Gerringong's Steve Fox feels at home in the surf even though he has Retinitis Pigmentosa - a progressive eye disease that damages the retina.

Fox recently competed in the 2025 Bright Sky Australian Pro Adaptive Surf Championships , performing well in the Australian titles and the World Pro event for blind surfers in Byron Bay.

The Championships feature competitors from around the world with various disabilities, including those who are in wheelchairs, amputees or people who are visually impaired.

Fox secured second place in both the Australian titles and the World Championships, but he said the event for him was less about the competition and more about connecting with others who share similar life experiences.

“There aren’t too many people surfing blind, so it’s great to catch up with them and have a chat. It’s also interesting to surf in an event where people are speaking different languages, but we all share the same common interest,” Fox said.

“There’s just such a great vibe at the competition. Everyone is excited to be involved. It’s a really positive event – professional, yes, but without that cutthroat feel. Everyone is supportive, and there’s lots of cheering for each other as we all give it a go.”

Fox surfs with a guide who helps direct him on the beach and calls him onto waves. “Then, we just paddle in, and from there, I’m on my own, surfing,” he added.

Though Fox’s vision has only deteriorated over the last eight years, he’s always been a surfer, and losing his sight was never going to stop him.

“I feel at home in the water,” he said. “It’s just natural to me. You can hear the waves coming, so you know where to go.

"And when you’re on the wave, you can feel what it’s doing under your feet, so you just follow the energy of the wave.”

For those facing similar challenges, Fox offers this advice: “You just have to keep making small changes, take it one step at a time, but always stay positive and get out there to make the most of it.

“When you attend an event like this and see people who are completely paralyzed but still surfing with huge smiles on their faces, you realise that anything is possible.

"If you're truly committed and want to keep doing it, you can make it happen."