IRB training squad
29th June 2009
Red Beach lifeguards were at Muriwai on a recent Sunday to train in the surf for an IRB exam in August. Some will be sitting for the Crewman award while others will be examined for the IRB driver’s qualification.
At back, from left: Joshua Cholmondeley-Smith, Rory Donovan, Joshua Davison, Brian Maney (instructor), Shane Minifie. In front: Ian Cairns, Kevin Cornish, Al Presland. Photo supplied by Dean Pouwhare.
In the media
29th June 2009
The following media stories appear on the SLSNZ website. To read more, click on the link ...
- Adelaide to host 2012 World Life Saving Champs … read more
- ‘Win-at-all-costs’ culture thrives at surf carnivals in Australia … read more
Ocean waves
29th June 2009
Photo # 22 in our pictorial series on ocean waves. Click on the photo to enlarge it.
Looking ahead 4 yrs
29th June 2009
We take a diary look at some major events coming up during the next four years …
2010 NZ Championships, Ohope Beach, Whakatane
2010 Australian Championships, Kurrawa, Gold Coast, 16th-21st March
2010 Rescue 2010 : Lifesaving World Champs, Alexandria, Egypt, 2-17 October
2010 SLSNZ Centenary Celebrations
2011 NZ Championships, Christchurch (Centenary event)
2011 Collaroy SLSC Centenary (sister club), Australia
2012 Rescue 2012 : Lifesaving World Champs, Adelaide
2013 Red Beach SLSC 60th Jubilee
Surf expressions
29th June 2009
In sport, you can often tell what someone is thinking, not by their words but by their face. Different situations bring on different emotions and facial expressions.
Then there are competitor expressions, which is what we captured on camera at last summer’s surf carnivals. We bring them to you in this photo essay.
Cab Savs crew member Gordon Williams sprints for the finish line in the short course surf boat event at the NZ Championships.
Adrian Young, centre, dives for a flag at a JuniorSurf carnival at Red Beach in December.
Dylan French exits the surf during the Auckland Championships at Ruakaka.
The Red Necks surf boat crew heads out through the Midway surf while competing at the Nationals in Gisborne.
Caitlin Ryan dismounts from her ski during a surf carnival at Muriwai in November.
Ethan Hutchinson, left, and Joshua Pickering-Ross in the U14 board rescue event during the JuniorSurf Auckland Championships at Orewa.
No pain, no gain! The Icebreakers crew competing at the Owen Chapman Cup surf carnival at Red Beach in January. They went on to win the final.
Nick Laurie during the NZ Surf Boat Series at Whangamata in January.
Mitchell Grant is all concentration as he completes a leg of a beach relay at the JuniorSurf Auckland Championships.
Icebreakers crew member Josh Stodart leaps from the surf boat during the Nationals in Gisborne.
The crew of Monty's Mavericks on their way to winning the women's short course surf boat final during the NRC's at Mt Maunganui in January. The crew also collected the NZ title in March. Photos by Ross Malyon.
Events coming up …
29th June 2009
Sun 26 July Red Beach SLSC 56th AGM, Clubrooms, 2.00 pm
Sat 5 Sept 90 Mile Classic IRB Challenge, Far North
Sun 6 Sept SLSNR District Pool Champs
Sun 20 Sept SLSNR Long Distance Carnival
2, 3, 4 Oct SLSNZ Swim Championships, Wellington
10-18 Oct World Masters Games, Sydney, Australia
Sat 7 Nov Pub to Club Surf Boat Race, Puhoi to Red Beach
Top volunteer award to Dean Pouwhare
18th June 2009
Powercraft manager Dean Pouwhare, right, collected the prestigious Volunteer of the Year award at the recent SLSNR Awards of Excellence function.
Held at the Bruce Mason Centre in Takapuna, it attracted around 400 people.
The award was given in recognition of Dean’s contribution to the Red Beach club. Along with maintaining the club’s three IRB’s through his mechanical know-how, he is involved with the training of IRB drivers. Through the summer he has regularly assisted club coach Vaughan Skiffington with the training of club lifeguards for competition. He also served as the U19 manager at surf carnivals and was the team manager at the NZ Championships in Gisborne.
Always to the fore at towing gear to and from carnivals, Dean has spent considerable time repairing damaged gear. He has also been a pivotal member in the construction of the club’s new deck and he has carried out more than his share of patrolling the beach.
At the club’s prize giving night in May, Dean was the recipient of the award for the Best Patrolling Member as well as the Best Clubman award.
Ocean waves
18th June 2009
Photo # 21 in our pictorial series on ocean waves. Click on the photo to enlarge it.
SLSNR Service Award for Peter Olsen
18th June 2009
Red Beach surf club stalwart Peter Olsen, right, was presented with a Service Award at the recent Awards of Excellence night.
Peter had his beginnings with Red Beach in 1969 as the clubhouse custodian, filling this role for several years. In the mid-seventies he assisted with coaching the cadets of Red Beach’s Nipper division.
In 1991, Peter joined the Auckland SLSA Board of Judges and has officiated at local carnivals, the NRC’s and the NZ Championships right up to the present time. For three years he was the Health & Safety Officer for SLSNR.
Peter is a familiar figure in the boat arena at surf carnivals; he also officiates at the NZ Surf Boat series held in Wellington, Whangamata, Piha and Waihi.
Sunday breakfasts
18th June 2009
Kick start Sunday with breakfast at the Red Beach Surf Club!
Enjoy a hearty breakfast at the Red Beach clubrooms – right on the beachfront - where the meals are just as superb as the view. Available every Sunday from 9.00 am – 12 noon.
To check out the breakfast menu, click here.
Flashbacks …
18th June 2009
Series 14 … photographs from yesteryear.
1985 Touring Team: In December 1985, Red Beach sent a team of 16 junior lifeguards – all aged 14-18 years – on a 12-day tour to Queensland.
Primarily an educational visit, the team members were able to check out lifeguarding operations and compete against their counterparts on the Gold Coast.
Training for the team began in April 1985 with regular sessions at Red Beach and pool swimming at Auckland’s Tepid Baths.
Fundraising got under way at the same time to raise the $25,000 required to fully finance the tour.
The team managers were Geoff Small and Ted Taylor. The team was coached by Chris Gurr, Lance Richards and Paul Kayes.
The touring party was hosted by the Southport Surf Life Saving Club and used the Southport Nippers surf headquarters as their base and for accommodation.
Board games …
18th June 2009
We bring you another photo essay from the 2008-09 season.
