Dropping in on big Ballito waves

The North Coast was recently bombarded by big waves that kept most bathers out of the water.

However a brave few saw the huge surf as an opportunity to drop in on some action.

Last week the Courier received a photo of local body boarder Stefan Coetzee riding on what was easily an 11 foot wave.

In an interview this week, Coetzee spoke about his love of the sea and what he likes to do most in his hometown.

Born in Johannesburg, his family moved down to Ballito to continue their construction business when he was still young.

“My mates and I used to do a lot of motorcross but we also went to the beach on weekends. We would just spend our time surfing and bodyboarding and that’s where it all started,” said Coetzee.

Spending plenty of time in the surf saw Coetzee represent Zululand and South Africa for body boarding between 2000 and 2006.

The family business began to demand more of his time and he has not competed again since last year.

Nevertheless the body boarder still has the skills to take on massive swells that hit our shores every so often.

Coetzee also spends his time helping his friend Karl Liebenberg with body boarding and surfing clinics in Durban and Ballito.

“I think it is important to get the youth into the sea. We show them the basics, but it is also about having fun and spending plenty of time in the sun on our beautiful beaches.”

Most clinics are run during holiday periods and Coetzee comes down to help when he can get off work.

Not short on interesting hobbies, Coetzee also created and manages a clothing brand.

“The brand is called Lockt-in and it started as an interest of mine, but I want to take it mainstream.”

He currently prints designs on a limited amount of shirts which keeps them exclusive.

“I only do 20 shirts at a time, but they sell quickly, I cannot keep up with sales,” he said.

Apart from work, Coetzee takes groups of people on annual surfing trips to Indonesia and the Phillipines.

On a parting note, Coetzee admitted that the monster wave he rode two weeks ago was not the biggest he has ridden.

“It is not the biggest, but it is definitely the highlight of the year so far for me,” he said with a big smile.

The brave surfer recalls surfing in 15 to 20 foot waves around five years ago near Cape Town.

“Ten to 12 foot is still negotiable to have fun in. More than that and it gets pretty serious,” he said.