Why choose a bodyboard holiday?
If you’ve ever tried it you’ll know how much fun it is already. If you’re new to the sport you’ll soon appreciate that the goals come quickly, you’ll be flying down a wave within 10 minutes of entering the water. Riding waves is ultimate fun and while it can take a lifetime to master, bodyboarding is one of the most addictive sports in the world, why not join us for the experience of a life time on one of our next bodyboard holidays & coaching trips.
Why travel?
“The world is a book and those who don’t travel are only reading one page”.
– St Augustine
We couldn’t have said it better ourselves! Travelling to great waves with cool people doesn’t get much better and is a sure way to improve your riding fast.
What we do…
After 15 years of travelling, working for surfing and bodyboarding magazines organizing photo shoots in international locations, managing and coaching international surf and bodyboarding teams at events around the world, competing on the world stage myself and travelling on voyages of discovery for new waves on hunches and snippets of information I decided to turn my passion in to a business.
We offer insured, qualified, experienced, instruction in waves suitable to each individual clients ability and preference. We tailor each experience to the individuals needs. We’ve been supplying dream bodyboard coaching trips since 2003. We have a crazy 70% customer return rate. We’ve drawn on travel experience, historical swell and climate data to choose locations that offer the best waves, least crowds, most incredible environments and cultures for a fun bodyboard holiday.
Our belief…
From epic wedges, dredging slabs, peeling beaches, heavy shories, firing river mouths, reeling points to hollow reefs, our trips have something for every bodyboarder. To travel is to enrich your existence, to open your mind to ways of life far removed from your own, to put your problems into perspective and make you appreciate the rest of the world outside of your little bubble. Among everything you experience when you travel; from the colourful cultures and traditions of distant lands to the flamboyant food and people, the one thing that really gets the heart pounding is the search for waves. All of our trip locations are less than 24 hours from you, so stop hiding behind your excuses and get involved. It only stays a dream if you let it.
Our belief is that the best bodyboarder in the water is the one having the most fun… whether it’s riding your first un broken wave, scoring your first tube ride or busting your first aerial our courses have something for everyone.
Our team is hand picked to reflect a passion for wave riding, travel and instruction with the highest priority been safety and fun.
Now meet our team.
Rob Barber – Bodyboarding Bio
I grew up in Newquay, Cornwall, and began bodyboarding as soon as I could swim. The last 30 years have seen me chasing swells, competition titles, magazine covers and dream waves all over the world. I’ve been chosen to represent England and Britain on many occasions and have been fortunate to travel right across the globe.
I’m a self taught bodyboarder who learned the hard way, through trial and error, by scouring through magazine articles and hounding my peers for tips. Consequently, over the years I’ve been able to create training plans that offer simple techniques to make bodyboarding easier. They minimise physical effort and maximise the use of the oceans power. I’ve found that this quickly increases a rider’s wave count, reduces the number of wasted waves and sky rockets the enjoyment of each session. And at the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about!
I love teaching people to bodyboard and sharing the buzz they get from their achievements. I launched the first bodyboarding school in Europe in 1997 and, as a result, me and my team have coached over 10,000 bodyboarders of all abilities and spent thousands of hours with complete novice bodyboarders, intermediate riders and coached top level shredders all over the world.
As well as owning Bodyboard School, Bodyboard Holidays and the Newquay Activity Centre, I manage the English Surf School (ESS) and consult on the Bodyboard-Depot. In short, with all our combined experience and knowledge you could call us a one stop entity when it comes to bodyboarding. So come along, meet us and get yourselves in the water; once addicted you’ll never look back unless, of course, you’re looking for a wave.
Rob Barber Bodyboarding Bio
Experience Bodyboarding since 1988
Qualifications Level 4 Surf GB/ Level 2 ISA coach and SLSA Surf Coach Lifeguard
Sponsors Core Bodyboards, The Bodyboard-Depot
Home Break Tolcarne Wedge, Newquay
Fave Breaks Uluwatu – Indonesia, Secret spot – Morocco and Tolcarne Wedge, England
Coaching
- Owner of the Newquay Activity Centre delivering surfing, bodyboarding and coasteering experiences to over 10,000 people per year
- Coached the British team at the World Surfing Games in Portugal 1998, Brazil 2000, South Africa 2002, Ecuador 2004, California 2006
- Coached the English team at the European Champs in France 2000
- Coached/managed the English Junior team in France 1999 and 2002
- Head coach of the English Surfing Federation surf school since 1998
- Director of Rob Barbers School of Bodyboarding since 97
Contests
- Ranked number two in British national ratings, year end 2014
- Ranked number three in British national ratings, year end 2013
- Eighth place at the European Championships in Ireland (2012)
- Senior British National Champion (2010, 2011 and 2014)
- British Bodyboard Club Championship Winner (2000)
- British Bodyboarding Cup Champion (1999)
- Virgin Cola Surf Tour Winner (1998)
- 22nd in World Champs at Pipeline in Hawaii (1995) Highest ranked European in World Professional ratings
- Winner of the ThreeSixty Bodyboarders Readers Opinion Poll of the UK’s best riders (1995, 1996 and 1997)
- Threesixty Series Winner (1994)
- Three times captain of Bodyboard-Depot team to win British bodyboard Club Tag team championships (undisputed champions!)