Izaak Scheib cruises home in a board race at the JuniorSurf carnival held at Red Beach last December.
Matthew Thetford prepares to jump from his board while competing in a JuniorSurf diamond race at Red Beach.
Emily Pearce competing in the U16 board event at the NRC's held at Mt Maunganui in January.
Friendly rivalry. Joshua Davison, left, and Jack Readman sprint for the finish line during a heat of the U16 board race at the Auckland Championships at Ruakaka.
In full flight. Jack Lloyd at the Red Beach JuniorSurf club championships in March.
Rory Donovan, left, gets the tag from Mitchell Ryan in the U16 board relay during the NRC's held at Mt Maunganui in January.
Chris Moors bounds through the shallows at Mt Maunganui during the open board relay.
The closing stages of a board rescue event during the Auckland JuniorSurf championships at Orewa in February.
Mitchell Grant in action at the JuniorSurf carnival at Red Beach in December.
William Lloyd, left, and Kurt Leopard in the U19 board rescue event at the Auckland Championships.
Madeline Readman, left, and Briar McLeely during the Super Surf Camp held at Red Beach in January.
Lachlan Chambers about to make a leap while competing at the Red Beach club championships in March. Photos by Ross Malyon.
Construction update
18th June 2009
The reconstruction of the downstairs changerooms at the club continues to progress. The tiling of the walls is now under way.
Ocean waves
18th June 2009
Photo # 20 in our pictorial series on ocean waves. Click on the photo to enlarge it.
Kayak silver to Erin Taylor in Hungary
10th June 2009
Beijing Olympian
Erin Taylor has snared a silver medal in the women’s K1 1000m final at Szeged in Hungary.
Competing in the third round of the World Cup event, Taylor finished second in her heat and progressed to the final after becoming the fastest qualifier from the semifinals.
With a recorded time of 4:22.12 in the final, Taylor finished less than one-and-a-half seconds behind gold medallist Katrin Wagner-Augustin of Germany and more than a second ahead of bronze medallist Bridgitte Hartley of South Africa.
A week earlier she finished fourth in the K1 1000m final at Poznan in Poland.
Taylor, a Red Beach lifeguard, is now a sure bet for a spot in the New Zealand team at the 2009 World Canoe Championships in Halifax, Canada, from August 12-16.
Want the weather?
10th June 2009
To check out the weather forecast over the next 5 days, click here and enter your city in the search box.
SLSNZ Draft Sport Plan for 2009-2015
10th June 2009
Over the past few months the SLSNZ Sport Advisory Committee and the SLSNZ Sport Team have been working on the development of a SLSNZ Sport Plan for the period 2009-2015.
There are changes afoot and the draft plan is now ready for feedback and input. The close-off date for feedback and suggestions is Wednesday 1st July.
To read the Sport Plan Memo, click here. To view the Draft Sport Plan, click here.
Flashbacks …
10th June 2009
Series 13 … photographs from yesteryear.
November 1980: Red Beach Surf Club's original clubrooms in a dilapidated state, two years before the building was demolished. The premises were opened in 1959 and served as the club's headquarters for 24 years.
Early-December 1982: The old surf clubrooms just before the demolition team moved in.
7th December 1982: Demolition of the building is well under way. It was put out to tender and went for $1,800. The new clubrooms, nearing completion, can be seen in the background.
December 1982: A week prior to Christmas, the old surf club was completely gone. At left is the old toilet block which has since been replaced by a more modern convenience. Landscaping along the beachfront took place in the years that followed.
The land occupied by the old surf club is now the Red Beach Waterfront Reserve on which the Owen Chapman carnival prize giving takes place each January.
Making a splash
10th June 2009
Lifeguards, beaches, surf carnival competition ... combine them all and you're certain to find someone making a splash. We bring you another series of pics from the 2008-09 season.
Dylan French, nearest camera, and Chris Moors in a transition stage of the open board relay at the NZ Championships in Gisborne.
The Red Beach Icebreakers boat crew heads out through the surf at the Northern Regional Championships at Mt Maunganui in January.
AJ Maney, nearest camera, and Mairangi Bay's Michael Lee in a heat of the U19 board race at the NRC's in January.
Red Beach's U19 surf canoe crew competing at Mt Maunganui in January.
Lewis Gjaltema sprints for the finish line during a board race at a JuniorSurf carnival at Red Beach.
The crew of Monty's Mavericks competing in a short course boat race at Whangamata in January.
Ethan Hutchinson, left, and Joshua Pickering-Ross race for the finish line in the board rescue event during the JuniorSurf district championships held at Orewa in February.
The Red Beach Rednecks crew getting knocked around in the Piha surf during the Trillian Trust surf boat series in January.
Red Beach sweep Craig Dillon takes the Icebreakers crew through the Waihi surf during the North Island surf boat championships in February. Photos by Ross Malyon.
Ocean waves
10th June 2009
Photo # 19 in our pictorial series on ocean waves. Click on the photo to enlarge it.
90 Mile Classic IRB Challenge Coming Up
10th June 2009
The 90 Mile Classic IRB Challenge is coming up again on Saturday 5th September. The event, hosted by Far North Rescue, is raced from Scott’s Point to Ahipara.
The race is run in stages to test each crew’s skills and stamina as well as the reliability of the equipment. To read more about the event, click here.
Vehicles and IRB’s at last year’s event, parked up at Te Paki Stream and waiting for the tide to drop before driving up the beach to Scott’s Point for the start of the IRB Classic.
Check out the tides
10th June 2009
The tide chart has become a popular link on this website. If you're wanting to know the tide times for a specific day on either coast, right through 2009 & 2010, click here.
Ocean waves
2nd June 2009
Photo # 18 in our pictorial series on ocean waves. Click on the photo to enlarge it.
Moments of summer
2nd June 2009
The 2008-09 season delivered another great summer and we spent a lot of time on beaches. That presented us with opportunities to capture on camera our ‘moments of summer’ and bring them to you in another photo essay.
Four Red Beach lifeguards were selected for the SLSNR Trans-Tasman team to compete against the visiting Australian branch teams from Central Coast and NSW Country in January. From left: Chris Moors, Dylan French, Caitlin Ryan, Elise Cuff.
Chris Gurr and Mike Taylor on board the IRB for event organisation during the Owen Chapman Cup surf carnival at Red Beach in January.
The deafening sound of the starter's gun was the reason for the covering of ears as Red Beach boat captain Chris McCullough sprinted down the beach for another Owen Chapman Cup surf boat race.
