The Green Wave Raglan Surf Blog!

Surfing With Smiles

Here at Green Wave we’re constantly reminded how the ocean can impact people’s lives in a positive way. That’s why we love highlighting individuals and organizations who are using surfing as a vehicle to enrich the lives of others.

Our Friends at Cinnamon Rainbows Surf Co. in Hampton, New Hampshire partnered with a non-profit organization, Surfing With Smiles, to give individuals with special needs the chance to learn how to surf. In a few short years, Surfing With Smiles events have grown from 15 people to over 200 surfers and volunteers.

Dean Goes Surfing from Voyager on Vimeo.

Whether we admit it or not, surfing is an inherently selfish endeavor. Although our shared passion often results in incredible friendships and adventures, we often become so invested in the act of riding waves that we forget why we started surfing in the first place. Our focus quickly shifts to my wave, my ride, my experience.

For the students and volunteers involved with Surfing with Smiles, however, riding waves takes on an entirely different meaning. In this short video, longtime SWS all-star, Dean, explains why surfing and the seacoast community is so close to his heart. Enjoy!

Raglan From Above

Ever wondered what Raglan looks like from a birds-eye view? Thanks to our former guest/surf student Matthew Laraway, you can check out all the beauty of our favorite surf town from above. Although we eat, breath and sleep surfing here at Greenwave, we always love learning about our students’ passions and hobbies outside the surf.

Matthew is a talented photographer/filmmaker/drone pilot from the UK. While staying at Greenwave, he was gracious enough to take his drone down to the beach to capture a few of our surf lessons at Ngarunui beach. In this short video, you’ll also see unique perspectives of Raglan’s world-class point breaks, as well as some beautiful shots of the East Coast. Enjoy!

Looking for more? Come experience surfing in Raglan first-hand with the Greenwave crew! We run surf lessons daily at Ngarunui Beach. Contact us for booking info!

You can check out more of Matthew’s work here. Video courtesy of Laramedia

School Groups x Greenwave: Students Take to the Surf

Some of life’s most memorable educational experiences happen outside the classroom. Here at Green Wave, we can’t imagine a better study break than a day of surfing in Raglan! Over the past few years, school groups from around New Zealand have swapped their books for surfboards to enjoy the waves at Ngarunui Beach.

One of the best school groups we had were New Plymouth Girls - they had a blast!
Students from New Plymouth Girls School share a wave.

When it comes to learning about the ocean, first-hand experience is invaluable. That’s why we make ocean and beach safety a priority in each lesson. Before entering the water, our experienced instructors go over topics like tides, rips, and swell conditions.

Our hope is that students leave the beach more confident and more informed about the ever-changing ocean.

We love teaching school groups about ocean safety at Ngarunui Beach!
The more students know about the ocean, the more confident they will be. Here, instructor Ryan talks rips.

The goal of every Green Wave surf lesson is to enjoy surfing in a fun, safe environment. We encourage students to laugh, wipeout, and catch heaps of waves. The key to success is keeping a positive attitude. Our friendly instructors will be in the water to offer advice and help students develop their skills.

Of course, it’s not just the students who get to have all the fun. Any teachers who are keen to give surfing a go are welcome to join us for some waves!

How To Book A Great Surf Experience For School Groups

Raglan Holiday Park offers ideal accommodation for multi-day lessons.
Raglan Holiday Park offers ideal overnight accommodation for any size school group.

Booking your surf experience with us is no trouble at all!

Green Wave offers both single and multi-day packages for school groups. Coming from far away? No problem!

Our friends at Raglan Holiday Park are located right down the road from Ngaranui beach and offer specialty accommodation for large groups. Raglan Holiday Park’s “Papahua House” group facility can sleep up to 56 people.

Have questions? Ready to book? Contact us HERE.

We look forward to sharing some waves with you!

Ringing in the New Year in Raglan

Is there any place better than Raglan to spend New Year’s Eve? I really don’t think there is. Many of the travelers that stay with us are from the northern hemisphere. This is another holiday that for them, is usually experienced in winter! A summer New Year’s Eve is a new and fun experience.

You know what goes right along with ‘summer’, and ‘holiday’? Surfing. Surfing goes along just perfect. The waves were small on New Year’s Eve, but they were perfect for a small-wave foamie bash. The lesson went out bright and early at 10 am.

New Year's Eve
Beachgoers were out in droves on New Year’s Eve!

