This blog was first published in January 2018; this version has been reformatted and includes additional images.
In 1982, Scarborough surfers Russell Quinlivan and Bali Charlie reunited at Arugam Bay, Sri Lanka, while travelling separately through Southeast Asia, then flew to Chennai (formerly Madras) to travel and surf in India.
Russell was photographed with his surfboard at the Taj Mahal in India, including one shot of the board floating in the Taj Mahal’s water feature. Sadly, that image is missing!
Russell also surfed Nias an island off the west coast of Sumatra in Indonesia on that same trip.
Words and photos by Bali Charlie
Initially we’d flown from Perth to Bali and split after Bali to meet again in Agrum. I actually didn’t think he would turn up, as we’d left it to chance.
After Bali we decided to travel to Malaysia, and I told him I’d be going back to Sri Lanka. It was at Arugam Bay that I was walking along the beach after a surf with another guy, when the other bloke goes “is that guy calling your name”? Sure enough, about 200 meters away there’s Russell yelling out my name, and that was about 2 months after we’d split up. Shocked to see him, and we chatted, then he moved in with me and a group of other guys at Upali’s accommodation. The coolest guy, and very “happy” place to live.
Arugam Bay is also known as Arugam Kudah. This popular surfing destination on Sri Lanka’s southeast coast gets its local Tamil name because Arugam translates to “Cynodon dactylon” (the botanical name for Bermuda grass) and Kudah means bay. Source: Wikipedi
1982 Russell Arugam Bay Sri Lanka. Charlie pic.
The Taj Mahal is an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the right bank of the river Yamuna in Agra. It was commissioned in 1631 by the fifth Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, to house the tomb of his late wife, Mumtaz Mahal; it also houses the tomb of Shah Jahan himself. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Source: Wikipedia
1982 Russell Quinlivan with surfboard at the Taj Mahal in India. Charlie pic.
The pics at the Taj was hilarious, as the locals kept asking what Russ was doing with a “boat” in the middle of India. He tried to explain what a surfboard was, to muted whispers and curious stares from the crowd that had gathered. Innocent and fun times with a guy who loved surfing so much, as the pic says.
1982 Quinny at the Taj Mahal. Never one to shy away from the camera…😊. Charlie pic
Ps I wager he’s the only person to ever take a surfboard to the Taj Mahal.
1982 Charlie photographed with Quinny’s board at the Taj Mahal.
This is a photo of Quinny on a near empty flight…😊. I think about 7 people in total….those were the days! Charlie pic.
1982 Quinny holidaying in India. Charlie pic.
We found some surf in India. Beach breaks mostly, nothing over-head high though. Just surfing anywhere is a buzz, especially when you get an audience on the beach. Goa is known for its beach breaks, nothing special, but cool just being there. Kovalam is cool too. You gotta remember that was 1982, just a blip ago.
At one time I was in Kashmir Valley and living on a houseboat. Went for a meal and on the wall of dingy little chai shop were surfing pictures. This is the Himalayas, about as far as you can get from the ocean. I can only guess what the guys were doing up there! Russell never came to Kashmir with me!
The Kashmir Valley, also known as the Vale of Kashmir, is an intermontane valley or basin in the northern part of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir. The valley is surrounded by the ranges of the Himalayas, bounded on the southwest by the Pir Panjal Range and on the northeast by the Greater Himalayan Range. Source: Wikipedia
1982 India Lake Nagin Kashmir. Charlie pic.
Thanks for sharing your travel memories and pics Charlie.
Sadly, Russell passed away passed away on 27 September 2015 in Busselton. Rest in Peace Quinny.
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