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Surfers not worried about shark attacks

<p>The sight of a dorsal fin knifing through the waves might send many swimming for the shore, but a survey of surfers shows it won’t deter many from catching a wave.</p> <p>A University of South Australia study published in Marine Policy reveals 44% of surfers say a shark sighting would not stop them from being in the water. While more than half of the 391 surfers surveyed had seen a shark while they out on the water, 60% were not afraid of the marine creatures.</p> <p>The survey also revealed more surfers have been bitten by sharks than we think.</p> <p>But the global survey of surfer attitudes towards sharks, undertaken by behavioural scientist Dr Brianna Le Busque, found surfers had generally positive views on these apex predators.</p> <p>Le Busque told Cosmos, to date there has been very little research on surfers’ perceptions of and interactions with sharks.</p> <p>“A lot of the shark policies, shark nets and things like that are implemented, in part to protect surfers. But there hasn’t really been a lot of research to actually ask them what they want,” she says.</p> <p>Le Busque says the study may help to change people’s negative perceptions of sharks. This is important because fear of sharks can act as a barrier to conserving them.</p> <p>“Shark conservation is important. As apex predators at the top of the food chain, if sharks become endangered or extinct this can have flow on effects for the entire ecosystem.”</p> <p>Globally, 100 million sharks are killed each year with a quarter of shark species threatened by extinction.</p> <p>But conserving sharks is complicated because they can harm humans, and many people fear them.</p> <p>“When people are afraid of sharks, they don’t want sharks to be conserved … it’s also a driving motivation for having certain shark policies. So things like shark culls, shark nets, they are implemented because of people’s fears of sharks,” Le Busque says.</p> <p>Le Busque says research indicates the public have a higher perception of risk when it comes to sharks, compared to the low likelihood of encountering one.</p> <p>Surfers’ relaxed views on sharks contrasted with those of the wider public. </p> <p>This was despite the survey finding quite a high share of surfers (17%) had been bitten, or knew someone who had been bitten by a shark. Le Busque says, this is quite a high percentage, higher than shark attack statistics suggest. </p> <p><strong>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/nature/surfer-shark-survey/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Petra Stock.</strong></p> <p><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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“Overbearing idiots” fined for surfing through Venice’s Grand Canal

<p dir="ltr">Two “overbearing idiots” who were caught surfing through Venice's Grand Canal have been identified and had their boards confiscated.</p> <p dir="ltr">A furious Mayor Luigi Brugnaro shared footage of the pair calling for them to be found and punished for “making a mockery of the city”. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Here are two overbearing idiots who make a mockery of the City,” his translated tweet read.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I ask everyone to help us identify them to punish them even if our weapons are really blunt... we urgently need more powers for the Mayors in terms of public safety!</p> <p dir="ltr">“To those who spot them, I offer a dinner!”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="it">Ecco due imbecilli prepotenti che si fanno beffa della Città… chiedo a tutti di aiutarci a individuarli per punirli anche se le nostre armi sono davvero spuntate… servono urgentemente più poteri ai Sindaci in tema di sicurezza pubblica!<br />A chi li individua offro una cena! <a href="https://t.co/DV2ONO3hUs">pic.twitter.com/DV2ONO3hUs</a></p> <p>— Luigi Brugnaro (@LuigiBrugnaro) <a href="https://twitter.com/LuigiBrugnaro/status/1559808148843765760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">In a later post, the Mayor Brugnaro announced that the pair were caught and fined. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Speaking of the two “heroes” of this morning, we have identified them!” he updated his followers.</p> <p dir="ltr">He did not disclose how much their fine was but thanked everyone for their cooperation on catching the two. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Twitter</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Kelly Slater’s former beachside stay goes under the hammer

