Girls-only surf club, Club Shakas, brings music to the water with sold-out wave rave at Trigg Beach

On Sunday morning at Trigg Beach, the soundtrack won’t just be waves breaking on the shore.

Club Shakas, a women-only surf club created for those who have never surfed before, will host its first wave rave — a daytime event blending beginners’ surfing with live DJ music on the sand.

The concept has struck a chord, with 100 tickets snapped up within two hours and a 90-plus people waitlist continuing to grow.

The club has been running for six years and now counts hundreds of members.

Founder Jahney Smith says the appeal has never been about technical skill or performance.

“Our members just want fun,” Ms Smith said. “They don’t want to be pro surfers. They want connection, friendship, memories and music.”

Ms Smith said the club was built as an antidote to the intimidation many women feel when trying to enter surfing spaces alone.

“Loneliness is a huge epidemic,” she said. “This levels the playing field because we throw perfection out the door. Imperfection is what gets celebrated.”

The wave rave will begin at 5.30am, a deliberate choice to make the event more accessible.

“You don’t have to drink, you don’t have to be out late,” Ms Smith said. “You can enjoy the music and the surf before work and then get on with your day.”

Several families are expected to attend, with parents even bringing children along to the beach.

“It’s turning into a real family affair,” Ms Smith said.

Music will be provided by Natasha Trandos, known professionally as DJ Tashnat, who joined Club Shakas in its first year in 2020.

After moving away from Perth for work and later returning, she wanted to reconnect with the club through music.

“Music makes everything less awkward,” Ms Trandos said. “It takes something that’s intimidating and makes it fun.”

Ms Trandos said the response to the event surprised her.

After promoting the wave rave on TikTok, interest quickly exceeded expectations.

“I thought maybe 30 people would come,” she said. “But the comments and messages just kept coming.”

Many of those messages, she said, were from interstate, asking for similar events in Melbourne, Newcastle and Adelaide.

“There were even messages from boys asking about a boys-only version,” she said. “But right now we’re prioritising the girls and making sure there’s space for them — on the sand, in the water and on the dancefloor.”

For club member Elissa Edward, the event reflects the supportive culture that drew her to Club Shakas.

“I had a surfboard for three years and was too intimidated to learn on my own,” she said. “The event will be a really special place for women to learn and just enjoy being in the ocean.”