Bo2642

Our family will be in Princeville from July 14 through 19 before going south to Poipu for 6 days. Lucky us. Anyway, my 2 grandsons, ages 7 & 9, are real water.babies, but they've never been on a surfboard. Any suggestions for surfing lessons in the Princeville/Hanalei area would be appreciated.

Froderick

titus kinimakas - one of the big wave riders, has a surf school that had some great people working with him. You may have to drive to the waves to catch a wave.
there are a few others in town too. sounds like a great plan!!!

nanabee

My brother knows Titus Kinimakas and used to work with him occasionally. He says he is a great guy, a pure Hawaiian, a wonderful surfer and waterman. He highly recommends him.

Bo2642

Thanks, both of you.

I found Titus' website (www.hawaiianschoolofsurfing.com), and all looks good. Rates: $65 for 90 minutes, and after the lesson, the boards can be kept for the rest of the day. All 5 star reviews on Yelp. I've just sent them an email regarding availability and times.

Once again, thanks.

ksucat

aloha Bo,
Have your 'water babies' ever been in the ocean?
I'm sure Titus is the man for surfing but learning to surf in Hawaii is such a different animal vs. sand bottom with no reef.
Just throwing that out there.
Will you be in O'ahu at all?
Love Kauai and I'm sure you'll be fine but I'm a seasoned surfer and lived at the beach my whole life and while I was in Kauai last year, there were 2 resuces of kids trying to surf.

Froderick

Excellent Bo. While I watched my niece and nephew learning to surf with the Titus gang and helped them from the shore to send gather their board and push them back out, off in the near distance was Titus with binoculars playing close attention to everyone involved. With you and the Titus group involved, I would think you need not worry as together you are practicing ocean safety.

for the above poster, were those children being actively supervised and taught to surf in a chosen safe environment due to that days surf conditions with numerous adults watching over them? I doubt it.

ksucat

no they weren't being supervised.
I truly believe that Titus will be the man since Hawaiian's have a true respect for the ocean and have the inner knowledge of the ocean like no other.
my big question has the grandkids ever been in the ocean.
2 different animals from pool swimming to ocean swimming.
just saying.
lived long enough in the islands to see too many accidents from our beloved mother ocean.
aloha

Bo2642

Hi, ksucat--
Thanks for your concern. Safety above all, and we're with you on that.
In the past, the boys have been snorkleing in Poipu, off the Napali coast during a day cruise there, and on one of the beaches on the north shore. Can't remember which one, but they were under the close supervision of their dad who in his teen years was a lifeguard (community pool, though; not at the beach). The boys' parents, my daughter and son-in-law, are training center CPR instructors with American Heart, and we were happy to learn that Titus' instructors are CPR certified.
You are right. The ocean is very different from a pool. And your words of caution are well taken. What we're looking for for the boys is good supervision with well trained instructors who have good old common sense. Titus seems to have excellent endorsements
Thanks for your input.
I haven't heard back from them yet regarding my inquiry as to their availability. I'll call if I don't get a reply to my email.
If there is no room in their schedule for the boys for the dates we're looking at, any other recommendations which would meet our needs would certainly be welcome.

Bo2642

I didn't get a reply to my email, so I called just now to reserve a spot for the boys. Nice surprise. The price is now $55 for 90 minutes instead of $65.

Froderick

you will likely be talking on the cellphone the day of your boys lessons. . . that's the way of running the waves.

Titus, be still my heart! LOL!!!!

Bo2642

Say what? Talking on the cell phone while the lessons are going on? The way of running the waves? Enlighten me. I'm just the grandma and am not up on all these things.

Bo2642

To follow up: We did go with Titus and were very pleased. The instructor/student ratio was less than 6 to 1. They were clear with their directives and very patient. Both boys and my daughter were able to stand and ride the board to shore (or whatever the term is) by the end of the lesson, and, as was advertised, the board was theirs to use for the rest of the day after the lesson. This was a nice plus since they had an early morning lessons.