Big smiles, big vibes and party waves are the order of the day at Sea State surf sessions. Photo: By Amber Alexis.
If you’re an Illawarra woman who wants to surf – or wants some mates to surf with – you’re in luck.
A new grassroots group that supports women having a crack has just launched and it’s called Sea State.
When sisters Amber and Phoebe Conroy moved to the Illawarra they missed the tight-knit women’s surfing community they had enjoyed on the Gold Coast, so they decided to make their own.
The women both grew up on the coast involved in surf life saving, but neither had given surfing a crack until 2024, when Amber moved to Brisbane with her partner.
He already surfed and she didn’t want to be the token girlfriend on the beach, so she decided to teach herself.
As anyone who’s learnt to surf as an adult knows, that’s much easier in theory than in practice.
“I’m a pretty proud person, so to learn something from scratch as an adult was quite humbling,” she said.
“Luckily my experience in surf life saving meant I knew how to read the surf, but it still took months before I was confident enough to go out by myself.
“I remember the first wave I caught where I thought ‘I can do this’.
“It was that sense of achievement that got me obsessed with the sport.”
Committed practice and a dedicated surf trip to Lombok developed Amber’s skills to the point where she could compete for waves in the lineup.
When Phoebe came to visit one Christmas she decided to take some photos of Amber in the surf – and was hooked.
Phoebe found it harder to build her confidence in the water however, despite quickly picking up the skills.
“I stood up on my first wave and loved it, we stayed out for hours,” she said.
“I booked my own surf trip three months later and it was amazing for growing my skills and confidence, but I was nervous when I came back to Australia.
“I still get nervous going out by myself and I prefer not to do it.”
The Gold Coast had a tight-knit community of female surfers, with a dedicated group that met up regularly for sessions.
Phoebe said the benefits extended beyond the group surfs, because building a network of supportive buddies meant there was almost always another friendly face in the lineup if she ever had to paddle out solo.
When the pair moved to the Illawarra recently they looked for a local group but came up empty handed, so they decided to create their own.
“The Gong Gurfers was no longer active, there were a few pages where people would put in when and where they were surfing, but there were no dedicated groups,” Amber said.
“It can be really daunting to paddle out alone into a lineup of predominantly men, especially if you’re learning. It’s so much harder to eat that humble pie if the lineup isn’t friendly.
“We wanted to recreate that sense of community and make other women comfortable to paddle out and try a new sport.”
A group of 15 women turned up to the first group surf at The Farm and a recent Galentine’s surf session also had a solid turnout despite gloomy weather.
Most importantly, Phoebe said the vibes were on point.
“People who weren’t a part of the group were cheering the girls getting on waves, it’s been amazingly friendly,” she said.
“Because it has multiple peaks it’s easier for everyone to find their own space in a spot that’s appropriate for them.
“Everyone has been so supportive, we’ve all been beginners and there’s only one way to start, by giving it a go.
“We’re all here to support each other and cheer each other on.”
If you’d like to join the next meet-up, head to the Sea State Instagram page.
