Surf day brings on waves of pleasure for less able-bodied

Zach Coley surfs in at the Halberg Disability Foundation Surf Day. Photo/supplied

Tauranga's Janette Barklay got to relive her teenage love of surfing at the weekend for the first time since multiple sclerosis affected her mobility.

"I'm happy as. It's like a drug ... Just touching the water is good ... To get into the sea, just to get on to the sand is amazing," she told the Bay of Plenty Times.

Ms Barklay, 67, was one of a number of Bay residents who took to the waves for the Halberg Disability Sport Foundation surf day on Saturday.

Thanks to the donation of a $3500 beach wheel chair to a local surf school, a large group of volunteers helped get her back into the water and on to a surfboard.

She was excited to hear about Flight Centre's partnership meaning the beach wheelchair would be available for her anytime at Hibiscus Surf School.

"They said I can come down anytime and get into the sea."

Simply being on the sand was a huge novelty because using an electric wheelchair restricted where she could go.

Top surfer Kehu Butler volunteered his time to help out on Saturday.

"It's been awesome," he said, "seeing people get out there who haven't been out there for years".

"It's taught me just to have fun and just enjoy it with other people ... just enjoy the water."

Twelve-year-old Zach Coley was loving his first time on a surfboard and was hoping to be standing on the board by the end of the day.

He said his "pit crew" of volunteers were awesome, helping him out and pushing him along.

Zach is partially sighted and suffers from the developmental co-ordination disorder, dyspraxia, and his mother Sandy said it was fantastic to have so many volunteers to help him in the water.

"It's a great day that volunteers come out and make this happen. I couldn't praise Halberg enough."