BEGINNER'S DAY 2025

Hello everyone!

For all of the new surfers out there we're excited to have you join us!

Beginners day is an event we have every summer where we teach a surf lesson on the sand followed by the more experienced surfers in the group taking the beginners out in smaller groups to help push them into waves and offer instruction.

After surfing we'll meet up at Rock N' Brews nearby.
6300 S Pacific Coast Hwy, Torrance, CA 90277
They have their own small parking lot, though it sometimes fills up but there's a large city metered parking lot right up the street.

PLEASE READ THIS ENTIRE POST as it will make life a lot easier for you.

WHAT TO BRING: Surfboard, sunscreen, Wetsuit (optional), Towel, Water, sandals, Beach towel or chair to sit on, a jug of water to rinse yourself off after surfing.

START TIME: 9:15 AM

You should plan to park by 8:45 or so to give yourself time to put on wetsuit, sunscreen, etc. and get down to beach.

LOCATION: RAT Beach

There's a free public parking lot here:

https://goo.gl/maps/z6hKLkyy8VguYfYX7

FROM THE PARKING LOT THERE IS A PATH THAT GOES DOWN TO THE BEACH (SEE MAP IN PHOTOS FOR THIS EVENT). The path isn't that long (about 1/4 mile) but it's long enough that you won't want to walk back and forth to your car. I recommend bringing a backpack or tote bag to carry your belongings on your shoulders so that you have free hands to carry your board.

SCHEDULE:
9:15AM - check in, sign waiver form

WE WILL HAVE AN EZ-UP SETUP WITH A SANTA MONICA SURFERS BANNER HANGING ON IT. The beach is pretty small and secluded so we should be easy to find.

9:30AM - 11:00AM
LESSONS

Depending on the number of people we have, we may split the lessons into two groups.

11:00AM - 12:30pm
Free surf.

12:30pm - Head up the street Rock N' Brews Redondo to grab food and drinks and share post surf stories.

WHAT TO EXPECT
For all of the beginners (and anyone who would like a refresher course), we will start off in the morning with a beach instruction on surfing fundamentals and give you a chance to practice your pop ups on the sand.

After that you will be split into smaller groups to hit the waves with an experienced surfer to guide you.

The total lesson time will be around 1.5 hours, which includes half an hour on the sand and an hour or so in the water. The amount of time in the water is really up to you depending on how you're feeling, some people will surf the whole time, others might get out to take a break.

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All are welcome, so feel free to welcome any of your friends or family members who may be interested in trying out surfing. Besides getting instruction, as a new surfer it's always fun learning with a group of other new surfers who are the same level.

MONEY: This event and all our events are entirely free, we just have 10 dollar annual membership dues for our group. 100% of the money goes toward paying the meetup fees that meetup charges us to maintain the group. If the amount of dues we receive for a year exceeds the meetup fees amount, that extra will go toward activities and supplies for the group. Venmo or paypal is preferred, but you can bring cash as well if you want.

SURFBOARDS/WETSUITS: Surfboards/wetsuits will NOT be provided.

We unfortunately do not have enough wetsuits or boards for everyone to use, but there are rental places. The closest one is Dive N' Surf, but there are other places up and down the coast that might be more convenient depending on where you're coming from. If you want further guidance on this feel free to shoot me a message.

Please note that many surf shops do not open before 9am so it is advisable to pick up your gear the night before, many will only charge you for one day if you pick up the evening before. If you get cold easily a wetsuit is recommended, however many people do not use wetsuits during this time of year, especially if it's a hot day.

DISCLAIMER: Surfing is an inherently physical sport. While we enjoy sharing our knowledge of what we love, we are not professional teachers and assume no liability for any injuries that may occur. By attending beginner's day you release from liability any and all claims which may occur from participation in this activity.

Lastly, if you are not a beginner but want to help teach the beginners or have friends who just want to hang out at the beach but not surf, all are welcome!

And if you have ANY QUESTIONS at all, please message me I love hearing from you!

Also, here are some pictures from Beginner's Day last year
https://www.meetup.com/santamonicasurfers/photos/33526213/

-Kevin