South West surfer Kevin Merifield age 87 has ‘hung up his wetsuit’ and retired from surfboard riding due to health issues.
Brett Merifield (Kevin’s son). “I happened to be in the water with Dad on his last surf at Yallingup, I could see him struggling to get out the back, so I told him to grab my legrope. Twice I said to him grab my legrope and I will tow you out, and he replied saying “no, I want to do it myself”…I could see so much determination in his eyes, so I watched for another couple of minutes and then for a third time I said… grab my legrope and he said, “yeah ok”. I towed him out the back and he sat on his board and said “I feel buggard!!” This memory and to see Dad’s determination will stay with me forever. I’m so fortunate to have him as my father and thankful to him for introducing me to surfing as a young kid.”
Peter Dunn (retired surfing entrepreneur). “Kevin told me he has been surfboard riding for 70 years straight! That’s remarkable, not many people in Australia would have done that!
Kevin Merifield – Extract Surfing Families South West of Western Australia by Isabella Mitchell 2009.
Kevin has lived in the Southwest of WA since the early 1990s. As a young bloke Kevin would travel south in search of waves and fun at Yallingup, camping in hammocks under the Melaleuca trees in the late 1950s. Despite his many other sporting and business commitments; Kevin played State football, represented WA in surfboard riding and had a prominent business career in Perth and South West. His love of surfing and the South West led he and his family to re-locate to Yallingup and now Quindalup. Kevin’s passion for surfing and the ocean now spans three generations, passing to his son Brett, and grand son Trent.
2000s Three Generations of Merifield’s at Yallingup. L-R Trent, Brett & Kevin Merifield. Photo courtesy Kevin Merifield.
Kevin. “In those early days there were no leg ropes, so we basically wore football shorts and a football jumper, which was pretty hard.
Quite often there would be 3 or 4 guys on the same wave, and we’d be doing all sorts of things like holding hands, and people like Mark Paterson doing headstands, and all sorts of those weird and wonderful things.
I was able to carry out my surfing without it taking over my whole life – I kept it in perspective. I’ve played an awful lot of sport in my life, I’ve played football, tennis, rugby, golf among many other things., but surfing has always been my first love.
Often you are asked “what’s it like to be a surfer?’, and trying to describe that is very, very difficult. It’s something that gets in your blood and its with you forever….”
1959 Yallingup beach. L-R Tony Burgess, Don Roper, Dave Williams, Don Bancroft, Howard Kent, Rob Birch, John Peterson, Kevin Merifield, unknown, Alan Hamer, Gary Birch, Mark Paterson, Barry King, Laurie Burke & Colin Moore. Photo courtesy West Australian.
1957-68 Kevin Merifield Subiaco Football Club 213 games & 4 State games. Photo courtesy Weekend News.
1970s Kevin at Trigg Point with Blaxell Surfboard. Photo Ric Chan.
2000s Kevin surfing Margaret River. Photo courtesy Kevin Merifield.
2006 Kevin with wife Margaret and 1966 World Champion Nat Young at Caves House Yallingup.Photo Loz Smith RIP.
2008. Kevin’s 70th birthday party at Millbrook Yallingup. L-R Ron Fussell, Dave Williams, Mark ‘Pato’ Paterson, Jim Keenan, Cocko Killen, Kevin Merifield & Tony Harbison. Photo courtesy Kevin Merifield.
2000s Kevin surfing Turtles in the Northwest. Photo courtesy Kevin Merifield.
2021 Kevin leaving the surf at Yallingup. Photo Alex Cater.
Well played Kevin!
Thanks to Isobella Mitchell for providing reference material from Surfing Families South West of Western Australia.
South West surfer Kevin Merifield age 87 has ‘hung up his wetsuit’ and retired from surfboard riding due to health issues.
Brett Merifield (Kevin’s son). “I happened to be in the water with Dad on his last surf at Yallingup, I could see him struggling to get out the back, so I told him to grab my legrope. Twice I said to him grab my legrope and I will tow you out, and he replied saying “no, I want to do it myself”…I could see so much determination in his eyes, so I watched for another couple of minutes and then for a third time I said… grab my legrope and he said, “yeah ok”. I towed him out the back and he sat on his board and said “I feel buggard!!” This memory and to see Dad’s determination will stay with me forever. I’m so fortunate to have him as my father and thankful to him for introducing me to surfing as a young kid.”
Peter Dunn (retired surfing entrepreneur). “Kevin told me he has been surfboard riding for 70 years straight! That’s remarkable, not many people in Australia would have done that!
Kevin Merifield – Extract Surfing Families South West of Western Australia by Isabella Mitchell 2009.
Kevin has lived in the Southwest of WA since the early 1990s. As a young bloke Kevin would travel south in search of waves and fun at Yallingup, camping in hammocks under the Melaleuca trees in the late 1950s. Despite his many other sporting and business commitments; Kevin played State football, represented WA in surfboard riding and had a prominent business career in Perth and South West. His love of surfing and the South West led he and his family to re-locate to Yallingup and now Quindalup. Kevin’s passion for surfing and the ocean now spans three generations, passing to his son Brett, and grand son Trent.
2000s Three Generations of Merifield’s at Yallingup. L-R Trent, Brett & Kevin Merifield. Photo courtesy Kevin Merifield.
Kevin. “In those early days there were no leg ropes, so we basically wore football shorts and a football jumper, which was pretty hard.
Quite often there would be 3 or 4 guys on the same wave, and we’d be doing all sorts of things like holding hands, and people like Mark Paterson doing headstands, and all sorts of those weird and wonderful things.
I was able to carry out my surfing without it taking over my whole life – I kept it in perspective. I’ve played an awful lot of sport in my life, I’ve played football, tennis, rugby, golf among many other things., but surfing has always been my first love.
Often you are asked “what’s it like to be a surfer?’, and trying to describe that is very, very difficult. It’s something that gets in your blood and its with you forever….”
1959 Yallingup beach. L-R Tony Burgess, Don Roper, Dave Williams, Don Bancroft, Howard Kent, Rob Birch, John Peterson, Kevin Merifield, unknown, Alan Hamer, Gary Birch, Mark Paterson, Barry King, Laurie Burke & Colin Moore. Photo courtesy West Australian.
1957-68 Kevin Merifield Subiaco Football Club 213 games & 4 State games. Photo courtesy Weekend News.
1970s Kevin at Trigg Point with Blaxell Surfboard. Photo Ric Chan.
2000s Kevin surfing Margaret River. Photo courtesy Kevin Merifield.
2006 Kevin with wife Margaret and 1966 World Champion Nat Young at Caves House Yallingup. Photo Loz Smith RIP.
2008. Kevin’s 70th birthday party at Millbrook Yallingup. L-R Ron Fussell, Dave Williams, Mark ‘Pato’ Paterson, Jim Keenan, Cocko Killen, Kevin Merifield & Tony Harbison. Photo courtesy Kevin Merifield.
2000s Kevin surfing Turtles in the Northwest. Photo courtesy Kevin Merifield.
2021 Kevin leaving the surf at Yallingup. Photo Alex Cater.
Well played Kevin!
Thanks to Isobella Mitchell for providing reference material from Surfing Families South West of Western Australia.
Short Video
Kevin Merifield talks Surfing in the 50s video run time 2:54 secs
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