Cornwall you take our breath away ..

Who needs to holiday abroad with this on our doorstep?  Join us in Cornwall this summer and wake up to this vista every day .. we have weekends and 5 day courses to choose from ..  see you soon!

We've got that summertime feeling ..

Sit back and enjoy the ride!

Let me let you in to a secret. I am a terrible surfer. I mean, for the amount of time I have actually spent in the water, I am absolutely shocking. Trust me. My abilities have absolutely no bearing on the brave souls that have endeavoured to teach me over the years. I am currently chocking up nearly 9 years of having someone shouting across the waves “Hayley! Hayley! LOOK UP!” Stop looking at your board!”

Of all the pursuits I have tried over the years; snowboarding, kayaking, paddle boarding, climbing, the frickin flying trapeze for god’s sake, I have at least achieved an acceptable level of participation. But surfing, nah uh. 

You think I would be annoyed by this. But no. It does not matter. Not one jot. Not anymore. For me, the whole experience is far richer than a single moment of success.

Most of my time spent in the water has been in the company of women and I think this has made all the difference. The support, the camaraderie, the sisterhood (the clue is in the name people!) form a part of that experience. It’s bigger than just hoofing your gear to the beach and paddling out.

There is drive if you want it, don’t get me wrong. The environment that women seem to create amongst themselves, with each other, engenders a total feeling of support. It’s something older than we, it’s in our genes. Something that the dudes, despite their best intents, don’t really get, but every gal with her hair plastered to her face, scrubbed clean of make up is always rooting for you to stand, to catch, to paddle, whether you get there or not. Because she is you.

Stepping in to the water for me is the most amazing leveller. Everyone out there on their board, whether they be supermarket check out girl, Momma, teacher, doctor. You are one, and all in it together, especially as the next set rises up to meet you. And some will go, some will catch, some emerge triumphant, others (namely me) tumbling to the beach, sand in unspeakable places, but all with a smile on their faces.

Hayley (Surf Sistas Yogi)
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Kinda liking the idea of hair plastered to your face and sand everywhere you don't want it!?  Come and learn to surf with us this summer on one of our beginner weekends in  Cornwall or Wales  

Escaping the white water rut in 2014!

We have all been there, in a bit of a rut with our surfing, wondering if we will ever achieve that next goal, wether its catching a green wave, riding along the face, feeling confident in bigger surf, turning or just understanding the conditions better so that you can be in the right place at the right time..

If any of this sounds like you then its time to invest in the next level of your surfing progression.  Sign up for one of our summer Improver Weekends, there is no going back to basics (unless you need to), just a fun weekend with fellow surfers, setting achievable goals with your instructors to take you to that next level. Each session has a dedicated Surf Sistas videographer and we review the footage over the weekend with you.

Our improver weekends are spread throughout the summer in Wales and Cornwall, click here to find out more about weekends in Llangennith, and here for the Cornwall option.  Our Cornwall weekends include transportation from London if needed, our Surf Bus heads down on Friday evening after work and comes back Sunday afternoon.  If you want to come with a friend who hasn't surfed before then check out our beginner weekends for them, you can hang out together and just take separate lessons.

If you have a bit more time to spare then definitely check out our 5 day White to Green courses in July. These are already booking up fast so reserve your spot now if you are keen!

Summer 2014 Dates: 
Cornwall: 16-18 June | 4-6 July | 15-17 Aug | 19-21 Sept
Wales: 14/15 June | 19/20 July | 13/14 Sept 

What happens on surf trips stays on surf trips

What happens on surf trips stays on surf trip .. except when its captured on our camera!

Check out all the photos from our Surf Sistas and Big Friday (our co-ed brother company) trips over the past 10 years on our much loved Flickr gallery!  Its a great way to see what our trips are like .. be warned though you may not get out of there without wanting to go on holiday ..

We're in Coven Magazine!

We are super stoked to be featured in the latest Coven Magazine in the article 'A Bike, a Board and a Wave with Surf Sistas'.   Juliet, Coven's editor, joined us on our White to Green course in Cornwall in July with a brand new (to her) longboard that she had just that morning swapped out with Roxy longboarder Candice O'Donnell for a bike - love it! 

Coven always have beautiful covers, this one illustrated by Isabel Greenberg

You can check out Juliette's full story from her day on page 17 of the online edition of Coven and the mag is jam packed with other goodness including fitness, fashion, nutrition, track cycling, controlled failure, sport psychology, art, design and the great outdoors .. so get stuck in!    Thanks Coven .. we're looking forward to the next issue already!  

