AVALON BEACH SURF CLUB, THE STORY AND THE ANTHOLOGY. 18 years of association, had the best times, met and made friends with so many people. There were some not so happy events dotted here and there, that was the trade off. Leading up to 1974 we did some great stuff and participated in so many surf carnivals. We socialized and had relationships, I remember full well that we all were driven by a will to serve the community. This PROPINQUITY was the driving force, and to this day I imagine it's what keeps all of you guys motivated and close knit. We always had great mentors and friends, our guiding lights were our executive people, they always seemed to give us leadership. Before they get a swelled head however, it was the ordinary members who were prepared to follow and put in the hard yards. There are still many recollections and memories so indulge me. Do you know I have not got a single photo of my surf club, my mates? Regrettably a fire destroyed my precious visuals years ago. It was if fate wished me to rely on memory, and that's what I lean on. LATE NEWS; ME OLD MATE TREVOR SENT ME SOME PHOTOS, SEE ABOVE. 2008-07-22  Had an email from Don (BOMBHEAD) Mitchell recently, he has agreed that ‘some' of my narrative are true and honest, he would say that, I needed him to help with my memories. WE will get together some day, all of us, and trade stories. The 75th at Manly Leagues Club was far to short to talk to all of my old mates, I was eternally grateful to you guys for the chance to catch up, if only for short time. Must comment that age has not wearied us, just made us slower. So, who can forget those Carnivals, we participated in everything. Many of our members became SLSA PRINCIPLES, in some instances they became our judge and jury. Michael Byrnes OAM will remember the day at BILGOLA, we recon we won the Boat Final. Him and Alan Slavin were the ‘line judges', so I guess the decision must favor the batsman, Michael, I kid you not, anybody else and I would have called for the 3rd umpire, you know I am taking the piss. PETER FRASER, DUCK YOUR HEAD  Must relate the story of one Peter Fraser, he has risen to high places, however he will always be THE Piano PLAYER TO THIS WRITER, lower case. A very entertaining fellow, quite bright, in fact he was the person who showed us, no taught us how to fit the FLIP FLOP, AKA, THONGS TO OUR FEET. I mean how academic is that. Peter is the born entertainer and party animal, I can remember many entertaining chronicles', he taught me tautology as well. PETER FRASER, piano player, #1. I first met Peter when he resided at CENTRAL ROAD AVALON, (this will be basis for #2). Aside from other places. Peter moved house out to CAREEL BAY, a property with very sloping properties, another grammar error. The moving of his goods and chattels was a logistic nightmare and required much manpower, who else, HIS MATES from the Surf Club. As has been intimated a piano enters the equation, this bulky and very heavy piece of his ego has to go where he Goth. Several "MATES" WERE SEQUESTED, and so the epic story begins. It came on a truck, did ‘it', complete with several lifesavers, ‘it' had to negotiate many meters of steep pathways leading up to the house, albeit with several platforms as the path meandered. With the exception of AMOS REMOVELISTS, HAS ANYBODY MOVED A PIANA up a hazardous pathway, OH about 5000 meters. NOTE WELL; PETER was very fortunate, no exceptional surf was evident on this day.  Peter had a plan, a devious plan, it involved motivation and team participation, it incorporated an entertainment factor. There was the VeryBeaut factor as well. Our man is a born leader. We assemble around, no, surround the steel framed ‘it', and away we go. The first section was negotiated to the first platform and a rest was in order. At this point PIANOMAN FRASER produces his PLAN; UP GOES THE LID AND STRAINS OF JAZZ AND OTHER PLACES rent the tranquil surroundings of Careel Bay, the neighbors' and the AVALON PENSINULA will never relax again. There were 300 more platforms to go, I must stress this fact, because on every stop the piano lid would be risen and another barrage of songs would erupt from the assembled choir, accompanied by Pete and ‘it'. Historians are noted as saying that not one song was repeated, this is confirmed by the ROOTN BOYS CHOIR, the artists on the day.  It was also reputed that the PITTWATER COAST GUARD received many requests to keep the sound down, although some inquired where could they buy the CD. And were the "T" shirts available yet?. No, but a 'Bushy poem' is.  At this point analogy has entered my intellect; Did Peter devise his plan from the exploits of  MR. HILLARY, that increditably gifted KIWI Mountaineer, a man whose exploits will never be equaled, Peter did you plagiarize that great mans plan?. Base camps come to mind, stuff, grammar stuff like final assaults', is that an adverb?, motivational briefing, provisioning, what a man. If this is the case, the final assault took place at the base of the stairs of BASE CAMP "one to go", we thought we had broken the back of the climb. The bloody stairs, bugger me what a final assault. Oxygen, several songs and VB WERE SUPPLIED, we strained every tissue of our being, in one supreme effort we got that barsted to the verandah, CAREEL BAY was at peace, they welcomed the piana MAN. Now can you piss off and give the little hamlet some peace.  BUT THERE'S MORE TO THIS STORY. YES MR. FRASER. (remember the candle light dinner?)  So if your game, follow me.

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