Waihi surf boat sweep Dan Harris, left, with Red Beach club patron Bryan Heron and wife Pat at the North Island surf boat champs at Waihi Beach in February.
Red Beach's U19 surf canoe crew in action at the Northern Regional Championships at Mt Maunganui in January.
Surf carnival events starter Roy 'Rogers' Herbert in action at the Auckland Championships held at Ruakaka in February.
Red Beach's open Taplin relay team at the NRC's in Mt Maunganui in January, from left: Anna Jackson, Lauren Johnson, Erin Taylor.
Surf boat crew members take in the action on the water at Waihi Beach during the North Island surf boat championships in February.
Watching events at the Cath & Eddie Millar Cup compteition at Mairangi Bay in March, from left: Mark Readman, Mark Scheib, Owen Wilson.
Members of Red Beach's JuniorSurf A group between events at the club championships in March.
With four members from the Icebreakers surf boat crew practising synchronised swimming, Bryce Chisholm negotiates the Midway surf to get the boat back to the beach during the NZ Championships in March.
JuniorSurf members at the start of a surf race during the club championships at Red Beach in March. Photos by Ross Malyon.
Oh..Oh..Ohope
2nd June 2009
The freak hail storm which hit the Bay of Plenty region on 12th May also left a thick coating on Ohope Beach, the venue for the NZ Championships in March 2010. The following pics show the extent of the coverage.
Photos supplied by Don Richardson, Ohope.
Project Groundswell
18th May 2009
Project Groundswell is a proposal for the restructuring of surf lifesaving in New Zealand to better support the delivery of services.
In short, the proposal requires the abolishment of all nine districts – to be replaced by four regions – with SLSNZ assuming responsibility for providing all support services directly to clubs.
To read the Project Groundswell document, click here.
Ocean waves
18th May 2009
Photo # 17 in our pictorial series on ocean waves. Click on the photo to enlarge it.
The Gallipoli 100
18th May 2009
Surf boats will feature in the 100th anniversary of the famous landing on Gallipoli by the ANZAC’s.
To take place in April 2015, the Gallipoli 100 is a surf boat race involving 100 surf boats manned by Australian and New Zealand lifesavers. Surf boats are to be shipped to Turkey for the event which will feature 100 surf boat crews racing over a 100km distance with the location being the Dardanelles, Aegaen Sea and Gallipoli Peninsula. The crews will proceed to a beach near where the ANZAC’s landed 100 years before.
Back in 1915 there were many lifesavers and future lifesavers who fought at Gallipoli, however, a number of the pre-war lifesavers did not return home.
To check out the Gallipoli 100 website, click here.
Boats land at ANZAC Cove in April 1915.
Beach flags action
18th May 2009
During the past summer we captured on camera a wealth of action as competitors played it out in the beach flags event. We bring you a selection of the pics taken.
Adrian Young (left) and Rowan Gjaltema dive for the last flag at a JuniorSurf carnival at Red Beach in December 2008.
Red Beach's Elise Cuff (right) makes the lunge that won her a bronze medal in the U16 beach flags event at the NZ Championships in Gisborne in March.
Red Beach contestants Matthew Keenan and Jake Hurley battle it out for the final flag at the club's JuniorSurf championships in March.
The final two. Red Beach's Rowan Gjaltema (left) and Levon Hutchinson dive for the last flag in the A group division of the Cath & Eddie Millar Cup event held at Mairangi Bay in March. Red Beach's two teams placed first and second on overall points.
A twist of fate? Tyler Baldwin and Daly Tuilaepa stretch out for the last flag at Red Beach's JuniorSurf championships in March.
A hard landing caused sand to cascade out of the last flag when UK competitor Warren Trestrail placed second to Fitzroy's Ashlee Kelly in the U19 event at the NRC's in January.
Jordan Downey (right) heads off Lewis Gjaltema at a JuniorSurf carnival held at Red Beach in December.
Fitzroy's Paul Cracroft-Wilson beats Morgan Foster (South Brighton) to the last flag in the open men's final at the NZ Championship in Gisborne in March. Photos by Ross Malyon.
Ocean waves
18th May 2009
Photo # 16 in our pictorial series on ocean waves. Click on the photo to enlarge it.
Eau dear …
16th April 2009
The following pics were snapped by our roving cameraman during the season just ended.
Man overboard! A Cab Savs crew member flounders in the shallows as the boat crosses the finish line during the NZ Championships in Gisborne.
A competitor stumbles at the start of a heat of the U19 men’s run-swim-run event at the NZ Championships in Gisborne.
The sweep of Teds Rebels falls overboard as his boat broaches during the North Island Surf Boat Championships at Waihi Beach in February 2009.
Red Beach’s U19 surf canoe crew about to broach on a wave in the North Piha surf, December 2008.
The Cab Savs boat crew in a bit of strife in the Waihi surf during the North Island Surf Boat Champs, February 2009.
Piha and Red Beach competitors collide while competing in a board event during the challenge for the Millar Cup at Mairangi Bay, March 2009.
A broken sweep oar for the Orewa women’s boat crew while competing at Piha.
Competitors stumble during the final of the U19 men’s run-swim-run at the NZ Championships. Red Beach’s Dylan French took out the bronze medal in the event. Photos by Ross Malyon.
Rescue 2010 now in Alexandria, Egypt
16th April 2009
Rescue 2010, the Lifesaving World Championships will now take place in the coastal city of Alexandria in Egypt.
Pool events will take place at the Moubarak swimming pool in Alexandria and ocean events will be held at Mamoura Beach.
Over 3,000 athletes and more than 1,000 delegates, officials and team managers will be involved in the event to take place from 2 – 17 October 2010. The Championships are a combination of three World Championships: National teams, Masters and Interclub teams.
Rescue 2010 was originally scheduled for Fistral Beach, Newquay in the UK.
To check out the Rescue 2010 website, click here.
Rescue 2010 will now take place in Alexandria, Egypt in October 2010.
Nationals action!
9th April 2009
We bring you the second of our photo essays on Red Beach competitors in action at the NZ Surf Life Saving Championships held at Midway Beach, Gisborne in March.
William Lloyd competing in the U19 men's ski race. He went on to take bronze in the final of the event.
The Teds Rebels crew heads out through the rugged Midway surf.
Jared Pouwhare, left, and Dylan French competing in the U19 men's board rescue event.
Laura Barton in the final of the U16 women's ski race.
Mitchell Ryan, left, sprints for the finishing flags in a heat of the U16 men's board race.
Georgia Lloyd completes the swim leg of the U16 women's Taplin relay final. She teamed up with Kasey Cairns and Emily Pearce to win the silver medal.
