After years of planning, construction and anticipation, Epic Surf officially celebrated its grand opening at Heroes Paradise, welcoming guests to Florida’s first Epic Surf deep-water standing wave. For owners Tim and Julie Pennenga, the ribbon cutting marked the realization of a vision to create more than just a surfing attraction, offering beginners and experienced surfers alike the opportunity to experience the thrill of riding a wave.
The grand opening gave guests a chance to experience that vision firsthand. Families gathered on the spacious deck overlooking the wave as music played, instructors worked with first-time surfers and applause regularly broke out when riders found their balance. Just as noticeable was the staff. From the moment guests arrived, employees were professional, respectful and welcoming, an atmosphere that continued throughout the facility.
Having followed the project since a hard-hat tour in January, when the attraction was still largely a concrete shell, I wanted to find out what many first-time visitors were probably wondering: Could someone who had never surfed really learn to do this?
Watching the instructors carve back and forth across the wave, I assumed they had years of experience. Instead, several had learned only months earlier. Julie said learning the attractions is part of the job for her team, helping employees understand what guests are experiencing rather than simply telling them what to do.
That approach became obvious once I stepped into the water.
My first two attempts ended face-first. Each time, however, an instructor explained what I had done wrong, offered another tip and encouraged me to get back on the board.
One instructor explained that beginners often hurt themselves by concentrating too hard on balancing. To get riders out of their own heads, instructors ask questions such as, “What’s your favorite color?” or “What’s your favorite sport?” In one case, they handed a struggling surfer toy lightsabers and had him pretend to duel while riding. Once he stopped thinking about balancing, he found it.
Julie said that learning curve is one reason Epic Surf’s sessions last an hour.
“If you only give them 30 minutes, they’re not going to get it. They’re going to be discouraged,” she said. Even experienced ocean surfers, she added, can spend much of their first session adjusting to the wave. “That last 10 or five minutes, that’s when they get it.”
By my fifth ride, I understood exactly what she meant. Something clicked. I found my balance, stayed on the wave and heard applause from the deck above.
My first thought was simple: “Wow … I just did that!”
Julie sees that reaction regularly. Once riders begin figuring it out, she said, “They get addicted. They want to do it. They want to do it again.”
The finished attraction also represents the end of a difficult road for the Pennengas. When asked what proved most challenging in bringing Epic Surf to Heroes Paradise, Julie’s answer wasn’t construction or permitting.
“Getting the business loan,” she said.
With so few comparable attractions for lenders to evaluate, financing a concept this unusual required finding people willing to believe in what Tim and Julie were building.
By the time I headed toward the exit, however, what impressed me nearly as much as the wave was the culture they had created around it. The staff consistently addressed guests respectfully, offered encouragement after falls and celebrated successes. I felt welcomed when I arrived, welcomed while learning and welcomed again when I left.
Tim shook my hand and offered one final invitation: “Don’t make yourself a stranger.” Julie and their son, Dylan, were nearby, also thanking guests and saying goodbye.
After the experience I had at Epic Surf, I don’t plan to.
Epic Surf is located at Heroes Paradise, 733 Knowles Road in Brandon. For information or reservations, visit www.heroesparadise.com/epicsurfusa or call 1-833-543-7637.
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