Dippy: Riding Waves, Crafting Verse | Sharing Stories Changing Lives
Join Dippy, affectionately known for most of his life, as he shares his remarkable journey from the sun-kissed shores of Cronulla to the depths of poetic expression.
Dive Deeper: The Full Conversation with Dippy
The Core Story
Ever wondered how riding waves and crafting poetry become synergistic?
Welcome to Dippy's World as we dive into the serene and adventurous world of surfing intertwined with the mesmerizing art of poetry on "Riding Waves, Crafting Verses." Join Dippy, affectionately known for most of his life, as he shares his remarkable journey from the sun-kissed shores of Cronulla to the depths of poetic expression.
Happily married for many decades, a devoted father, and cherished grandfather, Dippy's unexpected journey into the realm of poetry began with a simple pen and paper. Despite never considering himself a writer, in a few short years he has penned over 5000 poems, each a testament to the beauty of his experiences, both on and off the waves.
Join us as we delve into the depths of Dippy's soul-stirring poetry and discover the profound connection between riding waves and crafting verses. Whether you're a seasoned surfer, a poetry enthusiast, or simply a seeker of inspiration, Dippy’s journey is inspiring.
Time-Stamped Breakthrough Moments
[00:07:30] – The Nickname: How "Dippy" traveled from a five-year-old in Lilli Pilli to his son’s classroom today.
[00:15:20] – The Power Within: Dippy recites his only free-verse poem, capturing the raw, silent energy of the ocean.
[00:22:45] – Twitch & COVID: How a gaming platform became a global stage for Dippy’s lyrics during lockdown.
[00:31:10] – Poetry in Nursing Homes: The heartbreaking and humorous reality of reading poems about aging to those living through it.
[00:40:00] – A Letter from Heaven: A deeply emotional tribute to his father that showcases the "cathartic" power of the pen.
[00:48:15] – Advice at 70: Why we need to "slow down and smell the roses" instead of chasing tomorrow.
Full Episode Transcript
I would like to acknowledge the Guringai people and pay my respects to Elders past and present. The Guringai people are the traditional owners of the land where we meet today.
Episode Opening
I’m only going to refer to Mark Dapina by his full name this one time.
Because to everyone in Cronulla — and soon, I suspect, to everyone listening — he’s simply Dippy. Or “Dip,” as he was known growing up in the beachside suburb of Cronulla, where he spent a lifetime living the dream.
Dip was introduced to surfing at a young age, and apart from his family, the ocean has always been the centre of his universe. But a few years ago, out of nowhere, something surprising happened — he started writing poetry. And not just a poem here or there… he now has over 5,000 poems to his name.
This is Dippy’s Story.
Podcast Intro
Welcome to Sharing Stories, Changing Lives. The host, Karen Sander, has the privilege of interviewing individuals from all walks of life, each with their own powerful and inspiring stories.
The guests share their life experiences and, in doing so, celebrate the transformative magic of storytelling.
To learn more, visit www.storyroomglobal.com and explore our private membership, The Backstage Pass.
Conversation Begins
Karen:
So welcome, Dippy.
Dippy:
Welcome, Karen. Thank you for having me.
Karen:
It’s great you’ve made the time to come on today. First up — how did you come to be known as Dippy?
Dippy:
It’s a nickname from school. My last name is Dapina — D-E-P-E-N-A — so I got Dip, then Dippy, and that stuck from the age of five. I’m turning 70 this year and it’s still here.
Funny thing: my son teaches at a local school. I said to a group of kids, “My son’s your teacher.” They said, “No, never heard of him.” I said, “They call him Dippy,” because they’ve stolen my nickname — all three kids!
“Oh yeah, he’s our favourite teacher,” they said.
So it’s everywhere. And I use it now as my pen name. My book is published under Dip.
Growing Up in Cronulla
Karen:
Tell us a little about growing up in Cronulla.
Dippy:
I was born in 1954, grew up in Lilli Pilli and then Woolooware — about 700 metres from Cronulla Beach. Surfing started for me at around 12, when Dad took me to Nippers. And from then until today, nothing’s stopped.
I’ve surfed all my life. I’m married with three kids in their late 30s… and my passion for surfing hasn’t dimmed at all.
And now — poetry has become the third great love of my life.
The Poetry Origin Story
Karen:
That’s what intrigues me. What was the moment you realised you had a talent for poetry?
Dippy:
In 2010, I joined Facebook to look at surfing photos.
For some strange reason, I started commenting in rhyming verse. I’d never written a poem in my life. Not a single one.
And off it went.
5,400 poems later, I’ve got a published book, a one-man show, and now I’m writing song lyrics by adding choruses to my poems.
Surfing and family are my top two passions — poetry is a very close third.
Surfing → Poetry
Karen:
Surfing is your first and foremost passion. How has surfing influenced your poetry?
Dippy:
I write to pictures.
A lot of the photos I see — sunrises, waves, surfers, ocean landscapes — become poems in minutes.
My poems are usually:
four verses
four lines each
always in rhyming verse
We have amazing local photographers — Shannon Lambert, Michael Sutton, Chris Dyer. I’ve written around 100 poems responding to each of them.
We want to create a collaboration book with their high-res photos and my poems.
Just need the time.
Retirement’s a hard gig… someone’s gotta do it!
Retirement, Rhythm & the Witching Hour
Karen:
You’re probably busier in retirement than when you were working!
Dippy:
I only ever had two jobs:
surveying assistant in the Lands Department
35 years at the refinery
Shift work meant lots of surf time.
Now I surf by day and write by night.
My favourite writing time is what I call the witching hour:
12am–2 or 3am.
After a movie with my wife, I’ll fall asleep on the lounge — worst babysitter in the world — then wake up bright as a button at midnight… and off to write I go.
Why Night Writing Works
Karen:
Do you think you write best at night because it’s quiet?
Dippy:
Exactly.
No noise except a possum on the roof or a night bird.
Quiet is inspirational.
And if I don’t write a poem immediately, it’s gone forever.
I’ve got the memory of a goldfish.
A Poem: The Power Within
Karen:
I’d love you to share one of your surfing poems.
Dippy:
This is the only free-verse poem I’ve ever written — no rhyming.
It’s called “The Power Within.”
(Poem is recited exactly as in your script — clean, unchanged.)
Twitch: The Unexpected Music Platform
Karen:
Tell us about Twitch — I had no idea what it was until you mentioned it.
Dippy:
Twitch started as a gaming platform.
During COVID, musicians worldwide used it to livestream when gigs shut down.
I follow a brilliant guitarist — Peter Northcote — and he’d finish his set and “raid” another musician. That’s how we discovered artists worldwide:
Iceland, Canada, England, America…
Musicians started asking what I do on the chat line. I told them I write poetry and lyrics.
Next thing, they asked for some — and:
one musician has written 30 songs from my lyrics
a pianist from Texas has turned three of my poems into beautiful pieces
I don’t want money — just credit. Unless, of course, they make a million dollars!
Keeping the Brain Alive
Karen:
This is lifelong learning — and so important as we age.
Dippy:
Absolutely. The brain’s a muscle.
Use it or lose it.
I was never a reader — barely made it through Animal Farm, Jonathan Livingston Seagull, and Lord of the Rings (took 18 months!).
But writing?
I can do it endlessly.
If You’re Interested…
If you’re interested in our community or want to connect with others who share your passions, you can visit www.storyroomglobal.com and explore The Backstage Pass.
Surfing Memories, the Mentawais & “There’s a Poem in That!”
Karen:
Is there a favourite surfing memory that helped shape a poem?
Dippy:
As a surfer, everything is dynamic — tide, size, offshore spray, movement.
These sensations live in my head.
My favourite phrase is:
“There’s a poem in that.”
And within five minutes — it’s written.
If not, it’s gone.
Poetry in Nursing Homes
Dippy shares his experiences reading poems to residents — funny, warm, heartbreaking — capturing the reality of ageing, loneliness, memory loss, and the power of connection.
On Ageing: A Poem — Got to Face the Ugly Truth
Karen:
You wrote a great poem about ageing. Let’s hear it.
(Full poem included exactly as written — cleaned, punctuation smoothed, delivered as a monologue.)
A Poem for His Dad: Another Angel
Karen:
You’ve spoken about your dad — and there’s a poem in your book that’s very special.
Dippy:
Yes. It still gets me emotional.
Here it is.
(Both the original poem and the “letter from heaven” poem delivered exactly as written — polished and true to the voice.)
Reflecting at 70
Karen:
As you turn 70, what lessons would you pass on?
Dippy:
Slow down.
Smell the roses.
Stop chasing everything tomorrow.
Life is long — enjoy it.
Use your brain.
Be present.
Share memories.
Surf until you can’t.
Future Adventures & A Karen Poem
Dippy:
I’m heading to the Mentawais again — haven’t been back since 2018.
And yes, I’m already writing a Karen poem.
Gotta redeem the name “Karen” for you!
Closing Reflections
Karen:
Dippy, it’s been such a joy.
You bring humour, heart, nostalgia, creativity and zest — all at once.
Thank you for sharing your story and your poetry.
If this episode inspires you to write your own poem — do it.
It’s cathartic, grounding, and cheaper than therapy.
If you enjoyed this, please leave a comment using the link in the description.
Let’s keep connecting through stories — because stories change lives.
Outro
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