OUR STORY
Rebelle Surf Strandhill, County Sligo
IRELAND
Rebelle Surf is founded on Joy and Strength in equal measure! Our passion and love for both the Ocean and our surf community are the driving forces behind everything we do.
The name Rebelle is a play on words inviting us to return to Nature and the beauty of simplicity, joy and presence. Re–Belle
We are based in Strandhill on the Wild Atlantic Way. An incredibly magic little village known for it’s consistent and world class waves, right on the Wild Atlantic Way. Our landscape is incredible. Knocknarea mountain is steeped in myth and legends of the Great Queen Maeve and her kingdom and is the majestic backdrop and power source to everything we do here.
Our approach to surfing is a little different. We know the power of surfing and the positive impact that it can have on a persons life. Everyone’s experience is different and that’s why all our sessions are personal and tailored to YOU.
The Greatest act of Rebellion is to feel Joy
REBELLE SURF
Melanie White, founder and owner of Rebelle Surf started this company because Surfing is FUN and POWERFUL. She’s pretty sure after a life time of exploring that Joy is a good path to follow!
Melanie’s Story
Melanie is the founder of Rebelle Surf, the West coast of Ireland’s only female owned and led surf school. She is breaking new ground left right and centre and is excited to share the fun!
Her focus is on connection, expression, strength and fun to help people experience surfing and strengthen their surf skills.
‘The biggest and greatest gift surfing gives me is connection. Connection to myself and to the true nature of the land and ocean where I live and surf. When you surf you become part of the ocean’s heartbeat and it’s impossible not to have awareness of that presence.’
There is no ‘one way’ to surf. Explore and find your own style and strengths. Surfing is a dance after all. Just you and the ocean making shapes together.
Vitamin SEA
What makes us unique is our awareness of the direct link between a surfers ability and their emotional state and personal belief systems.
We believe that surfing is a direct path to joy, self awareness, release and empowerment. Ultimately it can be a liquid pathway to freedom.
WOMEN’S SURFING IN IRELAND
‘There were few female elders for me to learn from in my early surfing years in Ireland and I’m excited for the new generation to move into a more supported and grounded space to evolve their surfing with strong women around them.’
The women’s space began with the women’s only surf coaching sessions and has evolved into something much bigger.
‘Working with women is very close to my heart and I enjoy it.’
As a woman in a male dominated sports industry I’m well aware of the internal and external blocks we can have as females taking our place in the waves and it’s different for all of us.
SURF CULTURE
Surfing originated in Hawaii and the Hawaiians knew the power of the ocean and its healing effect on the body.
Kapu kai is the Hawaiian ceremonial bathing of one’s self in the sea or salt water if on land. This ceremony was done to purify the body and spirit of the individual, especially when an imbalance was present.
The health of our oceans is the health of ourselves, we are interconnected beyond belief. I believe if more people connected with the ocean and formed a positive and playful relationship with it, our choices would be very different.
OCEAN CONNECTION
Rebelle Surf opens a return to the more sacred roots of surfing that many of the younger generation and indeed the older generation are unaware of.
That doesn’t mean copying Hawaiian traditions but rather opening up to our own native connection with the Ocean here in Ireland and perhaps bringing more grass roots reverence and awareness to the presence, the power of the Ocean and ourselves. The changes it can have on us physically, mentally and emotionally. We don’t have to be religious or spiritual, just aware.
Surfing is a medium for people to connect deeply with the ocean’s raw power. A pure form of moving meditation and merging, a dance with the Ocean.
