Old Surf Movies: A Hatteras Odyssey, 1975

During spring break in 1975 Dave Bence, Frank Dorenkamp, Pat Fulks and I went on a surf trip to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina from Alexandria, VA. The surf was good but we keep going and drove to Florida to surf at Sebastian Inlet and New Smyrna Beach in Florida. Great trip! The Cape Hatteras lighthouse has been moved since then. Filmed with my 8mm camera. Music by Wishbone Ash: The King will Come & Blowin Free.
Read about this trip on my Blog:
briantissot.com...
To see the full version with original music:
• Old Surf Movies: A Hat...

[@atombombcafe]

No cell phones. No body knew Where you were. True freedom.

[@patrickramirez8433]

Yeah but see if u had cells in those days. Imagne u couda recorded the whole thng in real time.

[@georgeshaw3543]

@@patrickramirez8433 part of the beauty I guess

[@user-rr8fm9ez8d]

No one is obligated to own a cell phone. We can choose not to interact with people on a superficial level. Although owning a cell phones can be useful at times. Plus we can switch them off? Happy surfing.

[@petecoyle5028]

RIP Frank Dorenkamp! From Frank's sister, Peggy: With profound sadness, I want to tell you that our brother, Frank passed away last weekend while vacationing with our family in Delaware. While in the ocean, he was tossed by a rough wave and sustained a neck fracture. If you knew him, you know how much he loved the ocean, and that there was no other way he would have wanted to leave this earth. We are grateful that he didn't suffer and that he was with his family at the time. We are going to spread his ashes in both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans so that he can continue to ride the waves.

[@jonoedwards4195]

Pete Coyle Heavy Man. See you out there soon Frank.

[@Paperbacknovel]

+Pete Coyle Very sad news

[@BackyardSwingset]

+Pete Coyle Frank is welcoming 'Uncle Rabbit' into the ether to surf that endless wave and eternally live in water. rabbit's passing brought me to look for surf movies i grew up with in va. beach and on hatteras. found Frank's. i dreamt about this last night. surfing leaves a legacy of some real kalohes and scoundrels but my family is steeped in the tradition of throw them in let them learn quickly to swim. da kine! aloha rabbit!

[@michaelworse6034]

So very sad .....

[@mikebecker9791]

Great memories of the OBX in the 70s ...always felt like a true surf trip. No surf reports, just sprinting over the dune to get that first glimpse.

[@rustysurfer87]

VW Van with a footprint gas pedal. Classic.

[@calfolk7381]

Driver hoisting his Budweiser out the window of a Ford Pinto wagon on the highway says it all 👍

[@bobperry7045]

I grew up in Morehead city N.C. We would take the ferry to Ocrakoke, then to the lighthouse where we would camp and surf until our arms fell off. I remember people taking surf trips up and down the East Coast ,every summer. I was a young grommet surfer in '75, and, I remember the lighthouse being right on the jetty....... This brought back sweet memories of Seals and crofts summer breeze , the group America and Neil young...... Where did the time go?

[@Logan-gi2lm]

Bob Perry I live in the area, but the surf is small

[@voodookook]

Those were the days!

[@joeybenoit6269]

I'm 67 been surfing 50 years! Wishbone Ash one of my favorite bands growing up!! Thanks!

[@dbrowdie]

Music by Wishbone Ash "The King Will Come" That riff I could listen to all day. Great footage! Brings me back to the mid 70's

[@RockHeavy2]

It made this old lady(60!!( miss surfing more and more, thank God I am 5 miles from Cocoa Beach, Second light, picnic table etc, Those were the good old days , yowza !

[@clarkewi]

I had a van just like that in '75. Used it to move my girlfriend and her gear up to UC Santa Cruz. Ended up staying there for 30 years. Now I live in New Zealand.

[@joek.7930]

this was the very best of times i wish i could be in this era again !!!!

[@Nestasarten]

Thanksgiving to Fl aug sept to Hatteras from 15 yrs old(1970) and many yrs beyond.

[@margiesplace259]

God bless, Your brother is surfing the best waves now and watching over our accent into a whole new evolutionary world. Go into your heart center connect and you will be able to commune with everyone like the ocean connects us all, our love connects us. Thanks for the beautiful vibes in this beloved video.