AJ Maney completes a leg of the U19 men's ski relay.
The U19 men's canoe crew of Karl Bogue, Sam Swaffield, Mitchell Cairns and Liam Ryan cross the finish line in a heat of the long course surf canoe event.
Cody Richards competing in the U16 men's board race.
Jake George and Vaughan Skiffington (red caps) at the start of the open men's surf race. Photos by Ross Malyon
Thrills & spills ...
9th April 2009
Former Red Beach club member Justin Taylor sweeping the Bronte surf boat crew during a surf carnival at Elouera Beach, Australia in October 2008.
Not an easy day at the office! Justin now sweeps a Coogee crew. Photos supplied by Bill Sheridan.
Club’s first 50 years available on DVD
9th April 2009
A DVD on the Red Beach Surf Club’s first 50 years is available for purchase.
This is the presentation which won acclaim when shown at the club’s 50th Jubilee celebration banquet in May 2003. It’s a memorable combination of film and photos spanning 50 great years of club activities and competition.
The response from people wanting to purchase the DVD as a keepsake resulted in good sales, to the point that remaining stocks are low and there won’t be a production repeat.
The DVD is now back on sale, available for the low price of $15.00 plus packing & postage. To print out an order form, click here.
Club members win Beach Series swims
30th March 2009
For the second year in a row, Red Beach lifeguard
Chris Moors, right, has won the men’s 1km ocean swim section of the Takapuna Beach Series for 2008-09.
He notched up seven wins from 14 starts in the 16-race series, heading off former pool swimmer Ross Anderson and Mairangi Bay’s Brady Campbell on overall points.
Meanwhile,
Anna Jackson, below, has taken out the women’s section of the 1km swim, scoring 10 wins from 14 starts.
In 1998, as Anna Robson, she won the open women’s surf race/belt race double for Red Beach at the NZ Surf Life Saving Championships in Gisborne.
The final results for the Beach Series were based on each competitor’s best 10 finishes in the series which started in November and finished on 17 March.
Overall Results:
Men's 1Km Swim: Chris Moors (998.31) 1, Ross Anderson (997.43) 2, Brady Campbell (981.43) 3, Luke Siddins (968.49) 4, Sam White (953.27) 5.
Women’s 1Km Swim: Anna Jackson (1000.00) 1, Brenda Cockcroft (996.59) 2, Johanna O’Connor (993.34) 3, Kirsty Wannan (976.10) 4, Bailey Elliott (959.93) 5
For the full set of results for the Beach Series, click here.
World Masters Games
30th March 2009
The World Masters Games are to take place in Sydney, Australia from 10-18 October 2009.
Surf Life Saving is one of the sports to be contested from 10-11 October at Manly Beach.
To check out the World Masters website, click here.
Manly Beach in Sydney, the venue for surf lifesaving events at the World Masters Games in October 2009.
National champions!
23rd March 2009
We bring you our Golden Gallery of Red Beach competitors who won national titles at the recent NZ Surf Life Saving Championships held at Midway Beach in Gisborne.
We extend congratulations to all medal winners on their achievements.
AJ Maney and Sam Cosgrove retained their national title in the under-19 men's board rescue event and also won the under-19 tube rescue event.
The Red Beach surf boat crew of Monty's Mavericks won gold in the open women's short course final and bronze in the long course final. From left: Whytnee Rio, Carla Goodhew, Annette Hahipene, Christina Douglas, Monty McGougan (sweep).
The trio of Elise Cuff, Georgia Lloyd and Emily Pearce collected gold in the under-16 women's board relay event at Midway Beach. Photos by Ross Malyon.
Red Beach bags a Millar Cup quinella
10th March 2009
Red Beach's 'Red' team following their win in the Cath & Eddie Millar Cup competition. The team also collected the three age group trophies.
Red Beach’s two JuniorSurf teams contesting the Cath & Eddie Millar Cup delivered the club a rare quinella by finishing first and second in the 2009 challenge for the trophy.
The event, held at Mairangi Bay on Sunday 8th March, saw seven clubs front with 11 teams collectively. Each team comprised of 12 members, made up from two boys and two girls from each of the three age groups.
The events contested were board relays, board rescues, surf teams relays, Diamond relays, beach flags, beach sprints and a 12-person beach relay.
The success of Red Beach’s winning ‘Red’ team stemmed from its overall points wins in all three age groups. It was the seventh consecutive occasion that Red Beach has won the Cath & Eddie Millar Cup.
Overall Points:
Red Beach Red (159.5) 1, Red Beach White (142.5) 2, Orewa A (127) 3, Piha A (123) 4, Orewa B (121) 5, Mairangi Bay (111) 6, Muriwai A (64) 7, Piha B (53) 8, Ruakaka (51) 9, Muriwai B (44) 10, Omaha (23) 11
For the full set of results from the Millar Cup, click here.
Red Beach's 'White' team which placed second in the Millar Cup competition, enabling the club to achieve a rare one-two finish in the event.
Flashbacks …
10th March 2009
Series 12 … photographs from yesteryear.
1992: Winning the NZ Championships for the second time. Red Beach club members on Oakura Beach, New Plymouth after winning the prestigious Allan Gardner Trophy for overall points at the championships.
Early 1900's: Red Beach, surrounded by farmland, at the turn of the century. The leaning pohutukawa tree in the centre of the picture has become a Red Beach landmark and thrives to this day.
Outstanding win for JuniorSurf athletes
24th February 2009
Red Beach competitors from B & C age groups, along with their coaches, following the overall points win at the JuniorSurf Auckland Championships at Orewa Beach. Click on the photo to enlarge it.
Red Beach’s JuniorSurf athletes delivered some outstanding performances to easily retain the overall points trophy at the recent Auckland Championships.
The event, held over two days at Orewa Beach, saw the club amass 689 points to finish 334 points clear of its nearest rival. Just over 740 competitors aged from seven – 13 years, representing 14 clubs from Northern Region, took part in the championships.
"Winning the overall points trophy for the second consecutive year is the result of the coaching programmes we've been developing over the past few seasons," said JuniorSurf chairman Ed Richards.
"We've managed to build a strong base with the calibre of our coaches, we have a great bunch of youngsters and we have the support of the parents which have proven to be the right ingredients for this success," he added.
Results:
Red Beach (689) 1, Orewa (355) 2, Mairangi Bay (324) 3, Piha (175) 4, Muriwai (77) 5, Waipu Cove (75) 6, United Nth Piha (29) 7, Bethells Beach (28) 8, Mangawhai Heads (25) 9, Ruakaka (17) 10, Kariaotahi 11, Omaha 12 , Sunset Beach 13, Whangarei Heads 14.
