A truly unique and incredible opportunity to volunteer, teach surfing and surf in Ghana, West Africa! Black Star Surf School is the first and only surf school in Ghana. The school is located in Busua Beach, a place with beautiful beaches, amazing waves and no crowds.

Black Star Surf School is partnering with the NGO Black Star Development Project (BSD NGO) and Sandshoe.org to launch the first surf volunteerism program in West Africa. The program is called Surf N’ Shine and will consist of volunteers coming to Busua Beach for stays of from 2 weeks up to 3 months. These volunteers will live with a host family and spend part of their days working on a community project and part of their day in a surf school or going to the good local surf spots. The community projects that BSD NGO has set up include teaching kids in our after school program and in our computer lab, working with a woman’s club, continuing to organize our recycling program and several others projects.

We are looking for a volunteer to help run the surf school side of the Surf N’ Shine program and teach locals surfers proper surf lesson techniques so that they can offer a high quality of surf instruction and earn a living through surfing. The volunteer position requires teaching local surfers to instruct, running the day-to-day operations of the surf school, and coordinating with Surf N’ Shine staff to create a fantastic surf volunteerism experiences.

Position includes room and meals. Monthly stipend available to help cover other living expenses. If willing to volunteer for one year or longer we will also cover your airfare.  Please visit our website and contact us to learn more about our current and expanding programs. We are looking to have someone in place by July 1st. If interested, please send a cover letter and CV to Peter Nardini at peter.bsdngo@gmail.com

Requirements: Certified Surfing Instructor or 3 years surf instruction experience, as well as good communication and people skills. Volunteer and Management experience a plus.

Rent a surfboard out of Malé Airport, Maldives. If you have decided to stay on a surf charter boat you can now, for the first time, rent a surfboard from the airport. So no more worrying about bringing your own surfboard.

At the moment we can offer two surfboards, which we will be adding to over the coming weeks.

Pricing 2012

Shortboard (6’6) : 20€ / day. 120 € / week.. Then 10€ per day

Longboard (7’9) : 25€ / day. 150€ / week. Then 10€ per day.

Bodyboard : 5€ / day. 30€ per day. Then 2€ per day

+ Delivery / Pick-up : 20€. Free above 150€

Rentals

- Shortboard : performance board for big guys (75-95kgs)

Type : Surftech Wayne Lynch

Dimensions : 6’6 (1.98m) x 19 ½ x 2 1/2

Model : 2006

Weight : 3 kgs

Color : Deep blue

Material : Tuflite

Condition : good (3 dings fixed)

+ 6ft leash

+ FCS Thruster fins M5 10.5cm

+ 1 Tropical Greenfix waxbar

- Longboard : beginner board for all

Type : Bic Natural Surf Gérard Dabbadie

Dimensions : 7’9′ (2.36m) x  22”1/8 x  2”7/8

Model : 2012

Weight : 6.7 kg

Colour : white with Blue stripes

Material : ACS

Conditions : good condition
+ 8ft leash

+ FCS  Thruster Fins M5  10.5cm

+ 1 Tropical Greenfix waxbar

- Bodyboard : all around bodyboard

Condition : average

+ Spiral leash

+ Medium size Fins / Fin leashes

Resorts (exclusive rentals)

If you are staying at one of our resorts in the Maldives the following rentals are available on site.

Chaaya Dhonveli : 20 surfboards.

Shortboard : 25$ per day.  145$ / week. 195$ /10days. 225$ / 14 days

Longboard : 30$ per day. 170$ per week. 240$ / 10days. 275$ / 14days

Huduranfushi : 5-7 surfboards.

$25 a day for a board rental but limited choice……. only a couple fire wires and some chinese pop-out boards…. 6’3″ and 6’4″  through the water sports centre.

Half term is just around the corner, and with all the rain we have had in the last month you wouldn’t be blamed for looking into options to get the children out of the UK and into some sunshine and surf!

And why not. We offer a range of quality family style accommodation in the best regions for surfing in June. From self-catering villas and apartments on the beach to traditional guesthouses where older children can meet other like-minded children on the surf courses.

As we know, happy children = happy parents.