- Senior British Champion 2014
- Ranked number two in British national ratings, year end 2014
- Ranked number two in the British Masters ratings, year end 2014
Bodyboarding Credentials
- Developed my own line of Core Bodyboards specifically designed for the UK market
- Created The Bodyboard Manual which is an advice guide covering all things Bodyboarding (I’ve been the editor of all five editions and have loved every minute of writing advice about all aspects of the sport)
- Assistant Editor of the Bodyboard Travel Guide
Introduction:
I have been a teacher for nine years and a keen bodyboarder for nineteen. Coaching at Bodyboard-Holidays has given me the unique opportunity to combine the vocation I so thoroughly enjoy with my longstanding passion for the boogie. I look forward to meeting new faces, coaching and sharing the hidden gems of Portugal.
Experience:
I have been riding a bodyboard since 1996. In this time, my pursuit of heavy, hollow waves has seen me live in Southern France, Northern Spain, Australia, Italy and Portugal. I have also spent extended periods surfing and travelling in Indonesia, Ireland, Canary Islands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Hawaii and Sri Lanka.
Qualifications:
SLGB Beach Lifeguard
Home break:
Carcavelos, Portugal
Fave breaks:
Supertubos, Nazare, La Graviere, La Piste, Mundaka, D-bah, and a few secret wedges and slabs here in Portugal.
Coaching:
Recently qualified
Contests:
They’re not my cup of tea, but I was invited to participate in the Sintra Pro 2010, the Refresh DK challenge in Supertubos 2013, and the Portuguese Dropknee tour 2014/15.
Experience:
I graduated with my photography degree in 2010 and have since built up a wealth of experience within the medium. From surf and bodyboard photography to weddings my portfolio has become extremely eclectic. I have been photographing and filming bodyboarding for four years mainly in Newquay but have also been lucky enough to be taken on one of the bodyboard holidays to Morocco to capture its amazing waves and culture.
Qualifications:
ATRiuM School of Creative & Cultural Industries – University of Glamorgan – 2007 – 2010
Bachelor of Arts in Photography (2:1), University of Glamorgan.
Sponsor:
The Bodyboard-Depot
Home Break:
Fistral Beach, Cornwall
Fave Break:
Boilers, Morocco
Top Three Photography Moments So Far:
1. The winter 2014 storms in Cornwall. Mammoth swells and jaw dropping waves meant for some fantastic photo opportunities!
2. Traveling to New Zealand. The landscape and wildlife there is quite literally out of this world.
3. Glastonbury Festival. Photographing some of my favourite stars in their element was quite unforgettable.
To see more of Aarons work visit his website
Name:
Thom Berry aka Mr. Berry
Age:
21
Where do you live:
Leeds/Carcavelos
How long have you been taking photos:
2 years
Where is your favourite place to shoot and why:
So far I’d have to say Portugal for its variety of waves and locations, amazing colours and not to mention some of the best Bodyboarders in the world. I also love the NE of England due to its amazing contrast to Portugal, the winter is harsh and cold but it provides some incredible scenery.
What qualifications do you have:
Sound I, Restart Institute of Creativity Art and Technology 2012-13
BSc Music Technology (Graduating July 16), Leeds Beckett University 2013-16
What other things do you shoot:
I love capturing big wide landscapes, whether it’s in a city or in nature.
Why do you love shooting the bodyboarders on our trips and weekends:
What I love about shooting on our trips is seeing the stoke and how much people enjoy bodyboarding.
It is easy to get into and once you have that first drop everyone is hooked.
Most of all the thing I love is capturing the quick progression people have on these trips. It is often very noticeable the improvement people make, and you can see it day by day
