Waiting List Update - September 2026 – We are hoping to increase our capacity for Junior age groups (ages 5-17) in October, to take effect when we return to the Beach in May 2027. Our restriction is volunteers, so if you can help by volunteering your time please let us know as this may affect your position on the waiting list.
We do still have space in our adult group, ages 18+.
Please email membership@carlyonbayslsc.com to be added to our waiting list and ensure it is on your safe senders email list.
If you're interested in joining the club, please find information & common questions below. If you have any questions that aren't covered here, please email Clare D, our Membership Secretary - membership@carlyonbayslsc.com
Life saving requires a level of competency in swimming to participate, and is not a substitute for swim lessons. Members are expected to be proficient swimmers for their age and to continue to develop their swimming outside of our coached sessions.
Entry requirements for prospective new Members are as follows:
5-7:
Please note we do not teach children to swim - our sessions complement pool-based swimming lessons by building water confidence in the sea, and provide the basic knowledge and skills to aid transition into the Nipper group.
Child Requirements - No minimum swim distance, but must be enrolled in regular swimming lessons and able to put their face in the water in the sea.
Adult Requirements - Sandhoppers must be accompanied in the water by a responsible adult, who must also be a Member of the Club. The responsible adult is expected to complete the Club Tube Swimmer basic water rescue course (see below).
Club Tube Swimmer - Training is provided by the Club - 2 hour evening webinar, two 1 hour practical sessions on the beach and a 1 hour practical assessment. Requires the ability to complete a 100m run and a 100m swim / rescue.
8-9:
Pool Swim - 150m (face-down & unaided)
Sea Test - dive into waves & 2 mins tread water
Sea Swim (wetsuit) - 50m (face-down & unaided)
10-11:
Pool Swim - 200m (face-down & unaided)
Sea Test - dive into waves & 2 mins tread water
Sea Swim (wetsuit) - 100m (face-down & unaided)
12-13:
Pool Swim - 250m (face-down & unaided)
Sea Test - dive into waves & 2 mins tread water
Sea Swim (wetsuit) - 100m (face-down & unaided)
14+:
Pool Swim - 400m (face-down & unaided)
Sea Test - dive into waves & 2 mins tread water
Sea Swim (wetsuit) - 200m (face-down & unaided)
Note - Pool Swim ability must be evidenced through swimming badge / certificate, or a note from a qualified Swim Coach – the Club no longer undertakes pool-based swim tests before the Sea Test.
If you have a child aged between 5-7, we require a parent/carer to be in the water with them. The parent/carer must also hold membership with the club (available at a discounted rate) and will be required to undertake a basic water rescue course.
To get the most out of surf life saving, a level of commitment is needed. This enables our community to flourish but also because a level of fitness skill development is required to enjoy the sport. We expect regular attendance (70% or more of beach sessions over the course of the year) from all Members.
During the summer we meet at Carlyon Bay Beach every Sunday morning May to October. Additional sessions are also available for Members wishing to enter surf life saving sport competitions – please see this year’s Coaching Calendar for details.
Please also note that parents of Junior Members are required to be present at all times during coaching sessions.
Next steps
Once your child has reached the top of the waiting list, you will receive a request for evidence of their swim ability. Once this has been provided, they will be invited to attend 3 trial sessions. During these sessions we will assess your child’s swim ability according to the age criteria, their aptitude and attitude. If your child can competently and safely swim as outlined above, they will be invited to join. Please look out for an email from our membership secretary.
Please refer to our Club Rules, to view our conditions for Membership. Please read and familiarise yourself and your child with these.
The club is run entirely by volunteers, and we rely on parents becoming involved for the long term health and sustainability of the club.
If you think you might be able to help the club in any way e.g. administrative roles or help on the beach or in water, please let us know, and priority in joining from the waiting list will be given. Every extra pair of hands enables us to do more for new and existing members. If you would like to be more involved but are unsure in what capacity, please speak to Clare D (Membership Secretary), Simon G (Club Captain) or (Volunteers manager).
Our aim is to strengthen confidence in the sea and to teach the various aspects of surf life saving through teaching, coaching and training. Integral to our club ethos is the fostering of community through friendship, teamwork and fun. Surf life saving is a hugely rewarding but challenging activity – you will have the opportunity to develop your skills in ocean swimming, board paddling, a range of ocean rescue techniques, first aid & life support, and ocean surf ski paddling.
As an adult we expect you are comfortable swimming and floating in the sea, however there are no minimum swim distance expectations and we welcome complete beginners as much as seasoned lifeguards.
Adult sessions are held on Sunday mornings at Carlyon Bay Beach throughout the year. Additional sessions are also available for Members interested in entering surf life saving sport competitions – please see this year’s Coaching Calendar for details.
Next steps
Please ensure you are on the waiting list. You will be invited by our membership secretary, when a space appears, by email.
The club is run entirely by volunteers, and we rely on adults becoming involved for the long term health and sustainability of the club.
If you think you might be able to help the club in any way e.g. administrative roles or help on the beach or in water, please let us know, and priority in joining from the waiting list will be given. Every extra pair of hands enables us to do more for new and existing members. If you would like to be more involved but are unsure in what capacity, please speak to Clare D (Membership Secretary).
