Disabled surfing

It is starting to get a bit cold out there now. However, if you want a bit of sport, the Bristol 62nd scout pack will be unceremoniously chucked into the waves at Polzeath on the 18th and 19th of October. I may even pop in myself just to watch the scouts turn into blue-like smurfs, rash vests on ladies and gentlemen, It's definately going to be a case of sink or surf.

Well we had our next victim lined up for the surf, we had finally retieved the super stucture, if a little battered. We were all set..... for this weekend, but it was not to be. I'm afraid due to a family accident I have had to postpone. However it will be rescheduled and we are still looking for anyone wanting to get out. Please contact us from the contact page of www.backonboard.co.uk

Hello and welcome to (or back to) surfing. This blog is designed to help anyone with a disability to either get back surfing or to try it for the very first time.

I set about this adventure with disabled surfing when Talan (who had an accident in 2003 leaving him paralysed from the chest down) and I started to discuss the possiblity of him joining me for a surf, how it would make him feel. He had skied, sailed, water skied and we had also tried kite buggying but surfing, something he really wanted to do again, had just never happened.

Following a surf trip to Polzeath we to leave one person at the edge of the water in the cold. It started to rain but as he was determined to get photo's of us surfing (badly) he was frozen by the time anyone realised his wheels had stuck in the sand. It was that day, the freezing blue hands, the photo's, the smile (despite the cold) along with the months of discussion, that made me want to drive forward to make surfing accessible for all.

At first the idea seemed at touch ambitious, the man in question, not to mention his paralysis, is unable to control his body temperature and more alarmingly, is unable to cough! This brought up the uncomfortable notion that if I did help I'd could be partially responsible for someone drowning.........however that was not the case, triumphantly.

So, using a network of surfing friends, we found a very capeble, forward thinking and inovative surfboard shaper, Chris. We went to visit him on the way back from a wedding in Cornwall, it is down to his imagination and attention to detail that really made this happen at all. It was on Chris' front lawn and the donated swell board (thank you Busty) that the dream started to become a reality. We wanted to make it safe but allow as much independence as possible.

Following on from a meeting we had with Chris, Howie and Tom from Finisterre to discuss where this whole idea could go, we set about fixing a date. On Sunday 20th July we set off from his parent's home in Falmouth to Polzeath to trial the first proto-type. With the help of Howie we had gathered quite a crew for the event. Unsure of how things were going to work, safety was at the forefront of our minds, we would need capeable people 'on hand'. We had the lifeguards from Polzeath to drive the surfer and his chair across the sand (this saved energy levels), we had the experience of Howie to launch the surfboard onto a decent wave, then we had Matt, Peter, Alex, Clive and myself positioned at various intervals in case of any difficulties.......I needn't have worried.

Although the conditions weren't the best Talan was able to enjoy the experience of surfing once again (the huge grin said it all). After a very successful day and new ideas on how to improve on the proto-type we all returned home and I, personally, felt immensely proud of everyone and a new determination to help more people enjoy our natural playground, the sea.

Chris went away to reshape and fine tune the adaptation. On 9th August, during our summer break Talan and I set off for the surf in Polzeath. This time there were less people helping and more people spectating, the board had been re-modelled, epoxyed and polished to a super structure, it looked spanking. That day surpassed all our hopes, Talan was able to paddle and surf independantly and smiles were abundant all round. Huge thanks for that day to Howie (again), James, Lois and Chris who proved not only an expert in surfboard shaping but a keen and able photographer too, pictures to follow.

If you or anyone you know wants to give surfing a go but have not had the opportunity get in touch via the website www.backonboard.co.uk and I will endevour to help. Cheers for now, Anna