SurfLife Surf School was founded by Josh Moore, a North Oregon Coast surf instructor and small business owner with deep roots along the West Coast. Originally from California, Josh has lived, worked, and surfed up and down the West Coast, gaining experience across a wide range of ocean conditions before ultimately settling on the North Oregon Coast.
SurfLife operates exclusively at Short Sands Beach, a place Josh surfs regularly and knows intimately through daily time in the water. Short Sands isn’t just where lessons happen—it’s a living classroom shaped by tides, seasons, and subtle changes that only come from consistent presence. Teaching in one dedicated location allows SurfLife to offer lessons grounded in real familiarity with the break, the currents, and the rhythms of the cove.
Josh holds an MBA in business strategy and brings that same intentional thinking into surf instruction—clear structure, calm progression, and a focus on safety above all else. He is a certified lifeguard with current CPR, first aid, and water safety training, and every lesson is guided by an awareness of real coastal conditions, not idealized surf scenarios.
Cold-water surfing on the North Oregon Coast requires patience, adaptability, and respect. The cold demands focus. The cliffs create protection but also shape the way waves move through the cove. SurfLife lessons are built around these realities, helping students learn not just how to stand up, but how to read the ocean and feel comfortable moving within it.
SurfLife Surf School is rooted in the local North Coast community and welcomes beginners, first-time surfers, and returning surfers looking for a grounded, confidence-building experience. Lessons are intentionally kept small, instruction is hands-on, and progress is measured by comfort, awareness, and trust in the water—not pressure or performance.
Surfing here isn’t a checklist item.
It’s an experience shaped by place, presence, and practice.
Cold water made.
Weathered by the coast.
Ready to surf with us? Book your lesson at Short Sands Beach.
Vision
Our vision is to build a lasting cold-water surf culture rooted in presence, safety, and respect for the ocean. SurfLife Surf School is intentionally centered at Short Sands Beach on the North Oregon Coast, a place we know deeply and choose deliberately for its natural protection, consistency, and ability to support true beginner progression.
We believe surfing becomes more than a sport when it is learned in relationship with place. By specializing at Short Sands Beach, SurfLife is able to offer instruction shaped by daily conditions, seasonal changes, and an intimate understanding of the cove—allowing surfers to learn not just how to ride waves, but how to move with the ocean.
SurfLife strives to lead by example, blending authentic ocean connection with professional coaching, safety awareness, and community presence on the North Coast. Our vision is a coast where every surfer—local or visiting—leaves the water more grounded, confident, and alive than when they arrived.
Mission
Our mission is to guide people into cold-water surfing through thoughtful instruction, environmental awareness, and respect for place. At SurfLife Surf School, every lesson is intentionally taught at Short Sands Beach on the North Oregon Coast, where daily experience and local knowledge shape how we teach, assess conditions, and support each surfer’s progression.
We focus on safety, patience, and confidence—meeting surfers where they are and helping them develop a grounded relationship with the ocean. Through small-group and personalized instruction, SurfLife blends professional coaching with a deep understanding of Short Sands’ unique tides, currents, and seasonal rhythms.
SurfLife exists to help people move with the ocean, not against it—building resilience, clarity, and trust in the water while contributing positively to the North Coast community we call home.
