Overnight Surf Camps - Teen Wrightsville Beach, NC

This seven day overnight surf camp at Wrightsville Beach takes place on the pristine beaches of southeastern North Carolina. Come to the camp where it all began and thousands of teens have found their stoke of surfing. It’s amazing how proper surfing instruction from our world class coaches will accelerate your learning curve and eliminate the frustration most beginners face. Our certified team is experienced, knowledgeable, friendly and will guide you through our safe, effective progression. We know the importance of building a strong foundation and take the time to introduce all the fundamentals of surfing, board design, ocean dynamics, and wave prediction. WB Surf Camp is about focus, fun, and full immersion in this incredible sport. Joins teens from all over the world for an adventure you will never forget!

The Wrightsville Beach/Wilmington area, known as the “Cape Fear Coast,” is considered the Hollywood of the East; Its location draws shows such as One Tree Hill and Eastbound and Down, as well as countless blockbuster films including this summer’s Ironman 3. For you wahines, we were rated by SG Girl magazine as one of the top ten places in the world to travel alone for an unforgettable overnight surf camp adventure. With average summertime water temps in the low 80s, wetsuits are not needed and our calm, summertime waves are perfect for beginner surfers. Money magazine has named the southern end of the North Carolina Coast one of the top 12 vacation spots in North America.

Our overnight teen summer camps are exciting, fun filled weeks of surfing, improving your skills, and exploring different coastal ecosystems on the East Coast. Come surf several different islands while having the time of your life! Stay in air-conditioned cabins at Wilmington’s premier KOA Campground, conveniently located between both of our main surfing breaks and less than one mile from our headquarters. While we cater to the absolute beginner, intermediates receive advanced coaching by our staff of professional instructors who will take you to the next level. You can search high and low, but you will find that we run the highest quality, most professional teen surf camp on the planet! Bring your friends, or come by yourself and see why Surfer Magazine rated Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina one of America's top 10 surfing towns.

Activities include:

• Extensive daily surfing instruction at perfect warm water east coast beginner beach breaks
• Guided interactive tour of the North Carolina Aquarium
• Tour of the new 10,000 square foot Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Hospital
• Salt Marsh exploration: fishing, seine netting, crabbing, clamming, and species ID
• Surfboard Factory and Shop Tour
• Interactive daily seminars topics such as wave dynamics, swell prediction, board design
• Surf movies, foosball, volleyball, beach bocce ball, frisbee, and other fun beach games
• Earn 5 hours of community service

Below tuition includes lodging in air-conditioned cabins, all meals, 24-hour same gender adult supervision, shuttle to and from the Wilmington International Airport (ILM), equipment, professional surfing instruction (3:1 student to instructor ratio), 5 hours of community service credit, daily transportation, Surf Camp t-shirt, activity fees, Sea Turtle Hospital donation, Surf Camp’s Pre-Surf Stretching Guide, Surfing Etiquette Guide, Sea Turtle/Coastal Conservation Guide, surftificate of achievement, and 8" x 12" group photo. To secure your spot now, please select from the available date(s) listed below. Enrollment limited to 18 students per session.

2013 Wrightsville Beach Overnight Surf Camp Dates:

Itinerary

DAY 1-2: CAMP KICK OFF AND INTRO TO SURFING
Camp starts off with orientation, team-building games, and visits to the main breaks we’ll be surfing during camp. The next day, our surf instruction officially starts. After covering all the important aspects of ocean safety, it’s on to catching our first waves! With a set of friends surrounding us and a long session on Topsail Island, we’ll begin to get a feel for the waves beneath our feet. You are beyond stoked!

DAY 3: SURF INSTRUCTION AND SALT MARSH EXPLORATION
Surfing is the leading activity every day, and now we’ll start earning community service hours through beach cleanups. After a morning spent soaking up the sun and waves in the water, we’ll transition to the back side of our barrier island paradise. Here we’ll explore the different inhabitants by crabbing and clamming in the salt marsh, while learning the important role this habitat plays in protecting the entire coastal community.

