I am a 56 year old woman who is recovering from an illness that has left me 30 pounds over my normal weight and completely out of shape. i never thought i would try to surf. My intention was to boogie board as i thought it may be something i could possibly have some fun in the ocean with. i tried finding an instructor to take me out to boogie board, but, had no luck. After much searching, i was told to call Richard Rodriguez and that, " He would help me". i contacted Richard and expected for him to say either, " No, I do not teach boogie boarding, or, if you would like a surfing lesson, meet me on this day at this time". That is not what happened. Richard called me and spoke with me at length asking me about myself and what I was looking for in boogie boarding or surfing. He had endless patience and compassion while I answered his pertinent questions so that he could determine if he could be of help to me. We met for the first time and i brought my boogie board along. i had already begun to trust Richard since we had spoken on the phone several times. I decided to try the surfing. Richard began with the basics. Safety first, both getting to the water and at every stage in the water. He reviews these safety measures with me at every lesson. Then, he began to teach me the basics while on the beach until i felt ready to go out into the surf. The first time Richard took me out surfing i caught several waves and managed to stand up and ride the wave just straight to the shoreline. I was more than shocked that I could do this. Richard was more than excited for and with me. I already had respect for him, but as i spent my first hour in the surf with him, I began to realize that he could possibly be one of the most wonderful individuals I have ever met. Richard is not only an excellent experienced surfing instructor but an honor to the human race. I have taken about 7 lessons with Richard at this point in time. Every time I take a surfing lesson with Richard, he teaches me surfing but also shares his love of the sport and the ocean. I now meet with Richard every week and plan to continue my surfing instruction with him. It has been a life changing experience for me. Richard Rodriguez is absolutely a winner. read more

My friend and I took a lesson from Richard this past weekend. It was AWESOME! I come from a family of surfers but never had much luck with the sport. My friend was completely new to surfing. We were both up and riding waves after a few tries!!! I was shocked because I had never been able to stand up before. Richard has the right equipment, is totally patient, kind and most importantly - FUN! My friend was really scared she would be cold but the wetsuits were great. The wetsuits I have used in the past left me chaffed and cold. These felt like fleece on the inside (no rash guards) and I did not get chilled once. We got booties to boot! The boards were easy to paddle on and like I said - I got up! The beach was great. There were sea otters and seals in the distance and the place was full of locals. If you are familiar with surfing you know that locals can be very territorial but Richard is from Santa Cruz and has a great reputation around town as an honest and hardworking guy. He even got a few surfers to let me have some of their waves. Seriously?!?! Who has that kind of cred? Glad I didn't waste my time and money on those big business surf schools around Santa Cruz. The ones who keep you on the beach doing burpees for 45 minutes. I saw plenty of those around Cowells and the Boardwalk. Waste. And at the end of the lesson - heated water to rinse off with. Yep, he brings warm water along to make sure you clean up in comfort. Can't wait to go again! read more

My husband and I had a lesson with Richard while vacationing in California and we are still talking about it months later! We really lucked out in getting Richard. We had scheduled a lesson with another company months in advance, but when the day came we discovered the guy we booked with was no longer in business. Disappointed, we went to Cowell's Surf Shop to see if they could point us in the right direction. We explained our predicament and they had Richard on the line in minutes! Richard was able to meet us on short notice, provide the proper size wetsuit, booties and board for both of us, and took us to an awesome locals beach that had way better waves than the beach in downtown Santa Cruz where the other business was going to take us. Richard is a super personable guy with a genuine laid-back Californian outlook on life. He truly made our day! He taught us about surf safety, etiquette, how to read the waves and pushed us into the waves so that we had enough steam to get a good ride in. With his help, we were both able to get up on the very first wave we caught! It was an all-around awesome experience and we highly recommend you call Highline Surf if you're considering taking a lesson in Santa Cruz - you won't regret it! read more

