'Coconuts' Kennedy, M.Nii Senators and the Papa.

'Coconuts' Kennedy was one of the Papa's founding members. 'Coconuts' was so named because the local Mary's thought that his thick shock of brown hair reminded them of the husk from a coconut. 'Coconuts' relished his mantle and proudly wore his Corsairs cap perched at a jaunty angle of the back of his head with his husk profusely sticking out the front.
Back in '43, he and the Papa zipped around the Blackett Straights at dawn in the pre-light looking for ideal reef breaks when the combination of wind and tide would be right to drag out their logs. Jumping from the deck of the PT and paddling into the shelf, 'Coconuts' and the Papa would ride the South Pacific swell lines drawing elegant patterns across those shallow draws.
Sometime after, the Papa heard from one of his coastwatchers that 'Coconuts' was involved in some sort of a collision with a destroyer and that he totalled that plywood canoe of his and that when he was finally rescued, the government flew him home and made him President of the United States. Whew! the Papa thought, not bad for a surf bum who only ever wore a pair of trunks and one of the Papa's caps.

Many years later the Papa received a letter from 'Coconuts'.

Hey Pops,
Wish you were here. Have been hanging out at Malibu with a new set of cronies, Lawford, Monroe, Chamberlain. Nice folks! Surfs been cranking but miss our sessions together. Hope all is well. Have found some new trunks and thought you'd be interested. See attached,
All the best Papa,
Your pal JFK.

Ahh the M.Nii's, yes the Papa knows, seem to remember a blogpost on this very subject not too long ago. This new style is called The Senator and with a legacy linking my 'ol friend Coconuts to this product, the Papa thought that to do him justice he would purchase a pair. Contrary to any previous discussions this short is quite the happening style, dare I say the perfect vintage short and worthy of any poolside weekender rendezvous? After a few paddling sessions the Papa must also concede that it ain't a bad surf trunk either, possessing that most wonderful combination of good looks practicality and purpose.

As this magazine attests, 'Coconuts', had quite the adventure out in the South Pacific. God's speed Skipper and rest in peace my friend, the Papa's thoughts are with you.

Kirra point turns it on.

This is Sam Yoon. Sam is a Gold Coast local who lives at the Southern end within striking distance of Currumbin Alley, Snapper Rocks and the famous Kirra Groin. A few weekends ago he paddled past me on a particularly beautiful Sunday morning when Kirra was cranking, we exchanged pleasantries and talked a bit about his recent trip to Hawaii. As swell lines approached he turned around and paddled into a set wave. From the beach this is what it looked like. Sam sets up with a graceful old school Island stance, legs apart arm trailing in the wall, it reminded me so much of  Hackman or the Owl back in the day. Go Sammy go!

Lofgren Japan

I'm just loving how the reproduction market is finding new ways to re-invent itself, case in point is this gorgeous Stiffel style print by John Lofgren. At a time when the mainstream is pondering tab collars, pioneers like John are reaching further and further back to the turn of last century to provide inspiration for new garments today. This Indigo dot shirt is one of my favourites, it features all the hallmarks of a quality manufacture including felled seam construction, side gussets, re-enforced shoulder panels and embroidered eyelets which enhance the off set period pocket detailing.

This is the perfect spring shirt that would look great with dungarees or chinos or perhaps take a page out of the Papa's book and give this one the 'ol South western makeover with Navajo silver and moccasins. Which ever way you decide I'm sure you'll love this piece as much as I do, so write and check your size shopatspeedway@hotmail.com and as always tell him the Papa sent you!

Again Style is Everything.

Alva reiterates the Papa at the Dog Bowl circa '78.

Style is everything.

C.R Styeck coins the phrase, Alex Knost applies it.

A day at the Fry.

Another year, and another Currumbin Alley Fish Fry. With the tumultuous weather conditions experienced for over a week on the Gold Coast and surrounding areas, all fingers were crossed for some relief sunshine on Saturday. The day dawned with brilliant sunshine and held throughout the day, very rough, unstable surf conditions saw only the experienced tackle the difficult waves. The recent bad weather had an effect on those travelling from afar, with numbers decreased, in doubt if the day would go ahead, but to those who attended another inspiring meet ensued.

If you had had asked me 7 years ago whether or not this event had any longevity, I would have been dubious but now I’m convinced that this thing has legs. Starting out as a small home grown event dedicated to the origins of the humble fish and attracting local aficionados, the Fish Fry has become a global event with variations on the theme being organised in beaches across the world. Organiser and fish fanatic Grant Newby has carefully groomed the event year after year, tailoring the day to keep it fresh and revitalised. This years incarnation included all foam sliders from our little twin fin friends to logs, quads, asymmetrical, paipos, alaias and hand planes, a veritable line up of equipment which at a grass roots level is changing the face of surfing as we know it.

We are in an interesting time with surfing right now where people are open to alternatives, about the experimentation, about challenging convention and having a go themselves. There is definitely a simmering undercurrent. Small pockets of individuals on a journey of rediscovery - rebuilding surfing from the garage upwards, backyard innovators forming a ground swell of enthusiasm, revitalising the stoke and re-evoking the soul. At its core this is what the Fish Fry is about, has become! A forum for like-minded individuals, a gathering of surfing’s true core shapers, glassers, artists and visionaries. The future is looking very bright indeed, thanks to the craftsmanship in Eden Saul's Dead Kooks fabric inlaid hull entry pintails, in Sam Yoon’s Flying Soul heavy rake finned logs, in Shoji Mujo's geometric Fantastic Plastic Machine hex-nosed flyer pintails, Grant Newby's foam core paulownia timber vacuum-bagged, lanolin rubbed, snub nose simmons. It is with the support of master shapers like Rich Pavel from California who has attended every Fish Fry on the Gold Coast, who takes the time to talk, encourage and support young shapers who turn up with their home grown creations. These young shapers work in other fields but love the challenge of crafting something for themselves and close friends in their garage, under the house, just like it used to be. This is where the next generation is born. It is where fresh ideas come to mind, free of the worries of running a business and trying to makes ends meet in a competitive industry with small margins.

