Learn2Surf

Nov 18 2016

Share The Stoke (Development Surfing Competition)

Muizenberg has been getting hit hard by the onshore South Easter winds lately, and it was on one of these crazy days that the Share the Stoke development surfing competition took place.

Kids from a number of outreach surfing projects, from as far as Mossel Bay braved the wild surf and ‘supermoon’ spring tides to compete. As wild as the conditions were, all the kids had a super fun time.

MBC entered a team of 5 kids: Asi, Yamkela, Frankie, Abel and Lee (his first ever surfing competition).

surfing development competition

Heat 1 – MBC in Blue

The team decided Lee should be the first to surf in each relay-style heat. All of the guys chose to ride shortboards rather than the easier to ride Learn 2 Surf beginner, foam surfboards. The super rough and windy conditions meant 90% of the waves were just powerful walls of white water. Strong currents took them a hundred meters from where they paddled out almost immediately.  Now and again some of white water waves cleaned up on the inside before washing up onto the beach.The boys managed to catch a few of these and took 1st place in the 1st heat!

Heat 2 - MBC in Red

Heat 2 – MBC in Red

Heat number 2: The winds got stronger and the tide got higher!

Asi and Yamkela got a few great waves, and Frankie and Able looked confident in the wild surf with a couple of long rides each. Lee was dealt a baptism of fire in this his first ever surfing competition but handled the pressure of surfing first in all his heats like a champion. The overall effort from all the guys and some solid team work saw them win their 2nd heat and advance to the semi finals!

Heat 3 (Semi Finals) - MBC in Yellow jerseys (They liked to think of it as the John-John Florence heat)

Heat 3 (Semi Finals) – MBC in Yellow . They liked to think of this as the “John-John Florence” heat

The current WSL Surfing World Champion is the young Hawaiian surfer, John-John Florence – an absolute hero of the MBC kids! The surfer leading the rankings during the year long international surfing tour, wears a yellow jersey/rash vest. This year John-John Florence was in the lead for most of the year and the kids know of him as the surfer in the yellow jersey. They felt extra motivated for the semi final heat wearing their yellow rash vests and made it through to the finals!

keeping warm

They decided body warmth and staying out of the wind was the best way to stay warm before the Finals

The final heat of the competition was held on full ‘supermoon’ spring tide in howling onshore winds. The currents, surges and backwash waves were incredibly challenging – but the kids handled like legends and took 2nd place in the comp!

prize giving

All the kids in the competition received a prize!

winners

Big smiles! (& 2 new Firewire surfboards, caps, Tshirts, Zig Zag magazines and SILVER medals!)

Huge thank you goes to Rory Heard from Share The Stoke and SSA (Surfing South Africa) for putting on such a great event!

The kids are psyched for the next one!

share the stoke

By • Uncategorized • • Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Feb 26 2016

A Fond Farewell

As my time at MBC comes to a close I am only just now beginning to understand how short a time six weeks truly is. When I left the states to start traveling six weeks felt like it would be plenty of time get to know the city of Cape Town and the boys who attend MBC. I was dead wrong.

cape point vineyard psd

Sunset at Cape Point Vineyard Market

Cape Town is a massive place with so many cool things to do I feel as though I’ve barely scratched the surface. The markets, or which there are many, are one of the most incredible things that I have experience while I have been here. If you come for a visit you must check out Bluebird Market, Neighbourgoods Market, Cape Point Vineyard Market and Hout Bay Market. They may all be markets but each offers a unique experience that cannot be missed.

MBC final

Themba, Frankie and Asi enjoying the surf

 

As for the boys, they are all so incredible, not just as surfers, but as human beings. Their desire to learn more about other cultures and get to know the volunteers never ceases to amaze me. They are all becoming fine young men. I wish I had more time to watch them continue to grow into themselves and see everything that they will accomplish in their lives. It is with a sad heart that I bid the MBC and the friends I have made here goodbye.

Until next time,

Caitlin [USA]

By • Uncategorized • • Tags: , , , , , , ,

Dec 27 2015

Sunshine, Sand, Surf!

School’s out for the season. The kids are on their holiday. And with more free time to surf, that is exactly what the boys have chosen to do.