<p dir="ltr">The coastal home that hosted US surfing champion Kelly Slater has been listed for sale.</p> <p dir="ltr">It isn’t the only reason Slater has been in the news lately, after he made waves when he spoke out against the Australian government’s <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/travel-trouble/those-are-the-rules-kelly-slater-barred-from-australia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">handling of Novak Djokovic’s deportation</a> and its response to the NSW flood crisis, which he said was “nothing short of appalling”.</p> <p dir="ltr">The home’s current owner, former Quiksilver International boss Bruce Raymond, has listed the home with plans to stay local following the sale. Raymond, who learned how to surf when he was just four-years-old, has lived near the beach all his life and continues to surf everyday.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This was to be our forever home but I’m scaling down now. I’ll stay in the area,” he told <em><a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/news/kelly-slaters-sydney-crash-pad-home-of-exquiksilver-boss-bruce-raymond-at-bilgola-beach-for-sale/?rsf=syn:news:nca:news:spa:strap" target="_blank" rel="noopener">realestate.com.au</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">The four-bedroom, four-bathroom home in Bilgola in Sydney’s Northern Beaches boasts stunning views of the ocean and Avalon’s beachfront.</p> <p dir="ltr">The house includes hardwood floors throughout, pool views from the kitchen, and even a self-contained guest suite on the ground floor.</p> <p dir="ltr">Outside, the alfresco terrace and its entertaining area are protected from the area’s harsh southerly winds. Raymond has also transformed the garden into a micro farm, including three veggie plots, a shed, and a mini windmill.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to the <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-bilgola+beach-138894855" target="_blank" rel="noopener">listing</a>, the home will be heading to auction on April 12 with a price guide of $5,375,000.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-1b8aee2e-7fff-fe05-15f4-6082fb3176d3"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: @kellyslater (Instagram), realestate.com.au</em></p>

Real Estate

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Pro surfer Mick Fanning’s heroic act

<p>Surfing legend Mick Fanning braved dangerous floodwaters to assist a pharmacist to open her shop and provide residents with their much-needed medication.</p> <p>Forty-year-old Fanning didn’t think twice when Skye Swift – one half of local pharmacy outfit Varella and Swift – put a call out on Facebook for a ride from Tweed into Murwillumbah, in northern NSW, to help hand out medicine to members of the community.</p> <p>Fanning jumped onto his jet ski and made his way to Swift and was met with others ready to help.</p> <p>“In a collective effort she arrived at her pharmacy with the assistance of two men in a tinny, several 4WDs and also on the back of world champion Mick Fanning’s jet ski,’ Swift’s brother Anthony told <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/nsw-flood-update-mick-fanning-jet-ski-rescue-pharmacy-murwillumbah/133f1b3d-f560-42fc-9f42-cc098dd2655f" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nine News</a>.</p> <p>“That’s community spirit for you.”</p> <p>Swift took to Facebook and thanked the local community for their help.</p> <p>“I made it to Varela &amp; Swift Pharmacy thanks to the fb community. Open til 5 pm for urgent supplies,” she wrote.</p> <p>“There may be a wait so thanks for your patience. If your scripts are at another pharmacy, that’s no problem. We can help.”</p> <p><em>Image: Facebook</em></p>

Caring

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"Those are the rules": Kelly Slater barred from Australia

<p>Surfing legend Kelly Slater has been told he will not be able to enter Australia without a Covid-19 vaccination. </p> <p>The 11-time world champion has previously refused to disclose his vaccination status and spoken out about his exasperation about making the jab mandatory, but assured fans he's not anti-vax. </p> <p>He has, however, publicly defended American podcast host Joe Rogan over dishing out dangerous health advice, and more recently blasted the Australian government over the decision to deport Novak Djokovic. </p> <p>After Novak's highly publicised deportation last week, Slater took to social media to say, <span>"maybe Stockholm Syndrome can now change its name to Melbourne/Australia syndrome", and "so much brainwashed hatred in people's hearts regardless of vax status".</span></p> <p><span>After receiving backlash over his views, the surfing champ deleted the posts. </span></p> <p><span>Despite his opinions, Slater now faces the same fate as Novak Djokovic, as he risks being barred from entering the country if he continues to refuse to disclose his vaccination status, unless he proves he is eligible for a legitimate exemption. </span><span></span></p> <p><span>Slater is planning to enter Australia for the upcoming World Surf League championship events, which will take place in Victoria in April, before another event in Western Australia. </span></p> <p>Federal Sports Minister Richard Colbeck said Slater "has no chance of getting into the country" if he is not vaccinated.</p> <p>"I reckon he knows the rules. It doesn't matter whether you're a surfer, or a tennis player, a tourist or anyone else, those are the rules. They apply to everyone," Colbeck said.</p> <p><span>"I don't like the chances of him competing in Victoria, and I'd hate to think of what the chances were of him competing in Western Australia."</span></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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"Hold my beer": Tradie captured surfing huge croc