Flashbacks …
24th February 2009
Series 11 … photographs from yesteryear.
1991: Winning the NZ Championships for the first time. Red Beach club members on the dais at Midway Beach, Gisborne after winning the prestigious Allan Gardner Trophy for overall points at the championships.
1975: Owen Chapman Cup surf carnival at Red Beach. The legendary Reg Harker (centre) with son Kim and daughter Carol, limbering up before the start of the events.
Flashbacks …
5th February 2009
Series 10 … photographs from yesteryear.
1959: The opening of the Red Beach clubrooms. The building served as the surf club’s headquarters for 24 years before being demolished in 1983 when the club’s existing clubrooms were opened. This building was situated on the land which is now the Red Beach Waterfront Reserve.
1989: The Red Beach Masters March Past team competing in the NZ Surf Life Saving Championships at Mt Maunganui.
Flashbacks …
20th January 2009
Series 9 … photographs from yesteryear.
1976 : Red Beach club member Andrew Olsen receives the Cath & Eddie Millar Cup from cup donor Eddie Millar following the club's overall points win in 1976. The trophy was first contested in 1975.
1991 : 1st World Masters Surf Life Saving Championships. Red Beach Surf Club hosted this inaugural event which drew a very large turnout of New Zealand and overseas competitors for three days of masters competition.
Held from 29 November to 1 December 1991, it was an outstanding event conducted in fine, warm weather. Red Beach fielded the second largest team of competitors, 43 in total.
The organising committee was made up entirely of Red Beach club members and drew high praise for the event which is still talked about to this day. One of the highlights was the erection of a viewing stand capable of seating 600 people which extended out over the water. Click on the photo to enlarge it.
Red Beach landmark
20th January 2009
The big leaning pohutukawa on Red Beach is one tree which has to be measured by its length rather than by its height.
If it hadn’t been for a stiff south easterly one January day in 1918, the old tree would be much taller today.
A man who lived at Red Beach probably longer than anyone else, the late Mr Stan Bayes, remembered the day the tree went over.
He and his older brother, Arthur, had been down at the beach watching Auckland holiday makers working on their boats. They left the beach just five minutes before the tree went over.
The Bayes family owned a farmhouse, which is still standing, and tended most of the land which is now in the Red Beach suburb.
When the boys returned to the beach from the house they were amazed to see the tree nearly on its side. The pohutukawa was then nearly 30 years old and it did not occur to anyone that it should be removed. Just as well.
Gradually over the years the tree, still bound by its roots to the bank, appeared to right itself by continuing to grow upward.
Stan Bayes regarded the tree as a great landmark and a really important part of the beachfront scene. Click on the photo to enlarge it.
Flashbacks …
6th January 2009
Series 8 … photographs from yesteryear.
1988: Heron surf boat launch. The very first surf boat provided by Bryan Heron to the Red Beach Surf Club was given a champagne launch at Red Beach in October 1988. It was part of a sponsorship package from B H Heron Plumbing which included a new double ski, sponsored shirts and other club gear.
1988: 6-Man team. Red Beach's 6-Man Rescue & Resuscitation drill team competing in a surf carnival at North Piha on Auckland's west coast in December 1988.
1914: Red Beach, surrounded by farmland, in a photo believed to have been taken around 1914.
Flashbacks …
29th December 2008
Series 7 … photographs from yesteryear.
1975: The launch of Red Beach Surf Club’s new surf canoe “Big Rooster” by Robert Muldoon, seated in the canoe, just days after he was elected Prime Minister of New Zealand in November 1975.
1957: Owen Chapman, the donor of the cup to foster surf lifesaving competition amongst the four Auckland east coast clubs of Red Beach, Orewa, Mairangi Bay and Eastern United who patrolled at Browns Bay.
The inaugural event was held in early-January 1957 to entertain the campers and holiday-makers from Pinewoods Motor Park. The Owen Chapman Cup surf carnival now spans more than 50 years.
To read the history of the Owen Chapman Cup, click here.
Late 1950’s: The 4-Man Alarm drill event being contested by a Red Beach team at an Owen Chapman Cup surf carnival. The spectators were holiday-makers from Pinewoods Motor Park and the surrounding areas.
Flashbacks …
22nd December 2008
Series 6 … photographs from yesteryear.
1958: NZ Championships, Christchurch. The fledgling Red Beach club, just five years old, was competing at the National Championships for the very first time. The venue was South Brighton and the club was there to compete in a number of events including the 6-Man Rescue & Resuscitation drill event.
The sea conditions were turbulent and most event finals were cancelled. However, the 6-Man R & R final went ahead and Reg Harker, an outstanding surf swimmer, drew the marble to swim as the beltman. There was a massive rip running and it was very cold. Harker reached his buoy long before any of the other beltmen; two of the finalists did not make it to the buoys.
The time difference gave the Red Beach team a distinct advantage when converted into points. When all drill points were calculated, Red Beach emerged as the winner of surf lifesaving's blue riband event to take out the coveted Nelson Shield.
1958: NZ Championships, Christchurch. Red Beach's Reg Harker (right) has just completed a remarkable swim through turbulent seas to reach the marker buoys in the final of the 6-Man R & R event. He prepares to step out of his belt and hand it to reelman Graham Wolf.
1958: Red Beach's first New Zealand title. Winners of the Nelson Shield for the Senior 6-Man Rescue & Resuscitation event at South Brighton, Christchurch.
Back row, from left: Graham Wolf, Ross Warman, Doug Ellis, Roy Woodall. Front row, from left: Allan Anderson, Toby Mitchell (Club President), George Perry (Coach), Reg Harker (Captain).
Footnote - The 6-Man R&R event has ceased to be a competition event in surf lifesaving. It's final appearance was at the NZ Championships in 2001.
Flashbacks …
1st December 2008
Series 5 … photographs from yesteryear.
1966: Club competitors from the 1965-66 season. Two of the group are current Life Members of Red Beach.
1976: Club members at Red Beach prior to a Paddlenduro fundraising stint which raised $5,000 towards the new surf clubrooms.
The surf canoe sponsors at the time were Big Rooster, Jerry Clayton Motors, Orewa Trust and Chrysler Outboards. During the mid-seventies, Red Beach was the dominant club in surf canoe racing with five open men's canoe crews.