After two short stops on the train ride from their home in Steenberg, the boys arrive in the morning to MBC, suit up, and spend their days and hours out at the beach. At times the boys will remember they haven’t yet had their lunch, but just as easily they’ll forget their stomach’s grumbling as the ocean calls them back into the surf.

Catching waves with the boys has been a blast! Here I am the volunteer and it’s them who have been so helpful with teaching me. They genuinely wanted to see me learn during my month here. Many times Frankie and Abel would stay nearby in the ocean and call out for me which waves I should catch. They’d yell out, “Turn your board around now! Paddle! Start paddling! Keep paddling!” Before I knew it, I was picking out my own waves and standing up more times than I could count. It’s so great to see their love for surfing and their willingness to share it with others, just as it’s been imparted to them.

Last week, taking full advantage of Muizenberg’s beautiful beaches, we organized games and fun competition for the boys, both on the sand and in the water. Frankie won both the foot race and soccer agility match. Temba came in a near second. And when it came to the surfing, everyone knew Asi would take the win. Abel, deserving a notable mention, still surfed with an injured foot. Tough boy! I had to tell him to sit it out until he knew exactly what was wrong and he finally conceded. It’s so obvious for many of these boys that being in the ocean is irresistible. Even with swollen foot, Abel admitted, “Surfing’s a part of my life. I want to be out there!”

Now as we head into the holidays, I’m bummed to say that only a few days remain before I head back home and my time at MBC comes to a close. I am so looking forward to spending this Christmas with the kids before I leave, meeting their families, and trying some local homemade South African dishes. I cannot believe how quickly this month flew by. Spending time with the boys has certainly been an honor and privilege. Each day getting to know these boys has been such a treasure, and they truly have become like my little brothers! I cannot say it enough, “Go MBC!”

beach games

mbc

By • Uncategorized • • Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Dec 11 2015

Wavescape Surf Film Festival

Saturday afternoon we loaded up in Ant’s bakkie and headed with the boys to Camp’s Bay for a swim and movie night on the beach. It was a first for me and so much fun riding in the back of a truck on a main highway and then at the beach digging to form sunken sand sofas to relax and enjoy the open air cinema that is part of the annual Wavescape Surf Film Festival. On Clifton 4th Beach, after finding our place up front near the big screen and once nestled cozy in our newly dug-out sand chairs, with packed sandwiches and fruit in hand (thanks to Shani!), the boys sat back and relaxed, eyes fixed on the pro surfers in the films who go and travel the world  giving their lives to chasing waves. Film after film,  you could see how the boys found inspiration to dream big and chase their passions. And by the end, despite it being late into the night, Asi and Toufie just wanted to jump in the water and surf.
            IMAG2597  IMAG2613

But soon after the last short film, the crowd cleared up, and we, too, packed our things to get back home. Then came my personal favorite part of the weekend, just sitting in the back of the bakkie with the boys. As the wind out picked up, we tried to keep warm with only one blanket to go around. The ride home was entertaining to say the least. I learned Temba is great at storytelling and has quite the imagination. Whymph will bust out into song with lyrics he’ll come up with on the spot. Asi and Abel I found out share my love for sardines. Phila remains adamant on his views of pumpkin pie (I still have 2 weeks to convince him). And the rest of the ride just felt like I was hanging out with my little brothers! When we dropped off the boys at their home in Steenburg, they were keen to point out to me the nearby corner shop that serves Gatsby. It’s apparently a local favorite dish and a must try while in South Africa. It’s going to happen!!

  IMAG2653 mbc2

Besides all I learned from the boys riding in the bakkie Saturday, a sweet highlight from my second week here and something that became very apparent to me was the huge heart of the man behind MBC. In these 5 years, Ant Scholte has done much more for these boys than simply introducing them to a love for surfing. He invests his heart and his time for them. He provides an outlet for these boys, where they can come feel safe, unthreatened, and carefree–just as kids should be. I see it so clearly. I see it when he gives of his weekends to rest and instead chooses to spend it with the boys. I see it when he stays back to carry their bags, boogie boards, and wetsuits when they forget. He instills values by example, tells them the hard things, and encourages them to pursue the important things. The sacrifice this man makes for these boys is humbling and inspiring! And as the boys would say, “GO MBC!!”

                    mbc1 mbc3

By • Uncategorized • • Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Dec 9 2015

Words of wisdom: Paddle DEEP!