<p>A photo dubbed “the most Australian photo ever” has gone viral after a tradie decided to ride a monster crocodile.</p> <p>The tradie tied a rope around the reptile’s mouth and made a lead to get the crocodile into the shallow waters, where the photo seemed to be taken.</p> <p>The photo went viral on Reddit, with many surprised at the photo.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7841243/crocs-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/49f2c7cca044439095cbcaa831aad306" /></p> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p>'You know for sure that the last thing he said was "Hold my beer,"' one user said.</p> <p>'Glad he was wearing hi-vis... you know for safety,' another wrote.</p> <p>'This guy takes the Australian surfer cliche to a whole 'nother level,' another commented.</p> <p><em>Photo credits: Reddit</em></p> </div>

Family & Pets

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Mum taken over by paralysis on drive home

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p>Queensland mother of two Roisin Clark, 35, has been left heartbroken and in shock after an accident left her paralysed for life.</p> <p>She had just undergone her first surfing lesson in December 2019 where she felt some pain in her back.</p> <p>Brushing it off, her best friend made the five-minute drive home back to Roisin's house where she had lost all feeling from her ribs down.</p> <p>“I thought I was struggling to walk (to the car) because of the pain but in actual fact I was going paralysed,” Roisin (pronounced Roshine) told<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/health-wellbeing/qld-mum-of-two-paralysed-from-ribs-down-in-freak-accident-during-first-surfing-lesson-c-2649456" target="_blank">7NEWS.com.au.</a></p> <p>She's replayed that day over and over again in her mind, but was surprised to remember that there were no big waves that she thought could have caused the injury.</p> <p>“About halfway through, I started to get lower back pain,” she said.</p> <p>“I mentioned it to the instructor. He said it was quite normal and asked if I wanted to continue.</p> <p>“I said yes, (because I) didn’t think it was serious.”</p> <p>Roisin continued to brush off the pain, despite not being able to get out of the car when she arrived home.</p> <p>“I went to get out of the car and I couldn’t get out. It was just crazy,” she said.</p> <p>“I lifted my legs to the side of the car and went to stand up and couldn’t.</p> <p>“I fell onto the driveway (and) lay on the driveway.’</p> <p>“I still at this point didn’t think it was serious.”</p> <p>It was only after she was rushed to the hospital and had doctors questioned her that she started to believe it was serious.</p> <p>“I kept getting asked ‘so there wasn’t a big wave?’” Roisin recalled. “Once they saw there was no broken bones, they got the neurologist because they knew it was a spinal cord issue," she explained.</p> <p>“The night after (being admitted to the ER), doctors told me there was nothing more they could do. With the spinal cord, it’s fairly instant. Once there’s damage to it, it’s difficult to recover.”</p> <p>Despite spending five months in hospital recovering, she's not out of the woods yet.</p> <p>“There is so much more to having a spinal cord injury than not being able to walk.</p> <p>“Being in a wheelchair for me, means not only being unable to move or feel touch in my legs but also from my ribs down. It means the loss of bladder and bowel function, body temperature regulation and secondary complications like pressure sores,” Roisin said.</p> <p>“One of the hardest parts is constant and debilitating nerve pain. I spent five months in spinal rehab learning a whole new way of life - the simplest things like rolling over in bed, sitting up, showering, toileting, dressing and transferring into a car.”</p> <p>The family are now appealing for help via<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/helproisindriveagain" target="_blank">GoFundMe</a><span> </span>to buy a new car so that it can be modified and Roisin can help out at home, with the Clark family hoping to raise $45,000.</p> <p>“I’m not sure what the future looks like but if I could have some independence back and get out of the house ...(it) will make such a difference to our lives,” she said.</p> <p><em>Photo credits: 7NEWS</em></p> </div> </div> </div>

