Water sports have been identified to have a momentous effect on a person’s self-esteem, providing a unique stimulating effect, prompting change (Pfeiffer, Trowbridge, Trowbridge, 2015). Using questionnaires, this study aimed to open up more of understanding as to what extent the effect of a one week water sports residential, consisting of kayaking, canoeing and surfing would have on one’s Global and Specific self-esteem in performance, appearance and social domains. Following the trip, using semi-structured interviews, participants were interviewed about what exactly got them to react the way they did. Participants were selected on the outcomes of questionnaires. Finally partakers filled in the same questionnaire two months later, to identify if effects had lasted. Results indicated a drop in Global self-esteem following the residential experience, whereas all domains of Specific self-esteem experienced a rise, with appearance and social self-esteem producing a significant difference, leading to the overall aspect of the three domains analysed also producing significance. Two months later all results had climaxed, demonstrating a post-residential effect, with the same significance being produced. The interviews showed participants appreciated the sessions providing a topic of conversation between individuals, providing common ground between participants as well as how the sessions were structured by instructors. This study contributes to the theory behind self-esteem, how it can be effected by water sports and what exactly causes the effects.