This is another wonderful trip down memory lane thanks to WA surfer/surfing industry pioneer the late Brian ‘Coley’ Cole 1940-2021.
In 2015 Brian documented his surf travels in an article titled Life of Brian in White Horses Magazine Issue 12.
2015 Header ‘Life of Brian’ story White Horses magazine Issue 12.
This is an extract of Brian’s White Horses story relating to his overseas surf trip 1963. It follows on from his East Coast surf trip 1959-61 (see web link below).
I got the travel bug again and in 1963 headed to Europe on a ship with WA surfing mates Barry ‘Joe’ King and Bob Keenan. We parted company while hitchhiking through Europe but joined up again in England where they had purchased a VW Kombi. We toured Spain, Portugal and Morocco and checked beaches before returning to France. In France we met a fellow from Barlon Surfboards. He allowed us to make boards for ourselves in his factory and we showed him how to improve his glassing techniques. He bought the boards off us when we left Europe.
While in Biarritz we met (US film star) Deborah Kerr’s husband, Peter Viertel, who was the original surfer in Biarritz. We become good friends and mixed socially. At the time Peter was a scriptwriter for a US film on bull fighting, and we helped teach the bull fighters how to surf.
The French held an International De France Surf competition at Biarritz, and we were invited to compete against surfers from Australia, France, Hawaii and the USA. Australia’s Peter Troy won the event. I came fifth in the final. I stayed on in Biarritz for a while with Peter Troy.
1963 France Cote de BasqueVW Kombi & boys on wall.Brian Cole pic.1963 France La Barre wave line-up. Brian Cole pic.1963 France Biarittz Beach top French junior surfer John Marie Lartigau. Brian Cole pic.1963 France La Barre with the mob on the beach. Brian Cole pic.1963 France Biarritz International Competition competitors Brian Cole AUS & Hawaiian Jan W Lee. Brian Cole pic.1963 France Biarritz International Competition 5th place-getter Brian Cole AUS. Brian Cole pic.1963 France Biarritz International Surf Comp newspaper report. Image courtesy of Brian Cole.
From France I caught a Yugoslavia tramp steamer to the USA. The ship was relatively small (6,500 tonne) and was tossed around the Atlantic in a hurricane. The ship docked in New York and I travelled across the US in a Volkswagon sedan with a fellow I met on the ship. His VW had shipped from France as deck cargo and was badly salt damaged on the journey.
On the US West Coast I joined up with Bruce Shooper, a wealthy American surfer I met in France. We spent a week in Los Angeles driving around in his new Porsche and then he showed me the coastline up to Santa Barbara. Bruce knew Miki Dora and we shared a six-pack of beer with Miki on Malibu beach. The surf was crap at Malibu Point, and there were 100 surfers in the water.
Next I travelled down the coast to San Clemente and stayed with guys from Hobie Alter Surfboards. I was astounded to discover Hobie was making 150 boards a week, as that was considerably more than any Australian board builder at the time. While there I met Jon Severson, the editor of The Surfer Magazine, and film maker Bruce Brown. I told Bruce to contact Cordingley Surfboards when filming for Endless Summer in WA. I was happy to hear later that the Cordingley boys showed him around WA. Unfortunately, the surf was poor while Bruce was filming in Australia.
I left the US West Coast, flew to Hawaii and stayed at Velzyland on the North Shore in an old military hut I shared with boys from Seal Beach California. For six weeks I toured the North Shore stretch and mainly surfed Haleiwa. Banzi Pipeline didn’t agree with 10-foot Malibus.
At the time, surfer Bob McTavish was on the run from US immigration for stowing away on a ship from Australia to Hawaii. We sheltered Bob from immigration officials on a few occasions, but he was eventually caught and flown back to Australia.
1963 Hawaii North Shore Sunset Beach line-up from the hill. Brian Cole pic.1963 Hawaii North Shore Waimea Bay with elephant rock in foreground. Brian Cole pic.1963 Hawaii Velzyland Brian’s old military hut & red Jack Haley surfboard. Brian Cole pics.1963 Hawaii Velzyland sunset view from verandah Brian’s hut. Brian Cole pic.
In Hawaii I purchased a second hand 10’2” red colour Jack Haley surfboard (ex Seal Beach California) for $90 US off American Arthur Crump. I bought this US board home to WA with me.
1963 Receipt for second hand Jack Haley surfboard. Image courtesy of Brian Cole.1963 Hawaii Banzai Pipeline right & left waves. Brian Cole pic.1963 Hawaii Banzai Pipeline spectators watching empty line-up. Brian Cole pic.1963 Hawaii Banzai Pipeline Bill Fury USA looking back. Brian Cole pic.1963 Surfboards Hawaii Haleiwa Hawaii logo. Image Brian Cole.
In late 1963 I caught a ship from Hawaii, back to Perth in WA and ended my adventurous life when I got married in 1964!