Body

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An ode to surf music

<p>The first tune I ever wrote – a proper tune, with an intro, verses, choruses and a middle bit – was a surfing instrumental.</p> <p>I have always been a pretty crappy singer, and I figured that the guitar could sing for me (I know, I know). But like anyone who grew up in the 60s this genre made sense to me. It was both fun and familiar, and there was room for storytelling in the sound of the guitar.</p> <p>Surf music was born with the release of Dick Dale’s first single Let’s Go Trippin’. Dale was born in Boston, but arrived in California as a teenager and started surfing. He played a left-handed guitar, but with the strings upside down, that is with the low strings at the bottom and the high strings at the top. This quite odd arrangement made for an idiosyncratic sound, all the physical movements up-ended; the dynamics reversed, the emphasis offset.</p> <p>Dale first played <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOlmBC1DlsY">Let’s Go Trippin’</a> in 1960, and it was a wild and crazy sound, the birth of a genre.</p> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WOlmBC1DlsY"></iframe></div> <p>The fact that he has a Lebanese background informed his style. The frenetic oud and tarabaki playing that drives Lebanese pop music of the 50s seeped in, along with his love of drummer <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Krupa">Gene Krupa</a>’s snappy snare.</p> <p>It didn’t take long for Dale’s influence to spread. Not really very surfy, but in 1962 Monty Norman’s James Bond theme for Dr. No was <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqcevBO9fi8">played by the tremendous John Barry Seven</a> and is a great example of the foregrounding of the edgy guitar sound that Dale perfected.</p> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GqcevBO9fi8"></iframe></div> <p>The first of the teen surf movies, <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056860/">Beach Party</a>, was released a year later: tales of teen idiocy, with Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon at the helm, centred around summer, surf, music and endless partying.</p> <p>At least a dozen of these films were made, formulaic and sanitised, with established comedians like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Lynde">Paul Lynde</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Rickles">Don Rickles</a>, promoting a romanticised image of surf culture.</p> <p>Although the movies were built on beach party guitar bands, the music charts and radio waves of the time were also home to beautiful, evocative guitar instrumentals. The Ventures from Washington state had their first hit with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owq7hgzna3E">Walk, Don’t Run</a> in 1960.</p> <p>They played mostly covers, but developed a new sound - pounding toms and unison picking guitars - releasing many twangy gems including covers of Joe Meek’s Telstar, The Champs’ Tequila, as well as two of the touchstone tracks of the surf music genre in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqC3BjIyq_0">Pipeline</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjiOtouyBOg">Wipeout</a>.</p> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tqC3BjIyq_0"></iframe></div> <p>In the UK, The Shadows were exploring similar terrain, with hits like <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoN6AKPGkBo">Apache</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rR0trsOUaY">Wonderful Land</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VycZVyApqew">Atlantis</a>. They took a more lyrical approach, stepping away from the blues-based patterns of the US guitar artists, and sliding in minor chords and more complex structures.</p> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VycZVyApqew"></iframe></div> <p>But the thing that really sets The Shadows apart is the sound: the guitar amp producing washes of spacious reverb, as well as the watery bubbling of the vibrato; the guitar tremolo stretching the strings into tonal waves, and the orchestral layering on some of the grander tracks.</p> <p>Santo and Johnny’s <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rwfqsjimRM">Sleepwalk</a> is a lesson in subtle mood-making with its lap steel guitar evoking the distant Hawaiian islands.</p> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2rwfqsjimRM"></iframe></div> <p>It appears in the repertoire of both The Ventures and The Shadows, inspires another deeply influential beauty, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QooCN5JbOkU">Albatross</a>, by Fleetwood Mac, with Peter Green on guitar, and echoes through the decades to the wonderful <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueMaYzvXX8w">work</a> of Richard Hawley.