The day was perfect for surfing. Hot, nice breeze and average sized waves. I arrived into Manly a little early, so I read my book while I waited for my surf lesson. At 11, I was ready.
Wetsuit on? check
Hideous yellow t-shirt that make you feel like a school kid on a trip? Check
While we waited for the lesson to start I met a guy called Ben. He told me he’s from Australia and has done a tiny bit of surfing before and I told him about my fear of death by drowning, shark attack or being knocked out cold by a surfboard.

We began on the sand doing a few practises of getting onto our boards and then they thrust us into the sea. The worst part is pushing the board over the waves as you walk in because sometimes the waves are too powerful and knock you flying 10 steps back from where you’ve just come from.

Waiting for me were our two instructors. I climbed on, they pushed me, I attempted to get up, I fell off! Luckily I met a group of English people as hopeless as me so I felt better!
A few turns had passed. I had managed to get onto my knees and then feet but every time I attempted to stand I fell straight in the sea.
The instructors were determined to get me to stand.
“Do it for the queen!” They shouted at me as I zoomed over the wave. I got to my feet, slowly, slowly stand..nope! I fell off!
“Do it for Charles!” I fell straight away!
“You’re choosing the wrong royals!” I told them. “I’ll do it for Harry!”
This time I caught the wave with the ginger royal in my thoughts. I pushed up, my knees and feet bent, I twisted my body and then it happened. My legs slowly straightened and I was up! Cruising on the wave. Arms out, feet planted still on the board; feeling like a hero! Then CRASH! I jumped off my board quickly as I nearly decapitated a fellow surfer next to me! “SORRY!” I shouted.

I wanted to end the lesson there, I had done it! I surfed like a pro and I knew the rest of the lesson would be doomed to failure but had a couple more tries. Back to being rubbish at it! More waves in the face and rolling and tumbling off my board occurred but the main thing is that I didn’t die!

After my lesson Ben asked if I wanted to grab some lunch so we went and had a salad and shake at a beachfront cafe. He told me that he’s a rock climbing instructor so as we were feeling adventurous he took me to a beach nearby that has a big bouldering rock. The beach was gorgeous! The water was almost still with just a gentle current rolling over us as we sat chatting in the water. My attempts at bouldering were short-lived as I realised my incompetence early on! Instead, we opted for some good old-fashioned beach time. Swimming and sunbathing! It was so peaceful and my muscles needed the rest from the hard work of surfing! I could have lay there all day but both of us had plans for the evening, so we said goodbye the beach and headed back to Dee Why.