Staff Spotlight: Jose Moutinho

This is a hard question as there are so many amazing memories created whilst traveling. The travel memory that pops up in my head at first thought would be when I was in Peru. The landscape and the people felt like I was constantly on a adventure.

The part of this trip that specifically comes to mind is when I arrived to the small surf/fishing village called Chicama. I had been traveling for days by bus in the desert guided by written directions which I had taken from my friends over the phone.

I had been traveling from Salta in the north of Argentina and had not seen the ocean or surfed for over 3 weeks and I knew there were some really really good waves in the area, so I was super excited. After missioning for days through the desert I started to wonder if I was actually heading in the right direction as my Spanish wasn't amazing. Sure enough it turned out that I had been on a bus which had detoured massively from where I actually needed to be.

I finally arrived in the small town. It was quiet with barely anyone around, so I struggled to find where my mates where staying and decided to head to the beach and see what the set up was. As I got closer and closer I couldn't believe what I was seeing. The longest wave I had ever seen in my life, it was ridiculous! I walked further and further to the point I was in awe of what I was seeing.

As I got closer and closer towards the look out to the point, I heard someone shouting out. At first I ignored it and then decided to turn around. To my surprise it was my friends up on a balcony shouting and waving. I had finally found them after all that time of trying to figure out where I was going - I had made it! I hadn't seen them in over a year so it was pretty good to catch up and be able to surf the longest waves I have ever surfed, in what felt like the middle of the desert.

Over the next couple of months we ended up going up and down the coast finding wave after wave and having the same adventures but magnified each time. The locals and travelers I met along the way on that trip, matched with the amazing waves and landscape made it one of my top travel memories.

I have changed in many ways as I have learned so many new skills and pushed my comfort zones to be able achieve personal and business goals. I have met so many amazing people a long the way which have made me learn more about myself and the world we live in.

The best stories are always when our students really learn to surf with us, then take those skills around the world with them meeting new people. The best part is seeing them somewhere in the world out in the surf and they are ripping!

I would choose the 12 week surf development program. I would love to be able to spend that much time breaking down and focusing on my surf technique whilst being able to spend all day adventuring in the beauties in which the Illawarra landscape has to offer.

Our company is unique as it provides people the opportunity to learn and experience the real surf lifestyle. We focus on the understanding of the ocean and surf education so that surfers are able surf by themselves when they leave.

We break down and develop surf techniques not only in the ocean but through surf training tools such as video correction, balance boards and surf skateboarding lessons. The most unique part is that we take time to explore the coast with our students, swimming in rock pools and water falls, whilst meeting the Australian wildlife.

I am proud of my team every day as every day as they constantly push to be the best, and they make every day so so so much fun. They are all passionate in what they do, passionate about surfing, traveling and getting the chance to meet new people with new stories every day.

Caring about each and everyone of your clients. Understand what they want and be able to deliver that to them with the highest quality and surpass their expectations with that WOW factor by going the extra mile.