[@jondidier2282]

Once drove to Santa Barbara to go surfing and ended up in Mexico looking for waves. Don't remember if we found any surf but had a great time. ROAD TRIP!

[@greenbeagle13]

Love those old VW buses... MAN oh man, I need a tartis to take me back to 1975....

[@DrAbalone]

Thanks Nicolas. Wishbone Ash is one of the greatest unappreciated rock bands ever.

[@ForrestCory]

I can't imagine the effort it took to shoot this movie with the equipment you had access to back in the 70s. So. Cool. Can't wait to surf Hatteras again this August - praying for a hurricane swell and a hurricane that stays well off the coast!

[@KeithBloemendaal]

Bring back times like this.... *PLEASE!*

[@KeithBloemendaal]

Here's your Vdub Steve Sherron ;-)

[@SteveSherron]

Keith Bloemendaal That was fantastic. Great music too. A Neil Young sound to it. Thanks for the heads up on this one.

[@JeanMarcLuna]

Happy to have experienced these moments of joyous recklessness. Thanks for these souvenirs Keith Bloemendaal :)

[@Volkswear]

More importantly......Do you still have the bus? Love the bus!!!!

[@dronecamps]

I'm a Hatteras boy born in 74. I grew up surfing on the island. So good to see this footage even though I was only just born. Great video. Reminds of of being a 70s, 80s kid on the island. Simple good times. Most of my family were and are surfers. I shared this on Facebook to the locals on the island. I think they will find this a real gem to see. Thanks for uploading it to youtube!!!!! Great shots by the way. Kickass angles dudes! - Justin.

[@playitcoolmusic]

Great home movie. Whoever shot and edited this knew what they are doing.

[@Maustrum]

Thanks for the shot of the Wallabies. Brought back good memories Keep On Truckin'

[@1purehokie]

my dad was a hatteras surf pirate during these days! i showed him this video and he must have watched it 4 times in a row! when he tells me his stories, it inspires me to enjoy every day and everything life brings me. the outer banks that i know are much different, but still the same. when i surf, i feel as if i'm carrying on a family tradition and nothing feels more natural to me.

[@MondoBone]

I love watching these. This is the best thing ever. Great choice of music, too.

[@ranchotexino4929]

At first flash of Eden We raced down to the sea Standing there on freedom's shore Waiting for the Sun. Waiting for the Sun. Waiting for the Sun. Can't you feel it Now that Spring has come That it's time to live in the scattered Sun. The Doors 1968,

[@ejwfenwick]

Great movie! I'm from DE and have been going to Hatteras my whole life. This reminds me of my older brother and how he gave me the surf stoke!

[@ianmaclean122]

Very Very Cool

[@kenster38]

Is it me or is the ocean much cleaner back then ,,,,and the sun was so beautiful in the 70s,i get the feeling its smaller in 2010.Oh and the VW van with the surfboard ,even today i would like to have it cool vid awsome van.

[@montbob100]

So cool. Similar memories in Hampton.

[@BackyardSwingset]

i was up half the night last night. insomnia isn't something new to me or lost on me. kept thinking back to va. beach, hatteras, surf city, onslow. hearing about uncle rabbit's passing today had me searching for more and wanting to watch some of the old surf movies we'd watch at the FOP club... found this instead. perfect. great little cam. and f'in wishbone ash? dudes. shaka. aloha rabbit and live in water!

[@johnnycakeslim]

Fantastic to watch....I moved to Nags Head in 75 and lived and surfed there till 84....came back after the 90's and it was so different. Happy to see this film

[@micheladavis]

Giant Mahalo for making and posting this. I missed you guys since this was probably the only Hatteras spring break I missed in this era. Was there at the end of summer though when Rasmussen won the US at the lighthouse and Wes Laine threw down some. My daughters will lol...

[@nancykunik4370]

I was there too! Seems like yesterday (almost)...great time to be a teenager...glad I was

[@mauifilms5767]

Inspirational for the traveling surfer... pure stoke and no commercialism or hype of today’s surf world. Fantastic film thanks for posting.

[@buzzboy7]

Pretty Cool Vid. Loving the old hatteras stuff. I grew up and live in Buxton and I love seeing old videos like this.

