A stunning morning view opens up from the parking lot of Playa Jardín in Puerto de la Cruz. The surf instructor gathers the pupils next to the van and checks their measurements for the wetsuits. There are six novices looking to get into the groove of surfing, most of them for the first time.
Up next are the soft tops; surfboards made softer and more buoyant for more balance and easier access to the basics of surfing.
The black volcanic sand of Puerto De La Cruz feels cold between the toes. The students get in line on the beach and begin their dry run. The instructor shows how the pop-up; jumping upright on the board, is done correctly.
After beach pop-upping, the group moves into the water to face the white water. It is preferred to start surfing on a bigger board to get a hang of it without excessive effort.
At the end it feels like you’ve given everything while your whole body is screaming for water and nutrition. “Nevertheless, the knackered feeling after surfing can’t be beat.” Says Tonis Lill, finishing his second time on a surfboard.
“An amazing experience! Although I definitely need to hit the gym to have enough strength to paddle in the waves. The instructor gave me important tips and instructions regarding balance and surviving in the water. The hardest thing was trying to paddle against the waves and move forward on the surfboard.”