Can blind people surf?

The short and very happy answer is yes! Living with arthritis since the age of 8 and taking an accessible surfing lesson in Cornwall as a teenager, I knew surfing could be adapted for those with limited mobility.

Back in September 2020 I took to the Cornish surf once more and surfed for the first time as a blind person. Not having great balance, thanks arthritis, and being totally blind, my only real reservation was whether or not I could maintain balance on the surfboard with both complications. I’m proud to say I did pretty well!

What is surfing?

Surfing is the sport of riding ocean waves towards the shore whilst either standing or lying on a board. The ultimate goal is to ride along the unbroken face of the wave and tuck into the tube created, as the wave’s lip breaks, known as a barrel. I don’t speak surf lingo, this was taken from Newquay Activity Centre but more about them in a moment