Andy Bennetts

Thanks to Andy for letting me show some of his classic photos. They map the early days of Scottish surfing and surfers, the discovery of new waves and some important boards. Andy grew up in Aberdeen but got the surfing bug on early holidays to Cornwall, and in 1967 he brought home his first board, a Bilbo. A couple of years later he founded the first Scottish surf club, at Edinburgh university, and with the club members pioneered surf spots on the west and east coasts of Scotland. Andy was also instrumental in organising early surf contests including the first Scottish champs in 1973 , and won it in '75. He also wrote articles in surf mags about waves, boards, contests and hot rods. He was secretary of the Scottish surfing Federation for two decades from the early 70s, and of the European in the 80s.


The first boards in Scotland ! Aberdeen beach 1968. L to r -George Law, Andy Bennetts and Stuart Chrichton. No wetsuits and freezing water.

1971, L to R -George Law (the first surfer in Scotland ), John Rigby and Brian Morgan at Aberdeen beach with boards from Cornwall and Devon.

Andy with Steve Lee, Coldingham 1985

Bill Batten 1971

First surf check at Brimms Ness bowl. Never surfed before.

'Islay - first trip 1978 and it was cranking all the time '.

'Brian, Rab and Dave with Rod Sumpter's board - stolen for the duration of the photo. For a board in those days it weighed nothing and was the first real short board we'd seen. Fistral 1969'

'The Aberdeen crew at Fistral 1969 - Sandy Maithers, Dave Killoh, Brian Morgan and my brother Rab'

'Nigel Semmens, big Thurso east' All photos copyright Andy Bennetts. If you would like to contact Andy or are interested in using his photos email me.

'Known' surf spots in Scotland in 1970, from British Surfer. The north shore was scoped out within a few years, and later in the 70s the Hebrides too.