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?
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.
“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.
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.
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.
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.
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
