of playing

History of playing in the sea

Man has always loved playing in the sea. And of the water sports he has developed, none probably re quires more skill than surf board riding. The art was first developed by the Hawaiians, according to a new book, A Pictorial History of Surfing, by Frank Margan and Ben Finney (Hamlyn, $4.95). Dr. Finney is an academic well known in the Pacific, and an expert on early surfing. The illustration at the top of the page, from the book, is an early engraving showing Hawaiians riding the waves. But the other two pic tures do not come from the Margan/Finney history but from PlM's private history. Centre photo was taken off Samarai, Papua, about 1922 and the daring gentleman in question is being pulled at speed by a motor boat, but we don't know his identity. Below is a more recent photograph, by Captain A. G. Shearer, who captures the fun of these Islands youngsters of Bikenebeu, Gilbert and

Ellice Islands, as they engage in some man-powered skiing. The board rides on a few inches of ocean along the beachfront.

But that's just merely by the way.

A Pictorial History of Surfing follows the art from Hawaii (the golden age), through the dark days when the missionaries discouraged it, to the discovery of surfing and board riding by Americans, Austra lians and South Africans. This is a book for surfers of all ages, everywhere.