For Chloe Murnane – who lives with cerebral palsy – learning to surf earlier this year has opened a whole new world of possibilities.
The 18-year-old, who was born on the Eyre Peninsula, now lives in Adelaide, and recently returned from the inaugural Adaptive Surfing Professionals World Championship Tour Event at Waikiki, in Hawaii.
Adaptive surfing allowed competitors with challenges, such as those with a physical or visual impairment, to use specialised equipment or an adapted surfing experience to match their abilities.
Chloe's mum Paula Murnane said she was initially apprehensive at the thought of Chloe in the surf.
However, she there had been tremendous benefits for Chloe, both physically and mentally.
"I was first a little bit tentative I suppose because I thought that the water and the exertion she would need to be able to do this would make her legs even tighter," Ms Murnane said.
Before learning to surf in February, Chloe spent parts of her life in a wheelchair, to help with ease of mobility.
Ms Murnane said before surfing her daughter never had the strength to walk more than 500 metres.
Now Chloe was able to walk longer distances.
"There's a lot of strengthening that has happened through surfing," Ms Murnane said.
Ocean offers first chance to be equal
In her first surfing event, Chloe came third in the prone assist division.
She communicated vocally, but also through her communication board, and said she really enjoyed surfing twice a week.
"Being in the water is making me stronger, I love catching a wave and turning and one day soon I will beat Joss," Chloe said.
Joss, or Jocelyn Neumueller, was another member of Australia's adaptive surfing team.
The 26 year-old South Australian took out the prone assist women's division only two years after getting into the sport.
Ms Neumueller said there was a great sense of freedom out in the ocean.
"It's something that you can't experience on the land and being out in the ocean, it just clears your mind and resets and gets you ready for the week [ahead]."
Ms Neumueller said she was restricted in what she could do on land.
"In the ocean I'm equal, I can go anywhere, ride any wave the same as any other person, so I just think that level of equality and freedom and independence that the ocean and the waves offer, you can't find that anywhere else," she said.
"It just brings me so much joy in seeing how much surfing can change someone's life."
