BRAVE MAN TOWS IN AT DEE WHY – by Shari at RealSurf

Next time you’re surfing, consider . . . what if you couldn’t use your legs?

Would it stop you?

Daniel Bateson, 29, has quadratic diplegia and his boss, Andrew Roser, thought it would be a great idea to take him surfing. Heck, why not? Shouldn’t everyone be able to experience what we know is the best feeling on earth, catching a wave?

Daniel, heading for the surf with Andrew.

Andrew, an avid RealSurfer, contacted us and asked if we’d like to come along for Daniel’s first surf with him at Dee Why. Of course, we said, yes! And Butts, of RealSurf photographic infamy, was more than willing to donate his talents to the morning.

Even with small waves, it was scary at first. Not just for Daniel, but also for those of us taking him out. But it was worth every second.

Daniel - whata wave.

“The rush of being on that wave,” Daniel said, “really, really cool. The feeling of the force coming behind me was totally different.”

And, “It’s not a wheelchair sport, it’s just a sport,’ he said. “There’s more freedom in the water, you know, out with the elements, at the mercy of the waves. That was a big thing for me, the unknown. Wheelchair sports take place in a stadium.” Daniel has, at one time or another, been a wheelchair racer, national league basketball player, a discus thrower and shot-putter.

This is very different to a wheelchair!

Quadratic Diplegia, a form of cerebral palsy, “is a disability that affects my whole body,’ says Daniel. Some have it worse than others. Daniel has use of his arms but it greatly affects his legs. “The muscle tension in my body is heightened because the motor-neuron responses from my brain don’t send proper signals to my muscles telling them to relax. So, muscles tend to tense up. Being towed out at first was a bit scary because when there’s new pressure on my body, I’m not sure how my muscles will react.”

“If there’s a shot of adrenaline, a change in mental state, it’s trying to control that muscle state, that muscle tension.”

No adrenaline in surfing, especially the first time, right? So, no need to worry then.

On a bodyboard, Andrew and I towed Daniel part way out, while Butts flippered around taking shots. Then it was up to Andrew to duck-dive, yes, duck-dive Daniel and get him out the back.

How cool is this?

Eventually we figured out a launch and catch system that worked, mostly, and Daniel surfed five waves that morning. I would drag Daniel on the board from shore to Andrew. Then Andrew would take him the rest of the way out, send him on a purler, and I would try to catch him again. On it went like that. It got a bit hairy a few times when he came off the board at the end. But I think I was more afraid than he was. You can see by Daniel’s expression in the photos that he had a good time.

The system - part 1 handover to 2.

The system - part 2.

The system - part 3.

Daniel is going to continue to bodyboard with Andrew and feels that eventually it might be something that he can do with minimal supervision. Daniel’s next ambition is to catch green water in sunshine. And how big a wave would he like to surf in future? “As big as it gets,” Daniel said.

Daniel Bateson - One happy bodyboarder.

If you know someone who is disabled that would like to surf, The Disabled Surfers Association of Australia helps anyone get in the water. If you can donate time, services, products or money, they could really use it. Have a look at their web site: www.disabledsurfers.org. to see what these good people are doing.

- written by Shari Hooper

- all photos by Butts

Queensland Rips Up Finals Day At Wahu Surfer Grom Comp

Marcus Beach surfer Izak Clifford throws some spray en route to winning the U/15 boys. Photo: Jake White/Surfing Queensland.

Currumundi, QLD: WHILE the unstable surf conditions continued on the Sunshine Coast today, Queensland’s next generation of surf stars did their best to impress in the wild seas.

More than 70 grommets from across the southeast region battled it for silverware on finals day at the Wahu Surfer Grom Comp, which was held at Anne Street Currumundi for the second day in a row. 

In testing 1.5-metre beach breaks, the day’s finalists rode the waves to success, running riot with an energetic attack of grommet-style surfing.             

The Sunshine Coast region dominated the overall medal count, winning five of the seven divisions contested. 

Emerging sensation Izak Clifford (Marcus Beach) proved he’s a star of the future, trumping Jake Vincent (Coolum), Luke Hynd (GC) and Will Morrison (Currumbin) to win the blue ribbon U/15 boys’ division. 

Clifford, 13, was a standout in the tricky, but contestable shore break thumpers, dominating the final to finish in front of Vincent by 5-points.

