Dunsborough surfing mum Claire Edwards was a late starter to surfing but now has extensive Indo and other surf travel adventures under her belt. Claire has worked in the water quality and measurement game (Hydrography) since she was nineteen.
Claire –The funny thing is, it wasn’t until I watched the Endless Summer movies in 2004, the same year my son Che was born, that I knew I wanted to surf, it was like I could feel how much fun the thrill of riding a wave was, just by watching the footage.
I grew up in Kalamunda, the ocean an hour away so I climbed trees and roller skated instead. In 1989, my Dad moved to Papua New Guinea for work, a wild and unsafe place to be due to the political unrest, no social welfare and tribalism. I boarded at Penrhos Ladies College in Perth, rowed for a sport and visited Dad during holidays.
These are Claire’s surf travel photos and comments: –
1989 PNG – Photo taken at the 1989 Port Moresby Sogeri Sing Sing
1989 PNG – Claire being shown how to make a Bilum (A bag used for carrying anything from veggies to babies)
1989 PNG – Dad and I were invited by the Head of the tribe of Tubusereia (a coastal village built over water) to visit his village and surrounding waters.
1989 PNG – Ela Beach, Port Moresby, Nationals preparing a large floating offering for the ocean gods.
My first real attempt at surfing was on my 32nd Birthday at Smiths Reef on an Island Style 7’4” surfboard (Island Style was an older logo of Mark Ogram’s). To cut a long story short, I decided on lessons after that session and yes, my first “real” wave was in the Yallingup Lagoon!
Eleven years has passed, I have come to terms with my love and committed addiction to surfing. Thirteen overseas surf trips in that time, eleven to different islands/locations in Indonesia, one trip to Sri Lanka and another to the Cocos Keeling Islands.
2012 Cocos Keeling Island – My first girls surf trip with Jane Wilshaw and Jenni Boyle.
2013 South Sumatra – My first surf photo.
2014 West Sri Lanka – Rams right at Midigama.
2014 Sri Lanka – Mt Ella. Our room with a view of Little Adam’s Peak, 1141m high, worth the hike to reach the top.
2014 Sri Lanka – Train ride from Mt Ella to Nuwara Eiya with tea plantation in the background.
2015 East Java – My son Che surfing Tiger Tracks next door to G Land.
2017 Bali – Proud Mum so added one of Che and I at Seminyak.
2018 West Sumbawa – Scar Reef. Che being cheeky while spearfishing behind Scar Reef break.
2016 South Sumbawa – Lakey Peak. Claire and friends on a day trip to a nearby school.
After a week surfing at Jasri Beach in east of Bali, I met Shae Sheridan and we flew to Lakey Peak in Sumbawa.
Travel tip: Be cautious if traveling with surfboards on Lion Air.
2015 Sumbawa – Claire and Shae Sheridan arriving at airport.
A few days before we arrived and the whole week we were there, the WA coast was being hit by huge swells and we witnessed its flow-on effect up at Lakey’s, needless to say we were stoked to be told about a non-life-threatening secret surf spot out of town!
2015 South Sumbawa – On route to secret surf spot.
On a surf check, a teacher and his students on a school excursion asked if we would visit their school and conduct an English class as they hadn’t had a white person (bule) visit their school in 35 years. A few days later we did, with some added members, Travis Boucher and Jarryd Bowyer who are also WA surfers, and Alex Baez a New Yorker, non-surfer, but an extreme distance marathon runner and an insane gymnast.
The school was about 20km out of Lakey’s, on the way to Dompu, we were given the local police car to drive, as our hosts were worried about our safety after recent followings and robberies on tourists. I think they were hoping the police car and its dark tinted windows would make us inconspicuous. As soon as we left we had a flat tyre and needed a replacement. It was hard enough navigating over the dodgy bridge to get to the mechanic, let alone dealing with a hysterical chicken that decided to fly through the car window, chicken wings and arms flying everywhere!
