The right beach for the right day
Conditions and your level decide where you go, not the schedule. A first session is on sand, not on a reef, and never in a crowded line up where the main skill being tested is dodging other people.
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Just you and the oceanOne to One Paddle Surf Coaching and Board Rentals in El Salvador
Two hours a day, on your dates, with no minimum. This is where absolute beginners start, and where people who live here keep getting better.
- Mainly April to October
- No minimum number of days
- Boards and paddles available
In one paragraph
What one to one coaching is
Two hours a day in the water with Joss, on dates you choose, with no minimum number of days. It runs mainly from April to October, when the retreat season is over, and it is open to everyone including people who have never stood on a board.
Sessions are built around you rather than around a curriculum. If it is your first time, you are not going into the reef at El Tunco with a stranger shouting encouragement. You go to a sand bottom beach, on the right board for your size and level, and the technique gets worked on land before anything gets attempted on water.
How it is taught
The difference between a lesson and being taught
Most surf lessons anywhere in the world are the same transaction: they take your money, they walk you into the water, and they watch that you do not drown.
Safety that is actually taught
The universal hand signals for "are you ok" and "I need help" are the first thing you learn, before you get in. Almost nobody teaches this, and it is the difference between being nervous and being safe.
Technique, then the water
The movement is broken down on the sand first, by someone who has broken it down for herself across nearly three Olympic cycles of competing. Then you take it in.
Pricing
What a session costs
Coaching is charged per day, for a two hour session, and there is no minimum commitment. Equipment is charged separately unless you bring your own.
| What | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| One to one coaching | From $130 confirming | Two hours in the water, per day. No minimum number of days. |
| Board and paddle, per day | pending | For coaching sessions and independent paddling. |
| Board and paddle, full retreat | $455 | Seven days. Only for guests on a Waveswell retreat. |
Prices in US dollars. Write for an exact quote, it usually comes back the same day.
Rentals
Paddle board and paddle rental
Boards and paddles are available to rent all year, whether or not you are booking any coaching. Most visitors rent rather than travel with their own kit, and there is a practical reason for that: airlines in the United States stopped accepting boards over seven feet, and a paddle board is longer and heavier than that. Add the oversize fee and the odds of it arriving damaged, and renting stops being a compromise.
If you are already on a retreat, board and paddle for the whole seven days is $455, well below the daily rate.
Also possible
Groups, companies and weekends
Weekend retreats for groups and companies
A shorter format exists for companies and larger groups who want the experience without the full week. It is arranged case by case rather than published as a package, so write with your group size and your dates and Joss will put something together. format and pricing being finalised
Before you ask
Frequently asked questions
I have never stood on a paddle board. Can I start here?
Yes, and this is exactly where to start. One to one coaching is the on ramp: the first session is on a sand bottom beach with the right board for you, working the technique on the sand before anything happens in the water. Once you can stand reliably you can join a group retreat.
How long is a session and how many days do I need?
Two hours a day. There is no minimum number of days, so you can book one session or two weeks. Most people who are here on holiday book three or four.
Is coaching the same as the retreat?
No, and it is honestly not a substitute. Two hours a day for seven days is not the same as being immersed for seven days, because in the retreat the video analysis, the group and the one to one work all compound. Coaching is the right choice when you live here, when you are passing through, or when you are not ready for a group yet.
Do I need my own board?
No. Boards and paddles are available to rent, and most visitors rent rather than fly with their own, because US airlines stopped accepting boards over seven feet.
What time of year can I book coaching?
Mainly April to October, when the retreat season is over. Sessions outside that window are possible around the retreat dates, with some restrictions. Rentals run all year.
Is this stand up paddle only?
Yes. Waveswell coaches stand up paddle surf, not shortboard or longboard surfing.
Let’s get you in the water
Tell me your dates
Send an email or a WhatsApp with roughly when you are here and where you are in your paddling. Joss will tell you honestly whether coaching, a retreat, or just a board is the right thing for you.