OVER the last four to five years there has been a notable difference in the faces in the waters around Portland.

For those that venture the local surf breaks there has been a significant increase in the number of female surfers hitting the water.

With the help of Mick ‘Woolly’ Walder, the local president of the Portland Boardriders Club, the Observer caught up with Tasha Noss, Anna Macaulay, Ashlee Ludeman and Lydia Mackie at Crumpets Beach to talk about their time on the waves and the local surfing community. What makes them take on the challenging breaks around the district in an activity that until recent times was largely male dominated? What advice have they got for others? What do they love about surfing, and particularly the surfing culture of Portland?

One of the biggest highlights of the group was the positive experiences they’ve had with the supportive nature of the local surfing community.

“I remember clearly an early surf at Blacknose point, not quite sure of where to jump in off the rocks, the swell was relatively large at the time and one of the locals went out of their way to shown me where to get in and out of the water safely,” Ludeman said.

Anna Macaulay, originally from Torquay, made it clear that in Portland compared to the busier surf towns that there is some sort of order in the water.

“I have enjoyed knowing that when it is my turn for a wave that others will back off and give me space to catch a wave,” she said.

“Other places I have surfed it is a bit of a ‘free for all’ mentality when the sets come through. It seems to me that in Portland it is not as much about the number of waves you catch but the quality, this allows more of us to catch wave.”

Lydia Mackie, a teacher at Portland Secondary College, has enjoyed the more relaxed nature of surfing in the town after also coming down from the Torquay area.

“I personally have not experienced any ‘hassling’ for waves since I have been here, if you are patient, wait your turn, are willing to have a chat with others in the water there are plenty of opportunities to catch a reasonable number of waves,” she said.

“Being relatively new to town I have found it a terrific way to meet new people. Surfing for me is a great stress release.”

A clear motivation for the group was the strong comradery that surfing has built between them and other newcomers to the sport.

In regard to advice for others keen to give surfing a go, there was a common thread around the need to temper expectations and to be aware of your own motivations when starting out.

“I think it is worth thinking about why you want to enter the water, if you are going in to be the best you will be disappointed, if your aim is to have some fun you are more likely to have a good day,” said Mackie.

Noss (originally from Port Lonsdale) and Macaulay had clear advice around gear selection and ocean conditions.

“Don’t get too fussy with the conditions, just get in! The same with your gear, it will help overall if you try out a few different boards from mals to shortboards while you are learning’” they explained.

As a group it was expressed that going to the more popular breaks there is a need to be aware of the lineup and how it operates.

Macaulay explained, “You don’t want to be hassled out of waves by other surfers, once you get reasonably competent you need to hold your ground and catch your fair share of waves but still be aware of who is around you and their level of skill.”

In what might have previously been perceived as a tough environment to enter into, the local surf scene has become a place for everyone to enjoy.