SURF RANCH STICKER SHOCK

And the Reason we do These Trips

Hi, this is Gil, one of the owners of Summertime Surf and the quarterback behind our trips to Kelly Slater’s Wave Pools. When you receive an email with a price tag that’s 20 times higher than our usual offerings, I understand it might be off-putting, frustrating, or potentially even offensive. I’d like to address the price with some more context, and share some of my motivations for organizing these unique experiences.

HOW WE GOT HERE

It’s a long story, but through another business and a lot of hustle, I got the opportunity to host a trip to the Surf Ranch. We put it out to our network, and pulled it off. After that, from word of mouth and (a lot) more hustle, I’ve kept the momentum going with multiple trips.  Now, as dates pop up, we have the amazing opportunity to extend this opportunity to our network, and customize the experience in our own unique way.

“I COULD GO ON A SURF TRIP FOR A WEEK FOR THAT KIND OF MONEY!”

Believe me, we get it. We encourage you to do both if you can, but we know that’s not feasible for most people. It’s been challenging for us to balance the opportunity to offer and facilitate dreamy experiences at The Surf Ranch, while recognizing that the price tag is about 20 times what we charge for our regular programming in New Jersey, and simply not an option for most. 

NEW TECHNOLOGY IS EXPENSIVE 

The Tesla Roadster was nearly $300,000 when it launched in 2006, with hardly any charging stations in the U.S. The clientele was almost exclusively A-List celebrities and venture capitalists. Over time, as early adopters funded the development of the market, there were more options, and prices dropped significantly. In 2012, The Model S was ~$100,000.   Today, you can get a Tesla Model 3 for under $30,000, approximately 1/10th of the original Roadster cost. 

The same principle applies to wave pools. Early adopters pay a steep premium, and their spending helps bring prices down for everyone. Most people forget this, but the first time the public could “buy time” to surf Kelly’s Wave – it was $10,000 for one hour in the pool. Now, ~$10,000 for a full day and half, with multiple hours in the pool (plus 5 star Food and beverage and accommodations) is actually a bargain in comparison to that, despite still being ultra-premium. 

On our end, it feels like we’re Surf Taco or Jersey Mikes, but suddenly offering a 5-Star Michelin tasting menu after nearly 20 years in business. We understand that the sticker price is shocking for most people.

KELLY’S WAVE IS SPECIAL

While the price is exclusionary for most, and the ocean is not part of the equation, it is still consistent with our mission. 

Our mission statement is to “provide the ultimate environment for teaching and learning the practices and values of the surf and ocean lifestyle.” The Surf Ranch is one of those rare places where the experience is even better than it looks.  It offers an unmatched opportunity to advance surfing skills faster than any other wave in the world, including other wave pool technologies.  It truly embodies “the ultimate environment” in a way you can’t fully appreciate until you go.  

So while we understand that it is exclusionary for most, it is still consistent with our mission, and the more we do it, the more we are able to work through the challenge of making this experience more accessible. That’s a process that takes time, and isn’t easy to scale.

“HOW ABOUT A PACKAGE FOR NORMAL PEOPLE?”

We’re working on it…

For nearly 20 years, Summertime Surf has focused on offering family-friendly experiences at fair and reasonable prices. We’ve also provided thousands of scholarships for kids’ camps and lessons. However, we don’t currently have the capacity to do the same for our Kelly Slater Wave Co venue experiences.

That said, every time we manage to pull off one of these luxury trips, it’s a miniature miracle that builds momentum towards creating opportunities for those who wouldn’t otherwise afford it. We’ve been able to “scholarship” a couple of our staff members—individuals who have been with us for years– keeping participants safe and stoked, and serving as role models.  It’s hard for me to think of someone more worthy of a “golden ticket” than those that have helped others in surfing so much.  This is a significant part of my motivation for organizing these trips, and I hope to expand this effort – potentially even beyond our staff in the future.  Everyone that is able to book a trip is helping this happen more and more. 

I empathize with the frustration that comes with seeing such a magical experience seem unattainable—it took me over eight years to get there myself. When you see these opportunities in your inbox, I understand that the price might be off-putting. That’s why I took the time to write this post, to provide context and to ask for your support in helping us expand this opportunity to more and more people.

HELP ME HELP YOU

I got to the Surf Ranch by helping other people get what they want. Now, I get to go back by helping other people get there, and make the most of the experience.

Everyone knows the “Kelly’s Wave” video from Dec. 5. 2015. When Surf Ranch rebranded in May of 2018, (with the left) they released a video called “Surf Ranch 2.0”.  The opening of that video has this quote from Kelly really resonates with my motivation:  

I love seeing other people ride it as much as myself getting to ride it.”

I feel the same.  I have been there as a guest and just surfed for the maximum time myself (don’t get me wrong -that was awesome).  However, I have also been there to host groups and surfed WAY LESS than I could have… for me, that was even MORE awesome.  I am more motivated to make other’s dreams come true – especially those that will really appreciate it – than I am to surf it myself. 

SO…
If you see a package you can afford, don’t hesitate to book it…
If you know someone who is considering it, encourage them to take the plunge – maybe offer to chip in to soften the blow to tick it off the bucket list…
If you know someone who runs a large company, suggest they book an entire day with us for an unforgettable corporate event…
If you see our emails and posts about it, share with friends that might be interested, or simply send us good vibes… (instead of hate mail trash-talking “how rich Kelly Slater is”… I can tell you one thing that is not appreciated at the Surf Ranch is a salty attitude : ) 

You never know – maybe an opportunity for a “golden ticket” invite to The Surf Ranch will come your way before you know it…

Learn more about going to the Kelly Slater Surf Ranch with Summertime Surf here!