About Us :
Hello….
My name is Russell, and I've lived in Pensacola for almost 14 years now. As a lifelong water enthusiast, I began surfing in my younger days around the Jacksonville and Daytona areas. After spending some time in Atlanta enjoying the fresh water lakes, I returned to the Gulf in 2009 to rekindle my passion for surfing, windsurfing, and paddle boarding. Since then, I spend all my free time enjoying the water.
Surfing can be extreme or wonderfully mellow, providing a satisfying workout that connects you with the water like nothing else. To me, there’s nothing better than sipping coffee on the beach while watching the sunrise and catching the early morning surf or enjoying the spectacular sunsets while riding a wave. If you’ve never tried Pensacola surfing lessons, you should definitely give it a shot!
Windsurfing is such a fantastic water sport. It’s like surfing with a sail, paddle boarding without a paddle, and sailing all rolled into one. You can rig for high winds to achieve incredible bursts of speed, or set up for a more leisurely cruise that’s fun and challenging without being too extreme. I particularly love to windsurf in the bays, where I frequently pause to watch sea turtles, dolphins, and rays swim by. The connection to nature and oneself is profound; if you haven't experienced windsurfing yet, it's time you try it… it's awesome!
I want to share my passion for the salt life with you through surf lessons in Pensacola, Florida. I enjoy teaching and love the beach and the bays. I invite you to come learn to surf, windsurf, or paddle board with me. I will teach you personally, prioritizing your safety while ensuring you have a great experience. We can meet anywhere from Navarre Beach, Pensacola Beach, Gulf Breeze, Perdido Key Beach, to Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. I’ll bring the equipment and offer free training on beach safety and technique before taking you out in the surf!
I can teach kids starting from 10 years old to adults of any age, as long as you are reasonably fit and can swim. I’ve taught numerous people how to surf and windsurf, and I can teach you as well through my pensacola surf lessons.
I promise you an amazing time!
Thanks, Russell
How It Works: Pensacola Surfing Lessons
. We provide the correct size board for you
. We provide the board wax & board leash
. We meet you at your location with the equipment
. We conduct free beach training with you to give you the basic skills needed for the water during our Pensacola surf lessons
. We take you out in the surf to an appropriate spot and get you on a wave
. We surf with you to provide training, pointers & feedback
. We look for dangers in the water: sea life, swimmers, surfers, rip currents & more
. When you're all done, we load up the equipment and head out
Lessons:
On the day you are scheduled for your surf lessons in Pensacola, if water or weather conditions are not conducive to a good experience or we deem conditions to be unsafe due to the strength of the surf, harmful marine life, or the threat of storms, we will be happy to make other arrangements with you, including alternate activities (windsurfing or paddleboarding), rescheduling, or simply cancelling and issuing a refund. We will do our best in advance to ensure your training is a fantastic experience!
We recommend: sunscreen, polarized sunglasses, water, a hat, and a waterproof camera
We also suggest wearing a proper bathing suit or board shorts, along with a rash guard or tight-fitting t-shirt.
How It Works: Wind Surfing Lessons
Lessons:
. We provide the correct size board & sail for you
. We set up the board and sail for optimal wind conditions
. We meet you at your location with the equipment
. We conduct free beach training with you to give you the basic skills needed for water during our surf lessons in Pensacola, Florida
. We take you out in the shallows and help you catch the wind
. We surf with you to provide training, pointers & feedback
. We look for dangers in the water: sea life, swimmers, surfers, rip currents & more
. When you're all done, we load up the equipment and head out
On the day you are scheduled for your windsurfing lesson, if water or weather conditions are not conducive to a good experience or we deem conditions to be unsafe due to the strength of the winds, dangerous marine life, or the threat of storms, we will be happy to make other arrangements with you, including alternate activities (surfing or paddleboarding), rescheduling, or simply cancelling and issuing a refund. We will do our best in advance to ensure your training is a great experience!
We recommend: sunscreen, polarized sunglasses, water, a hat, and a waterproof camera
We also suggest wearing a proper bathing suit or board shorts, along with a rash guard or tight-fitting t-shirt.
Pricing: Pensacola Surfing Lessons
We offer the best pricing for Pensacola surf lessons, and we are proud to be the only school that provides FREE beach training. When you sign up for our surf lessons in Pensacola, the hours you pay for are dedicated to your time in the water, starting after your training!
2 Hour = $120 (Free Land Training)
3 Hour = $165 (Free Land Training)
Pricing: Wind Surfing Lessons
We maintain competitive pricing for wind surfing lessons and are unique in offering FREE beach training. Just like our surfing options, the hours you pay for during our windsurfing lessons are spent on the water after your training!
2 Hour = $160 (Free Land Training)
3 Hour = $235 (Free Land Training)
Make your reservation now to ensure availability for our surf lessons in Pensacola, Florida.
Book Early !
We Are generally Booked 1-2 Weeks Out.
There are several ways you can make a reservation for our Pensacola surf lessons:
1. Click on the button above to be directed to our reservation page, fill out the simple form, and submit it.
2. Call or text us anytime at 850-417-6416.
3. Send us an email at century22m@gmail.com, and we will provide you with a reservation form.
Make your reservation early for Pensacola surfing lessons!
There is no obligation or cost unless you choose to prepay.
Risk-free & hassle-free!
We offer two types of reservations: Tentative & Guaranteed.
Tentative: A tentative reservation means you have completed a reservation form but haven’t guaranteed your reservation with payment. You can make your payment when we meet on the beach, using any major credit card or cash. Every effort will be made to accommodate your surf lessons in Pensacola on your desired day; however, guaranteed reservations take priority as they have been confirmed with payment. Risk-free & hassle-free!
