From the Coastwatch Vault this story shot on Tuesday 23rd February 1999, featured the biggest swell of the summer of 98/99, which was coming off a slow moving low off the southern Qld coast, the remnants of TC Frank. It features Jay Phillips, Sam Lamaroy, Sasha Stocker and a Joel Parkinson stand up tube ride at Duranbah, which "Parko" still remembers to this day and reckons it's the best wave he's ridden at D'Bah.

From the Coastwatch Vault, this April 1994 surfer profile on Wayne Deane. Since the 60's when he started surfing, he has been a standout on the southern Gold Coast point breaks and still to this day is a local hero. He chose the simple life rather than hit the pro circuit, but did come back to competitive surfing in the early 90's and in 1991, won the World Longboard Championship.

From the Coastwatch Vault, this April 1994 surfer profile on Gold Coast surfer Michael "Munga" Barry. Earlier that year he thrilled the crowds at the Kirra Pro with one of the best tubes rides of the contest and that's saying something, because Kirra was perfect and the worlds best were competing. "Munga" is part of world surfing folklore and quite rightly deserves that status.

From the Coastwatch Vault, this April 1994 surfer profile is on Dean Morrison. At the time, Dean was 13 and showing promise of the great things to come.

From the Coastwatch Vault, this John Charlton surfer profile shot in October 1998 on hot Gold Coast surfer Dean Morrison.

From the Coastwatch Vault, this John Charlton story from March 1998 on the Noosa Longboard Pro Am, which was won by Wayne Deane RIP

From the Coastwatch Vault, this May 1995 surfer profile from John Charlton on Darrell "Rooster" Dell, a life long surfer, shaper and sailboarder.

From the Coastwatch Vault, this John Charlton story on the final 2 legs in WA & SA of the 98 Billabong Junior Series. The series was won by NSW surfer Darren O'Rafferty

From the Coastwatch Vault, this September 1994 surfer profile is on Jason "China' O'Conner, who at the time was one of the hottest surfers based on the southern Gold Coast.

From the Coastwatch Vault, this June 1995 surfer profile by John Charlton on Tweed Coast long boarder Ray Gleave, who is famous for his old style mal riding on modern boards. Ray had won 3 Australian long board championships at the time we did the story, but he preferred free surfing for the fun of it.