Open Ocean Surf Lessons & Camps

Open Ocean Surf Lessons & Camps offers private surfing classes, group surfing classes, and surf camps. The program holds classes with surf instructors who are available every day of the year, including holidays. Participants surf with instructors who state that water safety is their number-one priority and who have CPR and first aid certification.

• Ages: 5–18 years old
• Schedule: Hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week
• Price: Special rates for multiple lessons and large groups

Open Ocean Surf Lessons & Camps has been introducing new surfers to an ocean lifestyle since 1990 and is described as Half Moon Bay, California’s first surf school. The surf school has been owned and operated by the same local surf expert, Dave Alexander, from the beginning. Dave Alexander, the owner and a surf instructor, is a native of the San Francisco Bay Area and Half Moon Bay who was in the ocean before age 5, learned to surf by age 12, and has continued surfing since then. He is a graduate of the UC Santa Cruz School of Education and has had classroom experience from preschool through high school, including physical education and coaching at various schools and facilities in the Bay Area. The program states that once participants learn how to catch waves, surfing can be a fun and healthy way to enjoy the ocean for decades, and that surf camps let children develop a passion for a lifelong sport while they learn to enjoy and respect the ocean. Open Ocean Surf Lessons & Camps is licensed and insured and states that it is the first company in Half Moon Bay teaching surfing. The program notes that many students have made surfing a central part of their lives and return to share stories of adventures at the beach. Participants can rent wetsuits from Maverick's Surf Shop, Cowboy Surf Shop, or HMB Board Shop using the listed phone numbers.

Last updated March 18, 2026.