It was such a beautiful morning! There was low wind, and lots of sunshine. The beach was packed with families enjoying their holiday in the sun. The weather was supposed to get cloudier as the day went on, and I think people knew to get out there early for a daily dose of sunshine.

Everyone did their own thing in the afternoon. Some went to the beach, some went into town, and some took much-deserved naps. But everyone was excited when the festivities began around 5 pm with the arrival of the classic Green Wave Cheese Board. We didn’t do anything over the top for New Year’s Eve – just a traditional spread. Also, Stefan decided to pose for this picture like a statue. Or a robot? Either way, I bet you can probably guess which one is Stefan.

New Year's Eve
I would literally die for a bowl of that spicy relish.

Dinner was delicious. Julia, our resident Polish Chef (a.k.a. Head Chef Jules), cooked up a roast with julienned carrots and creamy mashed potatoes. The gourmet gravy dribbled over the top of the roast lamb was mouth-watering. I don’t think there was a single plate left unfinished.

I mean, that’s the way it should be, right?!

New Year's Eve
The food was so distracting we couldn’t even arrange a proper photo.

After dinner it was time for drinks and games. A few people had toyed with the idea of going out, but the covers at the bar were a bit pricey. And everyone knows that Green Wave can throw a proper party to compete with those bars anyway. A few friends of the hostel popped by to say hello, and some stayed for a couple of drinks.

Once the playing cards and Jenga blocks made their way to the table, the party found another gear. It was all laughs, cheers, and jokes at the game table. Beer and wine flowed freely and the clock slowly ticked closer and closer to 2018.

Just before midnight, everybody got ready and then walked towards town for the fireworks display in the harbor. People flooded the street, all trying to get a good view. It was fun to see the whole town in such good spirits – the celebratory mood was infectious. Consequently, the Green Wave guests were having a blast. Experiencing a holiday like this in Raglan gives you a look at our little community from another angle. The unique feel of Raglan almost always ensnares travelers into staying a little bit longer than they expected.

You could hear the countdown from across the water as everyone shouted while the final seconds of the old year waned.

Happy New Year!

All of a sudden, it was 2018! From that moment, we had a full 365 days to look forward to surfing with old friends and new. Is there anything in the world better than that? Another year, another chance to make it your best year ever.

We’re glad we got to spend the arrival of the new year here in Raglan, because there’s nothing better than celebrating with friends and family.

Merry Christmas! Welcome to the Green Wave Family!

Merry Christmas from the Green Wave Raglan Family! It’s our first post, and we’re excited to give you an inside look of life inside the Surf House!

Many of the travelers staying at the Green Wave House were celebrating their first Christmas away from home. We can’t be their home for them, especially for a holiday like Christmas. But what we can do is give them an atmosphere worth remembering. We aspire to be the type of community that makes people feel comfortable. So while we can’t literally be their home, we can make our guests feel like they belong while they are here.

The energy that we put into the house and the atmosphere is returned 10-fold by the enthusiasm of our guests. Each person adds their personality to the mixture, and it keeps the house fun. If you had to describe the atmosphere of Green Wave in one word – it would be magnetic. People hate to leave, and love to come back. And it’s all thanks to our wonderful guests for making it that way!

We celebrated a wonderful Christmas holiday together as a community. We had a house full of awesome guests, a couple family members, and some friends from Raglan join us for dinner.

Merry Christmas from Green Wave Raglan Surf School!
Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

Our wonderful chefs Bing and Julia prepared a roast ham with some carrots and potatoes, and Paul grilled up some chicken drumsticks and corn on the cob. It’s fun to have such a diverse crowd for dinner – we had so many countries represented!

Merry Christmas from Germany, USA, UK, Finland, Holland, Poland, Canada, and Switzerland!

Bubbly wine and beer was shared by the lively crowd, and everyone ate until their belly was about to burst. That’s the best way to do it after a long day’s surf! The Christmas surf we went for at 10:30 that morning had left everyone hungry, but this big holiday dinner quickly remedied that.

After all the food was finished and the dishes washed clean, the remaining guests came and chilled in the lounge and we watched a Christmas classic together on the TV – National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.

It wasn’t the same as being back home with family for Christmas, but it was certainly unique. Everyone present had a blast, and surely they’ll remember that time they were traveling for Christmas – when they stopped in and made friends and memories at the Green Wave house.

P.S. – Special Shoutout to our retired Staff All-Star Lisa who came back to celebrate with us. And also shoutout to our good friend Bethany from The Space Raglan, the best yoga studio in town!