[@JohnSmith-mw2hh]

Back in late 70s stayed at falcon motel, think that was the name. Remember the red drum tackle shop, and kentucky fried chicken across street from motel. Just a room with tables and straight back wooden chairs...and the motel had 'new' satellite tv, the dish was huge and sat on a flatbed trailer in the parking lot... No dollar generals or other chain stores in sight-- just sand, cars, and a few buildings

[@barrierislandfilms]

this is classic!

[@foxman362]

awesome early 70's era that's coming from 80's child like me born 1980.

[@charleskoehler9873]

What’s better than frying eggs on a portable Coleman predawn in the Hatteras Lighthouse parking lot? That’s living!

[@timothykingman5169]

In 1981-83 I was a United States Coast Guard EM3 who maintained all of the CG Outer Banks electrical systems. I also maintained the Diamond Shoals Light Tower 12 miles off shore, all of the small boat stations as well as the remote CG Ocracoke Small Boat Station, and of course the famous Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in this GREAT video. Though this 8mm is 6 years earlier, it restores the memories of CG friends established in this remote corner of our country. Carry-on Coasty!

[@JohnSmith-mw2hh]

Coast guard group cape hatteras on ch 16, and kig77 noaa with a real human c1981

[@Numantino312]

though one reason why life was simpler back then is because few would have gone any further than the bother of a polariod or 35mm pics/snapshots. that epic film clip literally comes from film. which had to be developed, etc. a LOT of work went to make this video. my props to those who made it. and thanks for sharing.

[@nachosteezproduction]

good combo of traveling with best friends and surfing the globe baby!!!

[@postalaka]

Rad video!I remember going up in the light house in the old location .Brings back memories!

[@TheSlimedshady]

great movie. hope all those memories came flooding back

[@crimescenestudios]

I was 18 and surfing then too, except I lived in Southern California. But this surf trip is so familiar. It reminds me of how many things have changed. The very air, the feeling that was in the air, was so different than it is today. Look at the bodies people had. No fat people. And the women had curves, not flab, the way it's supposed to be, the way it was in 1975. And the music, tuneful and interesting. The water was cleaner in Cali back then. It was glorious. Didn't even know it.

[@LonewolfV20]

Haa, thanks for the memories, and the music, great home video chronicle, i was a wandering surfer back here in west ozzie all through the seventies, driving up an down the coast, camping, living out of my car, chillin waves an chillum pipes, life was so much freer back then, even if surfies were outcasts along with our brother hippies, we were still free to chase our passion an drive on the beach an camp under the stars in the sanddunes... keep tbe dream alive!

[@summercloud7057]

..... what amazingly free' times...

[@michaelworse6034]

Loved this 60s / 70s vibe , fantastic

[@starlingchild]

This video rocks on so many levels. Thanks so much for sharing. There's so much to love here.

[@rockandrolllifestyle8679]

The 60's and 70's were so different on the OBX . Great film .

[@dandy7989]

It really brought me back!!!!!

[@leorodz]

loved it reminded me of yesteryear, single fins and clay wheel skateboards and no aerials yet. LeoSurf

[@reds7vn644]

Absolutely the best era of Surfing. Everything after 1983 in my opinion has lost its soul and its smoothness.

[@k311y5m1th]

better than anything ive seen from rip-a-quik-bong

[@voodookook]

Great flick here guys!! made the trip many times in the 70's ...... BEST of times for sure! Now I live on the Southern Outer Banks!! Thanks for posting! mark

[@nicofinfinaud]

cant stop watching over years :)

[@carolinajack66]

i was surfing Isle of Palm, my home in 75, then moved to Pensacola---miss those suds

[@flacustom]

Excellent!

[@MartynaKowKow]

simply beautiful

[@SkunkBud101]

Hell yeah! Love the music too!

[@moondoggy68]

Love the little shot of Spanish House CLASSIC... thanks for posting

[@mattlocke06]

Cool movie, I was living on Ocracoke 1975.Brings back alot of memories.

[@BennyWyer.BennyWyer]

Great Movie and choice of music. Very well made. I just bought a super 8 camera, now all i need is a nice time machine. ( None on e-bay)

[@SurfTrip00]

@herostoryproductions nah.....that's the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel ! There used be a toll on the bridge. The booth you see in the video is on the Hampton side.....it was just about where Strawberry Banks Motel sits next to the interstate. Notice the HRBT is two-way traffic also......second span didnt come until later days

[@bastardsofmelody]

Great movie! I grew up in Florida and surfed Sebastian Inlet and New Smyrna back in the 80's. Live in New Jersey now and go down to Hatteras every summer to surf. It all looks pretty much the same to me, especially Sebastian. I don't think it's changed too much. Thanks for sharing!