</p> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QooCN5JbOkU"></iframe></div> <p><strong>Australia in the 70s and beyond - great beaches, great surfers, great music</strong></p> <p>The beaches south of Sydney produced Australia’s most notable surf band in 1961. The Atlantics had their genetic roots in Greece and Eastern Europe, an immigration success story years before Vanda and Young.</p> <p>Their biggest hit, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3agVtY4Z6M">Bombora</a>, is a surf rock classic and was an international sensation in the earliest days of the genre.</p> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3agVtY4Z6M"></iframe></div> <p>They had another big hit, The Crusher, and then in 1964 released War of The Worlds, awash with echoes and distortion and moodiness. It was innovative and brave, but ultimately spelled their demise as a surf band.</p> <p>As the 60s hit their twilight, and the wave of political enlightenment from Prague and Paris reached our shores, the blonde, post-war beach party was dragged out by the undertow. The Summer of Love, then Woodstock came and went, leaving the surfing subculture chilling with a joint in the back of the panel van rather than wildly dancing around the bonfire with a bottle of Mateus Rosé.</p> <p>The twangy instrumentals, with their snappy drums and lightning guitar lines stretched and grew, as synthesizers and production techniques replaced the earlier simple arrangements. The sound changed and became spacious, echoing the endless drift of the waves, and the slow drama of the incoming storm.</p> <p>In 1970, <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0248194/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">Morning of the Earth</a> was released, becoming the first film soundtrack to earn a gold record in Australia. It not only has tracks by singer-songwriters and pop stars but also by the acid-surf instrumentalists <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamam_Shud">Tamam Shud</a>. It became an enormously influential film, capturing the idyllic nature of the surfing culture.</p> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/K3uLj-YYaBs"></iframe></div> <p>But the twang hadn’t gone. The sound of the surf guitar is core to the music of The Cramps and The Pixies. It surfaced in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricky_Wilson_(American_musician)">Ricky Wilson</a>’s great guitar lines for <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szhJzX0UgDM">The B52s</a>.</p> <p>It rang clear as a bell in 80s Australian bands like The Sunnyboys, Surfside Six, Radio Birdman, The Riptides, and Mental As Anything.</p> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/b2D84Ma-CxI"></iframe></div> <p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CINvgez73g">The Cruel Sea</a> rose in Sydney in 1987 from the ashes of Sekret Sekret, settling around the ebb and flow of guitarist Danny Rumour and guitarist/organist James Cruickshank and the rhythmic undertow of Ken Gormley and Jim Elliot.</p> <p>Instrumental rock became groovy again. Eventually, Tex Perkins joined and they became award-winning mainstays in the rise of 90s festival culture.</p> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/H_wam2QImAY"></iframe></div> <p>More recently <a href="https://headland.bandcamp.com/music">Headland</a>, who began in 2014 playing live original instrumentals to gloriously evocative Super 8 footage of big surf at Lennox Head in the 70s, have restored faith in the power of the instrumental for the post millennium. Surf music lives!</p> <p>I only ever played my little surf instrumental a few times and then that version of our band exploded – Lindy Morrison left to join the Go-Betweens and we entered a more angular and fierce phase. But last year, in a performance at the State Library about Brisbane posters and how they help to tell stories about our past, our culture and our place in the world, I played it again.</p> <p>It felt odd to be doing it on my own, but it also felt both funny and appropriate. The tune had the twang of a simpler time. As does <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJWuQV2u9ns">this little gem</a> from Brian Wilson, who believes that smiles can fix the problems of the world. <!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/128914/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: http://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sJWuQV2u9ns"></iframe></div> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/john-willsteed-107411">John Willsteed</a>, Senior lecturer, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/queensland-university-of-technology-847">Queensland University of Technology</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/surf-music-in-praise-of-strings-sand-and-the-endless-swell-128914">original article</a>.</em></p>

Music

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Surf club rowers have close call with whale

