Boardmasters Q

[HerbertVonDoodlebug]

DS and his mates are going to Boardmasters next year (they’ll be 17). He’s sensible about drink/drugs etc so I’m not worried about that but I am having the vapours about unsupervised teens in the sea - he hasn’t really swum since primary school swimming lessons and never more than paddled in the sea - is going in the sea/surfing a big part of the festival?

Most wont be able to surf but they might bodyboard although it'll be busy!

Do they tend to go out with instructors or is it just a case of hiring a board and going in? Just trying to work out what the norm is, so I can pitch my level of parental safety briefing 🤣

Is he going for the week for the competitions or just the festival side of things? If he's going for the week, he'll be in the sea, but there are lifeguards. If he is going for the festival, I've been a number of times and the sea is outside the festival compound so generally not a risk unless he is camping off site and likely to throw himself in the sea on the way back from the festival, but you've said he is sensible so I doubt that's the case.

They’re going on the Wednesday so there for the whole thing I guess? Camping on site though. Am contemplating getting him a surf lesson before they go, so at least he’s had some kind of water safety briefing.

I totally understand, my daughter went with her boyfriend last year (at 18) and I was very nervous but it was more a beach location and they didnt actually go in the sea at all. (Just make sure he is aware of RNLI etc and the beach does have the best coastguards etc) so just make sure if they do want to go in they go in the flagged zones but they might not even bother tbh.