DAY 4: TOUR SEA TURTLE HOSPITAL AND SURF SESSIONS
Our beautiful morning surf session will be followed with a special tour of the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Hospital. This brand new facility is the newest temporary home for sick and injured sea turtles found along North Carolina’s coast. The TLC from these dedicated volunteers results in many of these animals’ return to the ocean. Topsail is also the perfect place to surf because there are fewer crowds and consistently clean wave conditions. You will catch wave after wave, only taking a break to reapply the sunscreen and refuel with some tasty chow!

DAY 5: SURF INSTRUCTION, SURFBOARD FACTORY TOUR, LUAU
After several surf sessions, you’ve mastered the art of popping up. Now you’re working on turning and heading down the line. The surf bug has bit! Now you’ll be wanting a board of your own, so we’ll learn how surfboards are designed and built at the SOD Surfboard Factory. The grand finale to the week is an awesome luau with food, games, limbo & hula contests, prize giveaways, and more!

DAY 6: NC AQUARIUM AND SURFING CONTEST - EVERYONE'S A WINNER!  
Another day of catching long rides while newfound friends cheer you on - it doesn’t get any better than this! Your instructors will conduct a mock surf contest giving everyone the opportunity to showcase their new skills. You’ll be hooting and hollering for all your fellow campers as they catch their final waves. We’ll finish this action-packed day with a visit to the North Carolina Aquarium, where we’ll explore the many exhibits and learn about the animals found along our coastline.

DAY 7: CLOSING CEREMONY AND GOODBYES…UNTIL NEXT SUMMER! 
It’s hard to believe that a week has gone by so quickly! You'll try to talk your parents into letting you stay another week or where your next WB Surf Camp adventure will be. Whatever destination you choose, you know it will be magical!

Pictures

Accommodations

During camp, your home away from home will be Wilmington’s premier KOA Campground. Located just minutes from several of our favorite surf breaks and less than a mile from our WB Surf Camp Headquarters, the KOA is nestled in the woods among the longleaf pines, providing the perfect retreat for our campers after a fun day of surfing and ocean exploration. The KOA offers us many terrific amenities, including an outdoor pavilion, swimming pool, and our own bonfire pit - perfect for cooking up tasty s'mores.

We'll be staying in cozy, air-conditioned cabins, each with their own relaxing porch. Each camper has their own bed, and cabins are gender-specific with counselors rooming in adjacent cabins. Linens are not provided; each camper will need to bring a pillow, set of twin sheets, and either a sleeping bag or blanket.

The KOA is the perfect location as it is centrally located in Wilmington. It sits right at the heart of all of our activities and is an incredible launching pad for everything we do during Teen Overnight Camp from surfing and exploring to hitting our favorite restaurants each night.

Reviews

Kathy, Charlotte, NC – “It was the first overnight camp for my 11 year old son. The staff with WB Surf Camp answered all of my questions and made me very comfortable. They even called two days before camp started! Their friendliness at check-in exceeded my expectations. I was really happy to have an insider view into camp with posts on Facebook. The counselors were equally kind and friendly on pick up day. Totally a fantastic experience, from initial contact to picking my son up. See you next summer!”

Sawyer, Raleigh, NC - “Attending WB Surf Camp was an amazing experience for me. I was very glad I chose WB Surf Camp to be my first overnight camp without anyone I knew. And the level of comfort was great; the instructors were so nice and tried super hard to keep everyone happy and comfortable. Honestly, there is not much more to say than THE CAMP WAS AWESOME! Thank you so much for the wonderful experience.”

Audra, Covington, LA – “WB Surf Camp is honestly the best camp ever. I loved meeting new friends and improving my surfing abilities! Everyone was like a big family. We all got so close. All of the instructors were super helpful and friendly! They made me feel right at home the day that I walked in. They make learning about coastal protection fun! I can't wait to go to WB Surf Camp again next year!”

Rob, Franklin, MA – “WB Surf Camp was the best experience of my life! I feel like I really improved my surfing ability and I met awesome people! The counselors Steve, Hunter, Marissa, Colby, and Sarah were all really cool and knew a ton about surfing. The eco activities were fun and I really learned a lot! We even went bowling on the last night of camp. It was a great feeling being away from home and just going to the beach to surf every day, and I'd do it again. By the end of the week, everyone was really close, and nobody wanted to leave!”

