Into the Waves: Dave Griffith’s Blue Cathedral

Dawn Haynes spoke with Durban Catholic, Dave Griffith, for whom hitting the waves is an important part of life.

Dave Griffith has been surfing since he was just seven years old. Born the youngest of five children in Eshowe, KwaZulu-Natal, he grew up in Durban.

His family loved the beach and spent many hours together on the sandy seashores of Durban. Dave’s love for the ocean began with a small surfing “mat” (or boogie board), but he progressed rapidly, and his first love was always surfing with a regular board.

He got his first wave ski board in the early 1980s. He was part of the provincial team and represented Natal for many years, winning many awards, including the national championship.

Dave, a Knight of da Gama and parishioner of Our Lady of Lourdes in Westville, made the South African team many times, but finances restricted his participation in international competitions outside South Africa. He did, however, compete in three different world championships held locally, in East London, Jeffrey’s Bay and Durban.

“Surfing is a great leveller and keeps you humble,” Dave says. “The surf is always the master — the surf rules! However, there is nothing more calming than to sit on your board beyond the breakers where the swells are moving gently and the ocean is peaceful. This is my ‘Blue Cathedral’.”

Dave had to withdraw from the national championships for almost ten years when he developed severe lower back problems as well as rotator cuff problems with his shoulders. This was a result of the constant paddling in all weather and surf conditions.

But surfing was his life and so he decided to return to the sea on a wave ski. It did not take long for the surfing miracle to happen and he was soon in the provincial team. In 2023, he won first place in the South African Championship wave ski competition in the over-65 category, as part of the KZN team.

 Helping street children

And so he is once again back in his “Blue Cathedral”. He now assists in supplying donated equipment to young street children on Durban beach so that they can learn to swim and surf safely, and develop a love and respect for the ocean.

Dave’s own family is part of this surfing life too. His son started surfing at a very early age and represented South Africa in the World Championships in Australia at the age of 12, winning his first world title. Dave relinquished his own position in the national team so as to cover the cost for his son.

His older daughter is an expert on the wave ski, and the other daughter was a national basketball player who also has a close affinity with the sea.

And so the miracle of being able to return to the sea has kept Dave’s life enriched and his family united in their common respect, love and enjoyment of surfing.

“There is no life without surfing! You don’t stop surfing when you get old — you get old when you stop surfing.”

Published in the March 2024 issue of The Southern Cross magazine