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The Importance of Swell Angle
Surfers love to create unrealistic expectations about waves we've yet to catch. Every few weeks in Costa Rica, surfers are hyping about the newest purple blob that appears on the swell charts. "Have you seen the next swell? It's gonna be the biggest of the year!"...
The Importance of Swell Period
As it relates to surfing, we call the distance between 2 consecutive waves the swell Period, and it is measured in seconds. So let’s imagine for a moment you are out in the water, waiting on your board as a set of waves begins to pulse through. None of the waves have...
Sands of Change
In the early seventies, my brother and I arrived in Tamarindo with single fin, 7 foot, down-railers and homemade bungee cord leashes. When your tail “side slipped” out from under you on a late drop, your board stretched out to the breaking point on the rubber...
Surf Adventure: The Road and Swell Point South
Surf Adventure Surf Trek with CHE: When the Road and Swell Point South. I woke at 12:30, 1:30, 2:30, and finally rose at 3 a.m. with one of several alarms that I set in five-minute intervals. Before a surf adventure, I find sleep to be sparse and nearly impossible...
ConnectOcean: Swim Safe Costa Rica
[vc_row css=".vc_custom_1672232565287{background-color: #ffffff !important;}"][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]Costa Rica, a picturesque realm nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, unfolds over 800 miles of bewitching coastline. The allure of...
Manuel Antonio: The Surf Spot
[vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text] Manuel Antonio: Costa Rica’s Jungle Postcard With a Secret—It Surfs Brilliantly Manuel Antonio National Park gets the fame for sloths in sea-almond trees, macaws flashing scarlet over jade coves, and jungle trails that...
SKIMBOARDING: Acrobatics of the Fearless
[vc_row][vc_column width="2/3"][vc_column_text] Skimboarding in Costa Rica: shorebreak art, fearless flight, pura vida funFrom Guanacaste’s honey-gold coves to the black-sand crescents of the Central Pacific, skimboarding is the Costa Rican sweet spot where adventure,...
Surfing Ollie’s Point after the Storm
In October 2017, a huge storm devastated most of the beaches in Costa Rica. Playas del Coco was totally flooded. Significant beachfront destruction was widespread, and the ocean was very brown. This occurred on a Friday, and just two days later, we were among the...
Swells Make Costa Rica a Leading Surf Destination
Waves are nothing more than traveling vessels of energy. Born from strong winds blowing in all corners of the planet, ocean waves traverse thousands of miles through open water just to come crashing down for our enjoyment. Aside from the visual aesthetics of watching...
Caribbean Side Surprises: Salsa Brava’s September Punch
If you’ve ever stood on the sand in Puerto Viejo and stared out at Salsa Brava, you’ll know it’s not a wave for the faint-hearted. This reef break, with its raw Caribbean power and shallow coral shelf, has humbled even the most experienced surfers. September, often...
Witch’s Rock and Ollie’s Point: September’s Secret Season
If surfing had a whisper rather than a roar, it would sound like September at Witch’s Rock and Ollie’s Point. Forget the packed line-ups of peak summer. This is the month when the Santa Rosa coastline feels like your own private playground. The long boat rides from...
How to Surf Without Crying: A Beginner’s Tale from Dominical
Spoiler: There were tears. But also a lot of saltwater, so who's really counting? If you’ve ever watched a surfer glide across a wave like Poseidon’s cool cousin and thought, I could totally do that, then you, dear reader, are a fool. A hopeful, sunburn-prone,...
July Swells and Secret Breaks
Where Experienced Surfers Go in Costa Rica During the Mini Summer to Escape Crowds and Chase Monster Sets Where are the best waves in Costa Rica during the mini summer? During Costa Rica’s short dry spell in July, known as the veranillo de San Juan, the Pacific coast...
El Fantasma: Costa Rica’s Rare Reef Wave That Only Appears in June
There’s a murmur that runs down the Nicoya Peninsula like wildfire every late May. “It’s coming,” someone says at a beach bonfire. Surf shop owners glance at the forecast and start waxing boards with twitchy hands. The old guys start telling younger surfers to charge...
Eco-Wave Warriors: How Surfers Are Saving Costa Rica’s Coastlines
It’s just after sunrise on a beach somewhere between Tamarindo and Playa Hermosa. The lineup’s thinned out, boards are dripping on the sand, and a bunch of salty, sun-kissed surfers are swapping rash guards for gloves. But they’re not done yet—the next session is just...
From Hammocks to Hijinks: The Real Surf Lifestyle in Costa Rica
So you think surf life in Costa Rica is all bronzed bodies and mojitos at sunset? Bless your Instagram-fed heart. The truth is far more entertaining—and sunburned. The real surf lifestyle here isn’t curated; it’s chaotic, crusty, and constantly covered in sand. It...
Swells, Spills, and Spirituality: The Surfer’s Soul in Costa Rica
There’s something that shifts inside you after your first paddle out in Costa Rica. Maybe it’s the salt in the air or the hypnotic rhythm of the Pacific, but the ocean here speaks—and not just in waves. Beneath the bright sun and under the watchful eye of volcanoes,...
Legendary Surf Spots You’ve Never Heard Of in Costa Rica
Costa Rica’s surf scene is legendary, with well-known spots like Pavones and Playa Hermosa drawing wave riders from around the world. But beyond the famous breaks lies a secret world of lesser-known, epic surf spots—places where perfect waves roll in with barely a...
The Art of the Duck Dive: Mastering the Most Important Move in Surfing
For many surfers, paddling out on a big day is where the battle truly begins. The ability to execute a clean duck dive is the difference between making it past the breaking waves and getting relentlessly pummeled back to shore. With April’s powerful swells rolling in,...
March Madness: Why This Month is Perfect for Surfing in Costa Rica
[vc_row][vc_column width="3/4" css=".vc_custom_1691013008333{background-color: #f9ecc5 !important;}"][vc_column_text]March in Costa Rica is a surfer’s paradise. With its prime wave conditions, warm waters, and perfect weather, this month offers some of the best...
Surf Etiquette 101: How to Avoid Being ‘That Surfer’
[vc_row][vc_column width="3/4" css=".vc_custom_1691013008333{background-color: #f9ecc5 !important;}"][vc_column_text]Nothing ruins a perfect surf session faster than a clueless kook dropping in on every wave like they own the ocean. Whether you’re a beginner just...