It’s been a great first week with the MBC boys! After the first couple days of my asking them multiple times, I’ve got each of their names and faces down.
We had three newcomers yesterday: Sumpiwe, Kanya, and Mpo. The clubs’ more experienced members, Asi and Siya, took on the role of showing them the ropes, and they did so well. I’d stayed back on the beach and it was sweet just chatting with the boys as they took their breaks at random points in the day.
You really get to see the different interactions and personalities. There’s Frankie and Siya who are close buds, yesterday joking and having fun in the sand as we talked about how Frankie would celebrate his 16th birthday. Then there’s Asi–you couldn’t get him out of the water as he kept up with the big boys in the back. Abel is wise beyond his years and so patient. At one point I found myself sitting in the middle of a friendly sandfight when Abel took a hit and all I saw was his huge smile as he laughed it off. ​
MBC5MBC6MBC4
My first surf lessons this week came from Phila, previously an MBC member (soon to be college student!!). He’s an excellent instructor and within an hour of the first day I was standing up riding some waves. When sensing my nervousness heading into the rows of white water, he gets a good laugh and reassures that we’ll get past them. So, I press on. Paddling forward through wave after wave, sometimes I won’t see Phila, but from somewhere I’ll hear his voice calling out words of encouragement to keep me going. It works!
Today after what seemed like an impossible feat, before I knew it, I was in the backline! Finally there on the flat waters, Phila and I sat on our boards for a bit, gave our arms a rest after all the paddling, enjoyed the calm new environment and absence of white water, and then after some practice learning to sit on the board, he said, “Ready to ride a wave? Let’s do it!”
Phila picked out a wave, gave me quick last second reminders of everything to keep in mind, and then I was off on the nicest ride back to shore. I felt at that moment I could say I came, I conquered, and accomplished what I wanted coming to South Africa. There is something that makes you feel alive when you’re able to overcome even a piece of that powerful ocean. But in truth, there is so much more than catching a wave that I came here to South Africa for. I came for these amazing kids. . . in the water or not. (But yes, more in the water!)

By • Uncategorized • • Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Oct 2 2014

Table Mountain & Signal Hill

Hi,
I’m Florent and I’m with my two roomates Friedl (photograph) and Samy (volonteer) to share with you one of our most incredible journey in South Afrika !

Saturday 20th September : Table Mountain & Signal Hill

DSC_0088Table Mountain

 Perfect day to go hiking with the other volonteers of the MBC on Table mountain: amazing sky, not too much wind, just the long road between us and the top!

DSC_0149One objectif : Reach the sun !

From the first step of the climb, you can see a breach between two mountains. Then, every step makes you watch the valley better than your feets: Cape town, the Sea, and Lion’s Head on the left.

DSC_0283-2Lion’s Head from Signal Hill

After 30 minutes, you can’t see Lion’s head anymore, and it gets colder because you are exactly between the two mountains. No more sun, but an amazing view with water falling from the top on the left,  big and pretty stones on the right.

DSC_170Cape Town during the walk

And after 1hour30, we are in the gorge. Explosion of the sun, after 30 minutes with the head so close to the floor, we finally reach the sky !!

DSC_0273-1

Far away, our second objective : Signal Hill for sunset. Just the time to take the cable car, and here we go !

DSC_0272DSC_0272Signal Hill from the top of table mountain

Signal Hill : It’s 17h45. Sunset is expected around 18h30, just enough time to enjoy the landscape around, table mountain in our back, and the endless sea in front of us.

DSC_0327DSC_0296

We walked through the grass to find the perfect view, crossing the road of lovers and other tourist.

DSC_0284-1DSC_0311-1

 

And soudainly, it’s happen. Sunset. No more words, enjoy the view.


GOPR1107-1

 

Florent, Friedl and Samy

By • Uncategorized • • Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Sep 17 2014

My first weeks with MBC

I’m Anna, a new volunteer from Norway. I arrived a couple of weeks ago and I really love it here.  The people are so friendly, the kids are awesome, the nature is breathtaking and the surf is good!

