Surf Lessons in HawaiiPeople who wouldn’t even consider getting their feet wet on the mainland often get the irresistible urge to take surfing lessons when they visit Hawaii. Imagine the task facing surf instructors there, given the tourist numbers and the fitness level of the general population today. Yet, they soldier on and send millions back to their homelands with some great memories and enough square-one knowledge to continue the sport if they work at it.Surf instruction is not a cottage industry in Hawaii -- it’s literally one of the mainstays of the local economy. The difficulty for the uninitiated lies in making the choice, not finding enough options. One good thing about Hawaii is that the state weeds them out for you to some degree: the Hawaii Department Of Land And Natural Resources has a licensing procedure for surf instructors and a certification process for surf schools. There are nearly 200 licensed individuals and schools on Oahu, alone. It’s not compulsory -- anybody can, and will, still walk up to you on the beach and call himself a surf instructor -- but at least you can start by making sure you’re dealing with someone who’s jumped through all the governmental hoops before you give him your credit card number. A few class institutions stand out from all the background noise about surf lessons in the islands: The Nancy Emerson School of Surfing (http://www.mauisurfclinics.com/ ) is Hawaii’s oldest surf school, founded in 1973. It’s the Harvard of surf education, seasoned professionals in a field clotted with new arrivals. They have taught thousands of beginners and promise to get you up in one lesson. The Hans Hedemann Surf School is a well-run Oahu school and was named Best Surf Lesson in the “Best Of Honolulu 2010” ratings. ( http://www.hhsurf.com/ ) The Hawaiian Fire Surf School ( http://www.hawaiianfire.com/ ) gets good ratings for a number of things. Some of their instructors actually are members of the Honolulu Fire Department and certified in water rescue, CPR, and so forth. They also transport students by van away from the gridlocked waves of Honolulu to learn at a secluded beach on the south side of the island. The waves are beginner-friendly and you’re less likely to get a fin cut from an out-of-control tourist on a rent-a-board. Some websites like TripAdvisor.com and Yelp.com publish user-contributed reviews of surf schools in Hawaii. These are worth taking a look at for comparison shopping.
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