[@aaroncardinal324]

awesome, truly awesome, back when you could drive right on the beach. i was only 6 but damn this takes me back! love it!!!!

[@13squier]

beautiful film! this is a real treasure

[@doc470]

dude this is classic! i so wish i was born a generation ago (born in '83)....

[@Furball2k]

I remember when the world used to look like this... Take Me Back!!!

[@DaveHogerty]

sorry to hear about your friend.

[@lukesharp22000]

I really enjoyed watching this. My kids, my friends and I are always taking surf trips... This was so cool. It was great to see these places back in '75.

[@bohdifrompointbreak]

Epic coolness.

[@antoniohenriquelopes5880]

Great

[@Numantino312]

i have quite similar feelings about the 80s myself.

[@moonsbel]

Great vid... loved the bus... the old look... so cool.... awesome dudes...bel xx

[@alwv1]

Cool, I have been visiting that area (Hatteras) since 1969, almost every year for vacation. Many things have changed over the years. The video is a step back in time while documenting the many changes that has occurred over the years. Thanks for uploading, I enjoyed it.

[@moleiam]

An awesome film about being alive and living a dream! I was a seven-year-old 1st-grader dreaming of owning a VW Bus when you shot this film. Dreams do come true: nowadays I have an -84 Westy bus and love doing road trips to the beach with my kids and wife - too bad the Baltic sea waves are lousy here in Finland :-/ Hang loose!!!

[@findvoltage]

look how clean the beaches looked back then. i remember that!

[@Mr1flyfisher]

Never leave waves to find waves. Hatteras looked good. I drove down from Jersey in 1979. It was 6-8 and peeling @ the lighthouse..

[@calico2000jack]

Groovy tunes, great beaches, great filming...man, I was born in 67 and still think I was born just a bit late...my sis lives on Ocracoke now I'm gonna share this with her and she'll love it! Thanks for posting this you made my day ...now I got to see what else you have here on you tube.....later cuz..from New Castle, PA.

[@vintagepremoon]

That was a very tasty ten minutes. The pace matched the time and the music set the tone. Very good. Thank you.

[@35sixer]

This is very cool.. thanks for sharing.. wow how I wish I would have done something like this when I was young..

[@yoeume2]

man, just awesome..i was thinking if it was realy shooted on the seventies cuz its so stilish n cool that it seems extremaly wellplaned in every single detail..great it bring me moments of joy..tnx..

[@billfishoc]

Thanks for posting this film clip. This brings back memories of some surf trips I took back in the 60's and 70's. I wish I had used a movie camera back then. Life was a lot simpler back then too.

[@luismaypaola]

My respect for your work, and thanks for sharing......

[@FUCKINGENIOUS]

This was lovely. Great quality.

[@mxrye177]

awesomeness, love hatteras!

[@bootsanford]

classic!

[@robbinsteel]

I have 8mm film from that Lighthouse in 1972 - looks almost exactly the same.

[@Suggadelic]

This is a stunner.... Thanks so much for sharing!

[@ShoreScout]

I love this flik man.. I was fishin' the outer banks in 75 as a kid.. The scenes from the trip are familiar for the Outer Banks part.. Check out my early 60's OBX surf fishin trip movies.

[@FreshFFFish]

No matta how things change...They always remain the same...Sweet Vid !!

[@lennonnewberry137]

Good stuff - thanks

[@samcharleboisfix]

Just came back from Hatteras, your movie is perfect man!! Great shots, great feel, made me dream again !!

[@JCMcGonagle]

that was freaking awesomee 1974 looks crazy haha, great movie man

[@kuras123e]

Great clip and music!!

[@rasta1973]

Man this video is full of stuff we cant do now days. :(

[@F3502000]

A true surf trip!

[@teleroylichtenstein]

Great video, very very nice, amazing

[@brianwalsh8972]

Thanks, nice work.

[@tomhutch796]

very cool stuff

[@mrrandom177]

Amazing !!!