Surf Sanctuary Ocean Confidence Course
Hi crew, well I’ve been training and racking up the hours in the sea as usual, getting in and out of all sorts of scrapes, helping the odd person out here and there, reading and researching and learning about how things work, and now I have a course that I am ready to offer to you:
The Ocean Confidence Course!
Welcome to your new playground
Location: Lusty Glaze Training Centre
Date: 9th / 10th February
Duration: 9th – 9.30am – 5pm. 10th – 9.30am – 1pm.
Cost: £160 per person
Lusty Glaze Training Centre is a peerless location for ocean training. It is a private beach with superb facilities. Hot drinks, cakes and snacks will be available for the duration of the course.
Once you know what to expect, and what to do next, situations like this just become…almost a bit of a laugh
This course is for:
This course is aimed at anyone who wants to develop their knowledge so that they can understand and safely play in the surf zone. This includes kitesurfers, beginner to intermediate surfers, SUPers, open water simmers, kayakers, parents who want to understand the ocean better, and folks who want to use beaches out of lifeguarded season.
If you have a desire to get more involved with the waves, but want to back it up with the knowledge to predict and understand the ocean, and techniques to keeping your cool and extracting yourself from situations when ‘it all goes bad’, then this is the course for you.
A proper walk-through beach assessment is integral to the course
Intensity:
You should expect to learn a lot. We will cover a lot of ground, and there will be plenty of time for Q&A sessions. For the practical elements, you will never be put into a situation outside of your comfort zone. This course is to train you, not to scare you, but you will have a lot of fun.
Even the more hostile spots have friendly access points if you know where to look
In the class room you will learn the theory of:
Tide mechanics and what they mean to water users
Rips currents; different types and how to identify them
How swell is formed, and what the ‘numbers’ mean when it turns up on your beach
Waves; the anatomy of a wave and the various types
Surf breaks; the differences between points, beaches, reefs, slabs, and where to find them
How to choose the right beach for your ability and the predicted conditions
Etiquette in the surf zone, and interacting with locals and visitors alike
Body surfing is one of the simplest pleasures in life, and a life preserving technique in itself
And in your wetsuit you will learn how to:
How to do a full site assessment of a surf beach
Read swell and waves
Swim out properly through surf and body surf back in
Deal with heavy kitesurfing wipeouts – both when the kite stays in the sky and when it falls!
Safely get a board out through surf and paddle it around the surf zone
Escape rips and use them to your advantage
Develop your lung capacity and breathing techniques in wipeout situations
Plan escape routes and self rescue using various pieces of equipment, or none at all!
You can greatly reduce the risks and chances of disaster involved in putting yourself in situations like this with the right knowledge and approach
This course does NOT cover:
Specific surfing, kitesurfing or SUP skills. If you would like coaching specific to techniques in those sports, contact me and I will refer you to an excellent coach.
EDIT: This course WILL cover:
Specific kitesurf waveriding skills. Due to the number of enquiries I have had from kitesurfers, there will be a strong kite-wave riding element to the course. Hooray!!
This course is NOT a substitute for a life saving course for rescuing others. It is designed to enable you to become your own risk technician in the ocean, and to broaden your knowledge and techniques so you can anticipate risk, deal with it when it things go wrong, and get yourself out of trouble.
Learn to ride reef breaks alongside your fellow kitesurfers.
You will need to bring:
Clothing suitable for a UK winter’s day
Towel
Winter wetsuit, boots, hood. If you need these items, we can supply you with them.
Kites, board, harness.
If elements of the course demand it, you will be provided with a personal flotation device.
Our base beach for the weekend
Accommodation:
You can stay in your camper van or wherever you like, but here are a couple of suggestions from me:
High End: Glendorgal Hotel
Budget: Kirribilli Guest House
Got questions?:
Call Dom (that’s me!) on 07540 155123, or email dom@skyhooked.co.uk, or leave a comment below.
9 Comments
Hi, is it possible to reserve a spot as I’m not sure if work allowes me to attend. Happy to pay deposit. Also is there a required level of wave riding skills? Good on the twin but wants to get in to surf on surfboard. Thanks, regards, Pete.
Hi Pete, thanks for your interest in the course
To answer your questions:
1. There is no minimum required level of wave riding skills to join onto the course, some of the kiters already booked on are also new to waveriding. The theory content will cover the things you’ll want to know about taking a surfboard to the waves for the first time setting you up nicely for the 2013 season.
2. You can for sure secure place with a 25% deposit (£40) via PayPal to dom@surfsanctuary.co.uk – here’s hoping you can find the time off work!
Feel free to email dom@surfsanctuary or call 07540 155123 office hours with any questions;
Cheers,
Dom
Hi Dom, am definitely interested – the course aims are just what I need. Not sure I’ll get the benefit in the water though – have my own kitesurf kit, am up and riding on a twin tip but not dealt with heavy surf and dont have a directional board. Dont want to be a burden to more proficient riders. Should I skip this year? Will you do it next year? Or is this right up my street?:- I’m from the Midlands but head to Perranporth annually – was kiting there last summer as well as off IoW. Did have a few ‘moments’ in the swell which made me head back to the shallows.
I welcome your thoughts.
Hi Andy;
Thanks for the comment!
Well, with regards to the water side of things, if there is wind we will kitesurf but it’s certainly not about charging into gnarly waves; more really for fun and a little consolidation from what we’ll learn in the class room. There will be water sessions regardless of wind, but if the wind’s there, we’ll be going kiting
I’ll establish a goal for each rider pertinent to their level before any kiting happens; some may want to work on a gybe, some may be going for a first water start with a surfboard, others maybe their first top turn – everyone will be moving forward as individuals rather than a group if that makes sense.
That said, even if someone has never been on a surfboard, understanding the theory of gybing for example is a very good asset and creates a clear pathway for future learning.
Other riders who have booked onto the course have twin-tip only experience, one has been on a surfboard, one or two I would guess are quite new to the sport compared with yourself so there is quite a mix of experience there.
Because there is a mix of classroom and outdoor stuff on the course, best way to think of it is that you will hopefully be learning a lot of new things and ways to look at the sea which you can incorporate into your own sessions and consolidate in your own time. So in summary I think you would enjoy the course
Feel free to call 07540 155123 or drop me an email if you would like any more info.
Have a good weekend,
Dom
May be would be good for me..Been kite surfing for 5 years. Just got into the strapless wave stuff. I SUP & had scare tother day. Mis judged wave , pos surf to big for SUP that day. White shite crashed down on me. Leash snapped. Out going tide hard swim back. Just seems so hard this time year. I was starting to worry as was getting tired. Was hoping wave would push me in , but then getting hit by next one meant I was under water again….not lot fun. I live right on Beach at the Ho! So your course sounds like may well help me. Never to late to learn even at 51…By way , loved the photo of you in WMN…looked great…Thanks Alan
Hi Alan, apols for slow reply – have pinged you an email! Thanks for the stoke on the WMN photo, that was a good day for us. 51 deffo not too late!
[...] the Ocean Confidence course has really paved the way for this incredible kitesurfing journey and adventure. We will start in [...]
Dom,
Just wanted to thank you for a fantastic course. Really enjoyable and learnt loads, it will certainly set me up well the next time I hit the waves. Shame about the wind!
Cheers
Stuart
Thanks Stuart,
Was great to have you along, hopefully see you at Daymer one weekend in the not too distant future for a session. Really glad you found it useful!
I think there should be some KKC events happening, if you take a look at https://www.facebook.com/groups/160901674061/ . I have stepped away from the club as I seem to be rather busy this year and don’t have time to pitch in, but any big
demos or events I will for sure be along to.