Surfer's Beach & Ray Shilling

(Letter To The Editor) In 1962 Ray Shilling , his wife  and his family of five children moved to Hatchet Bay to teach in Gregory Town as the School Master. During one of his many skin diving excursions along the Atlantic coast of Eleuthera he discovered a surf break that has been enjoyed by thousands of surfers over the last 45 years. Ray Shilling's passion for teaching and surfing was enjoyed by locals and many of the American Navy personnel.

In 1962 the surfing beach was not accessible by land so Ray cut a trail along side of the two Silos on the highway three miles south of Gregory Town. The beach was called Twin Silos (now known as Surfer's Beach).

Many surfers through word of mouth came from Florida and one group of them were the Whitman's.  Dudley Sr., Bill Whitman and sons were searching for surf in their small single engine plane and saw Ray (my Dad)  and I enjoying the surf at Twin Silos Beach. They were so excited that they landed the plane on the highway, parked beside Ray's car and hiked the trail with surf boards in tow!

The Shack At Surfer's Beach

Ray Shilling passed away in 2002 … still surfing at the age of 72. In a recent trip to Eleuthera my wife and I commemorated my Father's surfing break discovery by mounting a memorial plaque inside the Surfer Shack at the top of the bluff.  The very first Surf Shack was built in 1962 on the very same spot but Hurricane Betsy blew it down and a second one was built.  The Shilling Family hopes that everyone will honor Ray's memory by helping to keep the Surf Shack intact.

After 45 years I returned to see the beach exactly the same, it was as if time had stood still.
In honor of my Father's discovery and passion for surfing I felt it was important to clarify the origin of the international surfing of this break.

     "SURF'S  UP  DAD"

Derek Shilling
Edmonton Alberta Canada