What level of surfer are you?

We all want to be an amazing surfer right? I mean who wouldn’t want to be able to carve up any wave with fluidity and style like the pros do?

The truth is…most of us think we are way better surfers than we actually are. Not to burst your pipe dreams here…but we always recommend downplaying your surfing ability when booking an experience with a surf operator to ensure you don’t find yourself in a situation way above your head, or out of your depth so to speak.

To make it easy to work out which level of surfing you’re at, we have broken it down into three distinct levels and trust you’ll identify with one of these:

Beginner Surfer

Either you’ve never touched a surfboard before or you’ve surfed a couple of times. You find yourself in waist-deep water catching broken waves (foamies) straight to the shore on a longboard or soft top. You’re still mastering the skill of the surfer’s pop up, correct paddling technique, reading the waves, and directional changes.

We recommend booking the following experiences:

Adult Group Surf Lesson to learn in a group setting

Private Surf Lesson for 1:1 attention to fast-track your progress. 

Private Day Trip to combine a private surf lesson with a full day of adventuring around the Cape Peninsula and/or wine tasting at local vineyards.

Intermediate Surfer

You’ve been surfing consistently for a couple of months or years. You’re able to paddle out to the backline, comfortably sit on your board, paddle for unbroken waves, and pop up with ease. You’re most likely working on improving your duck-diving skills, wave selection, angular take-offs, generating speed down the line, and turning.

We recommend booking the following experiences:

Private Surf Lesson for 1:1 attention to work on specific skills you wish to improve on. 

Private Day Trip for a unique combination of a private surf lesson with an adventure around the Cape Peninsula and/or wine tasting.

Private Multi-day trip to adventure for several days along the East/West Coast, improving your surfing at different breaks along the way.

Experienced Surfer

You know your way around a surfboard and surfing your local break is part of your weekly workout regime. You have your own quiver of boards, understand surf etiquette, and how to handle a busy line-up. Too many days spent out of the water leaves your gills dry.

We recommend booking the following experiences:

Private Surf Guiding for a half-day with a local surf guide getting you to the waves best suited to your preference.

Private Day Trip to combine surfing a local break with an adventure around the Cape Peninsula or wine tasting.

Private Multi-day trip for the ultimate surfari along the West or East Coast with an experienced, local surf/tourist guide.

As you can see, there is a vast difference between each level of surfing, and progressing to the next level requires lots of commitment and water time. It is important to be certain that when you consider where you are at in your surfing journey you are honest with yourself so that you get the most out of the surf experience you choose.

Need more convincing?

Check our reviews to help make your decision.