When life gives you rough waves, surf them.
That's the kind of attitude among those who designed this surfboard, then auctioned it for a good cause.
An anonymous buyer snapped it up for $9200.
The image on the board, airbrushed by Caves Beach artist Daniel Joyce, is legendary Newcastle surfer Peter McCabe surfing at Padang in Indonesia in 1978.
Businessman Darren Paxton donated the board, which McCabe shaped. It was auctioned for the Newcastle-based charity Sleapy's Foundation.
Peter and Robynn Sleap founded the charity in 2010, a year after Peter was diagnosed with throat cancer.
He was inspired to start the charity after his mates at South Newcastle Rugby League Club rallied to raise money for him, while he was having radiation and chemotherapy.
He wanted to pay it forward.
Sleapy's Foundation chairman David Fleming said a fundraising event is usually held annually to coincide with the end of the rugby league season.
Due to the pandemic, that couldn't happen this year.
"So we asked people in the Sleapy's Day family to have an event on our behalf. There were raffles, cake stalls, punters' clubs, golf days," David said.
David said those involved with the foundation get a lift when they see people being so generous and giving.
"People dig in and help us. It's great," he said.
The surfboard auction has been a feature of the annual event for the last five years.
Last year's board featured an image of Mark Richards, also airbrushed by Daniel Joyce. It went for a then record $9000.
Sleapy's Foundation uses the money it raises to help people with cancer.
"We give them a couple of grand each to lighten the load. We do things like holidays and renovations," David said.
"We're not about a cure or research, just helping people on their journey. It seems to have a really good effect."
Chevy's Tacos
Topics reader Troy "Chevy Chase" Whiteside sent us this photo of a sign advertising a taco joint at Byron Bay, where he's on holiday.
It gave us a chuckle, but the story of how Chevy got his nickname is even funnier.
Three of his mates were waiting for him at a Spanish restaurant in Sydney. He was having trouble finding a car park. He drove around and around and around. Eventually he left in frustration.
This reminded his mates of the scene in National Lampoon's European Vacation of Clark Griswold driving around the Big Ben roundabout. So from that day forth, he was known as Chevy.
"Hey look kids, there's Big Ben and there's Parliament," Clark famously said.
"I can't seem to get over to the left, honey. I'll try next time. Sorry. We'll get out of this jam in a minute."