2015 South Sumbawa – On our way to teach English in the local cop car, after getting the chook out of the car.
We arrived at the school, WOW, you would have thought we were famous in some way, the kids pretty much screamed the whole time we were there. Guided to a classroom we took turns taking the English lesson, while the rest of the school continued to scream outside and the ones that could, peered through the high classroom windows. After our not so professional lesson it was soccer on the dirt floor playground, making up games on the spot, the kids just loved showing us their cool handshake sequences, Alex wowed them with his somersaults and other amazing gymnastic tricks, the kids were such a delight, definitely one of my most treasured experiences! After many more cool handshakes, hugs and photos we managed to get away and started to head to the city of Dompu…more stories to tell there, let’s just say we weren’t inconspicuous!
2015 South Sumbawa – Classroom English lesson, check out the boys talking in the back row.
2015 South Sumbawa – photo time with the kids.
2016 Sumatra – Sunset over city of Dompu
These are photos of Claire surfing in the South West: –
2016 Papa Bears Yallingup – My first home surf photo. Pic by Colin Trigwell.
These days I’m riding a long board as much as a short and recently joined the Indian Ocean Longboard Club (IOLBC).
2019 Yallingup – Claire competing in IOLBC Intra Club contest in windblown waves. Mick Marlin pic
Also Shae Sheridan can take full nudge credit for me entering the Surfing WA Over 40’s Women Longboard events at Yallingup and Denmark this year. With next to no surf competition experience and my nerves the way they were, it made for a funny and interesting experience. Must have had luck on my side, in the end winning the Over 40 Women Longboard Title for 2019.
2019 Yallingup – Claire leaving the surf arena at WA Long Board surf titles. Bruce King pic.
What I took away from being in these events was how awesome and supportive our Yallingup surf community is and that sometimes you just need to show up, get over your limiting beliefs and have a go, you just don’t know what might happen!
2019 Denmark – WA Long Board surf titles. Claire with Shae Sheridan who came 4th in the Women’s Open event.
Thanks Claire for sharing your surf travel photos.
Dunsborough surfing mum Claire Edwards was a late starter to surfing but now has extensive Indo and other surf travel adventures under her belt. Claire has worked in the water quality and measurement game (Hydrography) since she was nineteen.
Claire – The funny thing is, it wasn’t until I watched the Endless Summer movies in 2004, the same year my son Che was born, that I knew I wanted to surf, it was like I could feel how much fun the thrill of riding a wave was, just by watching the footage.
I grew up in Kalamunda, the ocean an hour away so I climbed trees and roller skated instead. In 1989, my Dad moved to Papua New Guinea for work, a wild and unsafe place to be due to the political unrest, no social welfare and tribalism. I boarded at Penrhos Ladies College in Perth, rowed for a sport and visited Dad during holidays.
These are Claire’s surf travel photos and comments: –
1989 PNG – Photo taken at the 1989 Port Moresby Sogeri Sing Sing
1989 PNG – Claire being shown how to make a Bilum (A bag used for carrying anything from veggies to babies)
1989 PNG – Dad and I were invited by the Head of the tribe of Tubusereia (a coastal village built over water) to visit his village and surrounding waters.
1989 PNG – Ela Beach, Port Moresby, Nationals preparing a large floating offering for the ocean gods.
My first real attempt at surfing was on my 32nd Birthday at Smiths Reef on an Island Style 7’4” surfboard (Island Style was an older logo of Mark Ogram’s). To cut a long story short, I decided on lessons after that session and yes, my first “real” wave was in the Yallingup Lagoon!
Eleven years has passed, I have come to terms with my love and committed addiction to surfing. Thirteen overseas surf trips in that time, eleven to different islands/locations in Indonesia, one trip to Sri Lanka and another to the Cocos Keeling Islands.