Take a look at our handpicked half term holiday options, based on the following criteria:

• Close enough to travel for one week, no jet lag.
• Good accommodation, no bunk beds, safe location, friendly staff and other like-minded customers.
• Good fun sized surf in sunshine (over 23c)

Surf House Latas – Loredo, Northern Spain

This guesthouse which was set up in 2008 by Errant Surf has been designed and customised to enhance the traditional Cantabrian guesthouse into a family friendly surf lodge. Stunning rooms, built in surf school, big gardens 300m from the beach, bar and lounge room. All backed by the Pico’s De Europa mountain range. If the surf is no good, then take one of the mountain bikes and explore the pine forests or head into Santander City by foot passenger boat. Fly into Santander or take the ferry from Portsmouth or Plymouth.

Read more here.

Tamraght Surf Camp – Morocco

The Tamraght Surf Camp is run by Vanessa and Phillip, with their children as mini-helpers. This Moroccan Riad has been turned into a family friendly guesthouse. Perched on the hill overlooking the entire coastline as far south as Agadir all the way north past Taghazoute to the point of Cap Tamri. Learn to surf in bath like water, with highly qualified surf coaches. Fly into Agadir airport.

Read more here.

Les Bourdaines in Hossegor – France

Ideal for a smaller family (2 – 4) our apartments are located right on the beach in the south west of France. Our surf coach and Errant Surf representative Patrick will be on hand during your stay. Providing private surf tuition to just your family and immersing you in the surf culture of the European hub of surfing. There are plenty of cafes, bars and quality restaurants in the local area, as you would expect in France they are all amazing!

Read more here.

We offer family surfing holidays in Portugal, Newquay and the Canary Islands. So do get in touch and don’t worry the June half term is not too late to swap wind breaks in Devon for sun loungers in Lanzarote!

Mick Fanning (AUS), 30, two-time ASP World Champion, is entering the Billabong Rio Pro fresh off of a win at Bells Beach and with current frontrunner Kelly Slater (USA), 40, withdrawn from the event, Fanning will look to capitalize on the reigning 11-time ASP World Champion’s absence to take a lead over the field. While Fanning admits that Slater’s withdrawal could work to his advantage, he still has a tall task ahead in tackling the rest of the ASP Top 34.

“It’s unfortunate that Kelly ’s not here, but in the same sense it’s sort of good that he’s not,” Fanning said. “Even though he’s not here, we’ve still got to go out and do our job and get the results that we need. He (Kelly) went on to miss an event last year and went on to win the World Title so, he knows what he’s doing.”

Joel Parkinson (AUS), 31, current No. 5 on the ASP World Championship Tour rankings, got off to a solid start this year with a 5th and 3rd place results respectively at the season opening events in Australia. With a shift in conditions from the Australian pointbreaks to the beachbreak of Barra Da Tijuca, Parkinson admits that the change in conditions will play in to his strategy at this year’s Biillabong Rio Pro.

“You strategy definitely changes at events, but it even changes to the day to the conditions you’re surfing in that morning,” Parkinson said. “It can be totally different everywhere in the world. You heat strategy is always changing, but the majority of the time, at certain breaks they don’t chance a lot.”

Parkinson, a seasoned veteran among the ASP Top 34, knows the next generation of high-flying talent will be a threat at Barra da Tijuca’s ideal aerial conditions and the Australian is excited to take on the challenge.

“It’s really exciting to see,” Parkinson said. “There is a new evolution coming through, a new group of surfers and it’s exciting to watch. I’m glad I’m here and get to see some of the most talented surfers to join the tour in years. They’ve all got huge futures.”

Taj Burrow (AUS), 33, 2011 Billabong Rio Pro runner-up, took on local favorite Adriano De Souza (BRA), 25, in last year’s Final and admits that competing in front of the passionate Brazilian crowd can add additional pressure in comparison to other events on tour.

“Competing against a Brazilian in front of their home crowd definitely adds an additional challenge in your heats,” Burrow said. “I had the best of it last year when I had Adriano in the Final. It’s terrifying, basically. Not only are they cheering for their guy when they catch a wave, but they’re cheering for you when you fall off, so it’s pretty intimidating. You just have to use all of that energy and turn it into a positive.”

Burrow, an iconic aerialist and talented barrel-rider, is looking to capitalize on the best of what Barra Da Tijuca has to offer in order to find success at this year’s Billabong Rio Pro.

“It depends on where we go, but there are some wedges out there and some little barrels,” Burrow said. “Those are probably the two most entertaining things you can do in surfing, so it should be fun.”

Courtney Conlogue (USA), 19, currently competing in her sophomore year on the ASP Women’s World Championship Tour, is fresh off of her first elite win in Sydney and is carrying newfound confidence into the Billabong Rio Pro.

