Yesterday, (early summer 2024) I paddled out at Yallingup with a few friends to celebrate having surfed out the front for sixty consecutive years. Riding my 1968 Keyo rounded pintail to try and catch one wave. (it proved more difficult than I anticipated!)
The day was similar to when in 1964 Jamie Doig (Junior) and I from the City Beach Board Club (early mid-sixties) first come over the hill at Yallingup. An older City Beach guy gave us a ride down south in his Ford Prefect 1948 model. It was a slow trip and took most of the day due to leaking engine sump, where oil had to be captured underneath and periodically tipped back into the engine.
Having not seeing any people between Busselton and Yallingup, we were surprised to find someone out at Yallingup surfing on his own. It was Kiwi White and together with fellow South Australian Rod Waldeck they introduced us to surfing around Yallingup.
Rod and Kiwi had travelled from the 1964 Australian/World Titles in Manly NSW, which was the biggest surfing event Australia had seen at the time. They had seen and surfed with the best surfers and had stories to tell. Unfortunately, both surfers have passed away in recent years.
In 1965 with a couple of other older City Beach surfers we joined the original Yallingup Board Riders and among other things have surfed out the front every year since.
In a lot of ways paddling out yesterday took me back and was a celebration of that original feeling shared with friends.
2024 Peter and his Keyo surfboard (right) with paddle out team at Yallingup. Photo Bruce King.
2024 Peter surfing his vintage Keyo surfboard at Yallingup. Photo Bruce King.
2024 Peter leaving the water after his celebratory surf at Yallingup. Photo Bruce King.
Thanks Peter, for sharing your surfing memories.
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