1976: Millar Cup Winners. Red Beach Nipper members after winning the Cath & Eddie Millar cup in March 1976. Cherie Dillon, kneeling second from right, was one of the members.
Flashbacks …
18th November 2008
Series 4 … photographs from yesteryear.
1974 : The first female lifeguards. Although the Red Beach Surf Club was founded in 1953, female lifeguards were not part of the club until they were officially accepted as members in 1974.
Pictured above, six of the eight female members who obtained their Surf Medallions in 1974 to become fully qualified lifeguards with Red Beach. From left: Mandy Glover, Carolyn Hogan, Sally Glover, Ruth Mannall, Carol Harker, Carol-anne Clarke.
1950's: Owen Chapman Carnival. The Red Beach 6-Man Rescue & Resuscitation team being judged during an Owen Chapman Cup surf carnival at Red Beach during the late 1950's.
1972: Surf boat launch. The club's new surf boat "Schweppesmanship" being given a lemonade launch by the Mayor of Auckland, Sir Dove-Meyer Robinson, at a ceremony held at Westhaven on 14.11.72.
The crew, from left: Terry Marsh, Colin Brady, Paul Ranby, Jack Young, Paul Von Zalinski.
30 years of support
4th November 2008
The Pub to Club surf boat challenge coincided with 30 years of support for the Red Beach Surf Club by Bryan Heron (above). The club presented him with an enlargement of the photograph taken in 1978 when he donated two rescue skis, thus beginning a remarkable era of sponsorship. The above photograph, printed on canvas, was taken in the same spot as the original presentation.
Flashbacks …
4th November 2008
Series 3 … photographs from yesteryear.
1973: The first Nipper members. At the start of the 1973/74 season, the Red Beach club introduced Nipper members to its ranks. Initially there were 20 boys aged from seven - 13 years with Gary Faircloth as their instructor.
At the time, the Red Beach Surf Club was an all-male domain. Female lifeguards were not part of the surf club until they were officially accepted as members by way of a change to the club’s constitution at the AGM in July 1974. The Nipper division was re-named the JuniorSurf division in later years.
1981: The demise of a surf boat. Red Beach's surf boat "Blue Bonnet" met with a tragic ending while being rowed at the Auckland Championships at Piha on Auckland's west coast. While charging down the face of a 5m wave and full of water, the boat decided it wanted to be a submarine and kept going until it met the sandy seabed.
The 'Auckland Star' evening newspaper ran the story and it was picked up by the Metropolitan Life Assurance Company who went on to donate a new surf boat to the Red Beach club. It was appropriately named "Metropolitan Life" and its launch coincided with the announcement of a $150,000 sponsorship of the Metropolitan Life Youth Programme. The sponsorship was to support the country's nine surf lifesaving districts with recruitment and training for Nippers.
Flashbacks …
28th October 2008
Series 2 … photographs from yesteryear.
1950’s Red Beach: The beachscape featured on a colour postcard.
1978: The start of the B H Heron sponsorship. Bryan Heron, standing at left, made a presentation of two rescue skis to Red Beach club captain John Glover while surrounded by some of the club’s Nipper members. Thus began a remarkable era of Heron sponsorship which flourishes to this day.
1972: Cyclone fury at Red Beach. In the aftermath of Cyclone Carlotta which struck the country in January 1972, waves pounded the Red Beach foreshore, forcing the lifeguard patrol to close the beach for the period of the high tide. Onlookers stood on the beachfront, watching the surging surf in awe.
The result of Cyclone Carlotta was a huge surf which formed 300m beyond the reef at Red Beach. The club’s surf boat crew launched “Miss Rothmans” and rowed out past the breakers. Rather than risk being smashed against the rocks while returning to the beach, the crew put into Stanmore Bay where the surf was much more subdued.
Centenary of surf lifesaving in NZ
28th October 2008
The centenary of surf lifesaving in New Zealand to be celebrated in 2010 will mark 100 years since the first lifesaving patrols were started.
Surf Life Saving New Zealand (SLSNZ) was not officially formed until 1932 and so the New Zealand body itself is not celebrating 100 years of existence.
The first clubs to be established were New Brighton and Lyall Bay, both in 1910. To mark the occasion, the New Zealand Championships will be held at New Brighton, Christchurch in March 2011.
Lifesavers with surf reels beneath the pier at New Brighton, circa 1917.
Flashbacks …
14th October 2008
We bring you our new pictorial series featuring photographs from yesteryear.
Series 1 … black & white pics from the archives.
1959: The opening of the Red Beach clubrooms. The building served as the surf club’s headquarters for 24 years before being demolished in 1983 when the club’s existing clubrooms were opened. This building was situated on the land which is now the Red Beach Waterfront Reserve.
1965: The legendary Reg Harker after winning the NZ Belt Race title for the first time. On the same weekend in Christchurch he also won the NZ Surf Race title to achieve the 'double', the most popular success among all lifeguards at the championships. He went on to claim the Belt Race title on four consecutive occasions and he won the Surf Race title four times.
Harker became known as the ‘iron man’ of surf lifesaving in New Zealand during the 1960’s because of his outstanding abilities in competition. He was made a Life Member of the Red Beach club in 1967 and currently lives with his wife Faye in Christchurch.
Red Beach, Peru
3rd September 2008
Our pictorial beach series continues …
Peru, the third largest country in South America, is located on the continent’s west coast bordering the Pacific Ocean.
Paracas is a small fishing village 250km south of the capital of Lima, or three hours by road. It’s at the entrance to the Paracas National Reserve, one of the world’s most valuable and impressive coastal habitats. It’s where the desert and the sea come together in spectacular landscapes.
Red Beach is located on an astonishingly beautiful stretch of coast, surrounded by rugged cliffs, a desert and a lot of sand which make up the National Reserve. It is also known as La Playa Roja (the red beach) with the colour of the sand coming from the granite cliffs. The scenery is beautiful and it was in this rich area that ancient civilizations once flourished.
Paracas is a natural wildlife sanctuary and aquatic life flourishes on the coast. The winds, the sea temperature and other weather factors have created a habitat for more than 200 bird species along with marine life including sea lions, penguins, red and white flamingos and the visiting huge Andean Condor.
Paracas National Reserve also has huge sea lion colonies. Scores of sea lions can be seen lazily basking in the sun while condors and giant sea turtles ease their way through the water. Offshore are islands with a wide range of bird species including penguins, cormoranes, gulls, puffins and many others.
The rise and rise of
Erin Taylor
4th August 2008
With the Olympic Games about to get under way in Beijing, we take a pictorial look at Red Beach lifeguard Erin Taylor, the first-ever female to represent New Zealand in flat water kayaking at an Olympics.
