom hanging ten on her deck. She kindly rented me a room at Gracetown in 79.1979 South Point Gracetown.1979 South Point Gracetown. Cowaramup1979 South Pt. Cowaramup.1979 Tony’s spud farm. We were sacking potatoes as fast as the tractor could harvest. Pretty crazy work. Ross eating, Charlie with beanie. Steve a knee boarder with the beard. Lunch was about 5 minutes.Tony‘s tractor with Steve waving behind.
1979 Just arrived at Red Bluff. Gary checking it out.1979 View of Red Bluff from above.1979 Bluff peeling and boards scattered. John Gibbon watching.1979 Red Bluff Gary and John Gibbon. John had fallen at the keyhole and got multiple urchins in his foot.1979 Red Bluff low tide.1979 Gary Gibbon entering the keyhole at the Bluff.1979 Unknown surfer with a single fin I got given. Firing Red Bluff in the background.
East Coast
Afterward the trip up North I got a ride across the country West to East.I travelled with Jeff and Craig from Victoria. We stopped at Cactus Beach at Penong for a bit. We met the famous Paul Witzig fishing off the cliffs there! Skylab fell on the Nullarbor around that time. WA was called the state of excitement!
1979 Surfers I went across Oz with Jeff and Craig from Victoria.
In 1979 surfer Shaun Summer from Durban South Africa flew into Perth and worked around Perth before heading down the coast. Down South he teamed up with Margaret River surfer Gary Gibbon and his brother John from Queensland and headed up north chasing waves & work.
These are Shaun’s memories of his 1979 WA surf trip.
I am originally from Durban, South Africa. I also studied Teaching and taught for a bit, but always kept travelling and ended up basing myself on the island of Maui. I have been living in Hawaii since 1982 but have continued travelling my whole life. I became a Ships Engineer, and for the last 25 years have sailed far and wide.
I was reminiscing and looking at a few videos of Kalbarri, and suddenly remembered it was Gary Gibbon from Margaret River who took me there! I did a search and was so amazed to find this SDS site and pics, and news of Gary Gibbon! I met Gary in Sri Lanka (Ceylon) in 1979 surfing at a surf spot called Hikkaduwa and was on my way to WA after the Monsoon season finally arrived. He was headed to Queensland to visit family and get his brother John and asked me if I wanted to meet him at Margarets in a few months and go up the coast to Red Bluff. I worked a bit in Perth fixing boats and then found work around Margaret’s fixing boards (I lived in a shack with Pete Natriss (Balin leashes) close to Injidup car park, sacking potatoes and doing some construction work at Gracetown. Finally, Gary showed up and we went on such a lifetime memory trip to Red Bluff and even further North, looking for work in Port Headland or Broome. (I cannot remember), but there were lots of dead kangaroos on the side of the road on the way up there! It was such good fortune to meet Gary and I send the best regards to him and his brother and am always grateful for what he showed me.
It was so amazing to see pics of Gary and John again!
Apologies if the following pics are a bit amateurish and to anyone in the pics, since I have not asked anyone permission to post, but it is over 40 years ago! Some of the better pics, I am sure were given to me by Gary Gibbon.
South West
Mid West
North West
East Coast
Afterward the trip up North I got a ride across the country West to East. I travelled with Jeff and Craig from Victoria. We stopped at Cactus Beach at Penong for a bit. We met the famous Paul Witzig fishing off the cliffs there! Skylab fell on the Nullarbor around that time. WA was called the state of excitement!
I love WA the most!
Thanks for sharing your WA surf trip story Shaun.
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