The costs to join Carlyon Bay SLSC for the 2027 year are as follows:
Both Sandhoppers and their accompanying parent / carer must be paid members of the Club and SLSGB. To reduce this burden, the accompanying parent / carer is eligible for a reduced Club Membership rate of £10 per year. SLSGB Membership of £36 for the parent / carer remains payable in full, . The parent/carer must also take a basic rescue course, provided by the Club, as soon as practicable in the season. This will involve a 2 hour online webinar, two hour practical sessions at the beach and up to 1 hour assessment, also at the beach. Ddates & times will be determined according to availability in Summer 2027.
Membership fees cover all sea / beach based coaching sessions, including equipment, and may also include the use of club equipment outside of sessions (subject to supervision, training and competency requirements).
Some Club activities are optional and therefore not included and will attract additional costs. This will always be communicated to you ahead of time, and will include:
- Pool Competition Coaching (at cost, depending on pool operator)
- Entry Fees for SLS Cornwall and SLSGB competitions (at cost, determined by SLSGB / SLS Cornwall
- Club branded swim caps (£5) and replacement surf caps (£10)
Please note that Members will need clothing suitable for activities in the sea, including seasonally appropriate wetsuits. The Club operates a swap-shop for out-grown wetsuits for Members to donate and take from, on an honour system.
Beach sessions are held on Carlyon Beach, opposite the lower car park: Google maps link
Please note parking fees may apply during peak season and times.
Please see this link for the full Coaching Calendar.
Beach:
Adults:
Sandhoppers:
Nippers:
Youth:
You’ll just need to bring a swimming costume, goggles, a swim hat for hair that is shoulder length and longer, shorts and t-shirt that can be worn in the pool, and a towel.
We would recommend bringing a swimming costume, season appropriate wetsuit, shoes suitable for the beach/rough sand (Sandhoppers and young Nippers only) and a towel and/or Dryrobe (or similar). Land based sessions can occur at short notice due to sea conditions, so please also bring suitable activewear. We would also recommend bringing water & sunscreen.
We run a swim test for prospective Junior Members (6 – 16) to ensure that your children will cope with the activities we run in the sea. The requirements are:
7 & under:
8 - 9
10 - 11
12 - 13
14 +
If your child(ren) don’t meet these swim requirements, it may mean going back on the waiting list until they can do so.
Pool Swim ability must be evidenced through swimming badge / certificate, or a note from a qualified Swim Coach – the Club no longer undertakes pool-based swim tests before the Sea Test.
Once their pool swim ability is confirmed, your child(ren) will formally be invited to join after they have completed their 3 x free taster sessions.
The sea swim test will take place at the beach along a surface that will be flat and able to stand if needed. This will be lifeguarded.
In the event of adverse weather preventing sea activities we will attempt to run a beach/land based activity where possible. Due to the nature of our sessions being held outside, we may have to cancel a session at short notice on safety grounds, but this will always be communicated fully to all members.
Sessions will only be cancelled if the weather presents a safety concern, we love the rain!
Our club follows the SLSGB grouping for ages - your "SLSGB" age is the age you will be at the end of the calendar year.
For 2027:
The ocean environment is less controlled and significantly bigger than a pool setting, and so your child will inevitably be further from safety when in the sea. The parent / helper’s role is to provide that close-hand supervision, and to encourage the Sandhopper in whichever way best suits their child’s personality and capability, to be confident and comfortable in open water.
One-to-one supervision by a parent / helper is also an SLSGB requirement for all children under the age of 8 years old.
If you are unsure whether the club is suitable, due to any additional learning or physical needs, please do get in touch to discuss this. We very much encourage participation, providing safety requirements are met, and will do our best to accommodate in the group setting. We cannot offer 1:1 coaching at this time.
If you are an organisation working to improve accessibility in sport, especially ocean sports, please contact us – we’d love to work together with you!
You are free to cancel at any time, however there is no refund of fees paid. If you feel you have an exceptional extenuating circumstances, you may apply for a discretionary refund through the Club committee.
If the club decides to cancel your Membership because we cannot meet you or your child’s safety needs, a refund of Club fees will be given, however we are not able to refund SLSGB fees (£36).
We expect regular attendance at our general coaching sessions, exceeding 70% of the applicable sessions and no more than two consecutive weeks of absence. We run various programs for different ages, and skills are built up sequentially through the year - repeat non-attendance could mean falling behind the other members in the session, leaving gaps in knowledge and capability that hamper enjoyment of the club's activities.
Unfortunately, we cannot give specific timeframes for how long you'll be on the waiting list as available spaces in each age group will vary. We typically hold new member intake once per year at the start of the summer beach season, to avoid new members feeling out of their depth and to reduce the amount of a season that is missed. As soon as space is available and a new intake planned, we will be in touch.
The club is run, coached and lifeguarded exclusively by volunteers, and so we are limited in the numbers we can safely manage in each session by the volunteers available.
Priority on the waiting list will be given to those that are willing and able to help with the running / management of the club, as this ultimately enables us to get more people involved.
If at any point you wish to be removed from the waiting list, please let us know by emailing membership@carlyonbayslsc.com. No data will be retained by ourselves.
If you have any questions in general please don't hesitate to contact Clare D, our membership secretary - membership@carlyonbayslsc.com