White to Green Course, Cornwall 2013

A little taster of last week's Cornish White to Green Course .. Thanks to Annie, Sadie, Sabine, Evie, Kirsten, Mette, Tor, Jo, Helen, Demi, Rach, Gwen and Kate for an amazing week!

White to Green with Gwen Spurlock

Thanks to Oakley Europe  we were able to welcome UK pro and Welsh champ Gwen Spurlock along to our latest White to Green Course in Cornwall in July. Gwen spent the week hanging out with us and sharing her invaluable surf experience.  In return we gave Gwen her first ever close encounter with a weaver fish .. sorry Gwen!  

To celebrate we thought we would blog some photos of  Gwen's time with us - an epic week of sun, waves, new friends and good times, we've also thrown in some feedback from our Summer 2012 White to Green graduates. 

If you are tempted to sign up for 2013, scroll down to find next years dates  - Gwen loved it so much she is coming back for more, this time as part of the coaching team, and we have two weeks to choose from, one in Wales and one in Cornwall .. yew! 

Its officially summer!

Don't get stuck in that white water rut

We have good news, 2 spaces have come up on our White to Green improver course in July..  Don't get stuck in that white water rut forever.. invest some time in your surfing with 5 days of intensive (and fun) coaching with our Surf Sistas coaches.

Dates:  23-27 July 2012
Location: Newquay, Cornwall, UK 
Price: £250 per person

Our lovely White to Green graduates in 2011

Its always summer somewhere ..

& it just happens to be our turn ..

Hello Summer we welcome you!

Surf Sistas Weekends in Cornwall 2012

The gorgeous Fistral beach which is our base for our Surf Sistas weekends in Cornwall during the summer.  Weekends available in June (22-24), July (20-22), August (3-5) and September (21-23).  These weekends are popular so don't delay .. book your space today info@bigfriday.com 

sunshine, swell, silent disco

After descending on Newquay once more, bringing sunshine and swell with them, the Surf Sistas pose for a photo at the top of South Fistral beach.  Not looking too worse for wear either considering the silent disco at the Beach Bar the night before!
Amy 
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what a day! 

Our next Surf Sistas weekend is 23-25 Sept .. click here for all the info 

Green faces, bottom turns, cream teas and road trips

Superb weather and perfect surf was perhaps the biggest WOW factor during the latest Surf Sistas Coaching Course in association with Oakley and Surfgirl magazine. That, and dancer Sarah’s bodypoppin skills!

The group was a wonderful mixture of ladies, all at different levels but who were clearly keen to work as a team to really progress with their surfing. 

The sun shone bright and small, manageable waves graced the Cornish shores allowing for the group to get out of the whitewash and spend most of their time out back and getting green waves.

The course is designed to take those ready to step things up, to the next level and the week featured plenty of water time, along with a Cornish road trip, surf specific yoga/pilates class, dawnie, sunset session and theory work too.

The SurfGirl Handbook provided the perfect accompaniment to experientially learning about paddling out, catching unbroken waves, beginning to bottom turn and trimming along the green.

With conditions really on their side the girls learnt about what makes a good wave, with wind, tide and swell playing important roles as well as maximising their potential through fitness, speed, positioning, timing and wave selection.

Of course surfing is extreme, and with this comes injuries, aching muscles and the odd hangover!

Much fun was had by all during the trip to Praa sands and Gwithian, and even though the waves were only knee high on the South coast a Cornish feast of scones, jam and clotted cream on the scorching beach was well earned!

By the end of the week the girls were feeling sunkissed, surfed out and rather sad to say goodbye to their new surfing family.  What’s great is everyone planning their own surfing road trip reunion already,  proving that it really is just about getting out there, sharing the fun and waves together. This is what makes being a Surf Sista such a great lifestyle!

Natalie

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real life actual Surf Sisters Íde & Aoife 

post surf cream tea scrum

the girls just happened to be relaxing in Yoga positions on the cliff

lovely Demi and her surf mobile .. where's Monty?

a positively tropical looking Newquay

Nat using the Surfgirl Handbook

some pretty standard pre surf stretches 

Some not so standard but much more fun pre-surf exercises

twins?

Surf Sistas are headed out back 

Sarah finds a mini green face 

 Click here for more photos from the week 

June sunshine and corduroy lines