Flat Water Intro to Surf Clinic
You may ask yourself - why should I take a flat water lesson to learn how to surf the great lakes? Our conditions here tend to be a bit harsher than on the oceans and the lack of consistency in good waves to teach have forced us to adapt our coaching and our offerings through our surf school. We created our Flat Water Intro to Surf Clinics as pre-requisite for our surf lessons with waves, so you can learn all the techniques you will need to get out on the waves in a safe and welcoming environment. This program is designed for low wind days in a controlled setting, giving you the time to perfect the fundamental skills required for our surf lessons with waves. This clinic will take you through a theory and dry land lesson that begins like any surf lesson, from safety and conditions, the differences from ocean to lake and a detailed instruction proper surfing techniques. This includes paddling techniques, turtle rolling, popping-up, correct stance and more. We will get out on the water and put these skills to practice with our instructors right by your side helping you develop these skills.
In our Flat Water Intro to Surf clinics you can expect to learn:
- A brief history of surfing (Great Lakes and ocean)
- An introduction to surfing safety, including signals and conditions
- Fundamentals of paddling
- Correct paddle posture and technique (known as prone or prep position)
- Dismounting from prone position
- Entering and exiting the water safely
- Popping-up
- Correcting and perfecting your surf stance
- Safely dismounting from standing
- Paddling through breaking waves in prone
- Turtle rolling
- Sitting on the board and turning around in the line up
We will provide all the equipment you need. Show up with a towel and bathing suit at the designated meeting spot and leave the rest to us. If you have your own gear, please check the price list below for our BYOB rate (bring your own board).
CLASS DURATION: 75 minutes
SKILL LEVELS: First-timer and beginner surfers
INCLUDES:
- Surfboards, leashes, wetsuits
- Dry land lesson covering safety, techniques, proper paddling and pop-up
- In water lesson expanding on your knowledge from the dry land lesson
Pricing:
| Class Size | Equipment Included | BYOB* |
| Private | $119 | $109 |
| Semi-private | $109 | $99 |
| Group (3+) | $99 | $89 |
*Bring Your Own Board, leash, and wetsuit.
All clinics are 75 minutes. All prices are per person. Prices do not include HST.
How to Book
Use the calendar below to book your clinic. If you don't see a 'Sign Up' button next to a class it's because the class is already full. Click on 'Full Calendar' and check future Wednesdays and Saturdays during the summer months June 1st - August 31st 2023 for classes with availability.
Terms & Conditions
COVID-19
The health and safety of our community members and staff is of the utmost importance to us at all times. In light of growing concerns regarding the spread of the COVID-19 virus, we want to assure you that we have been closely monitoring updates from The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) as they relate to COVID-19 and implementing appropriate additional health and safety recommendations as necessary.
What we’re doing:
- Reducing the number of customers at the shop and in our clinics at any given time
- Removing indoor seating at the shop until further notice
- Wearing face masks when interacting with customers and other employees
- Increasing the frequency of our shop deep cleans
- Continuing with our regular sanitation of surfaces
- Disinfecting all surfaces, door handles, rental equipment and shared areas regularly with Benefect—a hospital grade, non-toxic disinfectant
- Quarantining products and equipment that have been tried on or used by customers for a period of 48 hours prior to putting it back into circulation
- Adding sanitizing stations for all to use throughout our spaces
- Educating our staff and community members on best hygiene practices
What we’re asking of you:
- Use your own equipment for clinics and and workshops whenever possible
- Wear a face mask when coming into the shop or while attending our clinics
- Stay at home if you are feeling ill and unwell
- Washing your hands with soap for at least 30 seconds or using our hand sanitizer frequently
- Minimize person-to-person contact
- Cough into a tissue, your shirt, or the crease of your elbow
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
CANCELLATION PHILOSOPHY
You can cancel your class online or through our app up to 24 hours before class start time to avoid losing the class. We do not accept email or phone cancellations. If you have not canceled your class, you will receive an email the following day to advise you that you have been late canceled.
LATE CANCEL PENALTY
Our late cancel policies are based on student feedback to help create a more fluid and relaxing sign in. If we hold a spot for you and you don’t show up it means that someone else could not get into the class and this is frustrating for people who have made the time to show up.
No refunds or credits are given for classes missed. We are sorry, but we cannot make individual exceptions. You have until 24 hours before class starts to add yourself in or remove yourself based on your schedule, so you can always wait until you know you can definitely make it to save your spot!
REFUNDS
COURTESY POLICY
PRE REGISTRATION
WAITLIST
Even when a class appears full, you may, and should, add yourself to the waitlist. When a cancellation is made, the first name on the wait list gets automatically added to the class, and you receive an automatic email and/or text message at the time. Once you get added to the class from the waitlist you become responsible for attending or canceling.
LATE ARRIVAL PHILOSOPHY
If you are not signed in at the desk, at the beach, or at the skate park within 10 min before class starts and there are students hoping and waiting for a spot in class, we open the available spots in class to those who are on the waitlist, and your reservation might thus be forfeited. We also start our classes on time and will not accept any late entry to classes.
TOLERANCE POLICY
Surf the Greats has a zero-tolerance policy for discrimination based on age, gender, sexuality, mental or physical disability, body type, race, religion or political belief.
