What type of gear is provided by Encinitas Surf Lessons?

We provide 3/2 mm full body wetsuits and foam boards. Our surf boards vary width and thickness and are between 7 and 9 feet in length. Our customers are welcome to bring any of their own gear to practice with during their lessons.

Do I need to arrive to my lesson early?

The lessons are scheduled to begin and end right on time. It’s a good idea to arrive around 10 minutes early to give yourself time to park so that you’re ready to go right on time. We don’t have any reserved parking at our locations and the beaches can get crowded, especially during peak times.

What should I bring to my surf lesson?

We will bring the surfboard and wetsuit which is all you really need when you’re actually surfing, but you should bring with you the normal beach things: towel, sunscreen, swim suit to wear under the wetsuit, hat, sunglasses, water, and warm/dry clothes to put on after the lesson.

Is one instructor enough for multiple beginners in a private lesson?

Our student to instructor ratio for private lessons is 4 to 1. No matter if they are all beginners or varying in skill level, the instructor will rotate assisting each surfer into waves. The instructor will stay closer to shore with beginners, but will take the more experienced or braver surfers further out, depending on surf conditions. We assure you each surfer will have a personalized experienced based on their skill level while trading waves with friends and family.

What is a good age to learn?

We teach ALL ages! We have taught children as young as 3 and adults as old as 85. We tailor the lesson to the age, abilities, and goals of our surfers. Surfing is all about playing in the ocean and riding waves, and that may look different for different ages. For very young children, we stay in very shallow water and the instructor hangs on to the surfboard the entire time. Some of our older surfers preferred to just ride the waves on their bellies rather than stand up. It’s YOUR experience and we’ll make sure you have a blast while learning.

Do I have to be a strong swimmer?

Being a strong swimmer is a plus, mostly because it will make you feel more confident in the water, but it’s definitely not necessary. If you are just starting to learn to surf and don’t know how to swim, we will stay in shallow enough water where you will either be on the surfboard, or standing with your feet on the bottom and your head above water. We won’t ever take you out far enough where it’ll be too deep to stand.

What ages are accepted in the camp?

The camp is for ages 5 to 15.

Does my child have to have his/her own surf gear?

We provide full body 3/2mm wetsuits and foam surfboards between 6 and 9 feet in length.

What should my child bring to camp?

Please send your child with sunscreen, water, a swim suit to wear under the wetsuit, a towel, snacks, a hat, and sunglasses, any personal surf equipment they’d like to use, and any other beach games or gear they’d like to have.

What is the ratio of staff to students in the camp?

For safety purposes, we divide the camp into two larger groups that rotate between surfing and with the surf instructors and doing other water activities/beach games with the camp counselors. When the group is surfing with our surf instructors, the ratio is 1 surf instructor to 3 kids. When the group is not surfing, the ratio is 1 surf camp counselor to 6 kids.