Matakana Island School is buzzing after the Bay Boardriders surfing club co-ordinated a donation of 36 surfboards and more than 120 wetsuits for the community to enjoy.
Interest in surfing among young people on the island in Tauranga Harbour has been growing in recent years, thanks to South Pacific Surf owner-operator Travis McCoy and his crew.
The Tauranga surf trainer said he was contacted by Matakana Island iwi about teaching some local children to surf four years ago.
Since then, he has offered weekly lessons on summer mornings in terms 1 and 4.
McCoy said he would turn up to the weekly sessions on his jetski, and the students would meet him on the beach with boards and wetsuits the South Pacific Surf crew had brought over.
As time passed, he noticed a growing interest and attendance from the children, who returned every week.
“Now, with the help of the Bay Boardriders giving all this amazing surf equipment to the local iwi, I hope the seed we planted four years ago grows, and it starts bleeding down into the younger generations for many years to come.”
The Bay Boardriders headed out to Matakana Island on Wednesday to deliver the gear.
Club member James Jacob said the island had a world-class surf break, but there were few Matakana surfers, so the club wanted to enable more kids and parents to try the sport.
“At the moment, a lot of them don’t have surfboards or wetsuits.”
Once the islanders had the right gear, they could get out on the water wherever they liked without relying on one-off surf lessons.
The Bay Boardriders collected kids’ boards, shortboards and mini Malibu boards, along with wetsuits and vests in all sizes, from juniors to adults.
The team would organise some lessons in the new year at Matakana to teach kids, parents and teachers how to surf and how to identify good conditions.
Ripeka Murray, principal of Te Kura o te Moutere o Matakana, Matakana Island School, said surf gear had been on her wish list, given McCoy’s regular lessons.
“We recognise how strongly our tamariki connect to the moana that surrounds our moutere [island], yet how limited their access is to the proper equipment,” she said.
“Because we are a small, isolated kura, the tamariki rarely have access to quality boards, wetsuits or safe instruction.”
For many whānau, surfing equipment was too expensive, and transport to places like Mount Maunganui for lessons or gear was another barrier.
“Even though the moana is right at our doorstep, the lack of proper equipment limits our ability to safely and consistently introduce surfing to all students.”
The donations would remove the financial and accessibility barriers, making surfing a realistic and safe opportunity for all ākonga (students), not just those with the means, she said.
With shared equipment available at the school, students could participate regularly, learn water safety and build skills over time.
Many of the students had already spent a lot of time in the water gathering kaimoana or swimming.
Murray said they saw surfing as a natural extension of their relationship with Tangaroa.
- NZ Herald