In the 1960-70s Dave Simmons was a talented Cottesloe surfer and a member of the Southern Surf Riders Club.
Dave recorded his surfing memoirs in a document titled ‘What Matters.’ see link bottom of this post.
1967 Cottesloe surfers Dave Simmons & Giles Geiger relaxing on the back lawn in Walter St Claremont. Dave Simmons pic.
The following is an excerpt from ‘What Matters’ related to Dave’s recollections of surfing’s New Era Evolution in the late 60s.:
Dave Simmons. “The late 60’s saw me part of that unforgettable “New Era Evolution”. The new creatively functional surfing style created right here on our beloved shores by surfing’s dynamic ‘Rat Pack’, Lynchy, The Animal – Nat, David ‘Baddy’ Treloar, Ted Spencer, Bob MacTavish, Peter Cormish and others. Surfers the world over watched in awe as these gifted surfers, way ahead of their time carved new and daringly innovative lines on their canvases of deep blue. Bands like the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Eric Clapton and Cream, Taman Shud, Doug Parkinson and In Focus all headed off into the charts breaking new and exciting ground in contemporary music – it was ‘happening the world over’.
The first glimpse I got of it was on a mid-winter’s Sunday at the Cove just south of Cottesloe Beach. I had surfed the day prior and had walked up to the Cove to check out the conditions. The swell had dropped slightly but was still yielding a good 4 to 6 foot right off the point. After a very quick look it was a bit crowded for my liking, I had decided to wait until later afternoon for a session, hoping the crowd might diminish somewhat. I turned to walk back to Cottesloe Beach when a mate of mine yelled out to me “Dave!! – check out the way these guys are surfing!”. I walked back and perched myself on a rock overlooking the break. I waved to my friend in the carpark where I also noticed a black Ford V8 Twin Spinner. It was covered in Nullarbor dust and mud. On top there was a collection of weird looking boards. Very short and thinner than the accepted board thickness of the time, with pronounced rocker towards the nose. The fin shape was interesting. I was intrigued by what I had seen.
I looked down at the surf to see one of the surfers paddling out to the line-up. He was kneeling paddling, but what got me was the style of which he did so. The sun was beginning to set as he paddled out. He shielded his eyes and occasionally looked over to the break. Innately I felt that there was something very new. I cast my view over to the point, to see another surfer paddle vigorously over to well inside the take off point. A good 6-foot right hit the point. This surfer paddled left, straight into the eye of the wave. He bounced the nose of his short board straight off the breaking lip and then knock kneed he crouched, pivoted a full 180 and cranked a graceful snappy top turn, his arms in dance like in expression as if to indicate to all what he was about to do. There was a small crowd watching at the car park and I could almost hear their thoughts “How the hell is he going to make this”. This surfer gunned it across a threatening full section with a crouch that had me totally mesmerised. He made it, and on the smaller inside section he weaved an innovative path of small turns and a final re-entry in total control. That surfer was Peter Bothwell. I was later to learn that Peter and his West Aussie mates had returned from a surfing trip in Queensland, down the East Coast and back home to WA through Victoria.
The new style of surfing they had witnessed on their trip East was now on spectacular display in WA for all to see.
The rest as they say is history. It might now be a timely “thanks guys” to the above-mentioned surfers for giving us all the inspiring gift of what we all recognise now as high-performance surfing. It is these late 60’s surfers who were -and are – the fathers of it all.”
Editor: “In 1966 Peter Bothwell returned to WA from an East Coast surf trip in Brian Boyne’s 1951 Ford Customline purchased secondhand in Queensland (see pic below). The lads were members of the Yallingup Board Club. Peter went on to become the State Open Mens Champion in 1968 & 69.”
1966 WA surfer Brian Boynes’ 1951 Ford Customline with Vance Cox on the bonnet in Moana South Aust. Photo Allan Boag.
1968 Peter Bothwell South Point Cowaramup. Photo Greg Woodward.
1969 Peter Bothwell shaping West Coast Surfboard 55a Fitzgerald St West Perth. Photo courtesy Peter Bothwell.
1969 Angourie NSW Peter Bothwell. Photo Ric Syme.
Thanks Dave, for sharing your vintage surf memoirs.
In the 1960-70s Dave Simmons was a talented Cottesloe surfer and a member of the Southern Surf Riders Club.
Dave recorded his surfing memoirs in a document titled ‘What Matters.’ see link bottom of this post.
1967 Cottesloe surfers Dave Simmons & Giles Geiger relaxing on the back lawn in Walter St Claremont. Dave Simmons pic.
The following is an excerpt from ‘What Matters’ related to Dave’s recollections of surfing’s New Era Evolution in the late 60s.:
Dave Simmons. “The late 60’s saw me part of that unforgettable “New Era Evolution”. The new creatively functional surfing style created right here on our beloved shores by surfing’s dynamic ‘Rat Pack’, Lynchy, The Animal – Nat, David ‘Baddy’ Treloar, Ted Spencer, Bob MacTavish, Peter Cormish and others. Surfers the world over watched in awe as these gifted surfers, way ahead of their time carved new and daringly innovative lines on their canvases of deep blue. Bands like the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Eric Clapton and Cream, Taman Shud, Doug Parkinson and In Focus all headed off into the charts breaking new and exciting ground in contemporary music – it was ‘happening the world over’.
The first glimpse I got of it was on a mid-winter’s Sunday at the Cove just south of Cottesloe Beach. I had surfed the day prior and had walked up to the Cove to check out the conditions. The swell had dropped slightly but was still yielding a good 4 to 6 foot right off the point. After a very quick look it was a bit crowded for my liking, I had decided to wait until later afternoon for a session, hoping the crowd might diminish somewhat. I turned to walk back to Cottesloe Beach when a mate of mine yelled out to me “Dave!! – check out the way these guys are surfing!”. I walked back and perched myself on a rock overlooking the break. I waved to my friend in the carpark where I also noticed a black Ford V8 Twin Spinner. It was covered in Nullarbor dust and mud. On top there was a collection of weird looking boards. Very short and thinner than the accepted board thickness of the time, with pronounced rocker towards the nose. The fin shape was interesting. I was intrigued by what I had seen.
I looked down at the surf to see one of the surfers paddling out to the line-up. He was kneeling paddling, but what got me was the style of which he did so. The sun was beginning to set as he paddled out. He shielded his eyes and occasionally looked over to the break. Innately I felt that there was something very new. I cast my view over to the point, to see another surfer paddle vigorously over to well inside the take off point. A good 6-foot right hit the point. This surfer paddled left, straight into the eye of the wave. He bounced the nose of his short board straight off the breaking lip and then knock kneed he crouched, pivoted a full 180 and cranked a graceful snappy top turn, his arms in dance like in expression as if to indicate to all what he was about to do. There was a small crowd watching at the car park and I could almost hear their thoughts “How the hell is he going to make this”. This surfer gunned it across a threatening full section with a crouch that had me totally mesmerised. He made it, and on the smaller inside section he weaved an innovative path of small turns and a final re-entry in total control. That surfer was Peter Bothwell. I was later to learn that Peter and his West Aussie mates had returned from a surfing trip in Queensland, down the East Coast and back home to WA through Victoria.
The new style of surfing they had witnessed on their trip East was now on spectacular display in WA for all to see.
The rest as they say is history. It might now be a timely “thanks guys” to the above-mentioned surfers for giving us all the inspiring gift of what we all recognise now as high-performance surfing. It is these late 60’s surfers who were -and are – the fathers of it all.”
Editor: “In 1966 Peter Bothwell returned to WA from an East Coast surf trip in Brian Boyne’s 1951 Ford Customline purchased secondhand in Queensland (see pic below). The lads were members of the Yallingup Board Club. Peter went on to become the State Open Mens Champion in 1968 & 69.”
1966 WA surfer Brian Boynes’ 1951 Ford Customline with Vance Cox on the bonnet in Moana South Aust. Photo Allan Boag.
1968 Peter Bothwell South Point Cowaramup. Photo Greg Woodward.
1969 Peter Bothwell shaping West Coast Surfboard 55a Fitzgerald St West Perth. Photo courtesy Peter Bothwell.
1969 Angourie NSW Peter Bothwell. Photo Ric Syme.
Thanks Dave, for sharing your vintage surf memoirs.
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