For amputee Bruce Peel, there's nothing like being in the waves.
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"Once you get out in the water, you're weightless and all those sorts of problems have disappeared," he said.
Normally, Mr Peel is showing other people with a disability the benefits of being on the water, but on Sunday, he could enjoy the benefits fully. Mr Peel is the president of the Perth branch of Disabled Surfers Australia and had joined the South Coast branch at their Port Kembla 'Smiles on Dials Day' on Sunday.
"It's a beautiful beach for our disabled surfers," he said.
And the conditions were picture-perfect, with warm weather, and a medium swell so all abilities could make the most of it.
DSA South Coast vice president Bryan Rugg said this year they got 40 people of various abilities on boards, with the help of over 100 volunteers and carers.
"We go from quadriplegic right through to people who have autism, that don't like to put their hands and feet in the water. They come along and have a great time," he said.
The organisation has been running events on the beaches of the Illawarra for decades, but in a first were assisted by veterans from Gerroa. Spirits were also high after a $9000 donation from the Santa Pub Crawl.
Mr Rugg said these funds were vital for the organisation to be able to run such events in future.
"Wheelchairs are $5000 each," he said. "Which just means that we are able to get people down onto the sand easier and to the water's edge."
With the vast amount of people power required to put on an event such as today's splash at Port Kembla, the experience that many in the community take for granted - going for a dip - can be prohibitively complex for people with a disability.
Mr Rugg said councils had made progress in providing wheelchairs, but that these were only available at select beaches. Making beaches accessible with ramps and appropriate change facilities also made a significant impact.
The DSA is holding its next event on March 19, and is open to additional volunteers.
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