I was really nervous before I left, it’s a long way from Norway to South-Africa, but once I arrived here all my worries disappeared.
Muizenberg is really a lovely place to be. It feels safe and I already feel at home here.

 bilde

I’ve met the kids and they are so cool. They all have such different personalities and a lot of energy! It’s so much fun spending time with them!
We have been surfing and playing soccer on the beach.

bilde 1

bilde 2

bilde 4
It’s so much fun surfing with the kids, you can see they are all smiling the whole time and having such a good time in the water. And they are really good!

G0058237
DCIM104GOPRO

I’m staying here for 3 months and I really look forward to getting to know the children better and have loads of fun with them!

I also look forward to see all the cool places around here.

(Anna, volunteer from Norway)

By • Uncategorized • • Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Jun 2 2014

Why You Should Be a Volunteer at MBC

1)  South Africa

Such a nice country! During your stay here you’ll have the possibility to do a lot of things! Muizenberg and Cape Town are both wonderful places to visit and there are loads of really cool activities to do! And you’ll have all your weekends free!! Thus, hiking, sea experiences (shark diving, seal boat trips, viewing penguins, fishing), wine degustation, rugby games, safaris and even more are waiting for you! If you like parties, Cape Town offers many possibilities.

pico

Furthermore wherever you go here you’ll always discover new things to do! New views! Different peoples! Indeed, South Africa is a multicultural country and you can meet peoples who come from all around the world! Black and white together! And learn a lot about what is real life!!!

2) Muizenberg

You’ll stay in Muizenberg, which is a really nice place that’s well known for its surfing beach!!! Enjoy the perfect waves and live in a wonderful house where you’ll enjoy the chilled atmosphere and the amazing view of the ocean! Ant (MBC president and the volunteer house’s owner) is such a nice guy! He’ll teach you a lot about South African culture! Mainly on the evening in his living room accompanied with his guitar and nice music, like “Sugar Man”.  You’ll share your room with peoples who are here for the same reasons as you so everything should go really well! I am really happy to chat with them and learn about their countries, their cultures and their lives.montage 2

In Muizenberg, there is a tradition. Each week you’ll enjoy the Bluebird Food and Goods Market, which is the place to be on Fridays! With a wide selection of delicious and different food and alcohol! Surf instructors, volunteers and many other people will be there!

For the rest of the week it’s easy to travel about locally thanks to the train or taxi drivers (really cheap and nice drivers who take care of you). Kalk Bay is only 5 minutes away from Muizenberg and there you can find really cool bars and restaurants like Cape to Cuba!!! You’ll probably also go to Brass Bell, where lots of volunteers and locals take up residence on Wednesday nights to have a go at karaoke! You can have a great party here!

3) Mission

If you like sport, this is the project you must choose! Every morning you’ll enjoy great waves in a wonderful place! For me it was my first surfing experience! And after 2 weeks’ training I caught my first real wave!! It was an extraordinary sensation! I could turn on the wave and feel the speed coming! When I finally fell down off the board, I was like a child – I couldn’t stop smiling! Such a nice experience! Time flies in the water! And even on days when the waves aren’t so good, the ocean as far as you can see is perfect for getting you to empty your mind and think about life!

Three days a week with the kids you’ll play soccer, go hiking and surf!! These kids come from a township and they grow up in a dangerous place where gangsters are present and try to make them cross the line. These kids are amazing! Indeed they are always smiling and love speaking with you and learning about your life. They’ll give you so much!! Time goes really fast with them and you can’t be bored!! During sport activities they like to be with you! And they love jokes! At the beginning it will be difficult to remember all their names but you’ll use some tips to remember them! Cause they all have their own charisma and particularities! For example Themba! You can’t miss him – he will always try to make jokes and play with you!

Nico 1

Twice a week in the afternoons you’ll stay at the office, which is a really pleasant place! You’ll share ideas with others volunteers and try to develop MBC (posting blogs, marketing, communication). You’ll have a blank canvas for developing the project and its workers are always ready to listen to you and help you. All the work you’ll provide will be indirectly necessary for the kids because the more people know about MBC, the more the organisation will benefit. It’s such a good motivation to know you can help them!

