Simone & Bernie Bridging the Gap

Bridging the gap of a generation, Simone Robb and Bernie Shelly’s is an unlikely friendship and hugely rewarding.

At the southern tip of Africa lies the beautiful city of Cape Town, home to longboard World Champion, Simone Robb, and me, her 69 year-old surfing buddy. A world champ and a grandmother – surfing buddies? An incongruous notion? An unlikely friendship? Indeed. And yet we gel, like wax on a board – two independent entities ensuring that a surf session is a cohesive and happy event. Whether we’re surfing in the cold waters of Elands Bay, gadding offon a trip up the east coast to Cape St. Francis (home of Bruce’s Beauties of Endless Summer fame) and surfing hotspot Jeffries Bay, surfing sans wetsuits in the warm waters of Durban, or just playing on waves around Cape Town, we always have a gratifying time together.