Guaranteed: A guaranteed reservation means you have filled out a reservation form and prepaid for your surf lesson. To prepay your reservation, you will have the option within the reservation form to have a secured payment link emailed to you. All prepaid reservations will take precedence over tentative reservations. If, for any reason, we are unable to fulfill your surf lesson in Pensacola, we will make every effort to reschedule, offer other options, or issue a full refund, ensuring there is no risk to you.
Why is the reservation important? We require a reservation to determine the correct equipment needed for your surf lessons in Pensacola Florida, assess the needs of each student, ensure everyone's safety, manage proper scheduling, and guarantee you have the best experience possible!
Surf Basic’s
Practicing the surfing pop up on land: The surfing popup is essentially an explosive pushup. This is how you get to your feet on a surfboard! To make the popup easier, practice several popups on dry land every day. This will build up your arm strength and give you some muscle memory. When it comes time to do it on a surfboard during your Pensacola surfing lessons, you’ll have a much easier time. Everyone’s surfing popup is slightly different, but for all intents and purposes, the popup technique is basically the same for everyone. At the beach, you can lay your surfboard down on the sand (dig the fins into the sand to avoid breaking them) and practice your popup before you head out for surf lessons in Pensacola, Florida. It’s helpful to avoid getting sand in your wax.
Easy steps to a popup:
Place your hands flat on the board at the bottom of your ribcage. Push your chest off the board with your pelvis and upper thighs still in contact with the board. Don’t do a pushup with your weight on your hands and toes. Without relying on your knees, bring your front foot forward under your body to approximately where your hands are. Your back foot will naturally follow—just check to make sure that your feet are parallel to your board’s stringer.
8 Awesome Surfing Tips For Newbies
1. Don't Learn by Yourself...
2. Pick a Good Teacher...
3. Use a Big Surfboard...
4. Get Yourself a Soft-Top...
5. Surf a Beginners Wave...
6. Spend Some Time on Dry Land First...
7. Pace Yourself...
8. Don't Get Tangled with the Big Dogs.
Basic Surf Safety
1. Have a Lesson: If you are starting surfing, take a lesson from a qualified school.
2. Be a Good Swimmer: Do not attempt surfing unless you can swim.
3. Always let somebody on land know where you have gone and when you will return.
4. Check the weather and tides before you paddle out.
5. Learn to observe the ocean so you can identify rips, wind changes, and other hazards.
6. Check Equipment: Make sure your equipment, especially your leash, is in good order.
7. Remember it is much easier to spot a brightly colored surfboard or wetsuit at sea.
8. Protect your Head: When you “wipe out,” always protect your head with your arms.
9. Help Others: Should you see a surfer in difficulty in the water, provide assistance.
10. Always be aware of other surfers around you; never let go of your surfboard.
11. Stay With Your Board: If you find yourself in difficulty, it is important to stay calm.
10 WindSurfing Tips For Beginners
1. Use a small sail.
2. Go out on a day, and in a location, where the wind is coming into shore...
3. Try to go on a day with medium but consistent wind...
4. It's really fun and harmless to fall...
5. Use your body weight more than your arm strength...
6. You can stay in neutral position for as long as you need.
7. Stay close to shore at first.
8. Make sure you can turn around and get back to shore.
9. When leaving, sail upwind.
10. Learn on a Long Board with a center dagger board.
10 Basic WindSurfing Safety Tips
1. Consider local weather and tidal forecasts.
2. Always advise someone of where you plan to sail and when you expect to return.
3. Wear clothing that suits the conditions.
4. Wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket (PFD) with a whistle attached.
5. In hot, sunny, humid conditions, drink plenty of water.
6. Check your equipment for signs of damage or fatigue.
7. Sail with a buddy.
8. Do not sail in offshore winds.
9. Cold can kill. The first time you shiver, return to shore and warm up.
10. Always stay with your board – never try to swim ashore.
WindSurfing Basics & Balance
Here is the simple version. First, you get the feel of the board in shallow water. Then we uphaul your sail so you get the feel of the sail in the wind, not powered up. Then we slowly power up your sail and get you cruising upwind slowly and with control. Then we show you how to flip your sail and board around to sail back to where we began.
The 4 types of balance explained below are a little more advanced than what you may experience your first few times out but are worth trying to understand. At the end of the day, windsurfing is as much about “feeling” as it is technical expertise.
1. Board balance: You need to keep the board flat at all times. If the board heels, you slide off. If you keep your feet on or near the center line of the board, your board will stay flat and perfectly balanced.
2. Rig balance: If your rig is balanced, it can't pull you into the water. The rig should support itself. The mast must be slightly over the center line. Because the mast is curved, the tip of the mast will be over the base. Keep it raked toward the wind. You can test the rig balance by letting your hands loose for a second; during this time, the rig should not fall to either the mast or the clew.
3. Body balance: If your body is balanced, you will keep the pulling to a minimum. Keep your butt in, shoulders back. Keep the knees bent at all times. Let your knees do the flexing in and out with the wind, not your bottom. Keep your weight on the back foot and the driving force on the front foot. This way, when the wind slacks, you are kept balancing on your back foot.
4. Power balance: This is the hardest balance to learn for beginners. It means that we have to balance ourselves against the wind. While powering up slowly, allow the power to dissipate through the mast foot to the board, pushing the board, thus reducing the power, allowing for more powering up. All the while, raking the balanced rig over the wind. A well-balanced rig can be left alone for a second or so while it floats on the wind. When the wind gets strong, it will provide enough power to let the sailor hang on the rig, helping to balance the rig against the wind.