Surfers seek to honour Fish

Dave Fish

Border surfers competing in the South African masters championships have set their sights on winning the team trophy for a record ninth time in a row to honour local legend Dave Fish.

Tributes have been pouring in from all over the world for the famous surfer, who died of a heart attack days before the event started at Seal Point earlier this week. He was 65. Fish’s son, Simon, who is also a top surfer and board shaper, said yesterday the family had been amazed when the event was dedicated to his father’s memory and organisers gave them the red vest he had worn when he won his division last year.

“We have received messages of support from all over the world, from people we don’t even know,” he said.

Although Simon Fish has surfed many times for Border, he had not planned to take part in the masters event this year.

But that all changed when his father died and he was asked to surf in his memory.

“It is a huge privilege for me to be surfing in my dad’s memory and honour,” he said.

“The Border okes have really taken me in as one of their own.”

Fish said surfers from all over the Eastern Cape and beyond would be coming to Seal Point for a massive paddle-out at the beach at 2pm today in honour of his father.

Many of the 150 surfers, who have to be over 30 years old to compete in the masters championships, are also expected to attend a memorial service at the nearby Cape St Francis Resort at 3.30pm, along with surfers and friends from across the country.

Simon said his father had been counting the days until he represented Border again this year and walking the short distance from his beach house – where he has been living with his wife Judy for the past few years – to Seal Point to compete.

“It was going to be one of his last SA masters champs and he was really looking forward to it,” he said.

“He was instrumental in getting the competition held here at his home break and was going to walk over the dune with his board to surf.”

Fish said a second memorial paddle-out would be held next Friday at Nahoon Reef – his dad’s “number one” surf spot.

Champion surfer Wayne Monk said yesterday Border were keen to win the masters for a record ninth time in a row to honour Dave Fish.

“Dave was a real legend who made a huge contribution to Border and South African surfing,” he said. “He was one of the surfers we looked up to . . . We all wanted to be like him,” said David Macgregor.