Adaptive Surfing Program

A letter from the Founder Frank Bauer
A few years ago, I purchased a piece of property in Costa Rica with my business partner Chris and we were contemplating what to do with it. One night while channel surfing TV programming, I saw a short documentary about a non-profit organization named Life Rolls On. In the documentary, LRO was having a one day event where disabled children & adults showed up at a specific beach and were treated......click here to read the full article

A note from our Adaptive Surfing Director
One of our biggest passions and focuses here at Shaka Surf Camp, was also to gear the camp specifically to work with non-profits and bring wheelchair bound kids out with their families. Our thought was: Parents of a disabled child have always been the primary caregivers and in many cases have never been on vacation, and certainly never out of the U.S.... So our take on it, was to build a fully ADA compliant and wheelchair accessible surf camp, where our coaches take on the kids (caregiving as well), teaching them how to surf, swim, play on the beach, go on nature rides, explore, ect... While the parents on the other hand, can relax, unwind and enjoy themselves, without having to worry about constantly supervising their child or taking care of the day to day routines associated with their special needs...This way, both the kids and the parents get to have a blast and enjoy all of the many great things Cost Rica has to offer!

Christiaan Bailey, Adaptive & Special Needs Director, Shaka Surf Camp

Shaka Surf Camp was specifically designed to teach children and adults with disabilities how to surf. The camp is offered free of charge for selected non-profits to utilize. We offer the camp fully staffed and professionally trained to handle a multitude of disabilities. We currently support & endorse the following organizations:

• Life Rolls On
• Challenge Aspen
• Challenged Athletes Foundation
• Wounded Warrior Project
• Surfers Healing Group
• Friends of Bethany Hamilton
• Wheels for Humanity
• Paradox Sports
• Association of Amputee Surfers
• Ability First Sports Camp

How it Works: Once a non-profit decides to utilize the camp as a resource, they contact us to reserve time at the camp. We will prepare the camp for the specific needs of the non-profit and provide caregiving, lodging, meals, surf instruction & specially designed equipment. The non-profit will provide all travel arrangements and additional staff if desired. Our staff is trained to work with the following disabilities:

• Paraplegia
• Quadriplegia
• Amputee
• Autism
• Spina Bifida
• Muscular Dystrophy
• Cerebral Palsy