She’s a talented young woman who has performed well in every sport she has participated in – swimming, netball, surf lifesaving and now kayaking – and we track her successes during the past few years.
Erin's had a rapid rise in kayaking and we can reflect on having in our midst a Kiwi sportswoman with the X factor.
To read the article Taylor-made for a Career in Kayaks by journalist Kevin Tutty, click here.
Red Beach, November 2000: Alongside some newly sponsored training equipment, 13-year-old Erin Taylor (right) with Lauren Johnson and James Clarke. All three were top competitors in the surf club’s JuniorSurf division.
March 2002: At the age of 14 and competing for the very first time at the NZ Surf Life Saving Championships, she won the U16 Women’s Beach Flags event at Mount Maunganui.
March 2004: At Kurrawa on the Gold Coast, Erin Taylor became the first-ever Red Beach competitor to win a medal at the Australian Championships. She placed third in the U-19 Surf Ski event.
March 2005: Winning the U19 Surf Ski race title for the first time at the NZ Championships at Mount Maunganui.
March 2005: Red Beach's gold medallists in the U19 Women’s Ski Relay at the NZ Championships, Mount Maunganui. From left: Erin Taylor, Jodie Johnson, Jane Moors. Taylor collected a third gold medal for the U19 Taplin Relay.
March 2006: The TV interview following her win in the U19 Surf Ski race at the NZ Championships in New Plymouth where she retained her title. Taylor was a key competitor for Red Beach when the club won the Allan Gardner Trophy for top New Zealand club for overall points at the championships. Even Nostradamus didn’t see it coming.
March 2006: Erin Taylor with Red Beach surf coach Vaughan Skiffington at the NZ Championships. It was Skiffington who suggested that she give kayaking a go because it was similar to surf ski paddling and also an Olympic sport. “I thought that was a really good idea,” said Taylor.
March 2006: Erin Taylor (right) winning the Australian U19 Surf Ski title at Kurrawa on the Gold Coast, finishing ahead of Australian paddler Elyse Yardley from the North Wollongong club. Taylor was one of 73 starters in the event and made her way to the 16-berth final after displaying top form in the heats, quarters and semifinals.
November 2007: Erin Taylor made her representative debut as a member of the New Zealand surf lifesaving team at Sydney’s famous Bondi Beach, the birthplace of surf lifesaving in Australia. She was a member of the 12-strong Kiwi team, along with a surf boat crew, to compete with five other countries in the International Surf Challenge.
Taylor provided one of the highlights in an otherwise Australian-dominated event. She caught her international rivals napping with a dominant display on her ski and sealed a great three-test series by beating the best surf ski paddlers in the world in two of her three ski races.
She was also a member of the New Zealand women’s beach relay team which completed a clean sweep by winning the beach relay event three days in a row.
December 2007: The New Zealand surf lifesaving team on Bondi Beach at the conclusion of the International Surf Challenge. Held over four days, the event was a celebration of 100 years of surf lifesaving in Australia. Erin Taylor is pictured fourth from the left in the front row. The stint with the New Zealand team in Australia temporarily ended Taylor’s foray into surf lifesaving.
On her return to New Zealand she was back on Auckland’s Lake Pupuke to resume her steely focus on making the kayaking team for the Beijing Olympics.
May 2008: Erin Taylor was officially named in the New Zealand kayaking team to compete at the Beijing Olympics. She will contest the K1 500m event.
Watching the 2004 Athens Olympics sowed the seeds of an Olympic dream for the teenage Taylor. Her initial goal was the 2012 London Olympics, however, Beijing quickly came into contention when she began to make rapid progress in the sport.
The four paddlers who make up New Zealand’s Olympic kayaking team are currently in training in Rockhampton, Queensland and are about to head to Beijing. From left: Steven Ferguson, Erin Taylor, Mike Walker, Ben Fouhy. The kayaking heats begin on Monday 18th August, with Taylor on the water on Tuesday 19th.
Red Beach, Komodo Island, Indonesia
4th July 2008
Our pictorial beach series continues …
Among the thousands of small islands of Indonesia is one called Komodo, a mountainous stretch of volcanic rock covered with grass, palms and small pockets of jungle. The island, at 35km long, is part of Komodo National Park, 200 nautical miles to the east of Bali. The park is a World Heritage site and encompasses a number of islands, the largest of which are Komodo, Rinca and Padar. The region has around 4,000 inhabitants.
Red Beach, located on the eastern side of Komodo Island, is an exotic white sandy beach tinted pink by fragments of red coral. This popular anchorage is known for its beautiful underwater scenery which ranks it amongst the best in the world for snorkeling which is excellent over a healthy shallow reef. Diving is at the reef edge where the bottom drops down to 25 metres. Above the water, many wood carving and pearl jewellery entrepreneurs ply their wares by boat.
In the sea, the vibrant colours and exotic life enchant divers and snorkelers alike as endless schools of fish ride the waterways rushing up from deep sea vents. Below them the seabed is covered with a thick carpet of fluorescent corals and marine invertebrates - an underwater photographer’s paradise. The island, along with a few others nearby, is the sole habitat of the world’s largest lizard, known as the Komodo Island monitor or more popularly, the Komodo dragon. Red Beach is located just in front of the old dragon feeding station, directly across the bay from Komodo Village.
Komodo dragons can reach 3 metres in length and weigh up to 100kg. They are the top predators in their habitat and feed on wild boar, deer, water buffalo, dogs, goats, rats, snakes, smaller dragons, and once in a while – humans.
They hunt by ambush, hiding in the scrub brush along trails. Despite their lumbering appearance, they can move with alarming speed when they want to. They can’t sustain a long chase, but all they need to subdue their prey is one bite. The Komodo dragons carry poisonous bacteria in their mouths so if they don’t immediately catch their prey, the attack is often fatal. Using their long forked tongues, they track the scent of their prey as the wounded animal slowly weakens from the infected bite, a process that can take several days.
The Komodo dragon is an endangered species and there are approximately 6,000 in existence.
Olympians from Red Beach club ranks
15th May 2008
It’s a little known fact that there are eight Red Beach surf club members, past and present, who have competed at the Olympic Games.
All have represented New Zealand in kayaking, while Steven Ferguson has also represented his country in swimming. Ferguson, along with older brother Alan, was a member of the club’s JuniorSurf division for three seasons in the early-nineties.