“It’s definitely cool coming into this contest with the win and it really helped get past that barrier events-wise,” Conlogue said. “Going into this event, it’s going to be great. I’m just going into this event the same as I did the last one, taking it heat-by-heat and just hoping to have a few good heats here.”

Conlogue, who spends most of her time amidst Orange County, California’s beachbreak training-grounds, is looking to put her familiarity of Rio de Janeiro’s similar conditions to good use at this year’s Billabong Rio Pro.

“The conditions are like straight-solid Newport,” Conlogue said. “It definitely helps having all of this beachbreak practice and I’m really looking forward to it.”

Carissa Moore (HAW), 19, was nearly unable to compete in this year’s Billabong Rio Pro due to visa complications, but the reigning ASP Women’s World Champion was able to rectify the issue and is now ready to enjoy this week’s event.”

“I overlooked some things on my visa, but I’m so thankful that I got into the country,” Moore said. “I’m looking forward to enjoying the week of competition, the people, the place and the food.”

The men’s Billabong Rio Pro holds a waiting period from May 9th through 20th while the women’s event holds a shorter waiting period from the 9th through 13th.

BILLABONG RIO PRO ROUND 1 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Josh Kerr (AUS), Bede Durbidge (AUS), Jadson Andre (BRA)
Heat 2: Jordy Smith (ZAF), C.J. Hobgood (USA), Patrick Gudauskas (USA)
Heat 3: Owen Wright (AUS), Raoni Monteiro (BRA), Taylor Knox (USA)
Heat 4: Adriano de Souza (BRA), Kai Otton (AUS), Willian Cardoso (BRA)
Heat 5: Taj Burrow (AUS), Kieren Perrow (AUS), Tomas Hermes (BRA)
Heat 6: Joel Parkinson (AUS), Matt Wilkinson (AUS), Peterson Crisanto (BRA)
Heat 7: Julian Wilson (AUS), Brett Simpson (USA), Fredrick Patacchia (HAW)
Heat 8: Gabriel Medina (BRA), Adrian Buchan (AUS), Yadin Nicol (AUS)
Heat 9: Mick Fanning (AUS), Damien Hobgood (USA), Travis Logie (ZAF)
Heat 10: Michel Bourez (PYF), Miguel Pupo (BRA), Tiago Pires (PRT)
Heat 11: Jeremy Flores (FRA), Heitor Alves (BRA), Kolohe Andino (USA)
Heat 12: John John Florence (HAW), Alejo Muniz (BRA), Adam Melling (AUS)

BILLABONG WOMEN’S RIO PRO ROUND 1 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Courtney Conlogue (USA), Lakey Peterson (USA), Sage Erickson (USA)
Heat 2: Tyler Wright (AUS), Paige Hareb (NZL), Justine Dupont (FRA)
Heat 3: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), Sarah Mason (NZL), TBA
Heat 4: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), Rebecca Woods (AUS), Melanie Bartels (HAW)
Heat 5: Carissa Moore (HAW), Coco Ho (HAW), Jacqueline Silva (BRA)
Heat 6: Laura Enever (AUS), Malia Manuel (HAW), Pauline Ado (FRA)

Check out our surfing holidays in Rio de Janerio

As of this morning, May the 4th (be with you) we have the follow surf passes still free for the 2012 surf season.

19 May – 28 May / OK (Rooms on Request)

01 June – 06 June / 2 Surfers

13 June – 19 June / 2 Surfers

21 June – 25June / 1 Surfer

6 September – 22 September / 2 Surfers

02 October – 07 October  / OK

23 October  – 27 October  / 2 Surfers

06 November – 25 November / OK

Ryan Air have just released flights from London Stansted direct to Santander airport for only £35 return!

• 5th – 12th May £35 return
• 12th – 19th May £21.98 return
• 19th – 26th May £21.98 return
• 26th May – 2nd June £28.98 return

We have a range of accommodation for you 20 mintues away from Santander in the surf village of Loredo.

One of my living hero’s Yvon Chouinard once said an adventure is a trip that you may not come back from at all, and at the very least come back a different person. Right now sitting back in Varkala I feel changed. Physically I feel exhausted from days of tropical flue, fever, and intense heat. Mentally I feel scattered, fragile and vulnerable, no doubt the result of a 2 day period of heat exhaustion that left my fluid deprived body involuntarily convulsing, my sleep deprived mind hallucinating, and my poor girlfriend and best friend painstakingly stressed. And spiritually I feel awakened, alive, compelled to stay open minded.

