about us
Weskus Surf Club
Establishing a Surfing Culture
Extreme Abilities set a standard of adaptive surfing from which we aim to build a Weskus surf culture for the broader community including all able body surf disciplines (shortboard, longboard, kneeboard, SUP, bodyboarding), focusing on groms and establishing a junior surf team for the Weskus that can grow and develop into the future lifeguards and pro surfers of the Weskus.
The West Coast of South Africa is rich with world class waves and few people to surf them. Extreme Abilities has been actively developing adaptive surfing for disabled people across South Africa over the past 14 years. Currently based in Saldanha Bay, Extreme Abilities has placed its focus on further developing the surf culture, expanding to the general public and not only for adaptive surfing, but all surf disciplines. We are proud to announce that the club has officially been established at Dial Rock in Saldanha 2024. If you reside within the Saldanha Bay Municipal area and want to join contact us.
die weskus krewe
Since 2022 we set out to develop a grassroots platform where people can learn to surf and then to compete at surfing events. Our first group to complete their first 100 hours of time spent in the water and that have competed at a few events have came up the the identity of the Weskus Krewe, the team of both able body and disabled surfers that surfs under the banner of the West Coast. The Crayfish, or Red Rock Lobster, is a symbol that is firmly linked with the West Coast of South Africa as a sorted delicacy that is uniquely of the Weskus culture.
- Establish a surf club on the West Coast, Columbine Peninsula
- Teach as many individuals surf disciplines to host the first surf competitions on the West Coast
- Host weekly surf sessions as a stable platform to develop adaptive surfing on the West Coast
- Establish a platform for annual surf events on the Peninsula by 2025
- Cultivate a potent adaptive surf team able to represent nationally and internationally at adaptive surf competitions in 2025
- Establish the Saldanha Bay Municipal District, (from Tabakbaai to Laignville) to stand separate from Cape Winelands Surfing and Cape Town Surfing as its own entity for the people that live within the Saldanha Bay Municipal District by the people from the Saldanha Bay Municipal District
- Establish a junior surf team of groms on the West Coast, by 2026
- Cultivate a team of groms that can surf consequential waves from beach breaks to point breaks by 2028
- Cultivate a team of parasurfers that will qualify for the Paralympics
- Establish the Saldanha Bay Municipal District, (specifically from Tabakbaai to Laignville), as a surfing destination in the same way that Muizenberg and Jeffreysbay is associated with "Surfing"
- Cultivate a strong surfing contingent that went full circle from grassroots groms to finished with school surfing professionals within the newly established surf industry and culture of the West Coast.
cultivating west coast
surfers
Saldanha is predominantly a fishing and industrial town. Surrounded by ocean it lends for plenty of surf opportunity. The local community has up until now been estranged to the beach and ocean life and Extreme Abilities is set on changing this by reintroducing the ocean to the youth in the form of Surf Therapy. Like many other townships and informal settlements, Saldanha faces its own social challenges with gangsterism, drug abuse and teen pregnancies on the top of the long list. Following the example of other non profit organizations locally we aim to achieve the same success in youth development through Surf Therapy in the Saldanhabay Municipal area.
Adaptive Surfing / Learn to Surf Therapy and Fun
Before we hit the waves and brave the swells, we first go to the basics, desensitizing and learning to swim in the cold Atlantic. Figure out how to adapt to your physical abilities in the water and find out what is your optimal style of surfing, be it standing, sitting, kneeling or laying down.
Parasurfing / Wave Riding Competition and Consequence
In order to be hailed the best in a division and represent a nation, a surfer needs to be trialed and tested, the ocean is a harsh judge and before you get your surfing judged, become an all round surfer able to go left or right, don't mind kelp or rocky point breaks and can surf in hairy or smooth conditions.
