A 10 week trip to surf in South Africa is pretty much the dream right? It’s not all fun and games though (It is) for the majority of the group who have also signed on to do their ISA level 1 Surf Instructor course with us. The majority of this particular group have had very little or no surfing experience or surf lessons at all prior to coming on the trip so the idea of learning to surf whilst learning to become a Surf Instructor can seem a little daunting.
The surfing part of the trip is the simplest as the trip is based around surfing and we’re in the water with coaches receiving help and advice everyday if not twice a day and the level of surfing shown in our current group has been impressive. Surfing is different for everybody, there are so many different styles and ways to riding waves, some of the group aim to just be an everyday surfer, Jenny wants to be a styling longboarder and the rest want to be progressive surfers who push their limits and the sport. Naturally some progress faster than others and the pressure of competition amongst the group can sometimes distract from the individuals own personal goals. All our riders meet with coaches and discuss their own personal goals to work on to keep the focus and the fire alive as surfing is a very personal sport and will test you in ways you never thought possible, the frustrations can be real but the rewards are unlike anything you’re likely to experience and it’s highly addictive.
The whole trip we have been building towards completing our Surf Instructors in Durban and to do so there are a few hurdles we have to clear, here is what it takes to pass your ISA level 1 Surf Instructor’s.
Surfing Theory:
Whilst in Durban Chris Bond will be conducting classes to go through the Level 1 ISA Surf Instructor course, after completion you will be required to conduct a beginner surf lesson with one of your peers for practical assessment.
Surfing :
You need to be able to catch two open faced left hand waves and two open faced right hand waves illustrating control of your surfboard. You have a 40 minute time period in which to complete this task. This will require ocean knowledge and surfing prowess and over the 10 week period our coaches will be teaching you everything you need to know.
Life Saving:
In Durban you will be doing beach practicals and lifeguard training with Deon Woodley, he is our man on the ground in Durban and is one of South Africa’s most respected personalities in the Life-Saving community.
Swimming:
Probably the most challenging of the whole course is the swimming aspect especially if you haven’t had any real swimming experience prior to the trip. You’re required to swim 400m (8 lengths in an olympic swimming pool) in under 9minutes, front crawl only. As we make our way up the coast we do visit pools to train for this.
First Aid:
You will also whilst in Durban again be with Deon Woodley doing your first aid training course which involves classwork theory with the exam being a practical assessment done in pairs.
Like I said before though the surfing in this particular is of a high standard and I am convinced everybody involved will be passing.
We were in Jeffreys Bay recently which is the surfing mecca of South Africa best known for its endless point break and more specifically ‘Supertubes’. What most people don’t know is that there are a few other incredible waves in the area for the less experienced surfer. Here’s a compilation of the waves we scored at these lesser known breaks namely; Kitchen Windows, Lower Point and Seals Beach (Cape St. Francis)
Any questions on becoming an ISA level 1 Surf Instructor, leave a comment or contact us directly.
Stay tuned for more updates from our crew in South Africa
Luke Geldenhuys 🙂