The short version: A public surf session at Waco Surf is one hour long: 30 minutes of rights, then 30 minutes of lefts. Waves arrive in sets of three or four, one surfer rides each wave, and sessions are capped at 12 to 16 surfers depending on the level, so your turn comes back around in under two minutes on average. Our Advanced session listing puts the average at 15 to 25 waves per surfer per hour. [CONFIRM before publishing: the 15 to 25 waves per hour figure appears on the Advanced card on wacosurf.com/surf and the home page. Confirm with Waco Surf whether it applies to all public levels and holds when a session is full (four waves every 90 seconds is 160 waves an hour, which is about 13 each across 12 surfers). Adjust the number here to whatever the team confirms.]
Ask an ocean surfer how many waves they caught and the honest answer is usually a shrug. Ask a Waco Surf surfer and you get a number, because the wave arrives on a schedule, it is yours alone, and the next one is already on the way. That is the whole appeal of surfing here. It is also why a one-hour session feels like a full day in the ocean, and why a little planning turns a good session into a great one.
This playbook explains where the wave count comes from, what your hour looks like from check-in to the replay screen, and seven things you can do to make sure you catch every wave you paid for.
Where the wave count comes from
Our wave system uses pneumatics, which is air pressure, to create the same wave every time, more than 2,000 of them a day. The sequencing technology releases the waves in sets of three or four, so the lineup keeps moving and every surfer gets a turn quickly. On The Runner and The Peak, that works out to four waves every 90 seconds.
Now add the two rules that make the math work in your favor. One surfer rides each wave, and public sessions are capped: a maximum of 15 surfers in a Beginner session, 16 in Intermediate and 12 in Advanced. Surfers rotate through the takeoff in small groups, so nobody is battling for priority and nobody gets skunked. On average you wait less than two minutes between your own waves.
Compare that to the ocean, where you can paddle for an hour and come in with a handful. Here the schedule does the work, and the only variable left is you. Do you make the drop, clear the zone and get back to the takeoff before your next turn comes up?
Your hour, start to finish
Before the water. Arrive 20 minutes early if you have surfed here before and a full hour early if it is your first time. Check in at the lobby, sign your waiver if you have not already, and grab your rental board or wetsuit if you need one. Beginner and Learn to Surf sessions include pre-surf instruction, and a professional surf guide is in the water at every level, so ask where the wave breaks, where to paddle and where to wait before your first set.
The first 30 minutes: rights. Your group paddles out past the second concrete ridge to the takeoff zone. Lifeguards staff the wave pool and your surf guide is in the water with you for help and guidance. The sets roll through, you take your wave, kick out and paddle back for the next one.
The switch. Halfway through, the wave flips. Rights become lefts, and you get another 30 minutes on the other side. If you have a weaker side, this is the best practice you will ever get, because the wave will do exactly the same thing on every attempt.
After. Flowstate films every wave in the pool. Head to the lounge, watch your session back on the TVs and download the clips you want, starting at $29. It is the fastest way to see why that one bottom turn felt so good.
Seven ways to catch every wave you paid for
1. Book the level you actually surf
The single biggest waste of a wave is booking above your level. Intermediate surfers need to paddle into waves on their own, ride the face with good board control and turn frontside and backside. Advanced surfers need to handle steep, fast drop-ins on a wave that our own session page describes as difficult to ride and catch even for professional surfers. If you are on the fence, book the lower level first. You will catch every wave, and you can move up on your next session. Our wave pool vs ocean guide explains what each wave rides like.
2. Be in position when your turn comes
The lagoon has a built-in conveyor belt. After your wave, paddle toward the wall and let the current carry you back to the takeoff spot. Fight it and you arrive late and tired; use it and you are sitting in the right place with time to spare. Your surf guide can show you the line before your first wave. Ask.
