sun surf 77

Surf, sun and sand for the pefect SundayThe Simon Tucker Surf School at Rest Bay, Porthcawl, is offering £5 off a lesson tomorrow for anyone bringing a copy of this article along. Just ring the number below to book.

The two-and-a-half hour lesson starts at 2.30pm and normally costs £25.

For that, four times British surf champion Simon Tucker offers full tuition, and use of a wetsuit and board.

He promises that 99.8% of learners will stand up by the end of their first session.

It’s a great activity for families to do together and children love it as they often outshine mum and dad.

Children as young as eight can join the lesson but Simon will take younger learners if they can swim 50 metres.

Simon says learning to surf is great for children and it’s all done safely, in small groups with qualified instructors.

Since he finished competing Simon has become a professional British Surfing Association accredited instructor with lifesaving and first aid qualifications.

“If I do my job you should be standing and surfing after one lesson,” he says.

“Children like it because they do it so quickly. They are usually better than their parents.”

What better way to spend Sunday than lie on the beach, have a picnic and then polish it off by learning to surf?

Those too young to try the real thing can take body boards along instead. Younger children can have hours of fun being pushed along the foreshore on the breaking waves.

They don’t even need to be able to swim provided an adult is nearby and they’re only in ankle-deep water.

Rest Bay is also great for taking a net and hunting through the rock pools.

Hunt for crabs as you wade through the many shallow pools or build a sandcastle beside them for a quick ready-made moat.

To book a lesson at Simon Tucker’s Surfing Academy call 07815 289 761

Pack a picnic

Before you go pack a picnic. Forget soggy sarnies and try these ideas instead

Wraps:

Get the children to pick their own fillings and help roll them up (the trick to getting good roll-ups is the order you put the ingredients on the tortilla).

You’ll need:

Aluminum foil

Toothpicks

Large tortillas wraps

Thinly sliced meat or cheese

Whole lettuce leaves

Condiments of your choice

Method:

Lay the tortilla flat on foil

Put a light layer of your condiments on the tortilla

Lay the lettuce leaf down, then meat and then cheese

Roll up the wrap and secure with a toothpick

Cut in half for smaller child-size wraps

Frozen pudding:

Get a yoghurt of your choice, chopped soft fruit and your favourite cereal or muesli.

Layer ingredients as you like in plastic containers and freeze.

When you’re ready to go, grab the containers and by the time you’re ready to eat at the beach you’ll have a refreshing chilled dessert.

What more can a hungry surfer need?