Radical in the 70’s
The Search…. It didn’t really matter what the conditions were like because you would surf big or small. There was no rush when paddling out as no crowds meant less competition in catching waves. While today’s surfers are all about acrobatics and using every inch of the wave, in the past it was simply going with the flow. Everything was slower, when riding a wave you weren’t trying to kill it or over power it but rather compliment it by going along with it. Mull was now an integral part of the wave riding experience. Lighting up a pre –surf bunger prior to paddling out was a ritual.
Music….Listening to the latest tunes was by pocket size transistor radios with 2SM the most popular station of the time. TV programs like Happening 70s with Ross D Wylie as the host showcased the best rock bands of the day. The show GTK, the predecessor to ABCs Countdown featured regular live performances by groups like the Masters Apprentice, Blackfeather, La De Da’s, Madder Lake, Billy Thorpe, Chain and the best Aussie live talent. Bands like Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Deep Purple introduced us to the first wave of heavy Metal music. Lp records were still on rotation and the new bulky innovative 8-Track cassettes were just starting to evolve. The more convenient small plastic compact tape cassettes that would soon revolutionise the way we listened to music were still a few years away from hitting the retail shops.
Getting Pitted…..At this point in time, Tube riding had become Surfing’s main focus. At Cronulla there was no place better than The Point when it came to getting shacked, slotted, pitted, caved, tunneled or barreled. The more time you could clock up inside a spinning liquid wave vortex the more respect you earned amongst your peers. It was Jerry Lopez who first took the practice of barrel riding and board design to dangerous new heights at Pipeline in Hawaii. Thanks to Jerry the practice of getting swallowed up and then spat out by a tube was the ultimate surfing experience.
Excerts From Radical.