<p>A team of surf club rowers have got the surprise of their lives in the surf off Coolangatta from an overly friendly whale that appeared out of nowhere.</p> <p>As you can see in the video above, it was a beautiful morning on the Gold Coast when this team headed out on their morning row. But we bet when they were heading out they didn’t think they were going to get a surprise from the world’s largest mammal. </p> <p>The whale emerges from the surf, mere inches from the boat, leaving the rowers absolutely stunned. They watch as it swims leisurely around the rowers, before they notice some more movement in the water on the other side of your boat.</p> <p>An animal emerges, and it’s actually the whale’s cub following its parent around.</p> <p>What a memorable experience, and they’re so lucky to have got it on film. Have you ever had a close encounter with a whale? Let us know in the comments section below.</p> <p><em>Video credit: Facebook / 7 News</em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/2016/08/sea-narrowly-escapes-pod-of-killer-whales/"><strong>Seal narrowly escapes pod of killer whales</strong></a></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/domestic-travel/2016/09/baby-humpback-whale-provides-the-perfect-photo/"><strong>Baby humpback whale provides the perfect photo</strong></a></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/domestic-travel/2016/09/quintessential-big-australian-animal-experiences/"><strong>5 quintessential big Australian animal experiences</strong></a></em></span></p>

News

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66-year-old surfer retires in style

<p>Anyone who remembers surfing when they were younger (or still does it to this day!) can tell you just how physically exhausting it can be, even when you’re at your peak fitness. So, you can imagine just how demanding it would be for 66-year-old Hawaiian big wave surfer Clyde Aikau.</p> <p>If the name sounds familiar, you may have already been acquainted with Eddie Aikau, legendary surfer and older brother of Clyde. Ever since Eddie was lost at sea, the surfing community has continued to pay tribute to him with “The Eddie” annual event held in February.</p> <p>But this would be the last time Clyde would compete in his brother’s memorial event, after which he announced his retirement.</p> <p>Take a look at Clyde’s incredible last ride in the video above. While he doesn't exactly nail the exit, we think Eddie would still be very proud!</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/retirement-life/2016/06/over-60s-fitness-gurus/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Over-60s fitness gurus prove it’s never too late to get fit</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/retirement-life/2016/06/working-full-time-over-90/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Inspiring people who work full-time over 90</span></em></strong></a></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/retirement-life/2016/06/great-grandmother-walking-from-sa-to-darwin/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Great-grandmother walking from South Australia to Darwin</span></em></strong></a></p>

Retirement Life

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Dogs on surfboards steal spotlight at Festival of Surfing

<p>For most dogs, the only physical activity they’ll be getting up to today will probably involve fetching a plush toy from the lounge room, figuring out which end of the couch to lie on, or perhaps digging up some gardenias from their backyard.</p> <p>But the playful pooches in this video aren’t like most dogs.</p> <p>These dogs are part of the Dog Spectacular at the Noosa Festival of Surfing, the only surfing event in the world where a master and dog compete as a team.</p> <p>Dogs of all breeds and ages padded out with their owners for some pure, surf-loving fun as the catch the perfect waves on pristine Noosa Beach.</p> <p> “It’s a wonderful experience for dog and human,” said Festival Co-Founder Paul Jarratt. “It’s not really about winning or losing; it’s a celebration of all the good things we love about surfing, the ocean and environment that we are privileged to have in Noosa. I think that’s why we attract surfers and their families from all over the world, we’ve got 20 countries represented this year.”</p> <p>To see some of the highlights from this year’s competition watch the video above. Don’t you think the dogs look like they’re having fun?</p> <p>Or do you think it’s wrong for dogs to be surfing?</p> <p>Share your thoughts in the comments.</p> <p><em>Video: YouTube / NoosaSurfFestival</em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2016/06/this-hilariously-awkward-dog-is-stealing-hearts/"><em><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">This hilariously awkward dog is stealing hearts</span></strong></em></a></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2016/06/puppy-born-without-back-paws-gets-second-chance-at-life/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Puppy born without back paws gets second chance at life</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/06/how-to-cope-with-a-jealous-pet-when-grandkids-come-along/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>How to cope with a jealous pet when grandkids come along</strong></em></span></a></p>

