Of the 30million wave riders that there are around the world, roughly 6 million of us are bodyboarders.

It's universally known amongst all wave riders that we love the freedom of being in the ocean and the thrill of riding waves.

So what is it that makes our wave riding experience so unique to all other surfers?

Why do we bodyboard and what is that brings us back to the ocean to do it over and over again on repeat?

Let's reflect on a few moments in bodyboarder's lives that capture the 'X' factor behind why we bodyboard...

X = 8yr old Roman Bunting paddles out to the reef at Shark Island alongside his 10yr old brother Koby and waterman father/coach, Heydon 'Da Boogie Man' Bunting, to ride waves twice his height that break over a barnacle covered reef in barely a foot of water.

X = 68yr old Roger Black chooses to heighten his endorphins by riding the sucky right rip bowl at Margs rivermouth instead of playing lawn bowls of a Wednesday morning.

X = why I paddled myself 1.5kilometres out to sea on my own through shark infested waters to tackle 10-12ft waves at 'The Right' for my first time.

Bodyboarding simply defines us as people and what we love doing with our lives. It's exciting, it's fun, it's crazy, amping and it makes us feel AMAZING.

Every session offers something special and it's on those really good, hollow days that you know you are really living the dream :)

See you in the water!

- Ryan Hardy