Those to have worn the Silver Fern are:
Don Cooper & John Leonard (both in 1976), Ian Ferguson (1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992), Edwin Richards (1984), Stephen Richards & John MacDonald (1988, 1992), Mark Scheib (1992), Steven Ferguson (swimming 2000, kayaking 2004, 2008).
The Red Beach club has now produced its very first female Olympian in Erin Taylor.
Lifesavers required?
4th May 2008
We often see some ridiculous behaviour on beaches, but could this be liquid lunacy?
In Zimbabwe, Africa, you will find the magnificent Victoria Falls at a height of 128m. It’s one of the world’s Seven Natural Wonders and at 1,708 metres wide it's the largest curtain of water that exists.
This location is known as the Devil's Pool, a natural rock pool at the very top of the Victoria Falls and during the months of September and December it’s possible to swim close to the edge of the falls without falling over.
These falls are becoming well known within the ‘radical tourist’ industry in which a growing number of people are searching for the ultimate experience. At least the hippos and crocodiles stay a more intelligent distance from the falls. Fancy a job as a pool lifeguard?
Red Beach, Crete
16th April 2008
Our pictorial beach series continues …
With its cobalt blue waters, sun-bleached cottages, ancient ruins and red sandstone cliffs, Crete's Red Beach is picturesque to say the least. It’s a famed 'clothing optional' beach located near Matala in the south of Crete, the largest of the Greek islands which lies approximately 160km south of the Greek mainland.
Made famous in 1968 when hippies from across Europe flocked to its shores, the resort at Red Beach has remained a favorite for its rustic charm and its tolerance.
Beautiful yet secluded, it can be reached only by water or on foot which involves a steep climb followed by a steep descent, in about half an hour from the village of Matala.
Red Beach takes its name from the ochre colour of the sand. While it doesn’t necessarily exude the same stunning red colors of Red Beach Santorini, it is indeed picturesque in its own right, set against golden hills and cliffs which provide a setting for some sparce, green vegetation.
Most often during the busier summer months, you can rent shade umbrellas and beach lounging chairs, but at times there are no rentals and it’s just you, your towel and whatever else you bring.
Matala View, on the hill above Red Beach, looking towards Matala Village. The ascent is steep but the view is worth the trouble and the effort. The tricky hike down to Red Beach affords some sweeping sights of the beach and the water, set against the coast’s cliffs.
At the north side of the beach the rocks are carved into ancient Minoan and Egyptian shapes, carried out a number of years ago by a Belgian man by the name of Gerard.
Red Beach Crete is primarily known for its affiliation as a 'clothing optional' beach. Predominantly, this section of the beach is kept at the northern side, however there is no strict rule against straying from this section without covering yourself.
But, do not think that you have to strip to enjoy Red Beach Crete as there is ample tolerance for all.
Red Beach, Vieques Island, Puerto Rico
3rd March 2008
Our pictorial beach series continues …
Red Beach, also known as Playa Caracas or Playa del Corcho is one of the best-loved beaches on the small lush island of Vieques, 6 miles off the coast of Puerto Rico. The beach is a long stretch of powdery white sand, leading into the crystal-clear Caribbean water that turns shades of turquoise and green as it gets deeper.
Vieques Island was once the site of a large US Navy base. It found its freedom in 2003 when the Navy pulled out, creating conservation land where the bases once stood, and the island is just beginning to get its ‘tourism legs’.
Puerto Rico is a commonwealth of the United States and the Navy used Red Beach for recreation before they left, whiling away the time on this stunning beach with soft sand and even softer water.
Snorkeling here is excellent. You won’t get the variety of colours that a coral reef or rocky pier would afford but you will see stingrays, schools of smaller fish and possibly even a dolphin if you go out far enough.
The beach is framed by gently rolling green hills in the near distance. A number of small uninhabited islands and outcroppings can be seen not too far offshore. But while you’re on the beach you can pamper your feet on the soft white sand, get the perfect tan and enjoy life the Caribbean way.
Red Beach, Rio
6th February 2008
Our pictorial beach series continues ...
Praia Vermelha (Red Beach) wins over the tourists with its exotic, luxuriant and strange glamour. Surrounded by coconut and bamboo trees, this place is just another charming oasis of peace and calm in Rio de Janeiro, blessed with cacti, orchids, bromeliads and grassy bushes.
Praia Vermelha, known for its steeply sloping sands, is well sheltered at the foot of the Urca hill. It is found in a predominantly residential neighbourhood with an intimate small-town atmosphere. Boating is popular here.
The beach offers a stunning view of the Sugar Loaf mountain, named for its shape, which rises 396m above sea level. It offers a breathtaking panorama of Rio’s majestic beauty, with built-up areas nestled between magnificent bays and dazzling beaches on one side and abruptly rising mountains from the water, on the other side, in Guanabara Bay.
Red Beach, Greece
24th January 2008
Our new pictorial beach series on Red Beach locations around the world …
Red Beach, found on the Greek island of Santorini, is a mesmerizing stretch of red sand that is set against a stunning backdrop of scaling red cliffs. As if Santorini weren’t beautiful enough, with its volcanic landscape and picturesque caldera, Red Beach adds the extra touch that helps to make the island one of the most desired tourist destinations in the Aegean Sea.
The crystal-clear blue waters contrast the stunning red-coloured sands, all set against a prolific cliff background.
Located on the southern coast of Santorini in the area named Akrotiri, Red Beach is truly majestic and you would be hard-pressed to find a beach anywhere in the world that mixes such a color scheme. Often busy during the peak summer months, beachgoers to Red Beach Santorini may find it a bit crowded, especially due to the fact that the close proximity of the cliffs to the water leaves a fairly thin strip of beach.
Some who visit Red Beach Santorini merely park the car and stand atop the cliffs for a view down, but it is worth it to make the trek down to get the full experience. The beach can also be accessed by boat from the port of Akrotiri and the port at Fira. The sun can be very strong here, and the sand is not the most comfortable to sit on, thus many choose to bask under shade umbrellas and beach lounging chairs. Nearby there are taverns and eateries offering meals and snacks.
Club’s first 50 years available on DVD
13th August 2007
A DVD on the Red Beach Surf Club’s first 50 years is available for purchase.
This is the presentation which won acclaim when shown at the club’s 50th Jubilee celebration banquet in May 2003. It’s a memorable combination of film and photos spanning 50 great years of club activities and competition.
The response from people wanting to purchase the DVD as a keepsake resulted in good sales, to the point that remaining stocks are low and there won’t be a production repeat.
The DVD is now back on sale, available for the low price of $15.00 plus packing & postage. To print out an order form, click here.