Finally, amongst all this chaos, was one breath taking day of exploration and the most perfect left hand reef pass. I would not trade this shattered feeling if it meant that one perfect day was erased. That one-day of illegally bribing our way into the indigenous southwest of the little Andaman Islands. That motorbike ride along a barely defined track beneath the nurturing eye of the deepest, wildest coastal jungle canopy I have ever witnessed. For me conjuring up aspiratory childhood images of David Attenborough in remote fragile ecosystems. Crossing creeks with sideways leaning crocodile warning signs at half-mast. Delicately riding over the interstitial organisms of a bleached coral beach to venture further along the coast. And the final 10 minute walk to realise that the point where the distant reef appeared to bend, where the swell appeared to have shape, where the size appeared well overhead, were all in fact a reality. Not a long anticipated swell that never eventuates, but reality.

Although the previous 2 days were saturated with fever and restlessness, and the 2 days ahead would consist of intense thirst, no thirst, and mental degradation, the present was a beautiful reality to be lived, and lived repeatedly. Lived with the sensation of each weight shift, the sensation of effortless speed, and sensory bouts of explosive energy release.

For my hard paddling clients like Body Glove’s Anthony Walsh, or any other hard paddling surfer the space between the shoulder blades in the upper back is one of the toughest areas of the body to stretch. The muscles situated here are referred to as the rhomboids, and are used or contracted repeatedly when we paddle. Over time if this muscle continues to tighten without being re-lengthened the result is increased pressure on the joints of the middle spine and increased likelihood of neck stiffness and pain. Below is a stretch that I created out of necessity in 2011, on day 3 of a Mexican sand point camping adventure, a little southwest of Barra De La Cruz. I hope you enjoy it.

Upper Back Stretch in Long Sitting

Instruction:
Place a blanket or pillow under your buttock and straighten both legs in front (Long sitting). If you cannot comfortably maintain a straight spine fold your blanket over a second time or place a second pillow underneath your buttock.

Bend your knee to take the left foot 1-2 foot lengths towards the chest. Keep the heel in line with the hip.

Take hold of the outside of your left foot with the right hand. Twist/rotate your torso and chest to the left.

Take your left hand behind you to assist with balance.

Exhale keep hold of the outside of the left foot and press the foot towards the floor (As if you are pressing your foot down on an accelerator peddle). Keep your upper body/torso relatively still and hollow/round the chest during this foot movement.

You should feel a stretch between the right shoulder blade in the upper back and the spine.

Inhale bring the foot back to the starting position to ease the stretch.

Repeat this cycle 10 times each side.

I look forward to seeing you on the mat, or in the water!

Ryan Huxley is the co-founder and program creator at Surfbodysoul, a website that provides safe, effective, holistic, scientific e-book exercise programs catering for surfers of all age, level and experience. Ryan is a qualified Physiotherapist, Exercise Physiologist, Advanced Yoga and Pilates instructor. His list of pro surfing clients includes Fergal Smith, Chippa Wilson, Anthony Walsh, Paige Hareb, Emi Cataldi & Rusty Miller.

The surf and Yoga retreats in Morocco are by far some of the most luxurious, relaxing surfing holidays in the region.  These surf and yoga retreat do book up fast, so we thought we should share with you what we currently have, especially if you are looking for a last minute surfing holiday somewhere hot and relaxing!

• 14th -21st April 2012 – space for 1 male sharing
• 28th – 5th May 2012 – fully booked
• 12th – 19th May 2012 – space for 1 female sharing
• 26th – 2nd June 2012 – 3 non sea-view rooms available
• 9th – 16th June 2012 – we have availability
• 23rd – 30th June 2012 - we have availability
• 7^th – 14^th July 2012- we have availability
• 21st – 28^th July 2012- we have availability
• 4^th – 11^th August 2012 – we have availability
• 18^th – 25^th August 2012 – we have availability
• 1^st – 8^th September 2012 – we have availability
• 6^th – 13^th October 2012 – we have availability
• 20^th – 27^th October 2012- we have availability
• 3^rd – 10^th November 2012 – we have availability
• 17^th – 24^th November 2012 – we have availability
• 1^st – 7^th December 2012 – we have availability

The Surf & Yoga holidays in Morocco give you the chance to stay in the Villa Mandala, one of the best accommodation options around, looking out directly over the ocean and spectacular mountain views. This villa is located on a secluded golden bay and long sandy beach: the perfect location for blissful yoga and perfect surf for all abilities.

