Annual Boardriders Surf Day!
March 16, 2025
The Annual Boardriders Surf Day is always one to look forward to. This week’s lucky participants from Newmerella on their Take a Break program got to participate in this fantastic event.
The morning started at Cottage by the Sea, with the children organising themselves for a full day out. They grabbed Quiksilver wetsuits in each of their sizes as well as a brand-new blue rash vest kindly donated by the Boardriders crew. After the visiting children went boogie-boarding the day before at Cottage Beach, they were eager to head to Torquay to surf on our G-boards on bigger waves.
It was overcast but warm at Cosy Corner, and the beach was right on low tide with nice little waves rolling into the shore – perfect for our beginners. After a quick lesson on the sand from Camp Leader Sam, the children were keen to jump into the water!
Cottage staff as well as Eve and her team from Boardriders helped the participants out with their first couple of waves. They coached the children through it step by step and gave them a little push on the waves to propel them towards the shore. Before too long, their confidence grew and the children were paddling in themselves. After a few wobbly knees and feet, they were standing up on the waves, catching one after the other.
After the session, we met Eve and her team at 4 Pines restaurant for a special lunch. 4 Pines is located right above the Boardriders Quiksilver surf shop on Torquay’s main street. The TV in the restaurant had big-wave surfing highlights playing, so the children watched those clips wide-eyed in awe of the ginormous waves that the pro surfers were catching in Hawaii. We all enjoyed a burger and chips – a well-deserved feed after the great efforts of the children that morning on the waves.
Before Eve had to shoot off back to the office, she handed out a generous gift to the group. Each child was gifted a new tote bag, cap and towel to keep enjoying the beach once they returned home to Newmerella. The children were so happy with their new goodies – they each wore their hats for the rest of the day and on the bus ride home the following day!
We want to thank the Boardriders Group for their generous donations and support of our future pro surfers. These moments make a Cottage program truly unforgettable!
