Summer in the 80s

Carwyn Williams, Lacanau '86

Back in the 80s the summers seemed just a little bit brighter .....or was that just the day glo boards and suits ? Fistral was holding its first world tour events in front of huge crowds; up and down the coast flourescent twins, quads and trusters were tearing waves apart with new and more radical moves; in summertime there was a big shift down to France and further, epitomised by Carwyn and his crew living on the beach and in the forests around Hossegor, leaving a bit more space back home, plus windsurfing was becoming the new big watersport, attracting would be surfers and keeping shapers' order books full.

Carwyn and friends, French forest '86

Dean and Steve Winter and Lee Bartlett, France.

Maurice Cole, France '88

Mike Raven '86

Fistral comp, '86

Andy Cranston, Vitamin Sea sprayer.

Nigel Semmens, Steve Daniel, in Oz for the stubbies, 1980.

France '86

Ben Banford with sprays - only in the 80s !

Rudy Ski, Porthmeor.

Nigel Woodcock and a couple of his shapes '84

Paul Bassford, Porthleven '83.

Pete Jones, Fistral '81.

Rob, Carwyn, Phil . On the nudie beach, France.

Sam Jenkins, Penhale '86

Sam Jenkins, Jersey '86. unmissable wetsuit.

Simon Tucker , Fistral '86.

Ted Deerhurst, fistral comp early 80s

Ocean Magic team rider

The equivalent of a line of transporters today. Classic summery vw s.


All of these photos were taken by Alex Williams, who by the 80s was a successful young photographer travelling the world and working for surf and windsurfing mags and companies in Europe, the US and Australia , but still very aware of his roots and surfing in Devon. Thanks to Alex.