Yoga classes take place under a wooden pagoda on the beach, just in front of the villa. Breath-taking views and the soothing sounds of the ocean will help you instantly feel at peace. Surf and Yoga holidays give you energising yoga, waves for all surfing abilities, delicious food and great company – for a holiday you’ll remember forever.

With less than a month till the Surfing Great Britain junior team are due to land in Panama, the Great British Junior surf team are appealing for financial help to give the team the best possible chance of success in the upcoming world championships.

Errant Surf Holidays has donated a surfing holiday in Morocco for one week. You can now bid on the week holiday and pay the price you want to pay!

The holiday includes accommodation at the Tamraght Surf Camp, three meals a day, return airport transfers, surf guide or surf coach depending on level of the surfer and surf equipment if required.

All the money raised from this holiday will go straight to Surfing GB and the junior team, the winner will be announced on the Surfing GB facebook page. The week stay can be booked anytime between 2^nd April 2012 – 17^th December 2012.

To bid leave your bid amount and name in the comment box below and remember every last penny goes direct to the SGB team!

The winner will be announced on http://twitter.com/Surfinggb and https://www.facebook.com/SurfingGB the highest bidder gets to go to Morocco at the price they want to pay!

Terms and conditions

Participants must be aged 18 and over. Winner will be the highest bidder on the holiday and confirmed by Surfing GB. Funds must be paid in full to Surfing GB before the holiday is released. The holiday includes accommodation, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, return airport transfers from Agadir airport, surf guide or surf coach and all equipment hire. It does not include flights (Ryan Air £80 rtn), travel insurance which is a requirement to book with Errant Ltd and UK transfers. The prize is for one person. The prize has no cash value. A full set of terms relating to the booking of a surfing holiday in Morocco can be found here http://www.errantsurf.com/pages/terms.html

The Museum of British Surfing opens the doors to its new exhibition venue in Braunton, North Devon for the first time on Good Friday.

Its inaugural exhibition is ‘The Art of Surf’ – displaying 200 years of art in surfing from the sketches of early explorers through to works by contemporary British surfing artists.

Among the modern artists featured will be Conrad Shawcross, Ben Cook, Simon Ledson, Mark Haywood, Al Lindsay and Maria Rivans.

“Explorers and early travellers drew surfers, surfers decorated their boards – especially in the 60s & 70s, advertisers plundered surfing imagery right the way back to the early 1900s – and today there’s a flourishing British surfing art scene,” said the charity’s director and founder Pete Robinson.

The first dedicated surfing museum in Europe was started in 2003, running successful touring exhibitions – it relocated to North Devon in 2009 and has spent the last 3 years securing a permanent home, finding the funding, completing the design work, and so far creating two new jobs.

The project’s main funders are Leader 4 Torridge & North Devon, North Devon District Council and North Devon Areas of Outstanding natural Beauty.

While ‘The Art of Surf’ exhibition will be the main feature, there’s also a section on British surfing history, North Devon surfing and the local environment, and a timeline of British surfboards  – displaying about a quarter of the museum’s collection.

“We couldn’t have done it without amazing support from surfers not just around the UK, but around the world – donating items and money,” said Pete, a former award-winning ITV News reporter. “I’d especially like to thank my wife Bianca and the charity’s Trustees – they’ve been truly amazing.”

The Museum of British Surfing is believed to have the largest and most historically significant collection in Europe, with members of the public donating many key items to be kept for future generations to enjoy.

Each year a new themed exhibition will be displayed, exploring different themes in surfing history and culture – and the museum will continue its popular touring shows around the UK.

The museum’s researchers are part of a worldwide network of surf historians, and their latest discovery is that surfing took place in Britain in the 1800s.

The Art of Surf runs until December 24^th this year. Admission charges apply – see our website for details and special events.

Recent surf history discoveries by the Museum of British Surfing:

• Crew members sailing with Captain James Cook tried surfboards in Hawaii in 1779
• An English Naval captain who surfed in the late 1800s
• Photos of Edward, Prince of Wales surfing in 1920
• Agatha Christie was a keen surfer in 1922
• The earliest known film of stand-up surfing in Britain c1929
• Photos of stand-up surfers in Britain during World War 2

al lindsay, ben cook, conrad shawcross, exhibition, feeds, maria rivans, mark haywood, museum of british surfing, opening, simon ledson, the art of surf