Along with this came an eccentric mix of beautifully hand crafted wooden hand planes, a travelling Japanese soul surfer and musician, families enjoying surf culture together and in the many strange and wonderful saltwater sleds that saw the light of day at the heart of what the Fish Fry means to people. The phoenix had risen and the forefathers of surfing are smiling once again.

 A nice little wood simmons with a timber stain paint job

 Eden Saul the Dead Kooks man with inlaid log.

 Grant Newby's Alley Slider.

 Fully raked fin on Grant Newby's Salty Sled.

 Grant Newby's Paulownia vacuum bagged Simmon's fleet with Papa Nui's Quad in green.

 Eden Saul's Kooky logo.

 The Alley Tee.

 Papa Nui's Simmon's Fish hybrid Quad with Japanesesque fin setup.

Shoji Muto's stringerless quiver.

The Papa and the Salty Merchant.

                                           Papa Nui meets Salty's Short Supply.
For the first time in decades there's an excitement back at the beach. All along the coast small entrepreneurs are doing interesting things. building businesses or supplying select customers with goods that the major surf industry in its complacent ignorance could never have imagined. Walk into any large surf retailer and the concept is so obviously stagnant, dead and dated. Venture into the world of the Internet, blog pages or the revitalised back streets of the beach where rent is affordable and you'll find an air of excitement, a buzz, a thrill, a renewed cultural explosion of the beach lifestyle in all its alternative magic, a million miles removed from glossy posters and pro events.
One of the hundreds of young individuals thumbing their noses at the surfing Kremlin is Byron shire local Brent Wayling. Brent is owner of Salty's Short Supply. He's just a regular guy with an idea about beach togs. Salty's shorts encapsulate Summer, pure and simple. They're lightweight, bright and fun. There's no tech here in cut or fabric, but there's life! There's the breath of the ocean and a warm glow on your skin, there's cool drinks in hot climes and a knowing wink from fellow beach-goers that also know where its at.
Salty's are available online at  http://www.saltysbyronbay.com/ or at any of the weekend markets along New South Wales north coast, Byron Bay/ Lennox Head or in Queensland at Burleigh Heads or Like Salty's on facebook

Meet Moloko.

For those of you who are curious about Papa Nui's secret island production facility here's an introduction to our head man. Meet Moloko. Moloko is in charge or the native labour force working on Navy Department Contracts. All of Papa Nui's Combat Beach Battalion Hats are made under Maloko's watchful eye. The complaints department Maloko wears in his waistband, his machette, 24 inches of blackened steel courtesy of the US Marine Corps.

Convoy to sail.

Papa Nui, Papa Nui, come in Papa!

The Liberty Ships are loaded and the Coconut Express is ready to sail. Convoy rendezvous destination X in 12 days. Combat Beach Battalion surplus on board.

Over and out!

Papa's Beach Party.

Taking a well earned break from production, the Papa's boys went down to the beach last night to let off a little steam. Today however they're back at it. The orders have to be filled, customers are waiting and the Papa is getting very impatient.

Somewhere in the South Pacific.....

Not far from Taratupa Island, behind a thick palm tree curtain, lies the secret manufacturing facility of the Papa. It is here that he breathes his genius into one project after another.

In this inlet a mere one hundred years ago, Piratical Corsairs sallied forth armed with the Kris and spear to wage war upon colonial merchants trading for spices along the coastal archipelagos. Now however idle Mary's sit chewing beetlenut under a lush tropical canopy, employed by the Papa to man his peddle powered Singer sewing machines. Aye, but what do they produce, did I hear you say? Of course, only the finest collaborative goods, each made with care and a watchful eye and aloha sewn into every stitch. Recently the Papa drove the Willy's down a narrow track to a clearing in the jungle, off Navy property, beyond prying eyes at the the back of the PT base. Here he met some industrious Sea Bees and after much bartering the Papa managed to trade a lurid pile of yellow attabrine dyed grass skirts, 'all hand tied', for a bolt of the elusive good stuff, a roll of USMC frog camo herringbone twill! This rare acquisition sets the imagination ablaze! What wonderful products will the Papa create? What will be added to his inventory of Surf, Surplus and Supply? Hold fast and stay true loyal cohorts of the Papa, all shall be revealed in time.

The Breach.

'The breach', 45 tons of exploding Leviathan!

Tapa Papa.

Another ode to Melville.

Papa Nui, King of the Sea.

This would explain why I haven't posted lately. Ive recently been exploring water colours after being very inspired by a re-read of Moby Dick. Im thinking there's a club jacket vibe about these designs or perhaps I should do some transfer prints on tees, hmmm, so whose up for a Papa leviathan t-shirt then??

A Great Lord of Leviathans.

Another water colour inspired by my recent reading of Melville's Moby Dick.

A Khan of the Plank.

Im currently at home on sick leave and have worked three quarters through a re-read of Moby Dick. Yesterday morning was all thunderclouds and lightning so I felt inspired to get the watercolours out and with ol' Ahab in my mind put brush to paper. The words are Melvilles with revisions from the Papa.