In the pre-dawn darkness, 'The Marsupial' cuts a solitary figure as he emerges from the surf and makes his way slowly up the beach. As others arrive and start pulling on cold wetsuits, this local surfing legend is already done for the day.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
"We call him Marsupial 'cos he's a nocturnal surfer, loves being out there in the dark," says Milton surf shop owner Kurt Nyholm.
Peter 'The Marsupial' is one of the hardened band of South Coast surfers undeterred by the freezing mornings and empty beaches. When the popular breaks empty out at the end of summer, this small band of hardy locals surfs on.
"I love surfing alone. It's peaceful. It's my meditation. I tend to leave when the crowd arrives, that's when the chatter starts," says the legendary local.
On a nearby sand dune stands pioneer of women's surfing in Australia Pam Burridge. Today she is coaching 15-year-old Sophia Fulton, who is hoping to break into the pro-ranks in the USA later this month. Burridge still gets out in the surf every day, winter or not.
"It's 18 degrees in the water, why wouldn't I?," says 1990 women's World Surf Riding Championships winner.
"Yesterday I rode my bike here, caught 40 waves in an hour-and-a-half and rode home."
Broulee Surf School head coach Shane Wehner says the swell tends to be bigger and smoother on winter mornings.
"All of us local surfers, we surf right through the year; all we need is an extra thick wetsuit."
"The water temp rarely dips below 16 degrees. Lately, it's been unseasonably warm, it's been closer to 20."
Neither Wehner or Nyholm seemed concerned about sharks, with dolphins often proving more prolific.
And the best spots for those willing to brave the colder mornings? Wehner's picks are the Moruya Breakwall, Golf Course Reef in Mollymook or Bawley Point, due to their protection from the southerly winds.
Nyholm, who keeps the car running when he arrives at the beach and warms his wetsuit on the engine, says there's a certain magic that only a surfer truly understands about the winter waves.
"It takes a little bit to warm up the body but it's definitely a great way to start the day. You kind of feel you're one up. It feels like an achievement when you're coming in at eight o'clock in the morning and other people are sort of waking up."