2012 Cocos Keeling Island – My first girls surf trip with Jane Wilshaw and Jenni Boyle.
2013 South Sumatra – My first surf photo.
2014 West Sri Lanka – Rams right at Midigama.
2014 Sri Lanka – Mt Ella. Our room with a view of Little Adam’s Peak, 1141m high, worth the hike to reach the top.
2014 Sri Lanka – Train ride from Mt Ella to Nuwara Eiya with tea plantation in the background.
2015 East Java – My son Che surfing Tiger Tracks next door to G Land.
2016 South Lombok – Claire at Mawi surf break
2017 Lombok – Claire surfing uncrowded lefts at Ekas surf break
2017 Bali – Proud Mum so added one of Che and I at Seminyak.
2018 West Sumbawa – Scar Reef. Che being cheeky while spearfishing behind Scar Reef break.
2016 South Sumbawa – Lakey Peak. Claire and friends on a day trip to a nearby school.
After a week surfing at Jasri Beach in east of Bali, I met Shae Sheridan and we flew to Lakey Peak in Sumbawa.
Travel tip: Be cautious if traveling with surfboards on Lion Air.
2015 Sumbawa – Claire and Shae Sheridan arriving at airport.
A few days before we arrived and the whole week we were there, the WA coast was being hit by huge swells and we witnessed its flow-on effect up at Lakey’s, needless to say we were stoked to be told about a non-life-threatening secret surf spot out of town!
2015 South Sumbawa – On route to secret surf spot.
On a surf check, a teacher and his students on a school excursion asked if we would visit their school and conduct an English class as they hadn’t had a white person (bule) visit their school in 35 years. A few days later we did, with some added members, Travis Boucher and Jarryd Bowyer who are also WA surfers, and Alex Baez a New Yorker, non-surfer, but an extreme distance marathon runner and an insane gymnast.
The school was about 20km out of Lakey’s, on the way to Dompu, we were given the local police car to drive, as our hosts were worried about our safety after recent followings and robberies on tourists. I think they were hoping the police car and its dark tinted windows would make us inconspicuous. As soon as we left we had a flat tyre and needed a replacement. It was hard enough navigating over the dodgy bridge to get to the mechanic, let alone dealing with a hysterical chicken that decided to fly through the car window, chicken wings and arms flying everywhere!
2015 South Sumbawa – On our way to teach English in the local cop car, after getting the chook out of the car.
We arrived at the school, WOW, you would have thought we were famous in some way, the kids pretty much screamed the whole time we were there. Guided to a classroom we took turns taking the English lesson, while the rest of the school continued to scream outside and the ones that could, peered through the high classroom windows. After our not so professional lesson it was soccer on the dirt floor playground, making up games on the spot, the kids just loved showing us their cool handshake sequences, Alex wowed them with his somersaults and other amazing gymnastic tricks, the kids were such a delight, definitely one of my most treasured experiences! After many more cool handshakes, hugs and photos we managed to get away and started to head to the city of Dompu…more stories to tell there, let’s just say we weren’t inconspicuous!
2015 South Sumbawa – Classroom English lesson, check out the boys talking in the back row.
2015 South Sumbawa – photo time with the kids.
2016 Sumatra – Sunset over city of Dompu
These are photos of Claire surfing in the South West: –
2016 Papa Bears Yallingup – My first home surf photo. Pic by Colin Trigwell.
These days I’m riding a long board as much as a short and recently joined the Indian Ocean Longboard Club (IOLBC).
2019 Yallingup – Claire competing in IOLBC Intra Club contest in windblown waves. Mick Marlin pic
Also Shae Sheridan can take full nudge credit for me entering the Surfing WA Over 40’s Women Longboard events at Yallingup and Denmark this year. With next to no surf competition experience and my nerves the way they were, it made for a funny and interesting experience. Must have had luck on my side, in the end winning the Over 40 Women Longboard Title for 2019.
2019 Yallingup – Claire leaving the surf arena at WA Long Board surf titles. Bruce King pic.
What I took away from being in these events was how awesome and supportive our Yallingup surf community is and that sometimes you just need to show up, get over your limiting beliefs and have a go, you just don’t know what might happen!
2019 Denmark – WA Long Board surf titles. Claire with Shae Sheridan who came 4th in the Women’s Open event.
Thanks Claire for sharing your surf travel photos.
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