The spirit
Have you share our enthusiasm, our passion, as well as our experience and our culture is important for us so that the learner can enjoy good conditions to discover and progressively master an environment that could look like being hostile, dangerous, fascinating, untouchable, such is our wish !
Strictly linked to the sea conditions, surfing is practices in a natural environment and learning how to surf cannot be achieved without the knowledge and understanding of the latter. Surfing means to glide or to let oneself be carried away by the energy of a wave and the He’enalu Surfing School (from the Hawaiian word “he’e”-the glide, and “nalu”- the wave) embodies the spirit of the practice. Thanks to our work that has been acknowledged by State diplomas, by our long –ended experience and mastery of the sea environment, we want to transmit the ethics, the values of the surf culture, but also our knowledge of the sea environment in order to bring the people to feel sensible to the necessity of protecting our “playground” (the sea, the beaches, the dunes). All this we mean to do with a guarantee to surf in totally safe and autonomous way.
Your instructor
Olivier spent eight years in Africa, then came and lives to France with his family in 1986, in the south of Finistère. Feeling himself Breton deep inside his heart and through his land of adoption, he loves this land and its people. He sailed for six years for competition in the Bay of La Forêt Fouesnant. Then he first started funboarding and finally surfing in the Bay of Audierne.
He trained as a jurist (Master in Business Law, then Licence Degree in Law and finally Master Degree in maritime activities at the Brest University), he went away for a “mini tour of the world” and spent several years around the world surfing on nearly every ocean (Ireland, England, France, Spain, Portugal, Madeira, Canaries Islands, Morocco, Mauritius, Island of the Reunion, Indonesia, Peru, Martinique and Guadeloupe, Mexico…). Back to Bretagne, he wanted his dream to come true and what was a hobby became his job. “I wish I could mix together my passion and my professional activity in a place where my roots lie while answering the present request for sliding sports. I am really fond of surfing since I first tried it and I would like to transmit my passion to people I teach. More than just teaching how to surf, I also want to teach them to learn about the ocean”.
“Free surfer” in spirit, he wanted to confront himself to stronger than he is, and he started longboard competitions at a local level first, then regional and finally national level when he was part of the Kangourou Surf Club. He won as number two longboard Champion of the Finistère in 2002, longboard Vice Champion of Bretagne in 2003 and 2004. He was sponsored by Juanito Surfboards, a craftsman shaper at the Méjou Roz in Plonéour-Lanvern, then Redsand, FCS, Gorilla, and Bodyglove.
The lessons
The lessons take place from the Easter holidays to Halloween holidays under the friendly eye of Olivier, your instructor. In order to enjoy the best conditions for the best quality of surfing, the lessons may take place all over the Bay of Audierne (Penhors, Tréguennec, Tronoen, La Torche and Porz Carn).
From the beginning of July to the end of August the lessons take place at the Kermabec beach at Tréguennec. These are two-hour lessons, with a maximum of eight persons per instructor. During the lessons we both speak French and English. Individual lessons may be available. Our instructors are experimented and qualified, holders of the state certificate of surfing, and the BNSSA.
The equipment
We lend you a large variety of surfs according to your physics and skills. Some school surf like longboards or mini-malibus, some evolutive boards and shortboards. As well as bodyboards and two tandems / stand up paddle… For you to feel comfortable, you will be equipped with sewn stuck Quiksilver 4/3 full isotherm wetsuits.