Moroccan Surf Camps — Anyone Been?

Next winter skiing is not likely to be an option for my son and I as he will have started his GCSE courses and I can’t afford to pay 2 to 3 times as much for a trip in the half term break.
So far I’ve found three companies offering surfing breaks in Morocco which seem to be run along similar lines to ski chalet holidays and DON’T hike their prices during school holidays.

Rapture Surf Camps
Surf Maroc
Dynamic Loisirs

Anyone have any experiences or feedback to share?
Would it be better to go autumn or winter?

I’ve been to Taghazout with Surf Maroc. Car & accommodation only, 4 of us stayed at Killer bay. Great location, staff helpful, cheap food, but we had no tuition so can’t comment of that. The impression I got is that the surf camps are for those mid 20’s & under, but I might be wrong. Easyjet, with boards, was surprisingly painless.
Nov to Feb is generally best as more offshore days – check Magicseaweed for the stats.

Totally misread the title there 🙂

Thanks Nick for the info.

Stayed with Surf Maroc a couple of times in the past. Pretty mixed groups of different ages. Nice place, good vibe – love Morocco. I also stayed with Moroccan surf adventures years ago – didn’t like the vibe and didn’t really find the owner very helpful (British guy from South Devon I think) – long time ago and the whole thing will have changed loads I’m sure. From waht I recall there are loads of surf camps out there now. Easy to find your own way around the place though, but it worked for me on a couple of occassions when I’d squeeze a quick week away from work and let someone sort all the logistics out 🙂

I stayed at Rapture (*few years ago now) but at the time I loved it – good staff, honesty fridge system, great food (little old lady in a 6×4 kitchen), varied itenary (markets, tourist spots and lots of surfing) – I wrote them a letter of commendation at the time – along the lines of thanks, enjoyed it and had a great time, food etc then went mtb next week with a ‘named’ company, spent 3 times much and although I liked the biking the food was second by a HUGE gap

Accom was dorm, common room, everything fine, only suggestion would be to try and pick a week where majority of guests are UK/speak English – the week I was there common language was English the week after German

I’ve been to Essaouira windsurfing 7 times over the last 12 years, helped set up a mates windsurfing holiday location which is rather cool I’d say. It’s changed somewhat from the early days when flights and transfers made it seem like you were in deepest bongo bongo land and yet now it’s a simple hours transfer so not a big deal. The people weren’t that friendly back then, bit annoyed at being taken for granted when invited to work for the fledgling holiday companies and to some extent they were right. But now it’s a different story, hotels and holidays pay decent wages and there’s a whole industry built up around making sure we enjoy ourselves,
As far as conditions and environment go its a windswept location, onshore, short 2 through 5 foot shore dumps at about 100/150 mtrs offshore so no real swell, just wind blown mush. It’s baking hot so a shortie is all you need, but beware of the sand it gets everywhere and it a bit of a pain. The sea is a funny mix of soft crumbling waves which are brown in colour with foamy creamy tops. The beaches are sandy/sharp rocks so can munch pansy feet and boards, but on the whole it’s not much different than some South coast shingle strewn locations.
I quite enjoy going, it’s far better than it once was, it’s lost none of its romantic atmosphere but it’s much busier now, which I don’t like TBh.

I’d say go, you will have fun and you will enjoy warm sea and mushy waves and chickpea salads 😀

Far from mushy waves down the coast a bit! I’ve only ever been nov / dec time but when the points are firing they are seriously powerful (and mobbed!). Anchors or Boilers at double overhead is not what I’d call mushy 😉

Never been that far down.. Is it really that good??? 8)