Lianne, Woodbury, NY - “After having a bad experience my first time trying to surf in New York, I decided I'd give the sport a second try. Going to a WB Surf Camp was something completely different from my normal summers and it was truly an incredible experience. Learning to surf was not the only memorable thing but I also made so many friends within such a short amount of time that I will keep forever, and had awesome counselors who truly enjoyed being with us! I will always remember and cherish Surf Camp and I will definitely continue surfing and loving all that the ocean has to offer.”

Eleanor, Chapel Hill, NC – “WB Surf Camp was awesome, I've surfed before but at Surf Camp you get really good practice and become more capable of standing up, being comfortable with the ocean, paddling out easily, and catching waves by yourself. I had tons of fun and would definitely love to come back next year.”

Alyssa, Fredericksburg, VA - “Wow, your camp is amazing, one of the best weeks of my life! You have really put together a masterpiece. Your camp contains every element of summer, flexibility, sun, surf, great friends, relaxed atmosphere, and exciting activities all rolled into one great week.”

Grace, Arlington, VA - “WB Surf Camp was an amazing experience. Every day from eating at wag to surfing to cleaning the beach to playing “nuke-‘em” before bed it was all fun!”

Patrick, Schenectady, NY – “This camp is amazing. The instructors are all amazing and they make you feel comfortable. You make new friends and surfing with them is a lot of fun. This is an experience that I will remember for the rest of my life.”

Celeste Reeves, Charlotte, NC – “Surf Camp was an amazing experience and like none other. I had such a fun time there that when I got back home, I was sad that I wasn’t surfing. I will definitely be doing another surf camp next year and can’t wait for the new adventures that await me.”

Simon, Denmark - “In the summers before WB Surf Camp I went to language schools in England, to improve my English. This year I wanted to try something different and I had always wanted to learn to surf. Not only did I have an amazing time with great instructors, meeting a lot of new friends, and being introduced to surfing but I actually learned much more English in Surf Camp than in the language schools I’ve been to previously.”

FAQ

If I have never surfed before, is this camp for me?
About 90% of our students have never surfed before, let alone held a surfboard. Our program’s dynamic curriculum is tailored for beginners. The only prerequisites are that you’re ready to have the time of your life and are able to swim.

Where will I be surfing?
We have a choice of three barrier islands 30 minutes or less from the KOA Campground. We surf a wide variety of locations, and we choose the beach with the best conditions for all of our participants.

Will there be pictures of me surfing that I can purchase?
We will have a photographer taking high quality, high resolution photos throughout the week. You have the option of purchasing a photo DVD with all photos from your week. Please refer to your registration materials for details about this option.

What are the ages of your overnight campers?
Ages range from 11 to 17 and vary by session. Please check the online schedule for which weeks are dedicated to which ages.

What kind of non-surfing activities will we be participating in?

• Guided interactive tour of the North Carolina Aquarium
• Tour of the brand new 10,000 square foot Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Hospital
• Salt Marsh exploration: fishing, seine netting, crabbing, clamming and species ID
• Interactive, daily seminars about topics such as wave dynamics, swell prediction, and environmental awareness
• Community service
• Volleyball and other beach games
• Hawaiian luau with food, hula & limbo contests, prizes, music, and lots more!

How old are the campers I will be rooming with?
Roommates are grouped together by age in order to enhance the overall level of comfort.

What are the cabins like at the KOA?
We'll be staying in cozy, air-conditioned cabins, each with their own relaxing porch. Each camper has their own bed, and cabins are gender-specific with counselors rooming in adjacent cabins. Linens are not provided; each camper will need to bring a pillow, set of twin sheets, and either a sleeping bag or blanket.

Where is the KOA Campground?
The campground is conveniently located less than 1 mile from WB Surf Camp Headquarters and just minutes from our favorite surf breaks. It is also centrally located to all of the restaurants we’ll be dining at for evening meals.

How much spending money should I bring?
We recommend campers bring $75 to $100 per week of camp. This is for snacks, souvenirs or gifts you wish to purchase while at camp.

Do you have insurance?
We carry a comprehensive insurance package, including general liability.

For other general camp FAQs, please click here.