Ray keeps in touch with the surf

IF YOU were to venture to Torquay to check out the surf breaks, it would be likely 78-year-old Ray Wilson would also be there on his e-bike.

Wilson, a Calvary Elouera aged care resident, has not let his age stop his love for the surf, and makes this journey a daily routine.

He is no stranger to the water, being Victoria’s first state surfing champion and having competed in the first Australian world titles in Sydney in the 1960s.

“I’ve always been the same,” Wilson, who has recently switched to an e-bike since recovering from hip surgery, said.

“I get up in the morning, I go down to the beach, have a look at the ocean, suck in a bit of salt air. It’s good for me.

“I go out most days, mainly to Point Danger, see which way the wind is blowing and check the surf out, then I pop in and give my surf report to the girls down at Rip Curl.”

Despite some perceptions about living in an aged care facility, Mr Wilson is encouraged and supported by Calvary Elouera staff to remain an active member of the Torquay community.

Mr Wilson needs minimal encouragement to do so, with his morning routine meaning he can remember his past life in the surf, making his own boards, sailing, travelling and enjoying many adventures.

One of his signature boards is kept in his home, and his room is full of memorabilia. He also never misses the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach surfing tournament.

“I have so much freedom here,” he said.

Wilson even jumps in the water sometimes, more for a dip rather than a surf nowadays, and laps up every moment as he appreciates how lucky life can be.