Jersey boards and birds

 This is an article written by Aussie lifeguard Bob Armstrong who with 7 other Aussies was doing the season lifeguarding in Jersey in 1963. The mag is Surfing World (Australia) vol 1 no 3.  He talks of there being around 40 boards on the island, ranging from his Gordon Woods at the top end - to all sorts of unmentionables !! You can imagine the Jersey crew taking to the water on all sorts of weird home made craft. But they soon got their act together and by the mid 60s were riding cutting edge imported malibus as well as the home grown Silva Yates '.
Bob also states that one of the perks of the job is the influx of '100s of delightful little migratory English birds in August' , these would be the species of bird that wore bikinis, and easy prey for an Aussie lifeguard especially when you see the outfits they wore - see below.

 Amateur wrestler and trampolinist Bob Johnson with two fibreglass boards he made in Jersey in 1958 (very early) stood next to two lifeguard paddleboards. His designs were taken from Aus surf mags, and apparently the smiley face board surfed better than the unhappy one.

Aussie lifeguards in Jersey early 60s with a strange board which looks like a dead sea creature ! Check out the budgie smugglers .Sorry I should have really put little censored patches over the offending areas .

Line up of Jersey boards mainly paddleboards but with a modern malibu and strange wide SUP /paddleboard in the foreground. Photo by John Houiellebecq. Photos taken from 'Surfing Secrets' about Jersey's surf history.

Another version of an early British SUP, taken in Guernsey in 1957 . The craft was called the Whoopee Float, and the guy on it we think is a relative of Aussie lifeguard Mike Gray. It looks pretty stable and could have been fast hence the 'whoopee' bit.

 The treats of Jersey illustrated in a BOAC poster late 60s.

Jersey Surf Ski sun tan cream was made and sold by Steve Harewood's dad.

Thanks to Henry for the various photos.