Big Wave Dave Surf & Coffee — Restaurant in Honolulu

Mostly good experience ruined by negligent instructor

The good:

We did a group class, which split everyone into smaller groups. Our instructor, Isaac was excellent, extremely attentive, incredibly kind, receptive to comments about being nervous (first time trying surfing) and did everything to ensure we were very comfortable and felt safe.

Isaac was very concerned about our safety. He had us lined up so the chance of us knocking into each other or getting injured was lessened. If he noticed we looked tired, he would help us paddle. Very communicative and attentive.

He went above and beyond and I would feel very comfortable doing another class with him.

Isaac 10/10

The context and accident:

One member of our group started feeling very seasick. We alerted Isaac and he immediately brought her to shore and ensured she was okay. He signaled to another instructor (name started with “Sh”, can’t recall it, not wearing a wet suit, only swim trunks and sunglasses) with only two students (note: Isaac was very attentively looking after 5 of us) to look after us while he took our sea-sick friend back to shore.

This guy wasn’t very attentive. He didn’t communicate with us. He didn’t line us up like Isaac, he kind of just left us on our own. As first timers, this gave me a lot of anxiety.

A huge wave came and because he didn’t line us up or communicate with us, someones board smashed me in the back of the head, I went under the water got smashed again and my lip was bleeding and my jaw was bruised. “Sh” instructor didn’t seem to notice. After recovering from the shock, I paddled over and asked him to bring me to the shore as I was hurt and bleeding. He said I wasn’t bleeding too much and started paddling me back. But after a while of shoving my surf board a bit, I noticed he was gone and he just yelled for me to paddle on my own. I was in shock from the hit and starting to get a terrible headache worried I had a concussion.

I then spotted Isaac, he had finished bringing my friend to shore and was paddling like hell to get back to our group. I called out to him and he immediately came to me, asked if I was okay and held onto my board and paddled me all the way back to shore. He was very kind and sympathetic, sat with me, made sure I was okay, asked if I wanted to go back to the shop to get my stuff. He even walked us all the way back to the shop and monitored if we were okay.

Again Isaac was amazing and if he was out there with us at that time, I don’t think the accident would have happened.

Instructors are hit or miss. Isaac was truly excellent and that other “Sh” instructor was inattentive and uncaring.

Now nursing a bruised lip and jaw, and...

A Nightmare Experience

I recently had the misfortune of booking a surfing lesson with Big Wave Dave Surf & Coffee, and it was undoubtedly the worst decision I've ever made. I cannot express my disappointment and frustration enough with this so-called "experience."

From the moment we arrived, it was evident that something was off. The instructor (Nate), if you can even call him that, had absolutely no interest in teaching us anything. All he did was repeatedly yell at us to paddle without providing any proper instructions or guidance. It was as if he couldn't be bothered to do his job.

To make matters worse, once we were out in the sea, the instructor completely abandoned our group and gave all his attention to two other participants. When we asked for his help and guidance, he rudely brushed us off, telling us that we should have booked a private lesson if we wanted actual instruction. What an absurd and unprofessional response!

During this disastrous session, my wife got injured. We asked the instructor to take us back to shore for safety, but he heartlessly made us wait for an excruciating 30 minutes in the middle of the sea. His complete lack of concern for our well-being was appalling.

Upon our return, we sought a refund from the manager, only to be met with more rudeness and disrespect. They showed absolutely no remorse for the terrible experience we endured and offered no solution other than rebooking. Why on earth would we want to rebook such a nightmare?

The incompetence and utter disregard for customer satisfaction displayed by Big Wave Dave Surf & Coffee are beyond comprehension. I have never encountered such unprofessional behavior in any establishment, let alone one that claims to provide an enjoyable surfing experience.

I urge anyone considering booking with this company to steer clear and avoid the disappointment, frustration, and potential danger that comes with their so-called lessons. I sincerely hope they reevaluate their practices and prioritize the safety and satisfaction of their customers.

In conclusion, my experience with Big Wave Dave Surf & Coffee was nothing short of a nightmare, and I strongly advise against putting yourself through the same ordeal. Save your money, time, and energy, and find a reputable and genuinely caring surfing...

Avoid. Hired an umbrella from a young, friendly member of staff for two days which we found out, as the breeze got up a little, was not up to its purpose - all the arms which stretched the material out could not be housed in the central pole because of its age and length of use, so when it blew inside out there was no way to fix it back in place. Not the end of the world, we think, we’ll just take it back later and get a replacement for the second day. Arrived back at the shop; the young guy had finished and an older guy - I’m assuming ‘Dave’? - was on the desk. Attempted to explain the issue but didn’t even get to the end of the first sentence before he rudely and belligerently interrupted, refusing to even listen to what I wanted to say. Finally managed to get the point across - it wasn’t even a complaint, just an explanation! - although another, female member of staff of similar age had joined in, aggressively shoving a clipboard in my face, saying “What’s your name, what’s your name?” - she must have done it four times; a genuinely bizarre contribution, I must say. ‘Dave’ then says, “OK, let’s go outside and open it, then we’ll see” obviously thinking he was going to prove some kind of point. So out we go, him stomping off in front; tries to open it up and, hey presto, the whole central mechanism falls apart and out onto the pavement. A different young lad appears who Dave brusquely tells - not asks - to go and get another one from inside. Poor young lad reappears with the replacement; ‘Dave’ attempts to open this one too but, surprise surprise, this one’s bust, too! Not looking good for the boss so he continues to bark orders at the lad; a third umbrella is brought out which, hallelujah!, works. No apology from ‘Dave’, not for the faulty product, nor for the inconvenience of having to take it back, nor for his complete refusal to accept anything I had said at the start of the interaction, nor for his abject hostility. The young lad, on the hand, was deeply apologetic, warm and friendly, shaking my hand as I left; it was very obvious that he’s had to make up for his bosses unpleasantness on multiple occasions. My advice to you, son? Get a job elsewhere - you’re one of...