Andrea Bohm wears many hats. Among them, she is a longboarder, surf lifesaver, and a surf chaplain. At Freshwater Surf Life Saving Club on the northern beaches, she has the incredible opportunity to combine her passion for the ocean with her heart for the Lord and serving others. Since becoming a chaplain more than a decade ago, she has walked alongside many in the community, showing the love of Christ through the care and support she provides. 

“I grew up going to church,” Mrs Bohm recalls, “because my dad was the warden and it was seen as the right thing for the local bank manager to do.” For years, faith remained irrelevant until her daughter started attending the local youth group. “I said, ‘Good – ask them all of your questions’.” 

Through her daughter's curiosity, Mrs Bohm’s heart began to soften. “My friend suggested I read Luke’s gospel. It was the first time I read the gospel and it had meaning. It spoke to me because my eyes were opened. Looking back, I can say that a lot of people were praying for me and the Holy Spirit was definitely part of changing my heart.” 

When she was asked to become the female chaplain at Freshwater Surf Life Saving Club, it felt like a natural fit with her love and passion for the beach. “Serving Christ is easy when you combine it with your gifts,” she says.

As the last in her family to become a surf lifesaver – a role once unavailable to women – Mrs Bohm was excited by the combination of serving Christ and serving those at the beach. “My brothers were champion surf lifesavers, and my sister joined in her fourties. There’s a softening of my siblings towards this role. Now even my brother has started saying, ‘You can do the grace, Andrea, because you’re a chaplain!’” 

When you’re needed, you really are

Chaplaincy is all about “intentional lingering with love”, Mrs Bohm says, reflecting on the gift of being present in the community. “Just being around, and a friendly face, to all different people in the club. You’re not always needed, but when you are, you really are.”

Being a chaplain allows her to bring spiritual support to the sand. “Surf clubs do a good job of looking after each other. That’s something churches used to do in our communities. Being part of the community as a surf chaplain, that’s the strongest link I can make between the church on the hill and the club on the beach. 

“Over the past few years we’ve had a few suicides or tragic events. The role of the chaplain is there for those people in grief. I pray that God will give me the right words when I chat with people.” 

Initiatives like Fluro Friday, a mental health awareness event, have also been part of Mrs Bohm’s ministry. “Fluro Friday was started by Grant Trebilcoe in Bondi. He was suffering from depression, so one day he decided he would wear a black suit, not a wetsuit [into the surf.] Everyone had a laugh, but he felt it was a bit boring, so he had a fluro suit made. It’s about showing people that one wave can change your headspace.” 

She brought the initiative to Freshwater, and it took off. “During mental health month in October, on a Friday we go down to the beach and wear our craziest clothes. If anyone wants to jump in the water, I help them with their surfing. Otherwise people go for a walk and a chat, or a dip and a chat, or a surf and a chat.” 

Chaplaincy is a team effort for Mrs Bohm. “It takes the church to support you in this role. We can’t do it on our own, can we? I couldn’t do any of this without my husband, who is always very supportive, and my family, my minister, and my daughter, whose faith is a blessing to me.”

Chaplain and longboarding champion

Although she grew up on the beach, bodysurfing, boogie boarding and doing other styles of surfing, Mrs Bohm didn’t start longboarding until she was in her forties. This was also inspired by her daughters.

“I thought, ‘If I’m going to teach them, I might as well do it myself!’” she laughs. She never imagined that, years later, she would be taking national titles for her new hobby. In 2023 she placed first in the over-60s category of the Australian Longboarding Titles, and this year she placed third. 

Learning to longboard sparked a desire to empower other women in the water. She began advocating for better opportunities for female surfers. 

“Men had every age group, every five years from 35 up, and the women only had over 35s,” she recalls. She began campaigning for expanded competition categories – never expecting to win one herself one day. “We’ve shown that our attitude to competition is healthy and, as older women, we don’t take ourselves too seriously. It’s about sharing that passion and love of surfing.”

The unpredictability of the ocean reminds Mrs Bohm of God’s sovereignty. “That’s the surf: you’re not in control,” she says. “It can make or break champions by the waves that are out there. That’s a bit like life... God's in control and we’re not.”  

All for God’s glory

Mrs Bohm credits God with every opportunity she has in her chaplaincy. “As a club member, people respect that I know the ocean, and I’m thankful for that gift. Even though I’m an older patrolling member, I give thanks that I’ve had the knowledge to then help others. At the moment, our Freshwater community needs a lot of prayers. As much as we live a life that is plentiful and blessed, when there is trouble there seems not to be hope.” 

Whether mentoring young surfers, supporting grieving families, or simply being a friendly face on the beach, her aim is simple – to glorify God in all she does. “Putting yourself out there, purposefully lingering and making ourselves a presence, does take time but rolls on to making really good connections with our communities.” 

Please pray:

• for strength and wisdom for chaplains as they support individuals and families through grief and challenging times. Pray their presence brings the light of Christ to their communities.
• for the initiatives chaplains run, including mental health initiatives such as Fluro Friday, that foster meaningful conversations, mental health awareness and help people know God’s peace.
• for families in Freshwater experiencing grief or hardship, that they would know the hope of the gospel in their circumstances.