I want to learn to surf--will Flow-Rider be a good place to learn?

[moondoggie]

Honest opinion, please--I'm middle aged but in great shape. This is on my 'bucket list'. Please give me your recommendations.

 

And, if 'yes' to Flow-Rider, how long a session should I book?

 

Any better places to learn? We're sailing HAL in December, and visiting Aruba, Curacao, Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay, San Juan, and St Martin.

 

Thanks!

[DRWhit]

I am defininitely not qualified to answer, since I have never tried to surf, but I will give it a shot.

 

We were on a Royal Caribbean ship that had the Flow Rider, and I don;t think I ever saw anyone who was new to it pick it up. Mostly they stood for a few seconds and then wiped out.

 

That makes me think that taking a surfing lesson at a beach with natural waves might be the best way to actually learn surfing.

 

But I will say that everyone really seemed to enjoy the Flow rider and had a great time. I think if you do it just to do a Flo rider, and not as a surfing lesson you will enjoy.

[Sayra]

I actually just took a Flowridder lesson (in the exotic state of Ohio) last weekend. It wasn't supposed to be a private lesson, but only the 3 in my group signed up so that is what it turned out to be. It was an hour and a half lesson so we got lots of practice time. We mostly stuck to the boogie board, but we did try to stand up. All 3 of us snowboard, so we thought that would give us some type of balancing advantage. The most any of stayed standing was a few seconds after we let go of the lifeguard who helped us on the board. After a couple of bad falls, I went back to the boogie board. It was lots (and lots) of fun, and I would do it again in a second, but I was worthless and sore the next day. It was a good way to end a weekend away, but I wouldn't want to be that sore while on a cruise vacation. Oh, and I'm a little over 30 and I teach dance in the evenings, so I'm in pretty good shape.