International Travel

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Lifeguard helps make wheelchair-bound army vet's dream come true

<p>Mike Hicks, a US army veteran on holiday with his wife Ann on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, never thought he would be able to swim in the ocean again, let alone go for a surf. However, one lifeguard has given him the experience of a lifetime, helping the veteran achieve his dream.</p> <p>A few days into their break, Ann approached the lifeguard stand at Pililaau Army Recreation Centre in Waianae and explained Mike's situation. Lifeguard Hizson Keali'i told the <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/entry/army-veteran-surfing-hawaii_us_571a927de4b0d0042da94c22?section=australia" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Huffington Post</span></strong></a>, "it touched my heart, 'cause I'm blessed every day to be able to do what someone else only dreams of."</p> <p>Keali'i helped take Mike down to the water where he was thrilled to finally dip his feet in the sea, but the real thrill came the following day, when Keali'i had prepared a special surprise. Carrying Mike onto a stand-up paddleboard, he helped the beaming 64-year-old ride the waves.</p> <p>Mike explained that the experience was "something I never thought I would ever feel again." Take a look at the photos above, Mike's grin will definitely brighten your day.</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/retirement-life/2016/04/former-students-raise-money-for-school-security-guard-retirement/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Students raise $235,000 for school security guard’s retirement</span></em></strong></a></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/retirement-life/2016/04/secret-millionaire-leaves-fortune-to-hospital/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Secret millionaire leaves fortune to hospital</span></em></strong></a></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/retirement-life/2016/04/85-year-old-navy-veteran-learns-to-tap-dance/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>85-year-old Navy veteran learns to tap-dance</strong></em></span></a></p>

News

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One-eyed cat loves to surf

<p>Since he was 6 months old, Kuli the one-eyed cat was lapping up the ocean and riding waves on a surfboard in Hawaii.</p> <p>His owners say the cat was introduced to water at a young age because he was bathed in it regularly when he was recovering from eye surgery.</p> <p>These images capture the gorgeous cat riding some waves in Hawaii.</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/2016/01/man-gives-shivering-stranger-the-shirt-off-his-back/">Man gives shivering stranger the shirt off his back</a></em></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/2016/01/eat-like-an-okinawan-and-live-until-100/">Eat like an Okinawan and live until you’re 100</a></em></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/body/2015/11/best-outdoor-exercise-options/">The best ways to exercise outdoors</a></em></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong> </strong></span></p>

News

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Six-foot shark lands on surfer’s board in Bondi

<p>Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water! </p> <p>A pair of surfers have shared a terrifyingly close encounter with a six-foot shark on Bondi Beach.</p> <p>Dean Norburn, a real estate agent, was taking a moment to enjoy a morning dip with two of his friends when the shark launched itself out of the water, landing in the middle of his board.</p> <p>Mr Norburn told the Sydney Morning Herald, “There was a bit of a light rip so I was paddling in. As I was paddling in a little bit, I leant on my board on my hands on the rails. The next thing you know, something has brushed by me and has landed on my board. I was looking pretty closely at it from the angle I was at. It was probably about three to four inches (7-10 centimetres), maybe a bit more, from my face.”</p> <p>Bondi Rescue Lifeguards confirmed the incident on Facebook, but downplayed the size of the shark in a post on Facebook, saying, “We had a small shark (6 foot) jump on a local surfer's board this morning then swim off under another surfer. The man was not injured. Lifeguards spoke to both men and cleared the water afterwards. Will be a very memorable surf for both guys.”</p> <p>That being said, we wouldn’t really like to experience this kind of close encounter!</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/news/news/2015/12/spot-the-panda-in-this-picture/">Can you spot the Panda hidden in this picture?</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/news/news/2015/12/16-vintage-sexist-christmas-ads/">16 vintage Christmas ads that will shock you</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/news/news/2015/12/15-photos-to-brighten-your-day/">15 photos to brighten your day</a></strong></em></span></p>

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