Thanks to this experience you’ll change your way of thinking. You’ll learn about real life, share wonderful moments, meet amazing kids and peoples. “Kindness” will be my word if I have to describe South African peoples in one word. This kind of experience will make you understand how lucky you really are.

Don’t think any more!! Go to MBC and enjoy the best experience of your life!

 

Nico (volunteer from France)

 

By • Uncategorized • • Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

May 20 2014

My first days in Cape Town

My name is Becky and I’m visiting South Africa all the way from Canada. It was a bit of an adventure getting to the bottom of the world but I made it.

I have been with MBC almost a week now and I’m really enjoying life here, time is going by much too quickly. I’ve found that Muizenberg attracts a colourful mix of people including surfers, travelers and locals, which makes for an exciting, happenin place to be. I have only spent a couple of weeks here and already I recognize familiar faces of people around town and in the ocean.

If you’re interested in meeting new people while indulging in some decently priced local food be sure to check out the Friday Night Indoor Market located a couple blocks from the MBC office. Inside the market various food venders and local artisans set up stands to sell their incredible food and handcrafted creations. The market is a really fun place to hang out with the other volunteers after a good week of work and activities. I have been to the market twice since being here and each time I’ve met new people and felt a little bit more a part of the local scene here in Muizenberg.

Red Bus Tour. Waterfront, Cape Town

Red Bus Tour. Waterfront, Cape Town

Before I arrived in Muizenberg I wanted to take a bit of a tour around the city. This being my first time in Cape Town I thought it important to get somewhat acquainted with the place I would be spending over a month in. One of the first things I did when I arrived was take a Red Bus tour. If you’re a fairly confident person and don’t mind riding in a double-decker tour bus packed full of sunburned snap-happy tourists, I would definitely recommend doing the tour. The buses are red, so you can’t miss them! There are a variety of different tours that leave from the Waterfront in town. Taking a tour is not only a great way to see a layout of the city, but the bus stops at a lot of interesting places and it’s no problem to hop off, check something out, and then hop on the next bus.

Godfrey and Yamkela surfing in Muizenberg

Godfrey and Yamkela surfing in Muizenberg

The main thing that drew me to Muizenberg and the MBC program was the surf outreach. Since being here I have spent many hours paddling out to the break which is literally right across the parking lot from the office. Even if you’ve never balanced on any kind of board in your life or if you’re actually decent at surfing, these fairly gentle waves are fun for all levels. Of course the point of volunteering with MBC is not just to catch great waves by yourself. Surfing with the kids from the club is a ton of fun and is by far their favorite activity. They are pumped to surf with the volunteers. Even when I’ve been tired and or cold after a morning surf it’s been worth getting back into the water anyways! You won’t regret a surf session with a bunch of high-energy kids that rip in the water. I learnt quickly that the kids are honest and will call it as they see it. Expect a lot of joking around and sarcastic remarks coming your way. If they think you’re doing something weird they’ll let you know! It’s important to develop a thick skin. Surfing is something we do almost every day so embrace the cold water!

 

Becky Funk (Canada)

 

By • Uncategorized • • Tags: , , , , ,

May 16 2014

First Impressions: Muizenberg and Meeting the MBC Boys!

This is my first time in South Africa and the first lesson I have learned is to not let anyone’s opinions deter you from travelling to this beautiful country. Muizenberg is the epitome of a beach town; the views of the ocean and mountains are fantastic and the people are chill and friendly. My first week here has already flown by far too quickly…Each day I’m beyond excited to surf and meet the boys for their Muizenberg Beach Club activities. The boys have such amazing spirits and seeing them laugh and play gives me hope that the MBC is truly making a positive impact on their lives. It is such an inspiring feeling to know that you have the potential to change someone’s life for the better and helping to keep at-risk youth away from gangs, violence and trouble is truly rewarding, just being around the boys is so much fun, their laughter is contagious and each day is something new. I am so excited to be spending my time here with MBC, I cannot wait to have more adventures and spend more time getting to know the kids.

A misty mountain top view of Muizenberg!

A misty mountain top view of Muizenberg!

-Pria (Canada)

By • Uncategorized • • Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

1 2