In a high-scoring final, Clifford made the most of an early wave score (7.60) to dominate proceedings. 

Despite a late charge by Vincent and Hynd, Clifford held on for his maiden junior victory.

Post final, Clifford said he was stoked to win. 

“I’ve had a lot of minor placing in junior events, so I’m glad to take my first win,” he said. 

The stylish natural foot finishing on a two-wave combined total of 15.27 (out of a possible 20) to Vincent’s 10.27, with Hynd and Morrison finishing in third and fourth respectively.

The surfing action continued to soar in the U/13 boy’s division with Wurtulla’s Kai Hing shredding Anne Street to pieces to snatch victory from Jake Morrsion (Currumbin), Ryan Froeman (SC) and Charly Termeau (France). 

In the U/15 girls, Maroochydore’s Charlie Roach surfed away with the winner’s trophy, unleashing a smooth assault of forehand manoeuvres to defeat Naomi McCarthy (Palm Beach), Renee Heazlewood (Moffat Beach), Sophie Starrett (Maroochydore) and Sarah Gibson (SC). 

Moffat Beach gidget Laura Poncini continued her good form, beating Lucy Callister (Noosaville), Laura Eden (SC), Saige Endersby (Peregian Beach) and Alyssa Lock (Tweed Heads) en route to bagging the U/13 girl’s crown.

Sunshine Coast lad Reef Heazlewood (Moffat Beach) put his local knowledge to good use, stitching up Dextar Muskens (Coolangatta), Sandon Whittaker (SC) and Connor Lyons (SC) to bag the U/11 boys’ title, while Alyssa Lock (Tweed Heads) was triumphant in the corresponding girl’s division. 

In the clash of the super-grams, Jordan Johnston (Kirra) dusted 3-year-old Jett Morrison (Currumbin) to be crowned king of the kids in the parent-assisted U/9 boys and girls’ division. 

The fun and games continued in the U/10 Bodyboard Expression Session with a 20-strong field of youngsters swapping their regular surfboards for bodyboards. 

Divisions included: Under 15 boys, Under 15 Girls, Under 13 Boys, Under 13 Girls, Under 11 Boys, Under 11 Girls and Under 9 Boys and Girls (parent assist).

Summer!

A bit of swell around today, but NE direction not getting into DY much, though there is the rare head high set on the Point, but very infrequent. Almost no one in the water at the Point but quite a few up the beach.  Places like Manly, Whale Beach, Newport, Narrabeen etc will be heaps better than Dee Why today.

C C

At 0630, Fine, dry and warm on the Central Coast this Wednesday morning.  The swell is clean and consistent at 2 – 3 feet from the east.  There is a light north northeast breeze forecast to strengthen later.  Low tide 0515 and high tide around 1150.  Local barometer 1010 hpa, 93% humidity, 19 degrees C.    Have a good one.

Mona

There’s a lot of fun ones out there today, if you get the chance it well worth it! best spot at Mona is down the south end of the beach! not main! Yeeeeww

Manly

The solid easterly swell is still with us but unfortunately it is being pushed along by a strong NE breeze that is forecast to be 25knots this afternoon. So the soon the better for a surf today

Waves along the whole beach front today

Down towards North Steyne

Could be some fun windswell about

Hello Friends,

Looking like some potential there before the wind got into it. WRL cam pic.

NE wind is now a factor in Sydney. Started to push up early and as of mid-morning it’s going at around 10-15kts. The Bureau says it could build to 20-30 kts this afternoon. That ought to give the little windswell some extra oomph in the northern corners, particularly as you get toward dusk.

Tomorrow morning for the early could be a plan, but it’ll need to be in a northern corner – if the Bureau is right – because it’s set to get up to 20-30 kts ahead of a similarly powered south change in the afternoon.

Not too wonderful on the surf front over here in southern California. We’re in the grip of a seriously bad flat spell now. From the look of the charts, we’ve got another 72 hours of this.

About the only thing you could catch a wave with at Arroyo Burro beach in Santa Barbara this afternoon.

Then, just in time for the Martin Luther King Day weekend, we look likely to get a solid west swell. I’m on a road trip for most of that weekend, but I hope to be back for a surf on Monday. Amusingly, it would appear that Sydney could well have a little south pulse this weekend as well.

BTW, Sorry about the site issues earlier this morning. Gremlins decided to come out to play again and we had to wait until our man Ross could banish them for us.

Have yourself a top old day!