Surf Awareness Courses
Surf Awareness Courses have been developed by Surf Educate Australia for Schools, Pre Schools, the Australian Community, Educational Travel Groups and Corporate Groups
Surf Awareness Programs;
Inhouse Surf Awareness Courses
Surf Awareness in house programs - teach Australian's how to survive in the ocean. Our in School Surf Education presentations are easy to follow and show surf survival in its simplest and easiest form
Surf Educate Australia provides the most comprehensive coastal science and up to date Surf Education information within school programs. This combines with hands on practical instruction on the beach, and in the surf.
a. Coastal geography & environment
b. Surf zones - dangerous and safe areas
c. Rips - identification and easy escape methods d. Waves - negotiating and returning to the beach safely
SEA is working alongside Doctor Rob Brander with our Surf Education presentations, who is the highest qualified Rip specialist known - using dye to identify rip movements. Together through powerpoint presentation, we have produced the simple messages for surf survival - right through to an insight on wave formation, coastal variation and rip movements for older students.
Presentations vary from 45 minutes to and hour and can be delivered to up to 100 students at a time
Surf Awareness beach and surf program
Level 1 Surf Awareness/Surf Skills - beach program
(Duration 3hrs)
Surf Educate Australia's Level 1 Surf Awareness Course encompasses four learning modules:
Still water AssessmentTheory (Powerpoint presentation at the school or in a Surf Lifesaving facility)Rips Identification and DemonstrationsPractical
Following is a breakdown of these modules:
Stillwater Assessment
The assessment will be conducted at a surf pool or still water beach nearest to the Surf Club venue used (This may not be an option at some venues). We feel it is important for our Water Safety Officers to assess your students swimming ability and to cater the program to suit.
These are the basic assessment tasks: FloatingTreading Water
Submerging (to ensure there is no underwater fears)Swimming Freestyle
Breastroke whilst slightly fatigued
Foam boards (paddling using correct posture and muscle groups)
If our Instructors feel the students require additional swimming lessons, the teachers will be advised to forward these concerns back to the parents.
*Please Note
All children are encouraged to learn surf awareness skills despite their swimming abilities.
Surf Educate Australia will cater the program to suite each child.
Theory
Surf Awareness Lesson
Dangers and Hazards including: sun, rocks, marine life, diving in shallow water, avoiding surfersSafe/unsafe swimming zonesTypes of waves and how to negotiate them
Rips
Rip identificationRip demonstrationRip escape methods:
Weak swimmer (demonstration)
Strong Swimmer (demonstration)
What not to do (demonstration)
Practical
Surf Skills
Wading and basic surf negotiation, learning how to run safely on the ocean floor and dive safely using the bottom to an advantageWaves (diving over/under waves and body surfing from standing position)Foam boards (catching broken waves)
LEVEL 2 SURF SKILLS
(Duration 3hrs)
Orientation as for Level 1.Divide the class into groups.
Note: Students will be in the water for most of the course duration. It is advised that they wear a rash shirt or a wet suit and take a towel and hat onto the beach with them. There will be time for a food break during the course.
ACTIVITIES
Section 1
Surf awareness revision and rip identification
The Instructors will run the group up the beach, identify each rip and complete an escape demonstration as per Level 1.
Section 2
Surf negotiation in deeper water and body surfing, (Diving under waves and pushing
off into a swim using the bottom, catching unbroken waves on a sand bank)
Surf Negotiation on a board (learning how to get through the surf from the beach, and then catch a broken wave
Section 3
Rip escape on foam boards using the sand bank to catch an unbroken wave (provided rips are safe the participants will float out on their boards assisted by the natural flow of the ocean. They are then shown how to return to the beach using the waves. SEA staff will float out with the groups ensuring their safety at all times)
Surf and Beach Relays (using remaining time)
SEA Surfing Survival Course
Note: This program is a participation only course, not a pass/fail examination. Completing this course will allow students to progress to surfing as a school sport.
SEA is also a provider of various aquatic qualifications, and Senior First Aid and CPR courses as a Registered Training Organisation under the Australian Qualification Framework (NTIS code 91295)
Program Length: (6hrs)
There are four sections which form this course:
Section 1 1hr (a) Still water skills evaluation
(b) Surf survival and self rescue skills
Section 2 1hr (a) Surf awareness lecture
(b) Rip Identification
Section 3 1.5hrs (a) Basic First Aid
Section 4 1.5hrs (a) Perform a basic rescue in moderate surf conditions
(b) Perform Basic surf manoeuvres in controlled conditions
Section 1 - This section will be conducted at a venue such as swimming pool, rock pool, or flat water beach, lake, etc. The flat water conditions will be used to introduce the students to the skills they need to transfer into the surf.
Section 2 - Students will be given a surf awareness talk on the conditions of the ocean, dangers they may come across and useful instruction on how to avoid becoming caught in a dangerous situation. Further to the talk a demonstration by our instructors on how to negotiate a rip will prove to the students how to remain calm in potentially dangerous situations.
Section 3 - The course will run over the basic first aid components that the students will be able to implement if ever needed.
Section 4 - The major session will be achieving the practical goals in the surf. The students at the completion of the program will be able to perform a basic rescue in the surf. They will also be more confident manoeuvring in the surf and performing the early skills associated with surfing.
PROGRAM COSTS (all inclusive of GST)
Note: All programs can be discounted outside of peak times for some groups - on application
3hr Level 1 - 4 surf awareness/surf skills program - $28.30
Sport programs (1hr - 1hr 30) - $13.20
Kayaking and waterworks - sport programs - $15.40
Customized programs will be charged at a rate of - $10 per hour
Surf awareness in school talk (not accompanying other programs) - $5.50
Surf survival course (6 hours over one or two days) - $49.50
VTAB - 1st Aid, CPR and aquatic qualifications - POA
Surfing - $15.40 per hour
Early learning centres, programs for children and parents - POA
Other SEA Excursions & Outdoor Activities
Surf lifesaving educational tours and surf club BBQ lunch, also visit the surf museum
Coastal walks learning about the coastal geography and the environment and viewing spectacular scenery
Surf Lifesaving events and beach games
Team building
Beach volleyball
Other information
Still Water programs
Venues
Sydney:
Manly Beach, Cronulla Beach,Dee Why Beach, Mona Vale Beach, Bondi Beach
Newcastle:
Merewether, nobbys, Swansea Belmont
NSW Central Coast:
Shelly Beach/Towoon bay, Umina, Macmasters
NSW Mid Nth Coast:
Forster Beach
Port Macquarie Region:
Flynns Beach, Lighthouse Beach, Bonnie Hills
Far North NSW:
Byron Bay,
NSW South Coast:
North Wollongong Beach, Shellharbour Beach
Queensland:
Maroochydore, Northcliffe