
THE FIRST WETSUITS IN SURFING
The only westsuits were for skin diving, and usually were very uncomfortable and gave you a nasty deep rash in the sides of the neck and the armpits, so that you could barely move. It was a toss up between being freezing cold in 57-58 degree waters, or pain in the sides of the neck and the armpits.
Here I am surfing first with a vest, which were the first wetsuits made specifically for surrfing. They had no arms, and a low neck, but you couldn’t get a rash. It was thought that the arms and neck were restrictive of movement needed for surfing. At first I have this vest on, then on the last waves, I am without a wetsuit, having given it to my younger brother, who had paddled out. I believe we were sharing that vest in those days. My dad is filming in 8mm, from the jetties, which are just out of frame to the left.