Surfers ready to help disabled crack the wave barrier on Gold Coast and Far North NSW Coast

THE Disabled Surfing Association prove there is nothing to stop anyone from having a go. The tight-knit group will be at it again in the waves on the southern Gold Coast this weekend.

Disabled surfing support groups will be taking the the water on both sides of the border in the coming weeks.

NOTHING beats the feeling of helping people living with disabilities hit the surf and catch a wave.

Colleen Reed has been nursing for 35 years and she still wells up when she sees the joy on the faces of wave riders at the Disabled Surfers Association events, like the one being held at Kingscliff on January 20.

“It’s awesome. If you come you’ll just leave there with a smile on your face and maybe a tear in your eye,” the Far North Coast DSA branch president said.

Young and old, people facing a range of challenges from vision and hearing impairment, to the effects of stroke and those whose lives have changed through crashes, 30-50 surfers are expected to hit the beach for the DSA’s Kingscliff meet at Coast Guard Tower Beach.

It will be one of six events held at beaches up and down the Far North Coast each summer.

DSA was formed in 1986 after founder Gary Blaschke was injured in a motorcycle accident and discovered many surfers with disabilities had no help to get back in the water.

For many, getting on the waves, or even across the sand, unaided was simply impossible.

“We can just pop down to the beach every day if we want, and they just can’t do that,” Ms Reed said.

“Lots of those people need 10 people to get each of them in the water.”

The DSA has called for volunteers to spend a couple of hours on the beach and help participants — some who travel long distances to reach the ocean — to ride the waves.

“The more volunteers we get the more waves they get,” Ms Reed said.

“It just makes you feel good that you can help them actually go in (the water), and the carers are amazing, they all come and help.

“It’s a real privilege.”

For Gold Coast Disabled Surfers Association president Ian Gray it’s all about the smiles.

And not just the smiles on the faces of surfers at the group’s regular Let’s go Surfing events.

“It’s the smiles on everyone’s faces, not just the disabled surfers but their families and other volunteers who come down,” he said.

“There’s just a good feeling among everyone doing it.”

The association runs the day on the third Sunday of the month from October to February.

Mr Gray said he expected between 40-50 surfers to turn up for each outing the next of which is on Sunday. ((JAN21))

“I’d say a lot of them have been coming since we started in 2004,” he said.

“There’s lot of families who say they can’t imagine getting their kids to beach let alone down to the surf if we didn’t do these events.

“We try and make it as much fun as possible.”

Just head to the beach on January 20 and sign on at 9am, bring your hat and “your great big smile”.

Rash shirts, sunscreen and a sausage sizzle will be supplied.

For more information phone Mick Seller on 0429 943 190, Colleen Reed on 0412 821 099 or email Diana Willis at [e-mail]

The Gold Coast group meet at Len Wort Park/Flat Rock Beach at Currumbin with the events open from 9am for volunteer/participant sign-in while surfing usually starts around 9.30am.

For more information visit disabledsurfers.org/qld/gold-coast-branch/