Sligo Surf Experience

For more information call or please visit www.sligosurfexperience.com

*If booking in u16s, please note that the minimum age for surf lessons is 9 years of age and for bodyboarding is 8 years of age (no exceptions). There is no maximum age limit.

During peak July/August surfing season, if you cancel your lesson more than seven days before the date(s) of the lessons, you will be entitled to a full refund. If you cancel your lesson less than seven days before the date(s) of the lessons, Sligo Surf Experience reserves the right to impose cancellation charges up to 50% of the original price of the surf lesson(s). If you cancel your lesson less than 48 hours before the date(s) of the lessons, Sligo Surf Experience reserves the right to impose cancellation charges up to 100% of the original price of the surf lesson(s).

Sligo Surf Experience offers full refunds for cancellations throughout the rest of the year.

Sligo
Surf Experience is located in the National Surf Centre on the seafront at
Strandhill Beach. Our meet-up point is the yellow Sligo Surf Experience van in
front of the Surf Centre. The surf experience begins at the surf van where you will be met by the Sligo Surf Experience manager Seamus Mc Goldrick and introduced to your instructors.

Sign In

Next, all customers sign our surf lesson forms (for U16s, a parent/guardian's signature required). Sligo Surf Experience operates on a strict No Sign, No Surf policy. Payment will also be made at this point unless you are prepaid via our easy pay link on our website.

Wetsuits, boots and equipment storage

Next, Seamus will give participants a simple explanation about how a surf lesson operates. Customers are sized up for a wetsuit and asked their shoe size so that the instructor can supply them with surf boots that fit. Please note, all surf equipment is carefully and hygienically washed and cleaned after each lesson and left to air dry. We will do everything in our power to ensure a customer has a pleasant experience but getting wet is a prerequisite. 

When the customers collect their equipment they are given a simple explanation  how to put on the wetsuit and boots properly. At this stage, some customers may want to deposit items such as keys, clothes/jackets, baggage etc. Secure storage is available the Sligo Surf  Experience van. 

During the winter or cold weather, in addition to thick five milimeter winter wetsuits, customer will also be given gloves and a headset after they have changed into their wetsuits and boots.

When everyone is ready to go, the surfboards are ready for collection beside the changing rooms. The surf instructor(s) will give each member of the group a suitable surfboard and show them best way to hold them to take them to the beach. Once everyone in the group has their boards the group is escorted to the beach via the safest path by the instructor(s). 

Beach Talk

Surf instructors carry to the beach flags, a rescue board, a dry bag, a first aid kit, whistles for signaling, a mobile phone, walkie talkies, water and other necessary materials. Once on the beach, the head surf instructor selects the safest area of beach for the surf lesson and puts two flags at the water edge to mark out the surf lesson area. Ahead of each surf lesson, the head instructor consults with Seamus Mc Goldrick, surf school manager, about the best place to hold the surf lesson on the day. Seamus is a local surfer who has surfed Strandhill his entire life. He has expert knowledge of the area and its changing conditions.

Now the surf lesson can being. All lessons begin with a beach safety talk given by one of the instructors. It usually takes 20 – 30 minutes between the customer arriving at the meeting point and the start of the beach talk. The beach talk takes 10 minutes and is the most important element for a successful surf lesson which every member of the group must participate in.

The beach talk starts with everyone sitting in a circle with their instructor and includes a welcome, an introduction to the personnel present and the surf equipment participants will be using. The beach talk covers safety signals, basic surf technique followed by a few basic surf drills on the sand. Lastly, the group is told what to do in the event of a wipeout and reassured their instructors will be with them at all times

Surf Lesson
Now it is time to go surfing! Customers enter the water between the flags in the company of their instructor(s). Lessons take place in waist-depth water and the group is supervised at all times. The rest of the session involves putting what you have learned on the beach into practice, being coached and encouraged by your instructor and simply catching waves and having fun. 

When the session is over, the instructors blow the whistles and it is time to go back to the arrivals area the same way we came. This is also a good time for a photo opportunity.