My wife Rhonda and I are living in the South West and I still enjoy fun waves and great companionship with other mature Boardriders.
Brian Cole 2015.
Yallingup WA
2013 Brian paddling in from surf at Yallingup on his home made triple stringer Malibu board. Photo by the late Loz Smith. 2014 Brian leaving the surf Yallingup with his home-made Malibu. Photo Bruce King.2015 Brian (age 76) surfing fun waves at Yallingup on his home-made Malibu. Bruce King pic.
Len Dibben Award
In 2006 Surfing WA awarded Brian the Len Dibben Award for his Outstanding service towards the development of surfing over an extended period of time.
2006 Len Dibben Award to Brian Cole. Image courtesy of Brian Cole.
Footnote: Brian and Rhonda subsequently moved back to Perth and Brian (age 81) passed away Friday 28 May 2021.
Many thanks to the Cole family for sharing Brian’s surfing memories.
This is another wonderful trip down memory lane thanks to WA surfer/surfing industry pioneer the late Brian ‘Coley’ Cole 1940-2021.
In 2015 Brian documented his surf travels in an article titled Life of Brian in White Horses Magazine Issue 12.
This is an extract of Brian’s White Horses story relating to his overseas surf trip 1963. It follows on from his East Coast surf trip 1959-61 (see web link below).
I got the travel bug again and in 1963 headed to Europe on a ship with WA surfing mates Barry ‘Joe’ King and Bob Keenan. We parted company while hitchhiking through Europe but joined up again in England where they had purchased a VW Kombi. We toured Spain, Portugal and Morocco and checked beaches before returning to France. In France we met a fellow from Barlon Surfboards. He allowed us to make boards for ourselves in his factory and we showed him how to improve his glassing techniques. He bought the boards off us when we left Europe.
While in Biarritz we met (US film star) Deborah Kerr’s husband, Peter Viertel, who was the original surfer in Biarritz. We become good friends and mixed socially. At the time Peter was a scriptwriter for a US film on bull fighting, and we helped teach the bull fighters how to surf.
The French held an International De France Surf competition at Biarritz, and we were invited to compete against surfers from Australia, France, Hawaii and the USA. Australia’s Peter Troy won the event. I came fifth in the final. I stayed on in Biarritz for a while with Peter Troy.
From France I caught a Yugoslavia tramp steamer to the USA. The ship was relatively small (6,500 tonne) and was tossed around the Atlantic in a hurricane. The ship docked in New York and I travelled across the US in a Volkswagon sedan with a fellow I met on the ship. His VW had shipped from France as deck cargo and was badly salt damaged on the journey.
On the US West Coast I joined up with Bruce Shooper, a wealthy American surfer I met in France. We spent a week in Los Angeles driving around in his new Porsche and then he showed me the coastline up to Santa Barbara. Bruce knew Miki Dora and we shared a six-pack of beer with Miki on Malibu beach. The surf was crap at Malibu Point, and there were 100 surfers in the water.
Next I travelled down the coast to San Clemente and stayed with guys from Hobie Alter Surfboards. I was astounded to discover Hobie was making 150 boards a week, as that was considerably more than any Australian board builder at the time. While there I met Jon Severson, the editor of The Surfer Magazine, and film maker Bruce Brown. I told Bruce to contact Cordingley Surfboards when filming for Endless Summer in WA. I was happy to hear later that the Cordingley boys showed him around WA. Unfortunately, the surf was poor while Bruce was filming in Australia.
I left the US West Coast, flew to Hawaii and stayed at Velzyland on the North Shore in an old military hut I shared with boys from Seal Beach California. For six weeks I toured the North Shore stretch and mainly surfed Haleiwa. Banzi Pipeline didn’t agree with 10-foot Malibus.
At the time, surfer Bob McTavish was on the run from US immigration for stowing away on a ship from Australia to Hawaii. We sheltered Bob from immigration officials on a few occasions, but he was eventually caught and flown back to Australia.
In Hawaii I purchased a second hand 10’2” red colour Jack Haley surfboard (ex Seal Beach California) for $90 US off American Arthur Crump. I bought this US board home to WA with me.
In late 1963 I caught a ship from Hawaii, back to Perth in WA and ended my adventurous life when I got married in 1964!
My wife Rhonda and I are living in the South West and I still enjoy fun waves and great companionship with other mature Boardriders.
Brian Cole 2015.
Yallingup WA
Len Dibben Award
In 2006 Surfing WA awarded Brian the Len Dibben Award for his Outstanding service towards the development of surfing over an extended period of time.
Footnote: Brian and Rhonda subsequently moved back to Perth and Brian (age 81) passed away Friday 28 May 2021.
Many thanks to the Cole family for sharing Brian’s surfing memories.
Related content
—————————————
Share this:
Like this: