What CRsurf.com and PRETOMA are trying to save. Dead sea turtles are bycatch from shrimp trawlers. Photo: Pretoma.org

Costa Rica Surf Report: November 2011

By Greg Gordon
www.crsurf.com

FORECAST

Caribbean Coast: This month starts the wave season for the Caribbean. Late-season tropical activity in the Gulf can bring surf from the north. Then, later in the month, powerful northeasters that file down from Canada push off from the east coast and send swell to Costa Rica’s beaches with surf up to double overhead. If the center of the low pressure is off of North Carolina, pull the trigger to Salsa Brava about 10 days later.

Pacific Coast: Mid November marks the end of the rainy season and the return of offshore mornings and sunset sessions. Sandbars formed by swollen rivermouths are in good form for plentiful peaks. The only downside is that the swells from the south and southwest become fewer and less powerful, especially toward the end of the month. Best surf will be on the 12th and 13th.

Full moon: November 10

New moon: November 24

Get ALL the tide charts for 2012 on www.crsurf.com

TRAVEL

Would you like saving 10-53% on surf camps and retreats this winter in Costa Rica? Just visit our Trips page and see which locally owned businesses are offering deals if you mention CRsurf.com. We’ve already researched each to make sure they’ll take care of you and show you a great time while you’re visiting. Plus, you don’t have to drive!

If you do want to drive, we have great prices on the smaller SUVs like the Bego for only $179 per week, plus insurance. For flights, the cheap seats have mostly sold out. The best deals look to be on Jet Blue from Orlando for around $350, plus they only charge $50 each way for boards. Or you can wait until Spirit Air runs a special from Ft. Lauderdale, but remember that they charge extra for everything — even carry-on luggage!

CONTESTS

Craig “Tequila” Schieber from Puerto Viejo became the first Tico to win Gold in the ISA Masters World Championship held in El Salvador. His title in the Grand Kahunas division, plus a 5th place from Andrea Diaz, helped Costa Rica earn a 7th place finish overall. The next contest is the Pura Vida No Pro November 19-20 in Playa Esterillos. This event helps raise money for orphanages and brings kids from San Jose to teach them how to surf. Then December 1-4 is the Reef Latin Pro, held at Terrazas in Playa Hermosa. This event will feature the best surfers in Central America as well as host the wildly popular Reef bikini contest.

ENVIRONMENT

CR Surf Travel Company is a member of 1% for the Planet. This means we give 1% of our profits to an environmental group that shares our values in protecting the oceans and the creatures that live in them. This year we are donating $250 to the Costa Rican NGO – PRETOMA (Programa Restauracion de Tortugas Marinas). This group has worked tirelessly to help protect sea turtles from shrimp boats, sharks from long line fishing, and surf breaks like Pavones from experimental tuna farms. In 2011 we have donated over $1200 to local and international charities and we hope that our generosity will make a difference in the future of all surfers.

COMMUNITY

We are still far short of our goal to raise $1095to purchase an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) device that would help drowning victims when their heart stops. In Costa Rica there are dozens of drownings each year, and many times the victim is brought to shore unconscious and cannot be resuscitated using CPR. Visit www.crsurf.com/news/community/donate-AED.html if you wish to help.

Follow us on Facebook:www.facebook.com/crsurf
 Get our Tweets on Twitter: www.twitter.com/crsurf

CR Surf Travel Company is a member of the Surfrider Foundation and 1% for the Planet, donating 1% of its proceeds to environmental causes.

Justin Gillis, a photographer based in Jaco, is available to shoot your surf sessions anywhere in the region. Check out www.liquidglasssurf.com to see his latest pics.

Costa Rica Surf Report: September 2011

By Greg Gordon
www.crsurf.com

FORECAST
Caribbean Coast: September is the most active month of the year for hurricanes, and this time of the year the chances are greater that they will form in the Caribbean Sea. They don’t always push swell in since they may end up in the Gulf of Mexico, but they also can be rain makers, so it’s hit or miss.

Pacific Coast: The summertime south swell season is coming to a close, with the last major Southwest focused from September 12-14. In between, there will be consistent background swell and some sets coming from the WNW as the Aleutian swell machine starts up. Also, we’re getting into the peak of rainy season, so expect some dirty water around rivermouths and some morning sickness (onshore winds and unorganized waves at dawn).

Full moon: September 12
New moon:September 27

(Get ALL the tide charts for 2012 at www.csurf.com)

TRAVEL

Safari Surf School and Billabong have created a unique travel experience — a fantasy surf camp in beautiful Nosara, Costa Rica with Billabong Pro surfer and world-famous musician, Donavon Frankenreiter! A select group of attendees will surf with and receive coaching from Donavon on this amazing, weeklong trip. This opportunity is limited to 16 surfers and starts November 12.

Witchs Rock Surf Camp is offering rooms for NO CHARGE with the purchase of surf package in September or October. $595 for a full week, with their lessons or tours program included. Also, Waves Costa Rica is offering a 53% discount for the Green Barrel season — August to December. They are also based in Tamarindo and provide lessons from local pros and tours to the best breaks in Guanacaste.

If you want to head to Pavones but can’t afford the rental, Cabinas La Ponderosa has a remodeled resort there and is now offering a free Suzuki Jimmy 4wd rental to guests who stay more than three nights. These deals and others can only be found on the CRsurf website.

CONTESTS

Jason Torres won the ALAS Latin Pro Nicaragua in San Juan del Sur and a nice $4,400 for his aerial skills. Diego Naranjo and Luis Vindas (2010-11 Costa Rican champion) also made it to the finals. Meanwhile, Jair Perez and Carlos Munoz are competing in contests up and down the East Coast, chasing hurricane surf from Florida to Virginia.

ENVIRONMENT

The three major issues affecting Costa Rica’s coastal ecosystem are: sewage runoff, overfishing, and shark finning. Even though the country advertises itself as “eco-friendly,” the government passes policies that suggest the opposite. Right now a group of assembly members want to pass a bill to allow commercial long-line fishing in protected marine sanctuaries. Thankfully there are groups like Pretoma.org who are opposing it.

The Programa Restauracion de Tortugas Marinas (PRETOMA) is the recipient of our 1% for the Planet funds, leading protests against shark finning and overfishing while working to protect endangered turtles that nest on both coasts. They have also been nominated as a finalist for the 2011 Savannah Ocean Exchange’s $100,000 Gulfstream Navigator Award for their work to encourage sustainable fishing habits by having local fisherman sell to local hotels.

COMMUNITY

CR Surf Travel Company is trying to raise $1,095 to purchase a Automated External Defibrillator (AED) device. In Costa Rica there are dozens of drownings each year and many times the victim is brought to shore unconscious and cannot be resuscitated using CPR.
With this device in the hands of a trained lifeguard, it can save lives. The first AED will be given to the Dominical Lifeguards group. The second to the Cocles lifeguards, and the third to the Tamarindo lifeguards if they are still active. Ideally, we would like to raise enough to purchase a trainer AED ($379) and extra batteries ($39) and supplies ($40), but this is a start. Visit www.crsurf.com/news/community/donate-AED.html if you wish to donate.

Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/crsurf
Get our Tweets on Twitter: www.twitter.com/crsurf
CR Surf Travel Company is a member of the Surfrider Foundation and 1% for the Planet, donating one percent of their proceeds to environmental causes.

*Photo caption: If you make it south of Jaco, you might find photographer Justin Gillis snapping shots out in the lineup. Zac Roberts seeking some shade.*

Costa Rica Surf Report: June 2011
By Greg Gordon
www.crsurf.com

FORECAST

Caribbean Coast: It’s still too early in the Caribbean tropical cycle to expect any wind-driven waves, so you’d better be ready to try another sport besides surfing. There are a few SUPs to rent, or go check out some amazing visibility on the reefs near Gandoca-Manzanillo National Park. The best chance for surf will be from the June 16-18.

Pacific Coast: School’s out for the summer, and that means family vacations and more crowded lineups at the better-known spots. But it also means south and southwest swells almost every week of the month. The hurricane season is also underway in the Pacific, so don’t be surprised by an occasional rainy morning and an afternoon or evening lightning storm.

New moon: June 1
Full moon: June 15

TRAVEL

There is a complete list of surf camps at: www.crsurf.com/surfcamps.html. Why choose a surf camp over just the standard hotel and SUV rental? First, you don’t have to drive, which means no need for gas money, insurance costs, or paying a “multa” for driving too fast. Second, while everyone else drives up to the easy access break, you could be taking a boat to a mysto point break or hidden beach only the guides and locals know about. Third, it makes it easy to meet other surfers from around the world. The local guides can give you excellent advice for places to tour and eat, and your new surf mates may turn into lifelong friends.

A camp doesn’t mean a tent; it could mean oceanfront luxury villas with gourmet dinners or overnight boat trips to Ollie’s Point on a 48′ yacht. It could mean a yoga retreat in a rainforest like the one organized by Bodhi Surf School in Uvita August 13-20. Check www.bodhisurfschool.com. If you choose a “camp,” you know you will be taken care of, especially if we recommended them.

Summer specials:
* Mention CRSURF at Pavones Riviera to get a 15% discount off each night’s stay.
* Bring up CRSURF for 20% off the rooms at Café Playa Negra.
* Blue Surf Sanctuary in Santa Teresa is offering $200 off their Billabong camp if you bring a friend.
* Cabinas La Ponderosa in Pavones has a deal where you stay six nights at get the seventh free.

Best flights: While pricing flights for some central Florida customers I found JetBlue specials from $323 roundtrip, non-stop from Orlando to San Jose. Taca has even cheaper flights for $251 RT, but the flight times are not good (15 hours either going or coming). Contact us to help plan your customized vacation: travel@crsurf.com or by phone at 877-SURF-007 (877-787-3007).

CONTESTS

The Costa Rican Juniors surf team just returned from the ISA Junior World Surfing Championship in Peru, earning 12th place in a 27-country field. The groms have a Volcom Monkeyfish Contest in Jaco on the 4th, then the national surf circuit’s finale in Playa Hermosa on the 10th. And if there are waves, the Puerto Viejo Open Pro takes place on the Caribbean coast with over $2000 in prizes on June 18.

In July, the Luz de Vida Resort in Santa Teresa hosts the Quiksilver Classic on July 15-17. Last year, 1st Place Open earned $2500 and the Women’s champ earned $700. It’s open to both local and international competitors.

ENVIRONMENT/COMMUNITY

CR Surf Travel Company is a member of 1% for the Planet, pledging to donate one percent of our proceeds to environmental causes. It is part of our mission to help keep our oceans blue by supporting small hotels and camps that contribute to their community. Here are a few ideas for what you can do as a traveling surfer:

1. Recycle your water bottles. Most every beach town has a recycling center, or you can just leave them in your car and the rental company will recycle them.

2. Be a positive role model. If you see some trash, pick it up. It’s no big deal, but everyone doing a little adds up to a lot

3. Volunteer for a non-profit. In Costa Rica, you can help collect turtle eggs, do beach cleanups, observe dolphins and whales, or plant trees in the rainforest.

4. Support the local economy by taking a tour. Go visit the National Parks, try snorkeling, rafting, or kayaking, and learn how the ocean’s ecosystems interact.

If you want to find out everything happening in Costa Rica and get the latest specials from hotels and surf camps, sign up for the report at: www.crsurf.com

Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/crsurf
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Photo caption: CR Surf Travel Company owner surfing solo in the Southern Pacific zone.

Costa Rica Surf Report

By Greg Gordon

www.crsurf.com

FORECAST

Caribbean Coast: A quiet month is expected on the Caribbean, and the mellow vibe is great for soaking up sunshine and finding some patches of coral to go snorkeling or S.U.P. over. Since the winter wind swells are diminishing, the next batch of swell makers will be tropical systems. With no wind, expect hot, humid, and small, knee-high waves with only a rare glimpse of bigger sets.

Pacific Coast: The first rains have fallen and the green has returned from the Guanacaste Coast all down the Costanera. The models are showing a nice overhead pulse arriving on the 4th and 5th from the south, but then it quiets down until at least a week later, when a southwest swell pushes it back up to overhead. Besides these two mediocre wave events, there’s not much on the radar until almost the end of the month.

New moon: May 3

Full moon: May 17

TRAVEL

May is my favorite month to travel. The rains have washed away the dust of the dry season, the holiday crowds have left, and the south swells have only started to arrive. Many hotels have already lowered their prices to their “green season” rates, and I know exactly which hotel is on the right surf break to match your surfing skills and budget.

A few special surf camps being offered are first the Surf Stronger Camp, hosted by Serena Brooke, and Safari Surf School in Nosara from June 19-26. The second is “Love Your Body” Surf & Yoga camp, led by Del Mar Surf Camp, in Playa Hermosa from July 2-9. And the third is the Teen Surf and Spanish Camp offered by ISLS all summer. These will fill up quickly, so contact us to help with your reservation. There are one hundred surf camps in Costa Rica, one for every budget and skill level, and we’ve listed most of them here:

www.crsurf.com/surfcamps.html.

Best flights: Just found Taca, Lacsa, and Copa airlines posting flights from Orlando to San Jose for $268 roundtrip. These prices won’t last long, so get your flights booked, then contact us to help plan your customized vacation — travel@crsurf.com — or by phone at 877-SURF-007. (877-787-3007)

CONTESTS

CR Surf team rider and Pavones local Noe Mar McGonagle will be representing Costa Rica’s groms in the Quiksilver King of the Groms contest to be held in Mazatlan, Mexico on May 7-8. The winner goes on to compete for the international title in Hossegor, France this summer. Just before heading to Mexico, he will also be competing in the ISA World Junior Games in Peru. His other sponsors are Hurley and Etnies.

Luis Vindas has been crowned the two-time National Champion of Costa Rica’s national surf tour after winning the latest contest, the Copa Off, held in Santa Teresa. His fluid style and aerial attack earned him top scores from the judges as he held off his closest competitors: Anthony Fillingim, Isaac Vega, and Ramon Taliani.

The Puerto Viejo Open Pro date has been moved to May 14 (with a large cash purse). And on the same date in Boca Barranca, the Circuito Metropolitano will have competitions in both Masters and Bodyboarding divisions.

ENVIRONMENT/COMMUNITY

How would you like to “Green Your Trip”? Friend and founder of Community Carbon Trees, Costa Rica, Jennifer Leigh-Smith, helps plant native trees along the Osa Peninsula. You can sponsor your own tree here for only $25. Over the course of its life, it will help remove your carbon footprint while providing a home of native wildlife at the same time. Just visit www.communitycarbontrees-costarica.com

Easter week always sees some drowning deaths. The number has decreased significantly with the help of signs warning of rip currents and the support of a trained lifeguard program. These programs are not funded by the government, but by the generosity of a few businesses and tourists buying a t-shirt or sticker. If you want to directly help save lives, giving a small donation would make a huge difference. You can find out more by visiting www.dominicallifeguards.org

CR Surf Travel Company is a member of 1% for the Planet, pledging to donate one percent of our proceeds to environmental causes. It is part of our mission to help keep our oceans blue by supporting small hotels and camps that contribute to their community.

To find out other events in the beachside communities of Costa Rica, just sign up for our surf report: www.crsurf.com/subscribe.html

Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/crsurf
Get our Tweets on Twitter: www.twitter.com/crsurf

Photo caption: Pavones is one of the longest lefts in the world. After one of these waves, your legs start shaking. Are you ready to plan your next trip? Photo: Colin Brier – Una Ola Surf Resort

Costa Rica Surf Report: April 2011
By Greg Gordon
www.crsurf.com

FORECAST

Caribbean Coast: This month will see a decline in swell as the winter storms passing off the U.S. coast lose their steam. Waves will run from knee- to head-high with only one to two more days of overhead juice. The best time to surf is early morning, before onshore winds kick in around 10 a.m., and will stick around through to the afternoon boomer.

Pacific Coast: Prime time for waves and crowds as the Southern Hemi starts churning up storms and swell. The 9th through the 15th of the month will have two-foot overhead Southwest waves, and then another big one arrives late in April, around the 23rd. Bring the sunscreen, as all-day surf sessions can damage the skin and this is still the “dry” season.

New moon: April 3
Full moon: April 17

TRAVEL

It may be a little late to find your favorite hideout for Spring Break, but you can still get a SUV rental from CRSURF.com and go wave hunting. Now is the time is to be planning your summer vacation, and we have the lowest rates for car rentals anywhere combined with great service and newer vehicles. We are now working with Tico Travel to improve our offerings.

If you don’t want to drive, and instead wish to be jetted straight to the lineup, then a surf camp would be a better option. There are dozens of them around the country and only we have the details on which camps are certified and who has the best boards to learn on. There is a camp for every budget and skill level here — www.crsurf.com/surfcamps.html

Safari Surf School (www.safarisurfschool.com) even has pro surfer Serena Brooke coming June 19-26 to help women surf stronger. Witchs Rock Surf Camp (www.witchsrock.com) plans a “summer of love” bus trip down the coast, hitting up different breaks. And Waves Costa Rica (www.wavescr.com) in Tamarindo is spending their weekends helping local kids learn to surf.

Best flights: Jet Blue has a few summer seats from Orlando for under $300, and Spirit Air will pop a 48-hour special for a flight from Fort Lauderdale for under $200 (after taxes and luggage fees). My last ticket purchased was on American from July 10-24 from Orlando for $340. Just email us to help plan your customized vacation– travel@crsurf.com

CONTESTS

Quiksilver recently hosted a King of the Groms contest in Playa Hermosa, where the winner would be flown to Mexico to compete in the regional finals. The finalists in that event will fly to France to keep against the best <16 surfers in the world and hang out with the pros on the ASP tour. Over 60 groms arrived March 19 from Panama, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua, and after a day of surfing clean chest- to head-high waves, CRSURF team rider and Pavones local Noe Mar McGonagle took the crown.

Upcoming events are the National Surf Tour contest in Nosara, sponsored also by Quiksilver, on April 2 and 3. And on the Caribbean coast, the Puerto Viejo Open Pro is set for May 7.

ENVIRONMENT/COMMUNITY

Etnies recently started a “Buy a Shoe, Plant a Tree” where they are pledging to plant 35,000 trees in the rainforests of Costa Rica, one for each Jameson 2 Eco shoe sold. Skater and team rider Ryan Sheckler was flown to help with the first plantings, as well as team surfers Chris Del Moro, CJ Kanuha and Benji Weatherly. Watch their video that explains their mission here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuX2qUQWIBk

The first fines ever were levied against a foreign boat for landing shark fins illegally at a private dock. Even though the captain will serve no jail time and the boat was not seized, the Tawainese company will be forced to pay 34 million colones (~$68,000) for its environmental crime. Costa Rican law states that sharks have to be landed with their fins attached, with the purpose to limit how many sharks can be killed for their fins since many species are now in danger of going extinct.

CR Surf Travel Company is a member of 1% for the Planet, pledging to donate one percent of our proceeds to environmental causes. It is part of our mission to help keep our oceans blue by supporting small hotels and camps that contribute to their community.

To find out other events in the beachside communities of Costa Rica, just sign up for our surf report — www.crsurf.com/subscribe.html

Follow us on Facebook – www.facebook.com/crsurf
Get our Tweets on Twitter — www.twitter.com/crsurf

Costa Rica Surf Report: March 2011
By Greg Gordon
www.crsurf.com

FORECAST

Caribbean Coast: March is peak season for tourists, as European travelers have already discovered the tropical jungles and beaches and come over in droves. But it’s also peak wave season, meaning consistent overhead surf hitting the reefs. This year has been better than most, and the pattern will repeat through the end of the month.

Pacific Coast: Since Easter is later in April this year, March should not be as crowded as previous years. The wave models are not lighting up yet with Southern hemi swells, but there should be a good one showing March 13–16. Nothing major besides those dates is on the radar, and when it’s off, that means waist- to chest-high on the Nicoya Coast and a foot bigger towards Playa Hermosa and the Central Pacific Coast.

New moon: March
Full Moon: March 19

TRAVEL

Don’t wait until the last minute to make your Spring Break plans. Many hotels will fill up for Easter Week, so let us help you find that uncrowded break you can walk out to from the back patio of your cabina or resort.

Have you ever surfed Pavones? It’s one of the longest lefts in the world, where you can easily ride one wave for over a minute! And now you can save 15% on lodging at Pavones Riviera just by mentioning CRSURF. Visit their site — www.pavonesriviera.com — to see their beautiful property only a few minutes walk from the break.

Witch’s Rock Surf Camp is offering $50 off your stay for each person you refer to their camp. Why not stay right on the beach, with a full service bar, restaurant, and pool at your disposal? They also take you by land and boat to some of the lesser-crowded peaks, which are hard to find during the high season. Visit www.witchsrock.com for details.

Check out our list of over 65 camps to choose from, something for every budget and skill level here: www.crsurf.com/surfcamps.html

Best flights: COPA Airlines has some great deals from Orlando to San Jose. Flights are running for about $308 roundtrip, and the best part is that two boards can fly in a travel bag for only $50 each way (American is $150 each way!). Just a little more, but for a non-stop flight, is Jet Blue with roundtrip tickets for $318. These prices change daily, and usually just go up as the cheap seats are sold. So contact us and let’s get started planning your trip! Just email us to help plan your customized vacation: travel@crsurf.com

CONTESTS

The Costa Rica Surf Federation hosts their third contest on the national circuit April 2-3 at Playa Guiones, Nosara. The last event in Palo Seco was won by Luis Vindas from Jaco, with another Jaco local, Jordan Hundley, winning the Women’s Division. CRSURF team rider Noe Mar McGonagle took 2nd in Juniors and won the Boys Division (<16), while his sister Leilani won the Girls Under 15 Title. Both are also sponsored by Carton Surfboards.

Some may wonder why a Costa Rica surf travel site would pay attention to local contests. The reason is that part of our mission is to support the local surf community. Many of these surfers also work at the surf shops and camps, or teach surf lessons. By competing, they get to represent their hometown and have the opportunity to succeed on an international level. And if some semi-pro from the U.S. wants to make a little extra coin, he or she can follow the calendar to see when Reef or Quiksilver or another sponsor hosts an event with some bigger prizes.

ENVIRONMENT/COMMUNITY

Watch the complete video of “Fe de Agua,” the story of a Costa Rican boy who grows up to be an international pro surfer. Most of the film was made around Tamarindo and now the producers are releasing it to the public for free at www.vimeo.com/19955965

PRETOMA (Programa Restauracion de Tortugas Marinas) has had a remarkable February. The success started with them winning the Ashoka’s Changemaker’s Award, for Places On The Edge-­Saving Coastal And Freshwater Destinations Online competition. The project — the development of economic partnerships between artisanal fisher folk and tourism operators — is developing environmental, economic, and social benefits in coastal communities located along the southwestern Nicoya Peninsula, Guanacaste, through the application of sustainable fishing practices. Their second big achievement is that the Administrative Court of Costa Rica has decided once and for all that foreign fleets could not land their shark products at private docks. This ban had been in effect for only a couple of weeks before the shark fishing companies filed an appeal that allowed them to keep doing it until the court had decided. You can watch their videos on YouTube at this address: www.youtube.com/pretomacr

Finally, PRETOMA are currently engaged in a shark and sea turtle census expedition in the Southern Nicoya Peninsula. You can go to www.pretoma.org and follow their journey with day-to-day updates in the blog with photos and observations from their trip. This group is a major reason why CR Surf Travel Company is a member of 1% for the Planet, pledging to donate one percent of our proceeds to environmental causes.

To find out other events in the beachside communities of Costa Rica, just sign up for our surf report: www.crsurf.com/subscribe.html

Follow us on Facebook:  www.facebook.com/crsurf

Get our Tweets on Twitter:  www.twitter.com/crsurf

** Photo caption: These hammocks have your name on them. Beachfront in Santa Teresa on the Nicoya Peninsula ~ Photo: GG **

COSTA RICA SURF REPORT

By Greg Gordon
www.crsurf.com

FORECAST

Caribbean Coast: February will be another consistent month for surf on the Caribbean. Expect occasional pockets of flatness, with an overhead swell coming in every 4 to 5 days and lasting for 2 to 3 days. Clear skies, lots of fun-loving tourists from Europe, and Salsa Brava’s reef break make heading east an easy decision.

Pacific Coast: The “Papagayo” winds will be in full effect along the northern coasts, and this month expect some more swell from the west and northwest. The Southern Pacific is also sending waves, and the peak days look to be from February 4-6 and on the 27th and 28th. Dawn patrols on those days are recommended since the tide will be rising.

New moon: February 2
Full moon: February 18

TRAVEL

If you’re planning a Spring Break trip this year, be sure to reserve your rental early, since inventory is limited and the cheaper SUVs go first. Or you can avoid having to drive yourself all over the country by visiting one of the all-inclusive surf camps that will pamper you all the way from the airport to the lineup. Check out our list of over 65 camps to choose from — there’s something for every budget and skill level here: www.crsurf.com/surfcamps

Witchs Rock Surf Camp is offering $50 off your stay for each person you refer to their camp. Why not stay right on the beach, with a full service bar, restaurant, and pool at your disposal? They also take you by land and boat to some of the lesser crowded peaks, which are hard to find during the high season. Visit www.witchsrock.com for details.

Best flights: Spirit Airlines has run specials for a few flights from Fort Lauderdale for $186 RT, but after paying their fees for carry ons and checked-in baggage, it isn’t much of a deal. American Airlines still has flights for $302 RT from Miami, but specific dates are getting harder to find.

Just email us to help plan your customized vacation: travel@crsurf.com

CONTESTS

The Adelante Hotel — www.adelantehotel.net – will be hosting a Surf Fest to take place in Playa Ojochal on February 19. They’ll have over 300,000 colones in prizes to the top competitors in Open, Amateur, and Junior divisions. Anyone can sign up to compete.

The Costa Rica Surf Federation hosts their second contest on the national circuit on February 26-27 at Playa Seco, about a 45-minute drive south of Jaco. Come see the best Costa Rican surfers compete for a spot on the National Team. This year, CR Surf Travel Company is proud to sponsor two surfers, Noe Mar and Leilani McGonagle from Pavones, by paying their entry fees on the tour.

ENVIRONMENT/COMMUNITY

CR Surf Travel Company is a member of 1% For the Planet, pledging to donate one percent of our proceeds to environmental causes. Currently, we are publicizing the group PRETOMA (Program for the Restoration of Marine Turtles) in their attempt to win an award for their project to help fishermen maintain sustainable fisheries while helping them sell more fish. See more of the work they do at: www.pretoma.org.

To find out other events in the beachside communities of Costa Rica, just sign up for our surf report: www.crsurf.com/subscribe

Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/crsurf
Get our Tweets on Twitter: www.twitter.com/crsurf

Photo caption: Alvaro Solano, former Costa Rican surf champion, now runs Vista Guapa surf camp in Jaco and pushes the limits of SUP riding. ~ Photo: Wendy Solano Ortiz

Costa Rica Surf Report: January 2011

By Greg Gordon
www.crsurf.com

FORECAST

Caribbean Coast: It’s going to be another great month of surf, with consistent swells from the Northeast pumping in waves reaching double overhead. To catch it best, watch for the low pressure system to go off the U.S. coast and then count to ten. Ten days later the first sets will be reaching the reefs.

Pacific Coast: The first few days are quiet, but by the 5th you will see some overhead sets from the Southwest, and they stick around for a few days. The middle of the month is quieter with nothing showing over head-high. Expect one more solid south swell towards the weekend of the 22nd and 23rd. Meanwhile, the “Papagayo” winds kick up, keeping the surf offshore all day long and cooling down the ocean temperatures.

New moon: January 4
Full moon: January 19

TRAVEL

The 2011 World Leadership and Innovation Conference will be held in Costa Rica January 18-29. The conference is a series of creative business seminars, educational symposiums, and training and certification programs that ends with a week-long learning vacation held in several different Costa Rican tourist destinations. Check out: www.worldleadershipandinnovation.com for more information.

Do you want to visit one of the most pristine environments in the world, where conscious people from all over unite to experience music, art, and sacred movement while embracing the natural beauty of our earth? If so, you must come to the Envision Festival, to be held in Marina Ballena National Park, next to Uvita on March 4-6. More info can be found here: www.envisionfestival.com

If you are planning a Spring Break trip this year, be sure to reserve your rental early, since inventory is limited and the cheaper SUVs go first. Or you can avoid having to drive yourself all over the country by visiting one of the all-inclusive surf camps that will pamper you from the airport to the lineup.

Best flights: American Airlines has flights from Orlando to San Jose in February for $302, but only if you fly on certain Mondays, Tuesdays, or Thursdays. Jet Blue still has a few seats for under $300, but most are in the $360-$375 range, which only means saving if you’re bringing surfboards. (Jet Blue charges $50 vs. American, which charges $150 each way per board). Just email us to help plan your customized vacation: travel@crsurf.com

CONTESTS

The 1st Annual Skimboard Festival will take place January 16 at Playa Blanca (near Punta Leona) or a beach close by that’s good for skimming. It’s not so much a contest as much as a way for skimmers from around the country to show up and blow up the shorebreak. It runs from 9 a.m. to Noon, and will have the crew from Wipeout Films recording from the beach and the water.

To the south, in Jaco, will be the start of the 2011 Circuito Nacional de Surf, presented by DayStar Properties. The contest runs January 22 and 23, with the best local surfers in the country competing.

On the Caribbean Coast, the Puerto Viejo Open Pro takes place January 15 in Puerto Viejo. The contest is open to anyone and will have over $1000 in prizes. Plus, you get to surf either Salsa Brava or another prime surf spot with only the other competitors in your heat. Check out: www.puertoviejoopenpro.com for details.

ENVIRONMENT/COMMUNITY

To step up our commitment to the environment, the CR Surf Travel Company joined 1% for the Planet. This means that by the end of the year we will agree to give one percent of our proceeds to environmental causes. Already the company has renewed its membership in the Surfrider Foundation and gave $100 to the Dominical lifeguard program to help keep beaches safe in 2011. Also, travelers will be notified of opportunities to volunteer with local groups while visiting Costa Rica’s beaches.

Readers can support our efforts to keep Costa Rica’s beaches clean and safe by using our travel services or buying some travel gear through the CRSURF.com online shop. You can also find links to the community groups’ website to donate directly.

To find out other events in the beachside communities of Costa Rica, just sign up for our surf report: www.crsurf.com/subscribe.html

Follow us on Facebook:www.facebook.com/crsurf
Get our Tweets on Twitter: www.twitter.com/crsurf

Photo caption: As the sun sets on another good year of surf, we wish you Happy Holidays! Be one of the first three to email info@crsurf.com with the name of this break and win a CRSURF eco-T-Shirt! Photo: GG (Last month’s wave was Playa Negra)

COSTA RICA SURF REPORT

By Greg Gordon

www.crsurf.com

FORECAST

Caribbean Coast: Waves will be coming consistently to this region throughout the month. Expect the surf to stay in the waist- to chest-high range, with a week or two of overhead surf. An added bonus is that this side stays less crowded and the reefs have plenty of power for the adventurous. Beware the afternoon thunderstorms that pop up when the land heats up.

Pacific Coast: The crowds are already starting to show while the waves are vanishing. It’s mostly waist- to chest-high for the first half of the month, with only a few head-high or bigger days for the Central Pacific Coast. The second half starts with some nice 1- to 2-foot overhead surf, which lasts through the 20th, but then fades for the rest of the year to nothing more than head-high sets.

New Moon: December 5

Full Moon: December 21

TRAVEL

You would be lucky to find any cheap airfare or 4wd rentals for December, and January is slim pickings, too. But February and March still have a few finds, and CR Surf Travel Co. is ready to make your reservations. We also know where to stay on the Caribbean side when the swell is hitting. Email us to help plan your customized vacation: travel@crsurf.com

On the CRSURF.com website we have updated our pages to load more quickly and to help direct visitors to a comprehensive list of surf camps in Costa Rica. See our list here: www.crsurf.com/surfcamps.html. Also, if you are traveling with boar dbags, you can use this guide to get the latest fees for flying with surfboards: www.crsurf.com/news/travel/boardbag-fees-2010.html

Best flights: American Airlines has flights from Orlando to San Jose in late January for $307, but only if you fly on certain Mondays, Tuesdays, or Thursdays. You can let us do the searching for you. If you book a trip with us, there is no charge for the service.

CONTESTS

The Central American Surf Championships were held November 20 and 21 in Playa Maderas, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica took home their 5th title. Among the winners were Lisbeth Vindas, who took the Womens’ crown, and Noe Mar McGonagle, sponsored by Hurley and CRSURF, who won the Juniors’ division.

That same weekend in Esterillos, the Pura Vida No Pro was held to raise money for local projects in Playa Hermosa. For part of this event, kids from San Jose orphanages are taken to the beach and given free surf lessons. Thanks to John O’Toole and the many other volunteers who participated in the day of fun.

If you’re looking to watch a contest in December then check out the Reef Classic Pro taking place behind the Luz de Vida hotel in Santa Teresa from the December 6-8. Besides the obligatory bikini contest, this event is part of the Latin Surf Tour, which means that the best surfers from Argentina to Mexico will be competing for thousands in prize money. There are plenty of local favorites to cheer for too, or take advantage of the other unridden peaks up and down the beach.

ENVIRONMENT/COMMUNITY

Last month the topic was shark finning, and in a much-appreciated move, the Costa Rica Department of Fisheries has mandated that shark finning boats can no longer unload their cargo at private docks in Puntarenas. This means that the boats must show the fins still naturally attached to the shark to licensed officials at a public dock, and this hopefully will lead to less sharks being killed. For more information on how to stop shark finning, visit the PRETOMA website: www.pretoma.org

Did you know that during the peak of the rainy season the Dominical lifeguards made over 50 saves, including five surfer rescues? This was possible due to the outstanding skills of the lifeguards on duty and support they have from private businesses and tourist donations. If you want to help them in saving lives, just visit their website: www.dominicallifeguards.org

Another way to help the lifeguards and our oceans is to buy a CRSURF t-shirt. For only $19.99, with shipping and tax included, you can wear a limited edition shirt with a eye-catching Costa Rica wave on the back. And for each shirt sold, we give $1 to the Dominical lifeguards, PRETOMA, and the Surfrider Tamarindo chapter. It is just one way to give back to the surf community.

To find out other events in the beachside communities of Costa Rica, just sign up for our surf report: www.crsurf.com/subscribe.html

Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/crsurf

Get our Tweets on Twitter: www.twitter.com/crsurf

No one recognized the beach from last month — Manzanillo on the Caribbean Coast. Be one of the first three to email: info@crsurf.com with the name of this break and win a CRSURF eco-T-Shirt! ~ Photo: GG

COSTA RICA SURF REPORT

By Greg Gordon
travel@crsurf.com

FORECAST

Caribbean Coast: This month marks the beginning of the wave season, with a better chance of swell towards the end of the month. Swell direction is predominantly from the east, as nor’easters pushing off the U.S. Coast send groundswell under the Lesser Antilles and into the Caribbean Sea.

Pacific Coast: The Southern Pacific is already cooling down, so the first part of the month will be smaller, in the chest- to head-high range for the first two weeks. The third week looks to bring one last southwest swell to push it back up to two feet overhead, but following a few days of bliss it will return to the fun chest- to head- range. Also, I expect the heavy rains to end early in the month, leaving a lot of sunshine for extended sessions with offshore winds.

New moon: November 7
Full moon: November 21

TRAVEL

CR Surf Travel Co. is already getting requests for SUV rentals for the high season. This is a reminder that if you want to plan a Costa Rica trip over the holidays, now is the time to make your reservations. Rental inventory sells out by mid-November, and hotel rooms are scarce by early December. Don’t forget there’s big and less-crowded surf over on the Caribbean side and we know where to stay in Puerto Viejo and Cocles. Email us to help plan your customized vacation: travel@crsurf.com

When you book a trip, is the company you’re giveing thousands of dollars to a legitimate business? Are they licensed to sell travel, and do they have insurance to cover liability? When you book a trip with CRSURF, you can be assured that we are licensed and insured under our host agency, Dugans Travels. With 14 years of experience traveling and living in Costa Rica, we can be sure you will have a safe and enjoyable trip. We are experts in surfing, and are recommended in the Lonely Planet, Frommer’s, and Fodor’s travel guides.

Best flights: Spirit Airlines $9 Fare Club Members can fly from Fort Lauderdale to San Jose from $211. Jet Blue has flights from Orlando to San Jose for $236.55, but only on a few obscure dates. And for the Holidays, American Airlines has some Miami to San Jose flights from under $350. Let us do the searching for you. If you book a trip with us, there is no charge for the service.

Best deals: You can see over 40 surf camps listed on the CRSURF site with descriptions, photos, and a category for which certifications each camp has. This ensures more safety for surf travelers and the easiest way to choose which Costa Rica camp best fits their needs.

CONTESTS

Costa Rica fielded a talented group to represent at the Billabong ISA World Surfing Games, held October 19-27 in Peru. Carlos Munoz finished with the highest result in the Open Division with an equal 16th, and all team members advanced through some heats.

Also in October was the final stop of the Triple Crown Series, held in Manuel Antonio on the 9th and 10th. Jair Perez won $2,000 in the Open Division, Lisbeth Vindas won the Women’s group, and Anthony Fillingim took 1st in Juniors. All three won a custom PIKO surfboard.

ENVIRONMENT/COMMUNITY

Shark finning is the act of slicing off the fin and discarding the living shark back to sea, where it dies a horrible death. The amputated fins are then exported to Asia, where they are used to make an ominous delicacy: shark fin soup (or as journalist John Platt calls it, “extinction in a bowl”). Shark finning is responsible for the deaths of some 200 million sharks each year — contributing to a 90% decline in global shark populations — and many finning operations are taking place on the private docks in Puntarenas. If you want to help stop this practice, make a donation to Pretoma, www.pretoma.org, who are leading the fight in Costa Rica to educate the public on this issue.

To find out other events in the beachside communities of Costa Rica, just sign up for our surf report: www.crsurf.com/subscribe.html

Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/crsurf
Get our Tweets on Twitter: www.twitter.com/crsurf

No one recognized the beach from last month either. It was Esterillos Centro. Be one of the first three to email: info@crsurf.com with the name of this break and win a CRSURF eco-T-Shirt! (I made it easier this time…) ~ Photo: GG

Costa Rica Surf Report and Forecast

By Greg Gordon
www.crsurf.com

FORECAST

Caribbean Coast: Anticipating an active hurricane season farther north in the Caribbean Sea, I expect a few head-high waves to show up in one- or two-day pulses each week of the month. Past that, there isn’t much to hope for until the beginning of December.

Pacific Coast: There will be waves all month, but it’s a matter of whether it’s going to be blown out or not. Generally, yes, but this is when you wake up at 5 a.m. and hit a perfectly peeling point with no one else out. Just avoid getting struck by lightning, por favor. The first ten days of the month will be smaller — head-high to overhead — but from October 11 to 18 there’s going to be a week of waves. Then it drops again until the 24th or 25th when a macker of a Southwest shows up. Those will be the best days of the month.

New moon: October 7
Full moon: October 22

TRAVEL

What better excuse to visit Costa Rica this month than to see a concert? Limp Bizkit will be at the Autódromo La Guacima in Alajuela on October 14 at 6 p.m., and then Green Day plays on October 29th at the Ricardo Saprissa Stadium in Tibás. For either show it’s worth spending a night in San Jose. To find tickets or a safe place to stay, send an email to: travel@crsurf.com

Best flights: October is the cheapest month to fly for free. However, December and January are two of the most expensive, so buy your winter vacation tickets today!

Best deals: This month, every surf camp and hotel has a deal to help fill their rooms. The key is knowing where is safe, comfortable, and near a good surf spot for your level of surfing. That’s why you should ask the experts — licensed and insured travel agents in Florida. And while there are spaces now, by early November the best spots are sold out for the holidays. So fill out a request form to start your reservations: www.crsurf.com/inquiry.html

CONTESTS

Costa Rica claimed their first top-10 finish at the ISA Master World Championships held in Santa Catalina, Panama, from August 27 to September 1. Craig “Tequila” Schieber took 5th Place in his Kahuna division, too.

Three big contests take place this month, two in Costa Rica. The first is the Sol Pro Surf October 9-10 in Manuel Antonio with $5,000 in prizes hosted by the Federacion de Surf and Lime Coral. The second is on October 30 in Dominical, hosted by SoCosta Surf Trips. In between, the national Costa Rica squad heads to Peru for the World Surfing Games October 19-27.

ENVIRONMENT/COMMUNITY

Gilbert Brown is staying busy these days, opening up a new Caribbean Restaurant near Clarita’s in Jaco, and getting his own section produced and posted on Taylor Steele’s online project Innersection.tv. Even though Gilbert didn’t make the top 10, he got lots of props from Surfing Magazine, where they reposted his killer clip. Here’s the quick link: http://vimeo.com/15011073

In many beachside communities in Costa Rica there are no lifeguards protecting the beach. If there are, they are both underpaid and overworked. But programs like in Tamarindo, Nosara, Playa Cocles, Esterillos, and Dominical hire local surfers and train them to become lifesavers. They have become role models for the smaller kids and are becoming respected because they are getting certified to international standards. Our travel company donates $200 each year ($100 for each Dominical and Tamarindo). You can help these individuals, too, by making a donation through www.dominicallifeguards.org

To find out about other events in the beachside communities of Costa Rica, just sign up for our surf report: www.crsurf.com/subscribe.html

Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/crsurf
Get our Tweets on Twitter: www.twitter.com/crsurf

Photo caption: No one recognized the beach from last month. It was Dominicalito. Be one of the first three to email info@crsurf.com with the name of this break and win a CRSURF eco-t-shirt! ~ Photo: GG

Costa Rica Surf Report
By Greg Gordon
www.crsurf.com

FORECAST

Caribbean Coast: Expect small waves for the majority of the month, but it won’t quite be flat either. Consistent tropical systems send in surf knee- to waist-high, and will be occasionally bigger if a storm brushes closer to the coast.

Pacific Coast: Due to La Niña, this year everyone is predicting a lot more rain — up to 50% more along the Guanacaste coast. This means a greater chance for onshore winds and localized wind swells mixing with continued south swells. The wave size will drop for the first three weeks of the month, from a foot overhead the first week to chest-high. The best days look to be the 19th and 20th, when a nice southwest arrives with some needed relief, and then the waves should stay consistently overhead through the end of the month.

New moon: September 8

Full moon: September 23

TRAVEL

Have you ever wanted to own a surf camp in Costa Rica? Well, now you can be a part of a great investment. Both Blue Surf Sanctuary in Santa Teresa and Safari Surf School in Nosara are looking for partners to help them expand their offerings of surfing in paradise. Just email travel@crsurf.com to find out more on how you can get involved.

Best flights: Spirit Airlines $9 fare club members can fly from Fort Lauderdale to San Jose from $159. Jet Blue has flights from Orlando to San Jose for $236.55. The cheaper flights are on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Frontier Airlines announced that it will start flying into Liberia on February 13, 2011, with weekly nonstop flights to/from its hub at Denver International Airport (DEN). Flights beginning on February 13 will leave Denver at 8:35 a.m., arrive at the Daniel Oduber International airport in Guanacaste at 2:35 p.m., and turn around at 3:25 p.m. to arrive back in Denver at 8:10 p.m. The airline has introductory fares of $164 each way.

Best deals: Book now for October and November and get a 25% discount at Cabinas La Ponderosa in Pavones. Stay three nights and get one FREE! Green Iguana Surf Camp is offering a 10% discount for single travelers and now offering shared accommodations starting every Saturday. Plus they have a 10% off special for camps during September and October. Witchs Rock Surf Camp is offering 25% off their trips in September and October. Just fill out a request form at: www.crsurf.com/inquiry.html.

CONTESTS

Gilbert Brown won the Puerto Viejo Open and pocketed $500, plus a new surfboard for his skills. What was cool about this event is that it was broadcast live, courtesy of Wipeout Films and you can see it posted here: www.crsurf.com/caribe.html.

Eight surfers were chosen to represent Costa Rica at the ISA Master World Championships held in Santa Catalina, Panama, from August 27 to September 1. The team was treated to perfect 6- to 10-foot faces and did well in their heat. The team members are: Cristian Jimenez, Giancarlo Loria, Craig Schieber, Alejandro Monge, Mario Rodríguez, Oscar Sánchez, and Marta Schieber. Check www.crsurf.com for results and videos of the contest.

ENVIRONMENT/COMMUNITY

The Second Annual Sea Turtle and Dolphin Festival will be held around Marina Ballena National Park on two weekends, the September 1-3 and 8-10. Here is the calendar of events: www.crsurf.com/news/community/whale-festival-2010.html

The Tamarindo Beach Marathon returns September 11, beginning at 5 a.m. The marathon is 42.2 kilometers and also features 21.1 km and 10 km events and a 400-meter children’s race called Tamarindo Kids. The big race, however, starts and finishes in Tamarindo and runs through Villarreal, Matapalo, Huacas and Brasilito. For more information, visit www.tamarindobeachmarathon.com

To find out about other events in the beachside communities of Costa Rica, just sign up for our surf report: www.crsurf.com/subscribe.html

Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/crsurf

Get our Tweets on Twitter: www.twitter.com/crsurf

Be one of the first three to email: info@crsurf.com with the name of this break and win a sticker pack from CR Surf Travel Co. ~ Photo: GG (Last month’s photo was Ollie’s Point)

Costa Rica Surf Report and Forecast

By Greg Gordon
www.crsurf.com

FORECAST

Caribbean Coast: Expect drier conditions for this month, with an increased number of tropical systems pushing in surf. Most swells won’t push in anything over head-high, but if a hurricane passes over Nicaragua, it can send down some heavy waves with it.

Pacific Coast: The hurricane season peaks along the Pacific Coast, so there tend to be more onshore conditions in the morning along with strong thunderstorms both in the morning and afternoon. This allows for only a small window of epic surf, so my prediction for the best catches are from August 17th to the 20th. The tides will be right for dawn patrols at the beach breaks. The 10th to the 12th will also have some major tidal swings, so it could be knee- to waist-high at low tides and overhead at high tide.

New Moon: August 9

Full Moon: August 24

TRAVEL

The toll road highway from San Jose to Puntarenas is back open, but drivers should still be careful of falling rocks since it’s the rainy season. It cuts the driving time to Jaco down to 80 minutes, and you can be in Dominical in 3 hours. Here are the directions on how to find it from the airport: www.crsurf.com/news/community/Toll-Road-Directions.html

If it’s your first surf trip to Costa Rica and you want to learn to surf, or you come here four times a year for strategic strikes, CRSURF.com is where you go to find out where the conditions will be best for you. I understand how tides and swell direction affect wave size at most every break in the country and can put you comfortably on the beach that suits your skills. We visited every hotel and house rental on our site, so we know exactly which fits your lifestyle and budget. To start planning your winter getaway today, just fill out this easy form: www.crsurf.com/inquiry.html

Best flights found for August: Spirit Airlines $9 fare club members can fly from Fort Lauderdale to San Jose from $159. Jet Blue has flights from Orlando to San Jose for $236.55. The cheaper flights are on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Best deals: Witch’s Rock Surf Camp has announced that it is offering a 25% discount for surf camp packages in September and October. Cabinas Las Olas in Avellanas has limited rooms for $65 per night. Email travel@crsurf.com and mention The Beachside Resident to get your discount.

CONTESTS

Gilbert Brown was the champion of Luz de Vida Pro in Santa Teresa back during July 9-11. He pocketed a cool $2,500 for his surf skills. Nataly Bernold tooks the Women’s crown and Anthony Fillingim won the Junior division. You can see pictures and the results here: www.crsurf.com/news/contests/luzdevida2.html.

Gilbert Brown was also part of a Tico team, including Isaac Vega, Frederico Pilurzo, and Carlos Munoz, that competed in the Quiksilver Pro in Puerto Escondido in July. Sick, sick barrels… And Frederico made it to the quarterfinals. See the videos here: www.quiksilver.com/puerto

The Puerto Viejo Open will take place on August 14 and will offer $2,000 in prizes for Open and Women’s divisions. Find out more on their site: www.puertoviejoopenpro.com. Wave conditions will determine if it’s in Playa Cocles or Salsa Brava. Recommended accommodations are Apartamentos Agapi and Hotel Totem.

ENVIRONMENT/COMMUNITY

The Caribbean coast is hosting ArteViva, from August 20 to the 31. The festival will feature live music with well-known national bands, theatre, folkloric dance, art exhibitions, culinary events, sport tournaments, a circus, alternative medicine workshops, and much more. The EDACS Asociation is a non-profit agency whose primary goal is to afford alternative educational opportunities in the arts to disadvantaged young people of the Southern Caribbean. They will involve every educational center in the South Caribbean with workshops and students exhibitions. Go to this site to learn more: www.arteviva-puertoviejo.com

The Second Annual Sea Turtle and Dolphin Festival will be held around Marina Ballena National Park on two weekends, the September 1-3 and 8-10. Here is the calendar of events: www.crsurf.com/news/community/whale-festival-2010.html

To find out other events in the beachside communities of Costa Rica, just sign up for our surf report: www.crsurf.com/subscribe.html

CRSURF eco-T-shirts are on still on sale for only $10! They are made in Florida from recycled plastic and cotton, and we are donating $3 from each shirt sold to the Surfrider Foundation’s Tamarindo Chapter, PRETOMA (to stop illegal shark finning) and the Dominical Lifeguards. You can also buy leashes and boardbags from WaveTribe, made from hemp and recycled materials. Visit: www.crsurfshop.com

Photo caption: Be one of the first three to email: info@crsurf.com with the name of this break and win a sticker pack from CR Surf Travel Co.

~ Photo: Alfonso Petrirena (Last month was “Tulin”)

FORECAST

Caribbean Coast: Since the experts are calling for an active hurricane season for the Atlantic, it’s expected to push in chest to head-high surf anytime the winds pick up. Otherwise it will be hot, humid, and flat — great for snorkeling and sunbathing with a cold Imperial or coconut water.

Pacific Coast: Already, two tropical systems have brushed the coastline, bringing some flooding and plenty of local wind swell. After the big south swell pushes 2 to 3 feet overhead through for the Fourth of July weekend, it backs off to chest to head-high surf for the next week. Then another southwest swell arrives midmonth, keeping it overhead for another week, followed by waves from the south. Nothing major is showing later in the month, so the best waves are at the beginning.

New moon: July 11

Full moon: June 25

TRAVEL

A few rumbles are still being felt along the coast, and the new toll road to the Pacific has been closed off temporarily during certain days, so be prepared for detours or take the old route. The problem was that the walls cut from the mountain were too steep, and so rocks have been falling on the highway.

If you head to the Caribbean, be sure to check out a festival created in honor of Costa Rican calypso legend Walter “Mr. Gavitt” Ferguson. It will be celebrated July 5-18 in his hometown of Cahuita, on the southern Caribbean coast. Read more on their site, Festival del Cultura de Cahuita — www.adic.soy.es.

La Dolce Vita in Playa Esterillos Oeste is holding a photo contest, with a three-night stay at the resort as the top prize. Check their site for more information and to submit your photo — www.resortladolcevita.com

There are still plenty of great hotels are offering special low season deals that only CRSURF promote. How about $15/night economy rooms in Playa Grande, hostels and guesthouses from $12/night per person? A standard SUV is only $168 plus insurance. So send us your ideas for a relaxing summer vacation with great surf and we’ll put together a trip for you.

Best flights found for July: JetBlue from Orlando for $426, American Airlines from Miami for $340. The cheaper flights are later in the month and August.

CONTESTS

Luz de Vida Resort in Santa Teresa is hosting a pro surf contest on the weekend of July 9-11. There will be $10,000 in prizes with Open, Juniors, and Womens divisions. Check www.luzdevida-resort.com/torneo/Challenge.html

The Costa Rica National Surf Circuit ended June 26 with Luis Vindas winning the National title in the Open Division. Carlos Munoz took 1st place for Juniors and Lisbeth Vindas won her 8th National title. Congratulations to Noe Mar McGonagle from Pavones, on the CRSURF team, who took 1st in Grommets and 2nd in Boys.

ENVIRONMENT/COMMUNITY

Help put up bridges for monkeys in Manuel Antonio. Call 2777-2592 or e-mail info@kidssavingtherainforest.org. Or if you are in Playa Negra, get out to Azul Profundo Boutique or Luna Llena hotel to buy a souvenir t-shirt, mug, or sticker for the Salve Monos “Save the Monkey” program. They dedicate countless hours and every dollar or colon received to the area’s howler monkeys. All profits go to planting trees for corridors, putting up bridges over streets and power lines, and conducting population studies.

Thanks to Ron McLean at Dominical Photos, the lifeguard program has a new website. The lifeguards have made dozens of saves this year, and their salaries rely on donations from the community and tourists. During the last peak season, professional lifeguards stayed in town to volunteer their services, too. If you’d like to contribute resources to the program, visit www.dominicallifeguards.com. CRSURF also supports the lifeguards in Esterillos, Tamarindo, and Playa Cocles.

CRSURF eco-T-shirts are on still on sale for only $10! They are made in Florida from recycled plastic and cotton, and we are donating $3 from each shirt sold to the Surfrider Foundation’s Tamarindo Chapter, PRETOMA (to stop illegal shark finning), and the Dominical Lifeguards. You can also buy leashes and boardbags from WaveTribe, made from hemp and recycled materials.

Photo caption: Be one of the first three to email info@crsurf.com with the name of this break and win a sticker pack from CR Surf Travel Co. ~ Photo: GG

FORECAST
Caribbean Coast: Don’t expect big surf this month, but when it’s tiny and the sun is shining the snorkeling is incredible. The rainy season has started, so also be prepared for an afternoon dousing. What’s best is that the hotels drop their rates and when there’s surf the lineups won’t be nearly as crowded.

Pacific Coast: May is a favorite month to travel to the Pacific. First, you have very consistent swells from the south and southwest, and second, the high season is over and summer hasn’t started, which means fewer crowds. Thirdly, the rainy season dampens the dust and turns the landscape green again. It’s not the daily 12-hour downpours you get in October, more like afternoon showers that help afternoon glass-off sessions.

New moon: May 13

Full moon: May 27

TRAVEL
The movie release for “Fe De Agua,” the story of a local surfer from Guanacaste who goes pro, will take place at Aqua Disco on May 7 in Tamarindo at 7 p.m. The movie was filmed on the Nicoya Peninsula and employed local actors and directors. In other news, I’ve been putting together a lot of honeymoon trips, which include a few days at Volcan Arenal and a couple of days in Tamarindo, wrapping up the vacation in Nosara. These custom packages are priced at less than $1,500 per couple for the rooms and the car rental. With summertime around the corner, I also have some great options for the family and for college students who need low-budget accommodations. Just send a note to travel@crsurf.com. Mention the “Beachside Resident” when you book a trip, and you’ll get a free CRSURF t-shirt for every traveler coming with you.

CONTESTS
The next contest on the Circuito Nacional de Surf will take place May 22-23 in Nosara. Then the grand finale occurs June 25-26 in Playa Hermosa. Come watch the best surfers in the country compete to see who makes it on to the National team and on to the ISA World Surfing Games. Also, save the date of July 9 as Hotel Luz de Vida in Santa Teresa hosts an international surf competition with a $10,000 purse. Check the website and Facebook page as more details become available.

ENVIRONMENT/COMMUNITY
How about some summer reading for the kids?? Check out “All the Way to the Ocean,” a book that teaches kids not to litter because it will eventually end up in the sea and hurt marine life. Written by Joel Harper with a introduction by Laird Hamilton, it’s a great way to show your kids how to take care of our oceans. You can buy it in our online store — www.crsurfshop.com.

Did you know the Costa Rican government wants to downgrade the Las Baulas National Park to allow more development in Playa Grande? This is one of the last nesting sites of the endangered leatherback turtle in ALL of the Americas. You can help protect the park by signing this petition created by the Natural Resource Defense Council, posted on the CRSURF Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/crsurf.

CRSURF eco-T-shirts are on still on sale for only $12.99 including postage! They are made in Florida from recycled plastic and cotton, and we’re donating $3 from each shirt sold to the Surfrider Foundation’s Tamarindo Chapter, PRETOMA (to stop illegal shark finning), and the Dominical Lifeguards. You can also buy leashes and boardbags from WaveTribe, made from hemp and recycled materials. Why not save a little green while you’re out in the big blue?

