Dad Zaheer Bhyat, 44, might be the best grom coach I have ever seen in my life.
On the day of the photo at Nahoon Corner, he had his three youngest children in the water with him to catch some waves before school.
It was a normal school summer day and he had Zariya, 11, Zaliha, 6, and Ziraar, 9, all in the water with him.
I was doing my regular morning radio surf report. There were laughs and smiles all round and plenty of squeals of delight.
Stopping for the photo was quite a rush because it was straight into school clothes and off to Stirling Primary with wet hair to start the day.
Talk about the dad of the year award.
It is a tough enough job to get three groms to school on any given day but now add surfboards, leashes, wetsuits, wax, towels, get them all out of bed extra early, with schoolbooks and school clothes, breakfast sorted and still fit in a surf and then get them to school on time.
With smiles. And we want to do it again? That is a job well done.
Border Buffalo City surfing association chair Tyrrel Johnson comments: “Zaheer is doing so well with his children. It is so good to see.
“He also received the Border most-improved senior surfer award for his own excellent surfing performance at the St Michaels on Sea SA surfing championships in 2023.”
Zaheer’s children have been surfing the local junior summer surf series and are now on their way to the grom games surfing championships in Gqeberha.
This is a huge feat.
Not stopping there, the whole crew also ran in the recent Discovery Surfers Challenge.
Dad was second surfer category home. Well done to Greg Harris, first surfer home.
As if dad’s result was not enough, Zariya was fifth female home in the 5km. What a family! I wonder what they eat?
Just this last weekend during our divine 26°C water I had the special adventure of surfing at some Mermaids Pool outer reef with young Ziraar and dad.
It is crazy to think that the young lad is paddling out at the bottom end of Nahoon Reef at age 9.
I think my first surf at Nahoon Reef was at age 16. Already Ziraar boxes way above his weight riding waves well overhead of himself.
This is giant surf for a small guy. What a little champion. And let’s not forget about his sisters. Zaliha, may I suggest you keep your eyes on Maya Malherbe.
She is a couple of years up ahead of you and very worth following.
The Bhyat family are destined to make a huge mark on Border Buffalo City surfing. The future’s so bright I gotta wear shades.
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