When you think of Costa Rica, what are the first things that come to mind? Probably visions of tropical rainforests? Lazy sloths traipsing in treetops? Beautiful beaches, perhaps? And of course, when you think of those Costa Rican beaches I’m sure one of the first things that you imagine are big waves and talented folks riding them.
Costa Rica is known for its waves, especially along the Pacific coast and many people make the trek to this tropical paradise for the sole purpose of taking advantage of its famous surf. One of the most frequent questions I get from friends and family back home is whether I’ve been out taking advantage of the surf opportunities. Growing up in south Florida I’ve dabbled in surfing, but we also commonly refer to the ocean in my hometown as Lake Atlantic because of how calm it is most of the year. For me, the quotidian waves here in CR are what would normally signify an approaching hurricane (and would also serve as a good excuse to evacuate the water).
But alas after becoming friends with some surf instructors, I had no excuse! One overcast afternoon I set out with Kami and Steffi from Amapola Surf School to give surfing a shot. After going over some of the basics in the sand, it was time to hit the waves. With Steffi’s help, I managed to get the longboard I was using out past the break, and was able to overcome one of my first fears! (Nope, not wiping out – my main fear is getting smacked in the face by the board in the trek out from shore.) Within my first few waves, I was up and standing! This was my first time actually taking a class and learning technique, instead of using my old method of very ungracefully shifting my body from cobra position to standing. After about an hour of sporadically catching some nice rides, I started to get a little tired and had some nice wipeouts to fully even out the learning process.
All in all, it was a really fun experience and it helped me to realize that even though the waves here are definitely bigger and badder than what I’m used to, it’s still possible to navigate them and enjoy yourself. I have a lot of respect for the ocean but this lesson helped me to have respect for my own abilities. Since this lesson, I had another chance to get out into the waves on my own, and I managed to catch a ride confirming that this wasn’t a one time occurrence 😛
Thanks to Kami I have some pics from this lovely day too:
Liz Guinessey: A Gringa Living the Pura Vida 