Bonza Bob Conneely

Post by **2nd Reef** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 9:16 am

Here's a couple of scans from the 'Life In The Sun' article on Bonza Conneely that Wands and I mentioned yesterday (The Australian Surfers Journal, Volume Three, Number One)

Opening spread. 48 years old and charging like a madman down near Margarets. This is not a tow-in.

Same wave shot from the water:

On surfing legends trotted out at surfing festivals (and why Laz was right):
"Most of them are greats, their influence should not be forgotten. If it is a situation where it's a celebration of surfing culture....yeah. But for me, personally, I cannot blow hot air for the sake of it. It was that era of disproportionate exposure. Was what happened that big a deal? We were just people who rode waves, was this scene any better than the generation that came 20 years previously or 20 years later?"

Post by **oldo_nicho** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 9:46 am

Have you got the rest of that article?

Post by **2nd Reef** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 9:54 am

Uh huh. Don't think it's cool to scan and post up here so I can lend you the issue Ol.

Pretty amazing tale. Bonza was at the coal face during many stages of modern Australian surfing - introduction of Malibu's, surfer/rocker wars at Bondi, early competition, country soul, the heroin scourge.

Post by **oldo_nicho** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 10:12 am

Yeah, fair enough...

Sounds like a really interesting guy. There are so many people out there with interesting stories to tell. I think it is people like Bonza that make a refreshing break for an interview from the heavily sponsored pro yet again scoring perfect Mentawais, and I am sure that heaps of people would be interested to read about these "behind the scenes" characters in Kurungabaa

So much respect for older dudes that still charge. Does Mick (is that his name? You know, the guy with the labrador, ute, and son that rides the wave better than anyone out there...) still go hard at that certain spot down south?

Post by **oldman** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 10:30 am

The Australian Surfers Journal. Is that still in production 2R? If I recall this used to be a quarterly and wasn't sold in the newsagents, or at least as far as I knew,

However it was the only surf mag that I had seen that catered to surfers who were over 15 or had an IQ over about 102.

I would get a subscription if it is still going. Anyone know? They used to have great in-depth real stories about surfers and surfing, as if they were written by a quality journalist, or someone who could actually write.

Wonderful stuff, and what a sensational wave with just a couple out there.

Post by **2nd Reef** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 11:32 am

Oldo: Mick still charges & his son Pete...well, you've seen what that fella can do.

Would love to interview them - there's is an incredible story. But how to do so and not mention the wave?

Oldy: Australian Surfers Journal folded a few years back and all subscriptions transferred to the Surfers Journal, the slightly septic-centric mother publication. Surfers Journal is indeed written by great journalists and they do include some Australian stories every couple of issues. Well worth subscribing to.

Post by **oldman** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 12:08 pm

Thanks 2R. Will check it out.

Post by **Beanpole** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 10:32 pm

Conneeley used to be right into chines on his boards. Used to have one I traded away to someone. Should have hung onto it longer in retrospect.

Post by **oldo_nicho** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 11:44 am

Just on the topic of older guys charging; seeing these pics of Bonza Connely reminded me of a pic of a good friends dad taken in the legendary 2001 east-coast swell.

I just got him to email me a copy, and rather than posting the full image have just provided a link to it since the image is rather large and I am at work and don't have the software to make it smaller...

This is Rusty Miller absolutely charging at Lennox Head at the age of 58! (Photo taken by Simon Wood)

Post by **Surfin Turf** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 12:52 pm

oldo_nicho wrote:charging at Lennox Head at the age of 58!

top stuff ....

gives me hope for the approaching future...

Post by **2nd Reef** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 1:39 pm

oldo_nicho wrote:This is Rusty Miller absolutely charging at Lennox Head at the age of 58! (Photo taken by Simon Wood)

Woooo...go the old bastards!

I was gonna make a smart arse comment about the horrible colour scheme that Rusty's wearing, but bugger me, he's 58 and he's hooking in from way back. Do it nude for all you want....

While we're on the subject of old pricks, here's Harey, who must be about 48 (and if he finds out I've posted this will kill me) but anyway, here's Harey pulling into a pearler at The Island only a few feet from dry rock and a few years from his pensioners card.

Right on!

Photo by BBSC

Post by **Butts** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 1:40 pm

Surfin Turf wrote:
oldo_nicho wrote:charging at Lennox Head at the age of 58!
top stuff .... gives me hope for the approaching future...

Let me know how you go SurfinTurf, then I'll still have a YEAR to go

Post by **oldo_nicho** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 1:51 pm

Fantastic Reefer!

Post by **Lucky Al** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 3:29 pm

on the subject of surfers with interesting stories to tell, jamie brisick has a regular thing on surfline.com, 'faces', where he shoots portraits and records the voices of a dozen or so surfers of a certain place as they introduce themselves and say a little about where they live and what they're up to or what they're thinking. for the latest one he's in rio de janeiro, and previous ones have been in new york, los angeles and the north shore. lots of different stories to listen to and faces to look at, i reckon he does a great job even be good if there was more time for each audio.

Post by **Beanpole** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 10:13 am

They had a sequence in one of the mal mags of Rusty. I guess all those years of surfing big Hawaiian waves etc, plus living the good life on the north coast pay off

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