Costa Rica Surf Report
By Greg Gordon
http://www.crsurf.com

FORECAST
Caribbean Coast: This is another consistent month for surf, with waves mostly head-high plus, but reaching double overhead. Lots of rain showers as well, so make sure you have tread on the tires for the roads and something strong to clean out your ears after a surf session. Two major surf contests this month will bring out the locals, so show respect in the lineup.

Pacific Coast: The Papagayo winds (from the northwest) really start howling this month, at times strong enough to cause upwelling, which means chilly water. Not that chilly, since you are 9-degrees latitude, but enough so you may want a springsuit up by Witch’s Rock. Waves arrive from the west-northwest and occasionally from the southwest, but don’t get too big. You will see surf from waist- to chest-high mostly, with some 1- to 2-foot overhead days scattered throughout the month.

New moon: February 13

Full moon: February 28

TRAVEL
(Email travel@crsurf.com if you are interested in any of these surf trips to Costa Rica)

Now is the time to start planning your Spring Break and summer surf getaways. Whether you’re just starting out and want to find a few lessons or you’re an expert looking to score epic uncrowded conditions, we can help you plan a custom trip to fit your budget. It’s what we’ve been doing since 1998. Flight specials on American Airlines from Orlando are ~$320 for March 28 or 29 to April 4. A small 4wd SUV costs only $219 per week plus insurance. So what are you waiting for? Send us an email and let us know what type of trip you’re looking for — travel@crsurf.com. (Prices can change quickly for flights, so no guarantees until they’re reserved).

CONTESTS
A Caribbean Surf Association has been created to help support the youth who want to improve their surfing skills on the Caribbean coast. A series of contests have been planned, the next one coinciding with the National Surf Circuit and taking place in Westfalia on February 20-21, and the organizers are looking for sponsors to help them with the financial burden. Their website — www.acosuca.com — has photos and news about upcoming events. If you’re interested in promoting your company and helping kids stay off drugs and instead participate in a healthy, active lifestyle, please contact info@crsurf.com. The Adelante Open is another contest taking place on February 27 in Playa Hermosa, Uvita (about 12 km south of Dominical). There will be cash prizes and an afterparty at the Adelante Hotel. Register at South Wave Surf Shop in Dominical or visit www.adelantehotel.net/surf.

ENVIRONMENT/COMMUNITY

* Florida has an important decision to make regarding oil drilling off the coast. If you disapprove of this idea, show your opposition by joining hands on the beach on February 13 at 1 p.m. Check www.handsacrossthesand.org for details.

* There will be a concert at the Harbor Reef Lodge in Nosara on February 16 to support the Nosara Wildlife Association. This comes right after the Craig Chaquito concert hosted by Safari Surf School on the 14.

* The Dominical Lifeguards are going through some difficult times financially, and without outside support will have to be disbanded. To help them out, go to www.dominicallifeguards.org and make a donation.

* CRSURF eco-T-shirts are on still on sale for only $12.99, including postage! They are made in Florida from recycled plastic and cotton, and we are donating $3 from each shirt sold to the Surfrider Foundation, the Dominical Lifeguards, and Pretoma.org (to stop the tuna farms in Punto Banco). You can also buy leashes and boardbags from WaveTribe made from hemp and recycled materials. Save a little green while you’re out in the big blue.

Surfer: Luis Castro

Costa Rica Surf Report and Forecast
By Greg Gordon
www.crsurf.com

FORECAST

Caribbean Coast: October usually means rainy season. This season is a little different since El Niño is in full-effect. That means more rain showers east of the Talamancan mountain range, but overall, less tropical activity for the Caribbean. No consistent swells coming until mid-November.

Pacific Coast: This month is usually the rainiest of the year, but with El Niño, it won’t be as plentiful, especially up in the northern Guanacaste region. This means cleaner conditions with plenty of south swells filing up from Peru. However, there will still be some heavy downpours toward the end of the month, so keep an eye out for lightning, flash floods, and objects floating in the lineup.

Full moon: October 4

New Moon: October 17

TRAVEL

Hotel and surf camps have their cheapest rates of the year in October. You can find a room on the beach with A/C and breakfast for <$50, or get up to 30% off boat trips or all-inclusive camps. Just take a look around our website, and when you see something you like, let us take care of the rest. Don’t forget to book your tickets now for the holidays. There are still tickets out there for under $300 from Miami, Orlando, and Fort Lauderdale, but you have to start planning with your family and friends. Let CR Surf Travel Co. find a great package for you that won’t break the bank. Email travel@crsurf.com if you’re interested in any of these surf trips to Costa Rica.

CONTESTS

The Jaco Surfing Association is putting together a contest to promote student surfers and education. It will consist of all age groups, from grade school through University, and prizes will be donated by local businesses. The contest will be held at the Best Western Jaco Beach on October 30 through November 1. There will also be a costume party at Bar El Muelle in the Jaco Beach with great prizes for the best costumes. For more info, contact Chuck at: chucks@racsa.co.cr, or Selena at: drselejaco@hotmail.com. Also, there are new dates set for the Central American Surf Championship. It will take place on October 24-25 at Playa El Sunzal, La Libertad, El Salvador.

COMMUNITY

With the help of donations from Surfrider Foundation Tamarindo, development group Las Mareas and area resident Drew Smith, Tamarindo’s only lifeguard, Jorge Zamora, had his salary paid through August. However, the lifeguard program still needs help to continue. The beach stand needs more equipment as well as more lifeguards, and of course the salary of the one remaining lifeguard needs to be protected. To help, contact Cheryl at: cherylmckillican@hotmail.com, or if you are in the area, talk to Mike Clifford at the Surfers Sports Club in Playa Langosta. The lifeguard program in Dominical is also having financial difficulties. In order to raise funds, calendars featuring local ticas are being sold for $20. Buy them at the hotel Tortilla Flats and go to www.dominicallifeguards.org to find out more on how to help the group.

ENVIRONMENT

Teams from National Geographic have been visiting Isla del Coco in submarines since September 9. While scientists gather data, film crews shoot scenes for an hour-long documentary to be aired on the National Geographic Channel. Follow the trip at www.ocean.nationalgeographic.com. Scientists have uploaded daily photos, videos and reports to the website during their visit. In other news, the leatherback turtle population has declined by 95% during the past two decades. Playa Grande, which was the nesting site for more than 1,000 leatherbacks per year in the late 1980s, now hosts only some 40 to 70 of the nesting sea turtles annually. Las Baulas National Park may be reduced by new Government legislation, and we want to know what you think about it. Post your comments on the CR Surf Travel page on Facebook.

Costa Rica Surf Report and Forecast

FORECAST

Caribbean Coast: During September it gets rainy and very inconsistent. Tropical systems generally head north, not west, so any fetch is heading in the wrong direction. On the good side, it’s very inexpensive to eat and stay comfortably, it’s not crowded, and when the occasional short-period swell shows up, you have a number of reefs and sand bars to choose from.

Pacific Coast: This month is tricky since many breaks are tide dependent — meaning it could be chest-high at near low tide and a foot overhead at an hour before high tide. Add to that the increased chance of the wind coming on shore early. You have to know where to go to get the goods and find the break that doesn’t have 30 surfers on it. (That’s where we can help you plan your trip…)

Full moon: September 4th; New Moon: September 18

TRAVEL

Girls Only Surf Camp? We can help you choose from a dozen options in Costa Rica which cater to every variety of chica. Whether it’s a mom-and-daughter bonding trip, an all-inclusive experience with nothing to plan but eat, surf, spa, stretch, and sleep, OR a strategic strike to find the best waves with minimal crowds and a jungle backdrop — just tell us when you want to go!

Private, all-inclusive tours on board a 48′ yacht. Spaces are still available for $300 per person per day and that gets you everything — food, drinks, board rental, and the best boat trip of your life. Mention CRSURF and you can surf for only $1,000 pp for a whole week if you bring at least two friends.

David McNeil is offering to take photos of you surfing while visiting Jaco and Playa Hermosa. He charges from $40 pp for a two-hour session and also can help arrange boat trips to lesser known point breaks in that area.

20% discount off your house rental in Manuel Antonio — www.anamars-ecotours.com
30% discounts at Costa Rica Surf Charters — www.costaricasurfcharters.com
20% off weekly board rental or surf lesson at Coconut Harry’s in Nosara — www.coconutharrys.com

Join CRSURF on Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter today to get the latest photos, news, and insider stories from the beaches of Costa Rica. And email: travel@crsurf.com to find out more about some of these great offers.

CONTESTS

Just in case you didn’t hear, the biggest surf contest ever held in Central America took place in Playa Hermosa last month, August 1-8. Thirty-five different countries came to compete and over 30,000 people were on the beach to see the finals and award ceremony. (You could walk to Jaco from Terrazas more quickly than driving — the traffic was that bad). The  U.S. team won, and Jeremy Flores from France won the Mens, with Cory Lopez coming in Second. Courtney Conlogue from the U.S. took 1st for the women, and Sage Erickson helped the U.S. with a 3rd Place showing. In Longboard, Antoine Delpero from France won, with Tony Silvagni from the U.S. getting Fourth. Our local longboarder — Raul Gonzalez — represented Puerto Rico well. The Costa Rica team placed a very respectable 7th, with Jason Torres reaching 7th Place and Carlos Munoz earning 13th Place.

To find the next generation of surf talent on the Caribbean Coast, the Puerto Viejo Open took place a week later. Jordan Hernandez took home two new surfboards and $300 for winning both the Open division and the Airshow. There are about a dozen super talented surfers in the community who would excel on the national surf circuit, and just don’t have the sponsors. CRSURF recently donated $100 to Jefferson Tacson from Jaco to help with contest entry fees. If you want to help, send a note to: info@crsurf.com.

The next BIG contest is the Central American Surf Championship, September 25-27, at Playa El Sunzal, La Libertad, El Salvador.

ENVIRONMENT/COMMUNITY

CRSURF set a booth at the contest site of the World Surfing Games to promote their methods of helping out. The first thing beachgoers saw were the t-shirts made from half-recycled plastic and half-recycled cotton. Then they noticed the beach bags made from 100% recycled plastic bottles. Also at the front were brochures that described the efforts to stop the tuna farms planned for Punta Banco, only a mile from Pavones. A petition was written up to oppose the farms and by the end of the week we had 285 signatures. If you want to help the communities of Pavones and Punta Banco stop the construction of eight experimental yellowfin tuna cages, then use this link set up by PRETOMA and sign the petition — www.pretoma.org/petitionpeticion. The group Project AWARE will host an International Coastal Cleanup Day 2009: September 19 from 9 a.m. to Noon, Diving Safaris, Playa Hermosa, Guanacaste, 2672-1259. For more info, email: info@costaricadiving.net. The road from Quepos to Dominical is almost done! It’s paved past Matapalo, and the rest is well grated. You should go slow though, because monkeys and coati still cross the road. Sadly, the lifeguard program in Dominical has run out of funding and now there are no lifeguards to protect swimmers and surfers. If you wish to help, visit: www.dominicallifeguards.org.

By Greg Gordon
www.crsurf.com

Caribbean Coast: August is mainstream hurricane season, so expect some surprise surf sessions. They’ll come and go quickly, so you need to sit on it for at least at week.

Pacific Coast: This month is one of the best for waves and weather. The first part of the month has an “Indian Summer” effect with offshores lasting later in the day and less rain. The second half is rainier, but when you’re in the water surfing 1- to 2-foot overhead peaks it doesn’t matter.

Full moon: August 5th
New Moon: August 20th

Travel

Joe Walsh from Witch’s Rock Surf Camp in Tamarindo now has a 48′ yacht, and is motoring it around the Osa Peninsula for the next month on a wave hunt. Spaces are still available for $300 per person, per day and that gets you everything — food, drinks, board rental, and the best boat trip of your life. Mention CRSURF and you can surf for only $250 per day.

