I am passionate about surf. When I'm not on my board, or dreaming that I'm surfing, I'm working as a kinesiologist in a physical rehabilitation center in Quebec city, Canada. I am passionate about my job as well. In fact, when I'm not with my patients in the gym or in the pool, I'm thinking about them and how I could improve their training programs.

Few years ago I was looking for possibilities to combine my two passions. I found on internet that there were special days organised for people with disabilities to try surf for the first time. Theses surf clinics are organised by Ampsurf, which is a non profit organisation that first started on the West Coast of the US and now has a branch on the East Coast too. So relatively close to my hometown!

It didn't take more to convince me! I put my name down as a volunteer for the next clinic taking place in York beach, Maine. I was going to be a “water helper” and assist the surf instructor. Actually, I knew before taking part of the activity that I would enjoy it. What I wasn't aware of at the time was that I would like it so much that I would make it a tradition and go back every single year!

To be honest I have no choice but to go back year after year! The feeling I get helping and watching these amazing people surf is...well I don't have enough words in English to describe it properly! I've seen magnificent waves taken by very inspiring persons. Their disabilities force them to go through lots of boundaries which most of the people can't even begin to imagine and they decide to challenge themselves and get out of their comfort zone even more by trying a new sport. Not to mentioned that this new sport is done in the ocean, an environment that is as beautiful as it is unpredictable.

Thanks to the surf instructors and to the dedication of all volunteers all these persons can have the chance to catch their very first wave in a fun and secure environment. So here's how it works.

The surf instructor pushes the participant on a wave. Some of the participants are taking the waves on a prone position, others are on their knees and some are even standing up on their feet! The volunteers are in line at the place where the participants catches the wave all the way to the beach, ready to help in case the person falls. And let's be honest, everyone falls at some point, the surf community even have a special name for it: wipeouts! So you've guessed it if the surfers took the time to invent a word it means 1. that falling doesn't describe well enough the action of being ejected from your board and being pushed in every direction by the water while trying to find a way out and 2. that it occurs really often! Actually, doesn't matter if you're a beginner or a professional, wipeouts are part of the sport...as well as part of the fun!

Through out the years, I've had the opportunity to help many people to surf. Some were partly sighted, others were amputees. I also had the opportunity to help a woman who had to be transferred from a "regular wheelchair" to "water wheelchair" and then to the board. This woman had an adorable guide dog that she wished could surf on the board with her. I wasn't sure about the idea at first and for some reason, I was scared for the dog. Then one of my teammates told me laughing "What are you scared of Pascale, it's a Labrador...he’s probably a better swimmer than you ". I don't know if this dog was a good swimmer but he certainly was a good surfer because he didn't fell off the board once! It was lovely to see both of them surfing together! Since then I have been dreaming of surfing with my dog. Unfortunately, my beloved beagle doesn't share this dream with me. She prefers, by far, to swim casually in calm waters...

If I had the chance to meet very inspiring participants I also had the pleasure to return year after year to the Ampsurf team. I don't know them a lot but I always feel like we have so much in common. We have a strong love and respect for the ocean, we also have a huge passion for surfing which pushes us to do as much as we can so that more and more people can experience this amazing sport that is like no other.

So I've been driving 1,000 km every year for the last three years to take part of this beautiful event! I hope I'll be able to do the same for many years again because it means a lot to me!

Photo credit: Randi Woodrow and Danièle Martineau

Pascale Martineau

Kinésiologue de profession, surfeuse de passion et "backpackeuse" de vocation, j'ai eu la chance de voyager et l'opportunité de vivre à l'étranger. J'aime les voyages et j'aime échanger par rapport à ceux-ci comme dans une auberge de jeunesse où chaque soir des gens des quatre coins du monde se racontent leurs récits.