Surf Icons & Heroes

Bigger, thicker boards (like longboards or funboards) are more forgiving and give you more time. You can almost walk to your feet. On a shortboard, the pop-up needs to be faster and more precise because the board is less stable. Your foot placement has to be spot-on. If you’re learning, a higher-volume board is your best friend—it makes the pop-up easier and builds confidence. As you downsize, you’ll need to refine that motion to be quicker and more compact.

In double-overhead or dredging waves, you gotta go deep and hold on tight. The power is immense. You might need to really drive the nose down and get fully vertical to get under the rolling lip’s energy. Sometimes you’ll get pushed around—that’s normal. The goal is to get deep enough so the turbulence passes over you. Stay calm, trust your push, and be ready to paddle hard as soon as you surface, because the next one is probably right behind it.

Balance is everything. Mix surf sessions with other fun activities—snorkeling, beach games, or exploring town. Don’t schedule back-to-back dawn patrols; let the groms sleep in! Choose accommodations close to the beach to minimize travel hassle. Most importantly, keep the pressure off. The goal is shared fun, not pushing anyone into conditions that are too heavy. A chilled-out, family-friendly surf camp can handle all the logistics for you.

You want forgiving, consistent waves to build confidence. Look for a sandy bottom beach break or a mellow, rolling point break. These spots let you practice popping up, turning, and building speed without the consequence of a shallow reef. Avoid crowded, hyper-competitive spots where you’ll just spend all day paddling. Find a chill break where you can catch a ton of waves.