Xtreme Gap Year Blog

Xtreme Gap focuses on Sports and Adventure Travel. Weather our programmes are in Europe or in Africa and whether it is for 1 day or 12 weeks, all have a lot to offer. Next to wild life, diving and over landing trips we have now also a lot of gap year surfing programmes.

We have a lot of request in for gap year surfing programmes, so we have explored some nice places for you. But if you do not want to fly all the out to Australia or South Afica, we found the perfect spot for you. Just 2 to 4 hours from any destination in Europe you can fly to Faro in Portugal.

 The surf camp is in Carrapateira, is close to Sagres in the Algarve, Portugal. Here you find the most western point of Europe. In Carrapateira and surroundings there are many un-spoilt secluded beached that are great to learn or improve your surf. The surf camp in Portugal  is on the beach and they have their own camp side just 1 km away from the beach. We provide transportation.

During the Portugal gap year surfing programme you not only learn to surf you most likely will make friends for life, eat delicious (fish) barbeques and explore the many beaches in the area. Portugal also has great wines and Sagres beer, and most important of all a great social life.

All surfing camps on the gap year surfing programmes list of Xtreme Gap are open to all levels and all nationalities. So over your big breakfast I the morning you will be chatting to some girl or boy living on the other side of the world, and this could become a friend for life! Ho amazing is that. Also, do not be afraid of travelling alone, most of our customers do and with all our programmes people make friends easily.

The owners of Xtreme Gap know what it feels like to ride your first wave, we know how cool and proud it makes you feel, so if you have any questions, please contact us.

Two of the Xtreme Gap members had to go to Portugal to explore the beaches and check on our partner surf school in Carrapateira. I was one of the lucky explorers and since we are Xtreme we went by motorbike from Malaga in Spain to Carrapateira in Portugal. This is just above Sagres where you find the most western point of Europe.

I knew it was going to be a great trip. I had been to Portugal before…But is was much better than I expected!

It was just June but the weather was hot and the beaches not crowded at all! The surf school we work with is located on an amazing beach, just 1 km out of town and we have a great camp site where you can stay. The camping is within 1 km but there is tranport included too. After a day of surfing you can catch a ride back and join one of the delicious BBQ’s with the other surfers. Not bad!

Check here the Surfing Portugal video.

I had surfed before. Once I took lessons in Australia in Noosa and once I tried to stand on my board in Morocco. Both times with little succes. So I was determined to ride a wave this time.

We started at 10 and after a good warming up, very good briefing of a guy with the cutest accent, I was ready to go. And quess what…within 15 minutes I was surfing!!!

What was also great is that we had a break after 1,5 hours and we could chill at the beach club and on the beach, have a picknick and rest up before the afternoon session begun.

This was different. There was suddenly more current and the waves where higher. This was a challenge. My collegue did very well. I was only dreaming of my well deserved portuguese wine and grilled fish… But I did not give up.

After this afternoon training session we could stay out and practice some more, and we did. When I finally had a glass of wine I felt tipsy straight away. Surfing is fun, challenching and a great work out!

Debby

Read all about our new programme online: Learn to surf in Portugal

If you pass the course how easy is it to get work?  I understand I can only work for six months in Australia so do you have any contacts with schools in Europe for example (as I won’t need to a visa to work there)?

1) Depending on the time of year work as a surf Instructor in Australia is pretty easy to come by.  Of course this will all depend on your work ethic and quality as an Instructor, but during the summer months most of our staff as well as other surf school staff are worked off their feet.  Winter is a different story, but as an Academy graduate you will get preferential treatment in new positions opening up.  We do have some contacts in Europe and are trying to expand them, but it will mostly be up to the graduate to secure the job, we will happily point them in the right direction.  We currently have 2 graduates working in Jersey, and the South West of England.

Is the work heavily seasonal?  Would I need to travel north/south hemisphere to chase work?  Or are there places where there is demand for instructors all year round?

2) The work is Heavily Seasonal for most static surf schools as it will follow the tourist season in that particular area.  Some countries and schools have longer peak seasons, and all school will try to keep their most reliable staff on for as long as possible.  There are places like Australia, Hawaii, and Bali where there is demand all year round, but chasing the work is part of the trip.  If you wanted the closes career profession to a Surf Instructor take a look at how Ski Instructors chase the snow.

What kind of money can a novice instructor make?  I appreciate it won’t be a fortune but I don’t want to be living in poverty!

3) A novice instructor in Australia will be on $20.00 an hour.  During peak season they could easily work up to 40hours or more a week, so you could look at around $800.00 a week wage.  Also, many school also give commission for on selling more lessons, photos, merchandise, and or anything else that they sell.  A head coach will make up to $23-25 an hour.

Overall the life of a surf instructor is a lifestyle choice.  You will be on lower wages, but will be able to chase the sun and get jobs in various places around the world at various times.  To be honest, you probably wouldn’t want to raise a family or buy a house on an instructors wage, but for 2-3years your could live a rockstar life, and travel all around the world.  Most of our coaches supliment their wages with other jobs within the tourism community, and they all come to work with a big smile on their face and live pretty carefree lifestyles.

Its a great trip.

FOr further information about this or any other Australia Gap year programme please contact us.