Lesson Center

I did the zero to hero kiteboarding camp and it seriously was a 10/10 experience. … Would recommend to anyone wanting to get into the sport but doesn't know where to start.

Another great visit and learning experience. Coach Jessie helped me identify and correct a lot of my badd habits during the lesson. It wasn’t particularly windy perhaps topping out at 15 knots max and I hadn’t expected to get foiling however guided by Jessie I did. Great day. Will be back

The instructor I was paired with identified the root cause almost immediately and provided detailed, actionable guidance that gave me a clear path forward. The location provides a safe, low-pressure environment where you can focus on learning and progression without feeling intimidated.

Jeff and his team of surf camp counselors were a very energetic, supportive, positive and knowledgeable group! His friend was a first-time surfer and a bit nervous in the beginning. By the end of the three days he was also catching waves!

At 58 years old and admittedly a little overweight and out of shape, I was unsure whether kiteboarding was something I could realistically learn. The team at REAL Watersports completely changed that mindset for me and gave me one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had in years.

I took a surf lesson with Jeff and had a super good experience. He was able to take my background—a few attempts at surfing on my own—and turn it into a super productive session. His stoke was high the whole time and he gave very clear explanations.

I did a week of lessons with Jesse. I've taken many lessons in wingfoil and have been plateauing/not quite breaking through to being proficient on the foil. Over the course of the week, Jesse worked with me and by the end of the week I was confidently getting up on the foil.

My family had a great time staying at REAL for a week of wingfoiling lessons and time to explore the outer banks. The whole staff at REAL is fantastic, everyone is engaged and authentically motivated to work in and around a sport they love.

Real paired me with a coach who kept me stoked and offered great advice to help me stick my tricks. I landed the back roll early on and went on to learn unhooked roll-to-reverts. I highly recommend getting lessons at this world-class lesson center!

I recently took an advanced kite lesson at Real and I cannot express enough how much it improved my progression. Aaron is an incredible coach with a good eye. After watching my first attempt, he immediately made multiple corrections to my board position, body position, bar pressure, and kite position.

Our daughters had an amazing experience learning how to surf with Rob! Not only was he patient and extremely knowledgeable, he also went above and beyond with feedback, tips, and snacks on hand every day.

My sixteen-year-old son and I came to the OBX for a few days to learn to surf, so we reserved semi-private lessons with REAL. They were awesome! Adam and Jeff were great instructors and super fun to hang with. We will definitely come back.

We had surf lessons with two different REAL instructors, Liam and Adam, during the week we were in the OBX. They were both amazing. We can’t wait to get back next summer and hopefully see them again!

Great experience at the REAL Lesson Center for wing foil Zero to Hero camp. The coaching staff adjusted to our level when Hatteras delivered hero-status winds on the first two days. Lessons, coaching methods, and food were all spot on. Couldn’t ask for a better experience.

I would like to thank the Real Water Sports team and JESSE BARKUME for providing me with an exceptional experience learning e-foiling. Jesse has taught me how to successfully e-foil in various water / wind conditions. He was an amazing instructor who provided an exceptional experience for me.

I completed the Zero-to-Hero kiteboarding course and it was an excellent value. … The instructors ensured we had a safe and encouraging environment to challenge ourselves and provided thorough feedback in a supportive, enthusiastic manner.

I booked 12 hours of Kite lessons, and it was SICK and Mega worth the investment. The instructor was awesome, the Store with all the cool merchandise, gear and the super friendly staff was amazing.

At 65, I finally booked a half day lesson and the coach/pro I got was a 20 year old college student Alex Carrol. Alex would go as technical as I wanted to go. He would describe a skill, show me how to do it, and then get me to do it.

My son and nephew had a great time with Neil at Zero to Hero camp. We happily added another day with Neil. We all sailed independently out of Kite point. The guys handled their kites well and were progressing on getting and staying up wind.

As usual, Real came through on my foiling lessons. The fault was mine, not the excellent instructor's that I wasn't an expert by the end. This is a first-class place.

Private kitefoil lesson was awesome. Wind was down, we re-scheduled, when I came back, it was down again, we pivoted to e-foil which was fun, then when the wind picked up pivoted back to kite foil and the kite and foil were set-up on the launch pad ready for pickup. It's an awesome setup.

The REAL Watersports team is focused on student learning and maximizing each student’s progression regardless of starting skill level. The highly efficient waterfront operation supports the instructors in making the best use of students’ time in varying weather conditions.

Sebastian took me from clueless to capable in one 3 hour kite board lesson. I'm very upset as I wrecked one of their kites, despite his flawless instruction-I pulled in the bar as he said to let go, over and over-so patient.

A few friends and I just completed the Zero to Hero Wing Foil Camp at REAL, and we were blown away. Before the camp, we had tried—and failed—to wing foil on our own—but by the end of Day 3, we were riding up on foil and feeling confident enough to take our new skills back home.

Once again, a great experience at REAL Watersports on the OBX. I took the 3 day wingfoil camp last summer, and returned this summer to take a foildrive lesson out in the ocean to get better technique on downwinding and to try out a new board. Great coaches and equipment!

I took the Zero to Hero course to learn wing foiling, and it was an incredible experience from start to finish. … My coaches, Joey and Nathan, were awesome, super attentive and genuinely invested in helping me reach my goal of learning to wing foil.

I took the two-hour beginner surf lesson with Jeff, who I highly recommend. The two-hour lesson felt like a three-hour lesson with all that we were able to get done, and Jeff was just as excited as I was each time I made progress.

Just completed the three-day Zero to Hero wing camp and I strongly encourage anyone thinking about it to do it. The professionalism of the coaching staff and the quality and variety of gear available is outstanding. The amount of time on the water was more than I had imagined.

The Zero to Hero Wing Foiling Camp was outstanding. The coaching, personalized matching of equipment for the conditions and each stage of learning, Watermen's Bar & Grill, and Watermen's Retreat lodging were great. I look forward to returning for more fun and skills training!

My second time with REAL. Continue to observe excellent staff and excellent equipment. Jesse was an experienced instructor who was very patient with my very slow progress! Heartily recommend REAL to anyone, of any age who wants to take up kiteboarding!

Can't say enough good things about the Zero to Hero Kiteboarding camp! It is amazing how quickly you progress and will definitely be coming back. … They have quality instruction dialed.

We loved REAL surf camp! Jeff is the very best in the business. The entire lineup of coaches—Camden, Malia, and Landon—are super fun, great with kids, responsible and safe in the water, and they know how to get you on waves.

Highly recommend REAL! Had my kitesurfing lessons with Nick. He’s a seasoned instructor, friendly, and knowledgeable about all things water sports.

Our instructor, Brendan, was phenomenal. His expertise, patience, and encouraging attitude made a huge difference in my progress over the three days. He worked with each of us individually, always providing clear, helpful feedback that made the learning process enjoyable and effective.

I had an excellent experience with Real Water Sports’ eFoil training. The instructor, Ava, was incredibly effective, knowledgeable, and attentive, making the learning process smooth and enjoyable.

Surf camp was fantastic! My nine-year-old daughter was nervous about her first time on a surfboard, but Jeff and his team brought so much positive energy and professionalism that she felt confident enough to go for it. She got better every day and loved every minute.

Nathan was so wonderful—he was calm and patient and delivered feedback in the perfect way. After we got the basics and safety stuff down, he tailored the last part of the day to suit my specific goals and maximize our time on the water.

The coaches were terrific. And the environment was wonderful to learn kiteboarding.

Thank you for the most incredible day of surf lessons. The booking was seamless—they responded quickly and answered questions thoroughly. Their service went above and beyond. They pivoted the plan to a new location the morning of the lessons to have a safer and better experience.

My ten-year-old son and his friend had an AWESOME surf lesson with REAL. The coach was incredible, attentive, and kept the kids engaged and having fun. He offered the perfect balance of safety, fun, and learning. The equipment and experience were top notch.

Great time at REAL doing the Zero to Hero kite boarding class. Worked with Byron and he did a great job teaching! This is the way to go if you are serious about learning!

We had a blast during our Zero to Hero wing foiling camp! The course was set up so thoughtfully, and each day and session built on the last. We started as total rookies and left our three-day session feeling confident heading out on the water solo to practice what we learned.

REAL runs an incredibly tight operation with top-notch instructors and primo on-site lodging. I took a 3-day wing foil camp in September and was very impressed with the entire operation. If you're looking to start from zero or go next level with your wind/water sport I highly recommend REAL.

When I returned for my next set of lessons, I was lucky enough to be paired with Jesse Barkume, with whom I gelled immediately and we had a variety of conditions that allowed us to review water starts, heel and toe side, self-rescue, and to learn transitions.

Could not be happier with the lessons I got from Real. Devin was an excellent instructor and was able to get me on my board and riding on the first lesson! Everything from the quality of instruction, the location, gear provided, and the resources to get to a safe spot to learn is unmatched.

Awesome venue, great instructors. This could be the best place in the world to learn Kiteboarding. I was up and out the water on day one. On day 3 I was starting to cut upwind.