What's a Surf Camp in El Palmar like in Autumn and Winter

When summer ends, El Palmar changes quite a bit. The beach is still the same, but the pace slows down and the Atlantic starts to take on a much more prominent role.

That's why we concentrate our Surfcamp season in El Palmar between September and May. Not because we can guarantee specific conditions every weekend, but because during those months we have more opportunities to organize several days around surfing.

If you're thinking of coming for the first time, here's what you can expect from a Carving Surfcamp during that time of year.

The Surfcamp doesn't start when you get in the water

Before the group arrives, we've already been following the forecast for days: swell, period, wind, and tides. We also know the experience of the people coming so we can organize groups by level.

When you arrive on Friday or the first day of the camp, we explain what we expect to find in the sea and why we have chosen certain times.

The program is prepared, but we don't try to force the ocean to follow it. If conditions change, we can adjust the schedule to make the most of the day.

You don't need to know how to surf to come

Our Surfcamps bring together people who have never been on a board with others who are already able to catch waves on their own.

That's why we separate sessions according to each person's experience. Someone starting from scratch needs different work than someone who is already trying to gain autonomy or better understand what they are doing on the board.

If you already surf independently and are looking for much more specific training, then our Technification Surfcamp might make more sense.

Autumn and winter don't mean surfing in the cold all day

The weather changes a lot from one week to the next. There are winter days when you have to bundle up when you get out of the water and others when you can spend a good part of the day in the sun.

In the water, we use the appropriate wetsuit for the season and adapt the sessions to the real conditions.

More than selling winter as if it were summer, we like it for another reason: during these months, the trip can truly revolve around surfing.

A session continues when you get out of the water

During classes, we can record some waves and then use video analysis to relate what you felt to what actually happened.

We also use the surfskate when it helps us to repeat a position or a movement on land that we want to understand better.

The idea is not to fill the program with activities. It's to try to make sure that what happens in one session can serve you for the next.

And not all sessions have to be a class

When conditions are right, we try to get back in the water for a Free Surf.

Instructors and participants share the session, but this time without exercises or corrections. We look for an area that fits the group and simply surf.

After concentrating on learning during a class, it also makes sense to have a moment to stop analyzing and enjoy being in the water.

Between sessions is the Surfhouse

During the Surfcamp, the group stays in our Surfhouse in El Palmar, located about 900 meters from the beach.

Between sessions, there's time to rest, have breakfast, discuss what happened in the water, or simply spend time with the rest of the group. On Saturday, we also prepare the included barbecue for guests.

We don't try to fill every hour of the day. Surfing better also requires having time between one session and the next.

What if you come alone?

It's one of the most common situations.

Many people book a Surfcamp without knowing anyone before arriving. Sharing several surf sessions, the Surfhouse, breakfasts, and meals helps the group form quite quickly.

If this is one of the things that makes you hesitate, we have prepared a specific guide on what happens when you come alone to a Surfcamp.

Why from September to May?

Because it is the part of the year when we prefer to develop this format.

The behavior of the sea changes between autumn, winter, and spring, and not all months offer the same. If you want to better understand these differences, you can read our guide on the best time to surf in El Palmar.

You can also learn to interpret forecast data on your own in our guide to El Palmar Surf Forecast.

Choose the format that fits your days

We organize Weekend Surfcamps, Long Weekends and Holidays, Technification programs, and some special editions during the season.

If you want to see all the upcoming dates and choose based on the days you have available, you can check out our Surfcamps in El Palmar.

The date changes. The idea is the same: several days with enough time to surf, learn, and get back in the water wanting another session.