My name is Max, I’m 23 years old and have studied Pharmacy at Kent University. I was also a committee member of the Freeride Society at Medway Campus (University of Kent, Greenwich & Christchurch). The Medway Freeride Society is an extreme sports society which, every year, organises extreme trips with the aim to get people to try new things and exciting things in this world. Amongst their trips are incredible winter ski trips, chilled out summer surf trips, weekly climbing trips at, for example, Chimera Climbing in Tunbridge Wells as well as trips to Chatham’s dry slope or to Hemel Hempstead Snow Centre.

I had run the society with some friends for a year and, after running a snow trip, someone suggested a group surf trip to go surfing somewhere sunny. I had never surfed before, but always wanted to try it. We had already booked a snow trip with Outgoing before and, since then, they had added group surf trips with Star Surf Camps. I couldn’t join the first trip myself, but as it was a major success with the students, we ran to more which I didn’t miss out on.

Booking the group surfing holidays was super easy! We pinged the gang an email to discuss ideas of numbers, time scales, etc., and as soon as that was sorted, it was all done through an online booking page where everything could be sorted per person and just meant we had to send our members a link.

So, we somehow survive a 16h couch ride from University of Kent to Star Surf Camps’ Moliets surf camp on a mix a sweets, surf films, non-sensical chats and sing-alongs too 90s jams. Stepping out of that couch into the surf camp, we were greeted by glorious sunshine and, for the first time in what felt like an eternity, I felt warm sun rays on my pale skin – a little shock coming from the UK, but that feeling is the priceless every time!

When walking into the surf camp in Moliets, I was blown away by this hand-build surf camp. Cobbled together from bamboo, drift wood and positive vibes, it felt like stepping out of the real world and into a sun-soaked bubble. The surf camp staff were the most beautiful people, inside and out, who made it almost impossible not to constantly smile. They were always there to lend a hand, destroy you at ping pong (especially Robbie) or just crack open a beer for those late night, 2am chats under the stars. And, somehow, I even managed to learn to surf.

There are a shed load of activities on offer and not just for University groups. The flunky ball night is a surf camp memory I will certainly never forget! The thought of the food still makes me salivate to this day and the trips away from the surf camp, to places like San Sebastiàn, turned this University group trip from a simple beach break to a University surfing holiday that etches itself on your heart.

The surf camp in Moliets has a chilled, fun-loving vibe to it with the stipulation that after 11pm you need to be quiet. So, the party shifts from the surf camp to the bustling town and its cool bars with bands and live music where the the sangria continues to flow. I went to Star Surf Camps’ Moliets surf camp two years in a row with the University society, meeting like-minded souls and making friends with other University surf clubs and societies and, of course, the surf camp staff who made it impossible to stay away form tent surf camp for too long.

After finishing University, I made that terribly scary step into real life and began the slow but steady descent into mundanity… But when the old society gang texted me to pop back out, it would have been nothing but rude to say no. So, I grabbed some friends and, by September, I found myself heading down South towards the Moliets surf camp for a long weekend of surfing, sunshine and old friends.

Visiting the surf camp at the end of summer was like listening to an acoustic version of your favourite rock song. The vibe in the surf camp was very different and, yet, eerily the same. All the wildness, loud parties, crazy challenges and shenanigans of the University groups had gently faded and I found myself amongst smaller groups of friends, individual travellers and couples from all over the world. And without doubt, I loved every second of this 2nd surf trip. It was the little things, watching a group of total strangers become friends while surfing in the water, walking back laughing at their best bails, high fiving after the good waves and throwing shakas like they were going out of style, eating dinner together and bonding over drinks, and, ultimately, leaving with each others numbers, friendship bracelets and tickets to fly to see each other the second they got back home.

While out at Star Surf Camps’ Moliets surf camp the second time round, we had one rather stormy night. Everyone was huddled together, finding shelter under a canopy and I ended up picking up a guitar. I played my favourite set ever with other surf holiday guests dancing around me, singing and laughing. What followed over the next few days in the surf camp was me playing a bunch of little shows, having an absolute blast! And what I’ve learned in my time in the surf camp is that situations like this are very Star Surf Camps-like and are the ones that last. I will never forget my surf camp September, the friends I made while doing the things I love.

This summer, after I finish my pre-reg year in hospital, I am planning on coming back to Star Surf Camps. This time, as a member of the Moliets surf camp team, playing concerts, lending a hand and, hopefully, showing new surf holiday guests just as good a time as I had.

While I loved the University group surfing trips and will never forget the amazing times I had with my University and Society friends, I fell in love with those end-of-summer surf camp vibes, when the sun on the horizon starts to sit just that little bit lower, when the water is that little bit warmer and when the surf camp love is that little bit brighter.

As they say, “catch waves’ not feelings”. I failed at both and do not regret a thing!

Max Gilbert