3. Clear the impact zone fast
If you fall, move out of the way quickly and take your board with you. The three and four wave sets are spaced so surfers can clear out before the next group goes, and everyone’s wave count depends on everyone doing that. Keep a leash on your board at all times. It is required in the surf lagoon, and it saves you a swim.
4. Bring the right board
Waves break in waist to ankle deep water, so we recommend boards under 8 feet for Intermediate and Advanced sessions. A standard shortboard or a small-wave board with a little extra volume is the sweet spot on The Runner. Beginner sessions are soft top only, and the board is included. Our surfboard guide covers every session, plus rental prices if you would rather travel light.
5. Use the coach in the water
Every public session has a professional surf guide in the water for help and guidance, and you can add a professional surf coach to your session or book private coaching at any level. In the ocean, feedback comes once a week if you are lucky. Here you can fix your foot position on wave three and test it on wave four.
6. Plan your rights and lefts
Thirty minutes of rights and thirty minutes of lefts means half your session is frontside and half is backside, whichever way you stand. Decide beforehand what you want out of each half. Frontside is the time to push your turns. Backside is the time to slow down, hold your line and build a rail game you can trust.
7. Pace the day
One hour of nonstop surfing is more work than it sounds, so hydrate before you paddle out and eat between sessions. If you are here for the day, rental pricing is built for it: a performance board is $45 plus tax for your first session and $20 plus tax for each additional session the same day. Book early, because public sessions usually sell out about two months in advance, and overnight guests get priority access to sessions before they open to the public. Our Stay and Surf guide covers how to build a multi-session trip, and if you are driving in for the day from Austin or Dallas, our day-trip guide has the timing worked out.
What can shorten a session
Two things. Lightning and lateness. We operate rain or shine, but if lightning is detected within 10 miles, everyone clears the water and the session schedule pushes back. If a delay runs past about 30 minutes, we cancel the affected session and issue Resort Credits. On your end, if you are more than 10 minutes late and have not contacted us, we may cancel your spot, so build in the buffer. Full details are on our FAQ page and cancellation policy.
Private sessions: your waves, your music, your crew
A private session reserves the entire wave pool for your group of up to 15 surfers, with your choice of more than 50 wave types that are not available in public sessions. Because you control who is in the water, you control the wave count too: fewer surfers means more waves each. Our home page lists private sessions delivering 30 to 50 waves per session in four-wave sets. [CONFIRM before publishing: is 30 to 50 waves the total per hour for the group or the count per surfer? Clarify wording here and on the home page so both say the same thing.] Private sessions start at $1,250 per hour in off-peak time slots, which works out to as little as $83 per surfer with a full group.
Frequently asked questions
How long is a surf session at Waco Surf?
One hour: 30 minutes of rights followed by 30 minutes of lefts. Learn to Surf sessions are also one hour. Shredmill sessions on our stationary wave run 30 minutes.
How many surfers are in a public session?
Beginner sessions are capped at 15 surfers, Intermediate at 16 and Advanced at 12. One surfer rides each wave.
How long do I wait between waves?
Less than two minutes on average. Waves come in sets of three or four, and surfers rotate through the takeoff in small groups.
Can I split a session with a friend to share the waves?
No. Sharing or splitting a public session is not allowed, for safety and to protect the wave count for every paying surfer. If you want to surf together, book the same session, or reserve a private session for your group.
Can I surf more than one session in a day?
Yes. Rental boards are discounted for additional sessions the same day, and the surf lagoon runs sessions throughout the day. Book early, because public sessions usually sell out about two months ahead.
What happens if I miss a wave?
You paddle back for the next one. Waves arrive on a fixed schedule, so a missed wave costs you one turn, not a 20-minute wait for the next set. Clearing the impact zone quickly keeps the rotation moving for everyone.
How do I get video of my waves?
Flowstate films every wave in the pool. After your session you can watch your waves on the TVs in our lounge and purchase photo and video downloads, starting at $29.
Ready to count your own? Book a surf session, or stay on site and lock in your sessions before they open to the public.