Utmost Spirit

Production Notes

I filmed Ocean Rhythms mostly during the calendar year of 1975. My aim was to have it ready for release for the Summer & Christmas holiday period of 75/76.

Below are some of my thoughts and memories of shooting some of the sequences and the travel, the people and the adventure involved:

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Sequence #11

Peter Crawford, Elton John and the Kneeboard sequence.

Even though kneeboarding is a bit of a dieing art these days, people still thank me to this very day for putting in a kneeboard section. The late Peter Crawford and I were very good friends. We first met when we used to work at Midget Farrelly Surfboards together in Harbord Road, Brookvale in 1970. I lived in Cronulla and I used to drive over the northside to Brookvale every day to go to work. Quite often during our ‘lunch breaks’ at Midget’s surfboard factory, Peter and I would go surfing at Peter’s home break of Dee Why beach.

As our friendship built in the early seventies, we both started getting into still surf photography at the same time. We both started with Nikonos II waterproof cameras. The Nikonos was designed by famed Underwater Explorer Jacques Costeau for Nikon and was a waterproof camera without a housing – making it very light and easy to use in the surf. It came with a standard 35mm wide-angle lens.

Photo insert left: The camera that Peter Crawford and myself used during the 1970’s. The Nikonos II by Nikon. Fully waterproof without a housing.

Typical of the fun Peter and I would have are the shots in the film of us sliding down the grass hill on an old fin-less surfboard. Those shots were filmed on the hill just above the Snapper Rocks car parking area and just down from the Captain Cook Memorial Laser Beam lighthouse atop the hill at Durnabah. Two young groms were up there having a blast and Peter and I joined them for a bit of fun. Peter did some downhill runs first – kneeboarding of course down the hill. These shots were actually filmed while Peter and I were both on the Gold Coast for the Australian Titles in May of 1974.

The majority of the surfing shots in PC’s sequence, I filmed around his home break of Dee Why Point. Peter had a Home Unit that overlooked his beloved Dee Why Point – there is one shot in the movie where he is standing on his home unit balcony having a cup of coffee and checking out the surf. There’s another shot where he swings opens his garage door, with his wetsuit on and trusty kneeboard under his arm, Peter goes bee-bopping past the rock pool and paddles straight out into the line-up at Dee Why Point.

Peter was such a colourful character and was much loved and respected by everyone on the Pro Tour. Including all those in the surf media, his fellow photographers, the entire spectrum of pro surfers, the judges and all the supporting cast that rolled along with the pro tour.

In those early years Peter was absolutely enamored with Elton John. He always had expressive themes and abstract artwork on his boards. At the time when I was editing his footage for ‘Ocean Rhythms’ and I quite fittingly chose Elton John’s song ‘Funeral For A Friend’ for Peter’s kneeboarding sequence – I could never imagined how apropo that would turn out to be many years later.

So even though kneeboarding characters like Peter Crawford seem to have evaporated for now…  I certainly wanted to leave PC’s sequence in the film in tact – as it certainly is my lasting tribute to him – and I do miss my good friend Peter Crawford, we had many fun times together.  

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Sequence #6

Peter Townend, Ian Cairns and Wayne ‘Rabbit’ Bartholomew in the Pipe Rights sequence.

Two of the Bronzed Aussies; PT and Ian had just returned from the northern Winter season in Hawaii and were staying with me in Cronulla. They had brought back some hollow W.A.V.E. moulded surfboards from California and were riding them at the time. Now you have to ask yourself – with moulded surfboards so popular today – were Ian and PT 30 odd years ahead of their times? Maybe, just maybe.

Inset Left: Always the supreme stylist, PT graces the fold-out cover of US Surfer magazine in 1976. The same year PT was the first ever ASP World Champion.

Many people always enquire about the exact location of this sequence – because Richo’s ‘home break’ of Summercloud Bay is know as purely a left-hander. But on the more exposed reef at lower tides PT, Ian and Rabbit found the right-handers a short, but just as hollow wave. For most of these shots I got my wooden Miller tripod legs spread out as far as possible in order to get the camera down low. I was shooting a lot of the rides a 64 frames per second- which is slow motion. Normal speed for a movie film camera is 24 frames per second.

Also what adds to the stunning visual effects in this sequence is that in the background as the guys are surfing, you can see the sandy beaches that lead down to Sussex Inlet, which is just located a bit further south. That perspective in itself is highly unusual for East Coast beaches in Australia - to see other beaches in the background.

Photo left: In one of my old photos; PT poses with his 7′2″ porpoise diamond-tail while staying with me in Cronulla in 1972. My old Holden HQ sedan, roof racks an all, is in the background along with a canyon of Cronulla’s red-brick flats.

The year following ‘Ocean Rhythms’ release – 1976 – PT and Ian Cairns were at the top of their game and were rated 1st and 2nd on the leader board of the ASP’s World Professional Surfing ratings. With PT taking the honours that year to be crowned as the first ever ASP Professional World Surfing Champion.