David McNeil is offering to take photos of you surfing while visiting Jaco and Playa Hermosa. He charges from $40 per person for a two-hour session and also can help arrange boat trips to lesser known point breaks in that area.

Don’t miss the opportunity from August 9th to the 15th to get up close and personal with humpback whales in the Osa Peninsula. See the complete travel package and sign up soon! Space is very limited. Check: www.crsurf.com/news/travel/whale-trip09.html for details.

Join CRSURF on Facebook Groups, MySpace, and Twitter today to get the latest photos, news, and insider stories from Costa Rica. Email us at travel@crsurf.com if you’re interested in taking a surf trip.

Contests

The Billabong ISA World Surfing Games starts August 1st and runs through August 8th behind Terrazas del Pacifico in Playa Hermosa. CRSURF will have a booth at the contest and will be selling Eco-T-Shirts with a new design on the back, as well as commemorative beach bags (made from 100% recycled bottles) and stickers. Check out the CRSURF website for a list of our favorite accommodations with a satellite view of their location in relation to the contest.

There will be a Puerto Viejo Open Surf Contest August 15 at Playa Cocles. The contest will have heats for open, grommets and longboard. For more information, call Beto at 8885-9688.

Environment/Community

CRSURF is raising money to donate books to kids. “All the Way to the Ocean,” by Joel Harper, follows two boys learning about how litter affects the marine life and coastal ecosystem. Laird Hamilton explains in the beginning why it’s so important for surfers to keep their beaches clean. To purchase a copy, visit the travel shop at www.crsurf.com. For every two copies sold we can donate a copy in Spanish to kids in Central America.

If you want to help the communities of Pavones and Punta Banco stop the construction of eight experimental yellowfin tuna cages, then use this link set up by PRETOMA and sign the petition: www.pretoma.org/petitionpeticion. There will also be petitions to sign at the CRSURF booth during the World Surfing Games in Playa Hermosa.

Specials

(You only have to mention you found out about them from CRSURF.)

20% discount off your house rental in Manuel Antonio: www.anamars-ecotours.com

30% discounts at Costa Rica Surf Charters: www.costaricasurfcharters.com

Get a FREE surfboard for your stay at Witch’s Rock Surf Camp on select dates in August: www.witchsrocksurfcamp.com

Coconut Harry’s Surf Shop in Nosara is offering 20% off your weekly board rental or surf lesson: www.coconutharrys.com
Caption: New CRSURF t-shirt design. Get yours at the World Surfing Games in Playa Hermosa.Design by Bob at www.graphicbob.com.

Photo by: Fabian Sanchez – Witch’s Rock

www.crsurf.com

Tortuguero, my happy home…

So goes the opening line of a song, seldom (if ever) heard beyond the banks of the Parisimina River in northeastern Costa Rica. Despite the tune’s anonymity, it holds a place in my heart.

In contrast to the popular tourist destinations and expatriate havens of Tamarindo, Puntarenas, and Quepos, Tortuguero might be best described as “the Costa Rica less-traveled.” This village of 500 residents owes its relative obscurity to its relative remoteness. Located near the Nicaraguan border on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica, the village is accessible only by boat or light aircraft. This forced isolation has denied — some might say, spared — Tortuguero from the flood of tourism surging across the rest of Costa Rica. There is, however, an annual deluge of visitors that continues year after year just as it has forever. It was this frenzied annual migration that brought another Central Floridian to Tortuguero some five decades before our recent visit.

Each year, beginning as early as February and continuing well into October, thousands upon thousands of sea turtles seek out the muddy expanse of beach that lies between the mouths of the Tortuguero and Parisimina Rivers. Multitudes of loggerhead, hawksbill, leatherback, and the rare green sea turtle literally flock to this isolated seashore to dig their nests and lay their eggs.

While the number of turtles nesting here today may seem staggering, it pales in comparison to the amount counted as recently as a century ago. Stories abound and photographs exist that show it was literally possible to walk the length of Tortuguero’s beach by stepping from the back of one nesting turtle to the next. It was this preponderance, and more specifically, the decline of this preponderance, that brought University of Florida Professor and Naturalist Archie Carr to Tortuguero in the 1950s. Dr. Carr was already a preeminent scientist in the field of sea turtle study, but it was here, at Tortuguero, that he set out to become a preeminent force in their preservation.

By the mid-twentieth century unregulated commercial hunting of sea turtles had reduced nesting populations dramatically in Florida, the Gulf of Mexico, and the upper Caribbean. The Green Sea Turtle teetered on the brink of extinction, and the other varieties were sure to follow. As turtle populations declined, commercial hunting began to concentrate toward the few places where nesting continued on a large scale — places like Tortuguero. Dr. Carr, a lifelong scholar and teacher, believed that while protective legislation was vital, education was the best hope for saving sea turtles. In 1959 he helped establish the Caribbean Conservation Corporation, a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of sea turtles and their habitat through research, education and advocacy.

The long process of educating people about the plight of sea turtles, Dr. Carr reasoned, should begin right in Tortuguero, a village whose very existence relied on the hunting of turtles. Little by little, and often one by one, Dr. Carr and his associates changed the villagers’ perceptions of the turtle, convincing them over time that a live turtle was more valuable than a dead one. The message spread. In 1970, the government of Costa Rica established the 46,900-acre, Tortuguero National Park, restricting turtle hunting to a subsistence level and protecting the nesting beaches. The Caribbean Conservation Corporation soon expanded its influence, and today is the largest such organization in the Atlantic Basin.

Our journey to Tortuguero began aboard an air-conditioned motor coach in Costa Rica’s cosmopolitan capitol, San Jose. The quicker option would have been a flight on Nature Air, a regional airline serving Tortuguero. The bus ride from San Jose, however, traversed the Braulio Carrillo National Park and included a stop at the Rainforest Aerial Tramway for a thirty-minute ride through the treetops of the jungle canopy.

Since there are no roads in or out of Tortuguero, the bus ride was only the first leg of our adventure. At the village of Matina, near the industrial port of Limon, we transferred from the comfortable coach onto a pair of open boats called “pangas” by the locals. Our English-fluent guide informed us that we would, for the next several hours, be coursing our way northward through a network of rivers and waterways that roughly paralleled the Caribbean coast.

“Oh, just like the Banana River,” I remarked confidently.

WRONG! In stark contrast to our tranquil, coastal lagoons, these waterways are deep, swift rivers that drain an immense volume of water from the vast rain forests of the interior. Our intrepid boatmen carefully navigated upstream against strong currents, dodging submerged logs and other hazards while our well informed guide described the amazing bio-diversity slipping past on either shore. Curious birds, such as the architecturally-talented orapendola and the multi-colored toucan of Fruit Loops fame, were abundant. Occasionally, a troop of howler monkeys could be seen — and definitely heard — high in the treetops. As we progressed further north, the sporadically cleared lands of subsistence farmers became less prevalent as the landscape took on a much more jungle-like character.

The sign, declaring in both Spanish and English that were entering the Tortuguero National Park, was a welcome sight. Our long boat ride was almost over and our destination was near. We passed the village just as night was beginning to fall, and continued another mile or so to Laguna Lodge, our home for the next few days.

Laguna is one of seven lodges located just north of Tortuguero, all catering to the growing number of eco-tourists that come to explore the park and to witness the annual turtle nesting frenzy. Our accommodations were in cozy but spacious cabins situated around the lush, tropically landscaped, and impeccably maintained grounds. Meals, unfailingly delicious, included in the price and served buffet style, were taken under the thatched roof of the open-air dining hall. Evening entertainment consisted of gatherings around the fire pit where stories were told and friendships begun. One night, a local musical trio performed their repertoire of folk songs, including “Tortuguero, My Happy Home.”

Guided tours into the park departed the lodge twice daily with specialized tours focusing on specific types of animal and plant life. The village of Tortuguero, site of the Caribbean Conservation Corporation’s research and education center, was just a twenty-minute walk away down the famous nesting beach to which the village owes its fame.

The things we saw amazed us: exotic birds, including the rare green and vivid scarlet macaws; colorful, poisonous frogs; doll-faced capuchin monkeys, and their noisy cousins, the howlers. There were some disappointments: we arrived few weeks too early for turtle nesting and, sorry, no jaguar sightings to report. But what touched us most was Tortuguero itself: a tiny village sandwiched between a raging sea and a wide, deep river inhabited by a gentle and welcoming people who once hunted sea turtles to near extinction, but is now, thanks to the patient teachings of one dedicated Floridian, a place which has vowed to preserve them forever.

…Tortuguero, my happy home. From Tortuguero may I never roam…

To learn more, read “The Windward Road,” by Archie Carr

Group shot of International Surf Day at Hacienda Pinilla. Photo by Thornton Cohen at www.nomadpics.com

A great children’s book that teaches why it’s important not to litter.

FORECAST

Caribbean Coast: July is generally a quiet month for waves, but as the hurricane season gets into gear, there may be a swell or two. The actual storms don’t hit the coast, but instead move north toward Cuba and the Yucatan. If it’s powerful enough, it can send overhead surf for two to three days at a time. Pacific Coast: The last week of June has seen overhead surf just about every day from the South and Southwest, and this pattern continues for July. A stream of Southern Hemi systems plow towards Central America, sending head-high to double overhead-plus surf. The key is getting to the beach early when winds are offshore, and being there at the right tide — generally lower tides for points and reefs, and higher tides for beachbreaks. Full moon: July 7; New Moon: July 21.

TRAVEL

Joe Walsh from Witchs Rock Surf Camp in Tamarindo is taking the WRSC bus on a Pacific Coast surf tour August 15 to the 29. It includes daily surf instruction, surfboards, photos and video of you surfing, and all meals for only $700 per person per week. David McNeil is offering to take photos of you surfing while visiting Jaco and Playa Hermosa. He charges from $40 pp for a two-hour session and also can help arrange boat trips to lesser known point breaks. For July, the cheapest flights I’ve found are on Taca for $211.42 from Miami to San Jose. ($80 for 2 boards in one bag each way). American Airlines has flights from MIA to SJO for $235.42. ($100 per board each way). And Jet Blue has a few seats left from Orlando to San Jose for $315.42. ($50 per board each way). Join CRSURF on Facebook Groups, MySpace, and Twitter today to get the latest photos, news, and insider stories from Costa Rica.

CONTESTS

The Billabong ISA World Surfing Games will be held from July 31 to August 8 behind Terraza del Pacifico in Playa Hermosa. So far, 35 countries have signed up to compete, and if you are staying in Jaco, buses will be running to/from the contest site. Check out the CRSURF website for a list of our favorite accommodations with a satellite view of their location in relation to the contest — www.crsurf.com/ISA09-hotels.html. The top qualifiers for the Costa Rican team have been chosen for ISA World Surfing Games. Open: Jason Torres, Luis Vindas, Carlos Muñoz, Diego Naranjo, Juan Carlos Naranjo, Jairo Pérez y Gilbert Brown. Mujeres: Lisbeth Vindas, Nataly Bernold y Mariana Samudio. Longboard: Cristian Santamaría y Anthony Flores. Of these twelve, eight will make the final cut.

ENVIRONMENT/COMMUNITY

CRSURF is raising money to donate books to kids. “All the Way to the Ocean,” by Joel Harper, follows two boys learning about how litter affects the marine life and coastal ecosystem. Laird Hamilton explains in the beginning why it is so important for surfers to keep their beaches clean. To purchase a copy, visit the travel shop at www.crsurf.com. For every two copies sold we can donate a copy in Spanish to kids in Central America.

If you want to help the communities of Pavones and Punta Banco, stop the construction of eight experimental yellowfin tuna cages, then use this link set up by PRETOMA and sign the petition: www.pretoma.org/petitionpeticion

An International Surf Day event was held on the beach at Hacienda Pinilla on June 21 to raise funds for the Tamarindo Lifeguards and future beach cleanups. There was a great turnout for the event. Also, the Soulstice Pro took place the same weekend behind Cabinas Las Olas in Playa Hermosa. Their efforts were focused on cleaning the beach at Playa Guacalillo and supporting the Friends of Playa Hermosa in their environmental efforts. And Safari Surf School organized a contest in Nosara the same day to raise funds for the local schools.

The Christian Surfers group from Daytona Beach sent two groups to Dominical to help with local community projects and put together a free contest for the kids on June 20.

SPECIALS

– You only have to mention you found out about them from CRSURF…

30% discounts at Costa Rica Surf Charters! Go to: www.costaricasurfcharters.com

Get a FREE surfboard for your stay at Witchs Rock Surf Camp on selected dates in July and August — www.witchsrocksurfcamp.com

Coconut Harry’s Surf Shop in Nosara is offering 20% off your weekly board rental or Surf Lesson — www.coconutharrys.com

Two weeks in a two-bedroom luxury poolside condo in Jaco for only $2,300. It’s a great place for up to six people to stay for the World Surfing Games, less than 5-minutes drive to the contest site. Visit www.clubdelsol.com for details.

www.crsurf.com

The month of June is known for the consistent south and southwest swells that sweep the Pacific Coast. The average size of the surf is head-high to overhead, with a few stronger swells producing waves up to double overhead. The key is to surf early since winds turn onshore at about 10 a.m. on most days. On the Caribbean side there are rare days with a little size, but it’s mostly a serene sea — perfect for snorkeling or scuba diving, or just soaking in the sun.

TRAVEL

The next Tamarindo Beach Fair will be on Saturday, June 6. For those interested in joining us to show off your company, ideas or wares, email puravidahealth@gmail.com, or simply call them direct (Andrea 8398-8705, Holly 2653-1238). And don’t forget to check out the organic marketplace every Saturday from 9 to 2 p.m. in front of Witch’s Rock Surf Camp.

Taca Airlines now has flights from $280 from Los Angeles to San Jose! And flights from New York to SJO for $351 (+$95 each way to travel w/2 boards). This price is for many dates throughout summer, so contact travel@crsurf.com to get your next vacation started. On May 15th, TACA changed its surfboard bag fees to $95 each way ($80 to/from Miami to SJO). To petition the high cost of surfboard charges on airlines, go to: www-surfers-against-airline-fees.com

Three-Day Music Festival on The Osa with Costa Rica’s Best Rock, Blues, Classical, Reggae and World Musicians all donating their performances to play at RainforestAid09 this June 19-21. Don’t miss: Evolucion, Akasha, Gary Hoey, Kingo Lovers, Nancy Buchan, MudCat, Igni Ferroque and Manuel Obregon performing Simbiosis on Sunday June 21. RFA09 is raising awareness and funds in support of the Osa. Join us at Camp Rugged Seahorse on Leila’s farm in the small village of Amapola (25 min. North of Puerto Jimenez). Camp on site or stay at one of the areas hotels or eco-lodges in Puerto Jiminez or Uvita. Saturday is family and kids day with fun activities planned and local job fair. Don’t forget: Fly on Nature Air for half price between June 15 and 25. Promo Code: rainforestaid09 at www.natureair.com. Book your Costa Rican Vacation today for this June and enjoy music, art and nature in the Rainforest.

CONTESTS

Carlos Muñoz is Costa Rica’s New National Surf Champion! The 16-year-old made history by winning the Open, Junior, and Boys at the final contest of the Circuito Nacional de Surf Daystar 2008-2009, Presented by Coca-Cola Zero at Playa Hermosa. Lisbeth Vindas earned her 7th National Women’s title as well. Both will be representing their country proudly at the “Mundial” this July. The Billabong ISA World Surfing Games will be held from July 31 to August 8 behind Terraza del Pacifico in Playa Hermosa. There will be over 40 countries competing and if you’re staying in Jaco, buses will be running to/from the contest site. Check out a list of our favorite accommodations on the CRSURF.com website, with a satellite view of their location in relation to the contest. Also visit www.surfingcr.net and www.isasurf.org to get the latest information on the teams participating.

ENVIRONMENT/COMMUNITY

GoodMorningPavones.com (or BuenosDiasPavones.com en espanol) is a new website dedicated to the community of Pavones and Punta Banco. They’ve been covering the Tuna Farm issue, and they give you an opportunity to buy a t-shirt to support the environmental group PRETOMA, who are leading the effort to oppose the tuna farms. Unfortunately these farms are to be built right off the coast of Punta Banco, and although there is a lot of evidence that they would cause a lot of damage to the marine ecosystem, the Costa Rican Environmental Ministry has approved them anyway.

The US Department of State’s Bureau of Oceans, Environment, and Science imposed a trade embargo on all Costa Rican shrimp exports to the US, effective May 1. The embargo is due to Costa Rica’s failure to enforce its laws that require commercial shrimp fishers to protect sea turtles from capture and death in trawl nets by using Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs). According to a report issued by the State Department, the decision to embargo Costa Rica was the result of a multi-year investigation that involved certification visits and data compiled from credible third-party sources. The evidence points out how Costa Rica’s Fishery Institute (Incopesca), didn’t “provide sanctions for TED violations that served as an effective deterrent against the failure to use TEDs”.

SPECIALS

Coconut Harrys Surf Shop in Nosara is offering 20% off your weekly board rental or Surf Lesson if you mention the CR Surf Report!

Waves Costa Rica in Playa Hermoa is offering a 10% discount on their all inclusive surf packages.

Our partners at Tico Travel are offering this special: Tropical Volcano & Manuel Antonio – 8 Days/7 Nights. Includes: Arrival meet-and-greet service, 7 nights lodging at selected Hotels. Seven breakfasts. Guided tour to Arenal Hanging Bridges. Guided tour to Manuel Antonio National Park. All in-country land transportation to selected areas. Price: $765 double occupancy. (All offers valid from May 1 to November 14, 2009). Just send an email to travel@crsurf.com to book your trip.

Check out the limited-time specials for up to 30% discounts at Costa Rica Surf Charters. Their boat, the Aquadesiac, offers overnight surf trips to Witch’s Rock and Ollies Point. They also take multiday tours up to Nicaragua. Visit www.costaricasurfcharters.com to find out more.

Hotem Totem in Playa Cocles has an online reservation special: Stay 3 nights and pay for only 2. Visit www.totemsite.com for more details.

By Greg Gordon
travel@crsurf.com

Report #466 had submissions from Playa Grande, Tamarindo, Playa Negra, Nosara, Santa Teresa, Playa Carmen, Jaco, Playa Hermosa, and Dominical. Tide charts for all of 2009 are posted to help plan trips. Local surf photographers have sent in the best photos each week, and contest videos are now up on our video gallery and on YouTube. To join the weekly surf reports are monthly travel and environmental feature issues, and a free subscription is available to everyone with an email account. There are also blogs on MySpace (www.myspace.com/crsurf) and the “Costa Rica Surf Travel Group” on Facebook to keep travelers updated on the latest news and events.

The top story of the year has been the Costa Rican surfers’ performance at the 2008 ISA World Surfing Games in Portugal. The team came in 5th and Jason Torres put on an equal top-5 result (CJ Hobgood won it). Natalie Bernold, at 15 years old, made it to the top 8 in the world in the Womens Division. Next year, the ISA World Surfing Games comes to Playa Hermosa, July 29th to August 8th, with more than 50 countries expected to field teams. CR Surf Travel Co. sponsors 18-year-old Debbie Zec Jimenez from Dominical, who finished 2nd in the Junior Women’s division last season, with a win in Jr. Women’s at Playa Carmen in February.

Worldwide, beaches and the waves that break on them are a vital resource for the community, the economy, and the ecosystem. The ISA (International Surfing Association) and Save the Waves are looking into creating marine reserves around the world to protect surf spots perpetually. It can’t be done just by the international groups; it needs input and participation by locals, individuals like us. We need to educate the world of the value of surf — and how surfing improves the quality of our lives. CRSURF.com is helping to lead this movement.

In September, I was given 15 copies in Spanish of the book “All the Way to the Ocean,” by Joel Harper. I read the story to the school children in Dominical — how pollution gets to the sea, and what can be done to prevent it. It’s one small step, yet together, the possibilities are endless. Other contributions made this year by CR Surf were: a retail membership with the Surfrider Foundation; a $100 donation to the Dominical Lifeguards program, and a $50 donation to Tropical Adventures School Project Fund that will help the Bri-Bri Indians who were hit pretty hard by flooding in November. We’re bringing down some clothes and school supplies to the Caribbean community as well.

So the sponsors of CR surf are supporting some great causes for Costa Rica. And clients who book trips through CR Surf Travel Co. can know they are giving back to the environment and local surf community. You don’t see ads for real estate development anywhere on the site. If you want to get involved or get help planning your next trip, send a note to travel@crsurf.com. There will be many more surf missions to come.

www.crsurf.com

Thanks to our Sponsors: A Surfer’s Dream House; Adventure Inn; Backyard Bar and Hotel; Blue Surf Sanctuary; Blue Trailz; Cabinas Las Arenas; Cabinas Las Olas (Avellanas); Café Playa Negra; Cashew Hill; Jungle Lodge; Club del Sol; Costa Paraiso Lodge; Costa Rica Surf Club; CR Surf Adventures; Diuwak; Domilocos; Esencia Hotel; Fuego del Sol Hotel; Hacienda Baru; Hermosa Beach House; Horizon Surf & Yoga; Retreat; Hotel Fuego del Sol; Hotel Marea Brava; Hotel Poseidon; Island Hoppers; ISLS – Teen Spanish; Kevin’s Transfers; La Dolce Vita; La Felicidad; Lohe Lani Catamaran Cruises; Luz de Vida Hotel; Pablo Picasso’s Restaurant and Cabinas; Pancho’s Resort; Ranchos Ituana; Rip Jack Inn; Roca Bruja Surf Tours; Safari Surf School; School of the World; Castillo de Pavones; Sirena Hotel; Southwave Surf Shop; Surf Guide Book; The Ohana House; The Place; Tico Travel; Tres Monos and Green Iguana; Tuanis Rides; Vertical Pics; Villas Rio Mar; Vista de Olas; Witch’s Rock Surf Camp

Our Surf Reporters: Waves CR; Walking On Water Surf Shop; Hotel Las Tortugas; Witch’s Rock Surf Camp; SurfingNosara.com; John Lyman Photos; Funky Monkey Lodge; Hotel Buenisimo; Jazzy’s River House; Land Assurance; Alberto’s Surf School; The Jaco Sun

And our contributing photographers: AnaLucia Rodriguez-Tinoco; Carlos Barrera; Daniel Looman; David McNeill; Fabian Sanchez; Graham Swindell; John Lyman; Julia Mueller-Schwenn; Mama G; Matt Adame; Peter Correale; Phillippe Demarsan; PT; Ron MacLean; Sean Davis; Shifi; Thornton Cohen; Tony Roberts