Box of Light is made possible thanks to these visionaries:
My kids have gone surf crazy this summer. They're so eager it has worried me at times and as their confidence has grown they've found themselves in increasingly worrying situations ... for me at least. It's all part of that long, long, learning curve of surfing. I am stoked to see them enjoying these early days when they spend a lot of time underwater, often get bowled over by the board and cartwheeled towards the shore by the odd rogue double up. Learning to surf on the South Coast of Otepoti is not easy – you certainly pay your dues, but if you can make it over that hump, then you're in the right place for a life enriched by this coast's waves.
We've been finding less intense waves in a sheltered nook of Brighton Beach. This is also home to the Peyroux family who often surf the point here. Dad, Steev, is one of New Zealand's great artists (check out some of his work here) and his children Ruben and Misha dominate the small bay like it is their own backyard ... okay, well, it is. That certainly explains why Ruben has every nuance of this wave down ... milking every bit of speed out of its walls and unleashing it on the steep sections. I can't imagine how many laps this lad has done at this place, but I'm guessing it all played a part in getting him into the finals of the Under 14 Boys' division at the National Surfing Championships back in January.
Growing up with this in our backyard is a true gift and something the next generations of surfers are going to treasure as we do. It's the ideal stomping ground for groms. Just look at the current crop and everything they are achieving – we have some of the best young surfers in the country on this coastline. Then take a look at those just taking their first few wobbly face waves ... the sport, the recreation, the lifestyle – whatever you want to call it – it's certainly in great shape in the south. And what better pursuit for our youth than chasing waves around such a bountiful ocean.
See you at the beach ... Derek
PS Lots of family friendly coastal activities taking place in the next few weeks. Check out the community page on our website for all the latest events.
Box of Light is made possible thanks to these visionaries: