Surfing Waves

I'm a recently single dad with two boys (ages 10 and 12) and we like the idea of learning to surf on our summer holiday. None of us can surf (I had a lesson once when passing through byron bay some 25 years ago...)

I live in England and can either drive to France, ferry to northern Spain, or fly to Portugal. Advantage of taking the car is that i can take bikes for cycling when we don't want to surf.

Is there a surf school that would be recommended that would have children of a similar age. Whilst I'm clearly a great dad, two weeks of my company maybe a little boring for the boys.


Cheers

Punkindrublic

Are you looking for a school (ie rock up to the beach at 9am for 2 hours) or a camp (live in and have lessons etc)? Both have pluses and minuses. For example staying at a resort or caravan park during school holidays will generally produce hordes of kids, then you add surfing lessons on as needed, but flexibility if the weather is bad or people are tired. On the other hand, camps are more intensive learning wise and you also have similar minded people around

Have your kids surfed at all/comfortable with the ocean? My kids refuse to do surfing lessons at all...(I’m not a good parent); a week at a surf camp would be a nightmare for them

The boys are very happy in the sea. We've spent days in Cornwall body boarding before and done lots of snorkelling.

I think a camp / resort is probably better. A school the other kids are likely to scatter after the lessons, but I'm happy with either.

Cheers

Punkindrublic

If you want your kids to engage with the other kids, try to find a english speaking camp. Most French and Spanish kids do not speak english. Even some French Surf coaches don't speak english.

Another short comment - if you are happy with a school, Kiwi Surf in Biscarosse Plage is great with kids, and if you ask for Mathieu as coach you will get a fun guy who speaks english and is great with kids and old men