He was one of the first to ride the waves of WA's wild coast and just days away from turning 80, Kevin Merifield was back doing the one thing he says helped get him this far — surfing.

Mr Merifield was one of a handful of adventurous Perth surfers who discovered the treasure trove of wave in WA's south west in the late 1950s and early 1960s and certainly one of the few to ride Margaret River's powerful, open-ocean waves.

Today when he ventured to the beach, it wasn't the biggest swell to pound the famed coastline— but the recent run of waves that had surfers jumping for joy certainly weren't the smallest either.

Either way, his familiar figure pulled up into the carpark at the crack of dawn determined to get his share of bombs hitting the reef at Surfer's Point — just as he has for the better part of 60 years.

Given Surfer's Point is also locally referred to as Jurassic Park due to the average age of devotees, to the uninitiated Kevin Merifield would have looked like any other senior surfer slipping into a wetsuit and unsheathing a surfboard out of its cover.

For those in the know though a hushed reverence hung in the air — WA surfing royalty had arrived.

But as he made his way nimbly down the long flight of stairs to the water's edge adorned in his trademark protective helmet and full length wetsuit, there was also little to make obvious this was a man just days away from another major milestone — his 80th birthday.

"It's a bit scary," Mr Merifield laughed — not at the powerful waves breaking on the distant reef — but the thought of turning 80.

"But nah, look it's only a number and I don't feel any different now than I did 20 years ago. In fact I don't think too much about age, I just take each day as it comes."

Kevin Merifield, second from right, enjoying a laugh at Yallingup in 1962 (Source: Brian Cole)

The paddle out from the beach to the waves at Surfer's Point measures the better part of 500 metres, coupled with a strong sweep rushing shoreward due to today's large waves it's closer to a kilometre.

But with his trademark long measured stroke, Mr Merifield made short work of the ritual and soon had a handful of long rides under his belt — all ridden in his now familiar prone position — the result of a loss of equilibrium bought about by ear surgery.

Three hours later, the soon-to-be octogenarian slowly made his way back up the stairs which also bears the name of winners of the annual professional surfing competition.

As a mark of respect, another local surfer had once fixed a plaque bearing Mr Merfield's name to a vacant step only for it to be removed by a shire ranger — an action which remains a bugbear for many in the time since.

Regardless, after taking a quick breath at the landing, Mr Merifield exchanged pleasantries and recollections of the morning's thrills with fellow surfers before a quick shower and returning to his parked utility.

Looking towards the breaking waves, Mr Merifield remarked the view seaward hadn't changed since he and good mate Tony Harbison first caught a glimpse soon after catching the first sweeping view of the vast ocean here in the late fifties.

"That view is part of the reason that's kept me going for so long," he remarked.

"You come around the corner on a day like today and catch your first glimpse of those magnificent lines of waves. Your heart just starts racing. There's nothing quite like it."

Looking shoreward though is quite a different matter.

The Margaret River Pro attracts thousands of spectators each year. (ABC News: Anthony Pancia)

The same carpark he once stood with just a couple good mates, now commands the attention of the entire surfing world each year for a bevvy of professional surfing competition and a daily influx of hundreds of tourists all keen to catch a glimpse of the famed Surfers Point sunset.

Subdivisions now stand where cows and kangaroos once roamed and the region's countless wineries and providores attract hundreds of thousands of visitors annually.

"Oh yeah, the place has changed," Mr Merifield began.

"We all knew what a magic place it is here and it would be eventually found but never in my wildest dreams did I imagine it would have been anything like it is now."

But far from taking a curmudgeon's approach to such changes, Mr Merifield instead embraces it.

"I mean, there's certainly been a lot of changes over the years, some good, some bad, but I get a lot of enjoyment seeing the young kids that are getting into surfing these days," Mr Merifield said.

"Ultimately though, this is just a beautiful place to live. We're surrounded in mother nature, with clean, fresh air and a beautiful big ocean to look at."

As the morning wore on, a continued chorus of "G'day Kev" rang out with the occasional reference to his upcoming birthday all leading toward the obvious question. What's the secret to a long life?

While surfing into one's sixties and seventies is not entirely uncommon, 80 is relatively new territory and Mr Merifield will soon occupy rare air as a surfing octogenarian.

Retired professional surfer Taj Burrow, a family friend of Mr Merifield, is one of many in awe of his longevity and it's not too far-fetched to imagine the ever chipper Taj at least coming close.

"Surfing at 80 has to be every surfer's goal," Burrow told the ABC.

"Kev is a legend and he's right — it's all about getting out there, getting wet and talking shit with your boys. Surfing is the happiest, healthiest lifestyle and at 80 years old, Kev can vouch for that."

Truth be told, without an ounce of fat on his tall, limber and muscular frame and the continued ability to surf large waves for hours at a time, Kev can indeed vouch for that.

"Obviously, you've also got to try and look after the old body and keep it moving," Mr Merifield begins.

"Just think young and you'll act young. The body mightn't look it but if the mind's young, that's how you'll be."

And with that, Mr Merifield made his way back to his ute, fastened his seatbelt and took one last look at the ocean.

Tomorrow's looking good and beyond that is anyone's guess but it's a given Mr Merifield will be back.

"I really don't know, I just take each day as it comes," he laughed at the prospect of surfing well into his eighties.

"You never know, I might set myself a target of 85 and see how I go."

//ANTHONY PANCIA
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