Ian McNeilly

Ian McNeilly

We see Ian almost every morning. And that propeller hat always makes us smile. We finally stopped him to get his story.

“Firstly I have to park my scooter, invariably an unknowing car driver has taken up the space set aside for motor bikes, so it is down to outside the surf club.

I then go for a plod to Bronte. I used to jog/run, now I plod.

When I return to Bondi, it is a coffee at Surfish, definitely the friendliest staff in Bondi.

I save my swimming for the Bronte pool, except on Mondays when I have a brief surf with two friends at Bondi.

I then take my coffee to a bench, listen to a Seinfeld podcast and stare at the ocean. I try to avoid listening to news in the morning, as we are all suffering Trump overload.

I've been wearing a propeller hat since 1987. Originally I could not think of a valid reason to put it on, now I can't think of a valid reason to take it off.

I particularly like assisting tourists at Bondi who are taking selfies, as I offer to take a photo of them. I always ask to be paid $5. Some take me seriously, and I quickly disabuse them, and say I was joking, but I live in hope that some day, someone will actually pay me.”

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