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Duke's Day dawns at Freshwater. Photo: Dave Thomas
Wednesday, 8 June 2011
In the summer of 1914/15, legendary Hawaiian Duke Kahanamoku's surfing display at Sydney's Freshwater Beach kick-started surfing in Oz and inspired generations of Australian surfers. Duke surfed a 42 kilo, 2.6-metre, finless board he'd handcrafted from local sugar pine. And without wax, without a leg rope, he pulled a young 15-year-old Isobel Letham from the crowd and surfed tandem. Duke may not have been the first "surfer" in Australia, but he sure change the way we played in the ocean and how we look to the surf as a source of fitness, excitement, joy, and inspiration.
Some 96 years later the inaugural Duke's Day was held at Freshwater on January 15 2011, and it's now to become an annual event. Duke's Day was developed to honour and celebrate an international icon, a legendary man who bought one of the worlds' oldest and now favourite sports to our shores. Organised by Freshwater Surf Life Saving Club's Coastal Ambassadors the "Surf Nomes" Naomi Wilson and Naomi Donohue with the assistance of Dave Thomas from Eco Divers and proudly sponsored by Bendigo Bank Freshwater and J.MAC Graphics, Duke's Day is not a corporate pursuit. The Surf Nomes explain:
"It's a celebration of the evolution of surfing that is much more than getting as many waves as you can. Rather, it's about the impact Duke had then and retains now within the soul of surfing. It's a chance for us to find out a little more about the Aloha spirit that Duke lived by including ways to honour and live respectfully, and in harmony with our coastal environment."
"The timing of Duke's Day coincided with the grand opening of the new Heritage Room by Freshwater SLSC History Group. Opened by Mr Kim Marsh, who was instrumental in the development and construction of the clubs new room, guest speakers included Freshwater SLSC patron Mr Mike Baird, and the first World Surfing Champion, Australia's Midget Farrelly (1964). This was Australian surfing royalty speaking about the father of modern surfing, and in front of the actual board Duke rode, Midget spoke inspirationally of Duke's message of Aloha."
"Duke's Day kicked off with an early morning photo shoot of iconic longboards at dawn and then a paddle out in honour of Duke. The Surf Rider beach clean collected 77kg of rubbish off Freshwater Beach in two hours. The water events included a longboard display, the speedy stylish "clubbies" on their rescue boards, a tandem display to rival Isabel and Duke's, impressive display of stand-up paddle boards, a girls only zone and a very popular section of new finless boards which had a number of people lined up to give them a go."
"Inside the great hall at Freshie, the surf and environmental expo brought together several coastal conservation teams working to protect the marine environment. They included Ecodivers, Surfrider, Manly Environment Centre, Penguin People, specialist wave artist Jeremy Davis, Two Hands and us newcomers SurfNomes."
The Surf Nomes - Naomi Wilson and Naomi Donohue - are two Freshwater locals who participated in The Coastal Ambassadors Program run through Pittwater Environment Centre. This was the inspiration for the foundation for the "Surf Nomes", and they've now developed a plan for Freshwater SLSC, "Focusing on becoming environmentally sustainable and self sufficient through facility improvements and increasing the knowledge, awareness, and care for the local coastal environment within the broader Freshwater community. Not to divert club funds from essential surf life saving equipment the Surf Nomes dedicate Duke's Day as their major fund raising event."
Casual, fun and community focused in a 'Freshie-style' way: Duke's Day is a community event bringing together surf life saving club members, surfers, the local community and some of the environmental groups along the coast. This will be an annual event on the Freshwater calendar each January, leading up to the 100th year anniversary in 2014-15 of Duke's historic display. www.dukesday.com
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