![The first and still the best, Paskowitz surf camps continue this summer in Pacific Beach](https://cdn.sdnews.com/wp-content/uploads/20220116015033/3V2C_web__JONPASKO034.jpg)
The Paskowitzs, known as the first family of surfing, are continuing the summer surf-camp tradition their pioneering father, Dorian, started nearly 50 years ago, by holding surf camps in Pacific Beach July 14 to Aug. 3.
Billed as the nation’s longest-running surf camp, Israel (Izzy) Paskowitz talked about what individuals and families may expect from one of their camps.
“Our students learn the basics right away. That’s really important,” Izzy noted adding the formula for success for the small, family-run business is simple.
As stated on their website, the objective of surf instruction is to “go at your own pace, warm water, sunny beaches, great people in the water and on the beach and delicious food. … We will teach you the correct basic skills to stand up, then you will ride waves standing on your own. We started the business of surf schools and will always maintain the best surf instructors in the world.”
Founded by legendary surfer Dorian Paskowitz in 1972 with his wife and nine children, the Paskowitz Surf Camp runs classes each summer in California, Mexico, and Montauk, N.Y. The family welcomes and teaches surfers of all ages.
During its history, Paskowitz Surf Camp has introduced countless ordinary people – and plenty of famous people from music, movies and business – to the laid-back surfing lifestyle.
“We went back to our roots teaching surfing in North PB in San Diego,” said Paskowitz noting his father, Dorian, was a doctor from Galveston, Texas. Dorian was asthmatic and first experienced surfing in San Diego, which he found to be therapeutic, when manmade Mission Bay was just a “mud flat in the ’30s.”
“He was a lifeguard and started teaching surfing, before he moved to Hawaii, the epicenter of surfing. He then returned to San Diego to teach surfing at Tourmaline Surf Park in 1972,” said Izzy. “The format was always the same, teaching people to surf safely with credible instructors, the best guys on the beach.”
Forty-seven years later, Paskowitz surf camps still offer individual instruction, day camps, group lessons, corporate surf seminars and weekly overnight camps in classic, tent-style campgrounds at Campland on the Bay.
Weekly surf camps accommodate 20 students with two-to-one instruction and overnight stays at Campland that Paskowitz said includes campfires, barbecues, healthy meals and lots of activities and distractions.
Campland amenities include fitness centers, skateboard and basketball courts, watersport rentals and a supervised kids’ activities program.
The Paskowitz family also runs a nonprofit, Surfers Healing Foundation, which has taught autistic kids surfing since 1996. Paskowitz surf camps
To register for this summer’s Pacific Beach surf camps, visit paskowitz.com/camps.