Surfing in the neon

If you thought there were “sharks with frickin’ laser beams attached to their heads” at Bondi Beach on Wednesday, November 30, you most likely witnessed the glow-in-the-dark surfing event which had surfers and their boards wired with neon lights. The promotional event, organised by Strongbow beer, marked the start of summer and attracted filmmakers Jack McCoy, Bali Strickland and Eugene Tan, who sought to capture the bright green, blue, red and yellow streaks as the 17 surfers sliced through water. They filmed the colourful surfers from above, below the surface and on land.

Surfing filmmaker, Jack McCoy said: “When I heard about this crazy idea, I knew I had to be involved. I’ve never filmed anything like this in my 30-year career.” A short film has since been posted on youtube for those who missed the neon swimmers firsthand. Photographers from the Bondi studio Aquabumps were also there to snap the event. “It’s one of those sights you have to see to believe and really evokes that summer feeling,” Mr McCoy said.  About 200 invited guests at Bondi’s Icebergs had front-row seats to the show and the burst of fireworks which commemorated the beginning of a hot and festive season.

By Deborah Erwin