Richard is the best coach in the world. He makes sure you get a ride in, is totally into the physical power of the ocean and in tune with the tide. Meaning: you are well looked after, well positioned, and you catch rides. I went out with a friend during a high surf advisory. We were both first timers. Richard was able to keep us calm, safe, and surfing for nearly an hour of extremely rough surf during which he actually towed us through waves and dragged us along in the water when our arms got tired. It was insane, he was able to call every set and every tide, predict where we needed to be, and get us there. We came back in one piece and were never happier to have chosen someone as our guide. I will be going again (in much calmer surf) as soon as possible. His gear is also super - extra nice wetsuits (new) not too thick but warm as anything, booties, and surfboards with good grip. There is nothing not excellent about Richard's surf instruction (iincluding his hilarious surf-soul self). read more

Richard was fantastic! Not only was he reliable in checking in with me the day before our lesson, he was 30 minutes early to ensure our wetsuits and gear were on and ready to go. This guy has been surfing for 35+ years and you can definitely tell. He really took care of us. From small gestures like offering us bottles of water because (like he said) we became super dehydrated, to letting us know the ins and outs of how to park, where to eat and hangout post lesson; we felt like we had made the best decision. The best thing was our lesson was actually a private one, which was awesome! Not sure if anyone else will enjoy that luxury - but it made the class all the more fun and helpful! Highly recommended! read more

I am new to surfing. I started out not knowing if I would become a life long surfer, but after taking a lesson with Richard, I knew I would stick with it for life. The attention to detail, making me feel comfortable and providing tools to move forward on my own have been amazing. I have taken lessons privately and with a group. We learn to read the waves, learn etiquette/safety and how to ride the highline! Richard takes into account learning style, which is very unique. Richard has the surf boards and wet suits, so you don't need to bring anything but a towel. Well worth taking a lesson. You will come away with good memories and being a better surfer. read more

I had one lesson with Richard while on vacation with my family and I was amazed at how easy he made surfing! I had seen people do it before but never thought it was something I'd be able to do. Needless to say, four of us spent a few hours with Richard and by the end of, I was not only surfing but surfing with confidence! He is an excellent teacher and makes it seems so easy. He knows the perfect spots to go to that aren't crowded with other surf schools. I would take another lesson in a heartbeat and highly recommend him. As mentioned before, the warm shower afterwards is great as well. read more

I am a beginner, and I came with my older brother for a lesson. With Richard's help he was able to get up on his board and form a love for the sport. It was the lesson that he had with Richard that enabled him to realize that surfing is something he would like to do in the long run. If it weren't for Richard's helpful tips, safe environment, and amazing instruction, my older brother would not have pursued surfing. I have had lessons from other people in the area, and Richard is by far the best surf instructor I have ever had the honor of being taught by. read more

I am a father of 7 year old twins and have been surfing a long time, but wanted to make sure my kids had a positive first experience surfing, so I signed them up for a lesson with Richard. He was awesome! My kids loved going into the ocean with him. He kept them safe and having fun! He has good communication skills to pass on his vast knowledge of the ocean and how to ride waves. His equipment is new and perfect for learning how to surf. My kids are stoked and can't wait to get back in the ocean! I highly recommend him! read more

We've had our first surfing lesson ever with Richard and really everything has been perfect. He's an amazing teacher, we menaged to do our first meters right after five minutes. The location was incredible, surfing together with otters, seals and wales an perfect waves. And all the material is brand new. We even got booties and a warm shower afterwards. Couldn't have been better. Thank you very much for this amazing experience read more

I've been boogie boarding for a long time and it was about time to try surfing. I had my first surf lesson with Richard and it was a great first experience. He kept his advice straightforward and easy to follow. Focusing on the fundamentals helped me catch my first wave! He keeps a great positive attitude, always making jokes. I also got to use one of his new wetsuits. I would highly recommend. read more

I have taken surfing lessons from others in both Santa Cruz and Hawaii and can vouch that Richard R. is the best coach out there. He takes teaching seriously, but still keeps it fun. He gives pointers and insights throughout the lesson. I have had both solo, group and semi-private lessons with Richard. I can't recommend Richard enough. read more