In 2010, Peter Townend and Ian Cairns are both residents of California and fully involved in the surf industry. PT has lived in Huntington Beach for the last 33 years and travels to Australia every year – he plans to move back home to the Gold Coast in 2011 or 2012. PT Has a surf consultancy business called Active Empire and does a myriad of things within the industry. PT’s son Josh Townend is a pro skateboarder.

Ian Cairns is a pro surf coach and lives in Laguna Beach, California with his wife and children. You can find both of them on Facebook as they are both regular posters.

Photo below: A recent photo of Australian surfing icons; Peter Townend & Ian Cairns under the framework of the cement pylons of the famed Huntington Beach Pier in 2009.

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Sequence #14

Kookaburras & Fascination Reef.

Its real name is Callala Bay and this is another unusual surf break, unusual in as much as is not located on the open ocean coastline. [see Google map below for it's exact geographical location]. And as such, Callala only works in certain bigger swell and wave conditions. It is tucked up inside the north-west corner of Jervis Bay just near Nowra on the NSW South Coast – about 100 miles south of Sydney. For this trip we had onboard pro-surfer Mark Warren, Peter Crawford and stills photographer Peter Simons. Earlier on the day we shot this sequence, we had a morning surf session at another unique right-hand point break called ‘Sailor’s Grave’. It’s located directly out from the township of Huskisson – also inside the huge Jervis Bay.

South Coast resident and long-time Surf Photographer, Peter Simons was out surfing ‘Sailor’s Grave’ with his waterproof Nikonos II camera loosely hung around his neck and yes… after a wipeout… he lost it! A couple of hundred bucks worth of wipeout. The Nikonos II is no doubt, still sitting on the bottom there some 35 years later.

After our surf session at ‘Sailor’s Grave’ some local surfers told us that Callala Bay would be worth checking out in the afternoon as the tide dropped. We had never really heard of Callala Bay and decided to take their advice and check it out.

The short drive over to the sleepy hamlet of Callala Bay turned out to be well worth it. Callala is a quite coastal resort with abundant natural beauty andit has white, sheltered beaches in a Marine National Park. We found perfect surfing conditions; clean crisp waves andthe sun shining, the windoffshore, ground swells tracking across the bay and loads of Kookaburras filling the nearby trees and dolphins jumping in the clear waters. An absolute gem of a find when you are on the road exploring and on a surf filming expedition.

Old friend, North Narrabeen surfer Mark Warren is another seasoned pro-surfer who’s had a varied and successful careers within surfing spanning across three decades.  Mark; a 70’s pro surfer – a media sports personality in the ‘80’s – National Coach and ASP Tour Representative in ’83 and more recently, a Surfing Contest Director.  In the early to mid-eighties I used to contribute the South-side Sydney surf report with Mark on Sydney’s Triple-M FM live to air with the wild DJ, Doug Mulray.

Mark was also the 1970 NSW Junior State Champion and went onto become one of the world’s first pro surfers winning numerous major contests including the 1976 Smirnoff World Pro-Am at Sunset Beach, Hawaii and The Duke Kahanamoku Classic at Waimea Bay, Hawaii in 1980.

To this day in 2010 – Mark Warren still lives on Sydney’s Northern beaches and remains at the forefront of the sport, working for Quiksilver International and being responsible for the live web streaming of the Quiksilver and Roxy Pro tournaments around the globe via the internet.

In 2010, Peter Simons is still a surf photographer and lives amongst the solitude of the Mollymook/Ulladulla area of the NSW South Coast. Peter has been taking quality surf photos since the late sixties – consistently longer than any other surf photographer I know in the business.

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Sequence #4

Terry Richardson surfing Summercloud Bay.

Along with coal, steel and Norman Gunston – Terry Richardson is one of Wollongong’s best know exports. Born and bred in Australia’s seventh largest city; Wollongong, Richo is from the beach-side suburb of Corrimal. He started surfing just down the road from the family home at the age of 13. Spending more time at the beach then at school, he dropped out of Keira Boys High to pursue a career in surfing. Terry is a former ASP pro-tour & top rated surfer and a former Australian Amateur Champion. 

He came from a family used to winning in sport, his Mum, Merle, was one of Australia’s leading lawn bowlers – having won three NSW State Titles. Merle was a solid sounding board and inspiration to Richo throughout his pro surfing career.

Terry Richardson and I have been very good friends for many, many years. In the seventies, we made several overseas surf trips together to Hawaii and Bali. At home in Australia, we had many an early morning surf trip down the NSW South Coast to Summercloud Bay together.

Richo just always called it simply ‘Pipe’ – the semi-secret spot down South. We have had some great times at ‘Pipeline’ as it was known to many. I was lucky enough to capture some fantastic images of Richo there during the seventies. I have had still photos of Richo in the barrel at ‘Pipe’ published on the covers of both Tracks and Surfing World Magazines. What Rabbit and PT and Michael Peterson were to Kirra and Burleigh Heads – Richo was to Pipe. Master of his domain.

Photo insert left: Cover shot by Steve Core of Terry Richardson from Surfing World Magazine at Summercloud Bay.

In 1981, Richo the the first person to ever play me Phil Collin’s break through first album; ‘Face Value’ – and told me adamantly “wait to you hear the signature drum solo piece” from a track called ’In the Air Tonight’. Richo played it for me over and over as just he and I drove down towards his favourite surfing location down south. Boy did he call that one right!

Richo truly was the King of ‘Pipe’. I can’t recall any other super star surfers ever knocking him from the front page or off his throne down there – he owned the place. Lock, stock and need I say it… barrel.

In the Ocean Rhythms, Richo surfs Pipe in late afternoon pastel light to the sounds of The Love’s ‘Orange Skies’.

In 2010, after countless years on the Pro Tour, scores of surf trips around the world and Australia, Richo still lives in the beach-side suburb where he was raised and first learned how to surf – Corrimal, in Wollongong. No longer on the Pro Tour – these days he works deep under the earth in the coal mines. He is still easily spotted in the line-up when ever the surf is pumping and I’m quite happy to report that my good friend Terry Richardson - at 55 years old is still a keen and very gifted surfer.

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Sequence #13

Sailing The Wind: Midget Farrelly and the Hang-gliding sequence.

I have the utmost respect for my old friend, former boss and 1964 World Surfing Champion – Midget Farrelly. I worked for Midget in 1970 in his surfboard factory in Harbord Road, Brookvale. I learnt a lot about quality control from Midget – more than I ever learned from anyone else I worked for. His surfboards in those days were a clear cut above everyone else in quality. He was a perfectionist about every last detail and presentation – and I loved it. 

Left: A young Midget posing with his prized trophy that he still treasures to this very day – after winning at Makaha in 1963. Photo: Ron Church

Bernard ‘Midget’ Farrelly was also a rare breed of sportsman. Unlike today’s pro tour circus, there was not another Australian on the beach in Hawaii, 47 years ago, the day he won the Makaha International Surfing Classic in 1963. He once told me candidly; “you know Steve, I paid for my own air fare and accommodations to Hawaii and we went out and surfed for trophy”. 

In the late 60’s, I can still remember there was a great uproar in the purist surfing community when Midget put his name in the Sydney White Pages telephone directory along with the self-description: Professional Surfer. “How dare he?” – many a pundit said. Their logic was that [at the time in the sixties] there was no such thing as a, so called;  “Professional Surfer.”

Before Peter Townend made his first ever trip to the US in 1972 for the World Amateur Titles in San Diego, California I took him to meet Midget Farrelly for the first time.  Midget kindly invited us to his house in Sydney’s Palm Beach. PT asked Midget about the surf in Hawaii that previous season, Midget’s response was, “hang on a tic” and went into his office and came back with a huge hand written list on a legal pad and began to read out the surf conditions, month by month, week by week, day by day, hour by hour. Swell direction, size, wind conditions – every finite detail. PT and I were both gob-smacked with the intricate descriptions he had made as personal notes.

Photo Right: Midget in his short board competition days with a stringer-less Farrelly board at his home break of Sydney’s Palm Beach.

Midget has often said that his greatest memory is when his uncle took him to Manly Beach in 1956 to see members of the US Olympic Team giving a surfboard riding demonstration. Midget was just 12 years old at the time - he started surfing himself the very next day.

Needless to say; Midget was [and still is] one of my true all-time surf heroes and some who I have always looked up to. In 1975 when I shot Ocean Rhythms, Midget was not competeing on surfing’s pro tour - but someone who I still admired tremendously. That’s why I wanted to put him in the hang-gliding sequence. It’s just my small salute to him. I am only sorry that I wasn’t around to film Midget when he was at the zenith of his surfing career so that I could have possibly shared that with you today on DVD.

I was standing on the ruggered cliffs at Bells Beach to see Midget compete in the 1970 World Titles. I thought Rolf Arness [the winner] on his 6′10″ Bing Foil, and Mike Tabeling from Florida and Midget were the three most outstanding surfers in the water across the entire event both at Bells Beach and down at Johanna. Light years ahead of the rest – most of whom were on shorter boards.

Left: After winning the 1964 World Championship – Midget makes the cover of Australian Surfing World magazine the same year.

I’d just like to say thanks to Midget for all those great memories, for your fantastic class, style and dignity and for carrying yourself so well and so proudly all these years. Seeing and hearing you recently on ‘Bombora’ on the ABC-TV and as a youth in Bob Evan’s recently re-released Surf Movie ‘Ride A White Horse’ – I know why you are such a reflecting prism of your time, an ever-green champion and a true credit to our sport. Sail on sailor.

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This page is constantly under re-construction – during the coming months – I will be adding more information to this page. So please visit back here again soon to see further fine-tuning and updates.

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