Every day in Costa Rica is equal to two weeks in normal life. By that I mean the sheer amount of richness and experiences we have when we’re here in a single day amounts to to so much more than what occurs during a weekly cycle and the daily grind back home. Within the first 3 days of our Costa Rica Surf Camp here I’ve heard WB Surf Camp Founder Rick Civelli, as well as several of our wonderful clients, claim multiple first for their lives!

Because the surf is so tide dependent here, it gives us time to experience more of the culture, the land, and the people. After our first day of Surfing Lessons at a couple of our favorite spots and watching our stellar crew advance forward leaps and bounds in their surfing abilities, we injected ourselves directly into the heart of Costa Rican culture. Festival is a seasonal gathering that each small town and village throws together similar to a carnival, but without all the “carnies”. It’s run by and for the locals (ticos) for about 3 days per town. Each town takes it’s turn and then it moves to the next village. There are tons of local foods and games, but the highlight for everyone are the bulls. Revered by the Costa Rican culture, the bulls are not harmed here like they would be in Spain. Instead, they are let loose into a timber built ring with a single rider and the entire town running in, out, under, and clambering up the ring…especially when it charges at you!

The next morning was a stop at an authentic Costa Rican ranch. We milked cows, rode horses, held baby piglets, rolled around in an oxcart…many firsts for many of us. The whole thing was very enlightening as we learned the rancheros knew all 98 names of all 98 cows that they milked by hand in under 3 hours, every day. It really made us appreciate where everything we consume really comes from. Rick Civelli rode his first horse that day and we had a really hard time pulling him away from milking the cows. Another first! He was loving the experience just as much as the campers, possibly more.

We spent the rest of the day on the beautiful beaches to the south of Tamarindo further increasing everyone’s skills and stoke. Even after all of that, the next morning I had several campers out on the reef in front of our hotel snorkelling and freediving. A few lobsters and spotted morays later, Brian called out to me and I swam quickly up to him as he pointed down. Below me, flying gracefully through the water column, were a pair of spotted eagle rays. These beautiful angelic creatures glide with an ethereal movement that while swimming along side them makes you never want to come up for air. They permit you, and you can feel it, to swim with them before giving just flit of extra energy and speeding off into the green beyond. With the rays of the sun cutting through the particles in the water at a 45degree angle, it feels like your dreaming wide awake. Awesome!

That rest of that day we spent on a black sand beach, void of development and the bustle of Tamarindo. After 6 hours of surfing by ourselves we watched the sun set behind the palms over the Pacific and the ring of cheers echoed throughout the rest of the night to a day well lived!

The night of dancing, karaoke, and laughing was just the icing on the cake!

-Jason Andre
Tamarindo, Costa Rica 1/25/2012

Costa Rica is blessed with some of the best and most consistent surf the world has to offer. Couple this with fresh seafood and friendly locals, and you have surfing paradise. Week two of WB Surf Camp’s adult surfing adventure resulted in another amazing experience, with endless groundswell, offshore winds, and perfect weather every day. Once escaping the harsh winter of North America, our bodies warmed up immediately as we set foot on Central American soil. After everyone in our Costa Rica Surf Camp united, it was time to drive south and get settled into our ocean front rooms at our 4 star resort. We celebrated our first night in paradise with a group dinner, discussing plans for the week ahead. Our clocks shifted to “Tico time”, as we let out a sigh of relaxation and enjoyed the sunset over the pacific.

“Pura Vida” is a phrase that you’ll hear everywhere throughout Costa Rica. Pura=pure and vida=life, forming “pure life.” This term hits the nail on the head when describing the overall aura of this beautiful country. The locals of Costa Rica compose the most resourceful culture that I have experienced throughout my travels. Their respect for the environment and emphasis on enjoying life slowly inspire me each time I visit.

We were lucky enough to have high energy and positivity glowing throughout each individual over the week. We spent our first morning training in the controlled environment of our luxury pool. Positioning, paddling techniques, marine biology, and ocean dynamics were our main points of focus, as everyone became comfortable with their equipment. Starting in the pool was extremely helpful, because we could concentrate without the roar of the surf, strong currents, and other surfers around us. After laying the foundation of our surf skills, we fueled up with a monster burrito and prepared for the afternoon session.

Each day the stoke meter rose as skills improved and our group grew closer. We explored multiple surf spots including Playa Avellanas, Tamarindo river mouth, and Playa Langosta.  It’s hard to beat surfing a beach with no crowds, perfect waves, and a natural pristine landscape without the congestion of high-rise buildings and businesses lining the waterfront. Mornings were spent trading off waves until our arms turned to rubber. Once reaching this point, it was time to enjoy a break in the shade of our thatched hut, which was pieced together with palm fronds, logs and fishing line.

Afternoons were spent recharging poolside, getting massages in the lush oceanfront garden, or bartering in town with the local vendors. Each day just before sunset, our group met at happy hour for seminars focusing on wave dynamics, wave prediction, and surfing etiquette. This was a fun part of the day as we learned about surfing and reviewed video analysis from the day of surfing. Slow motion wipe outs, paired with long rides down the face of the wave, made for plenty of laughs as well as great opportunities for coaching. Our seminars were followed by delicious dinners at our favorite local spots.

The food in Costa Rica is another factor that makes this place so special. From fresh mahi, to lobster skewers, we were full and satisfied at the end of each day. After dinner, the exhaustion from the active day starts to set in, and sleep starts calling your name. It’s early to bed in order to wake up and do it all over again!

The days flew by with each fresh sunrise and every magnificent sunset. Towards the end of our adventure we took everyone on an exhilarating canopy zip line tour. We hurled ourselves out on a thin wire attached to giant guanacaste trees, which were occupied by howler monkeys, that spanned entire mountain ridges,. Zip lining is a great way to get the sensation of flying. With the wind at your face, relaxed in your harness you are able soak up breath-taking scenery with each run.

Our final evening was spent at a l0cal festival in a small town just outside of Tamarindo. Here we were able to witness local heroes riding massive bulls (the other local heroes) in the fenced-in arena. The entire town comes out and participates to put on these week long events; jumping in the bull pen, running the games, cooking the food, and dancing around. The smell of authentic local casado and churros filled the air as we played ring toss, danced with the ticos, and took part in the adrenaline filled bull riding spectacle.

Both weeks of our Costa Rica adult surfing adventure were beyond amazing. Our two week surf fest was one of the best, if not the best in WB Surf Camp history. Thank you to everyone who participated!

Adios,

Steve

Week one of WB Surf Camp’s Costa Rica adventure has flown by, as our next group of clients arrived Saturday, ready to thaw out and embrace the warmth of this special place. The raw power of the sea spoke to each of us over the past week and the connection was felt like never before. Each day we immersed ourselves in the invigorating wild side of nature as our skills in the water improved. With plenty of time to reflect, we paddled out with schooling fish, spotted eagle rays, and the company of newfound friends. One of the greatest factors of surfing is that each session is unique in its own way. Wave size, winds, marine life, and scenery are constantly shifting, making every session different.

The last two mornings of our first week of camp were spent surfing at one of our favorite spots – Avellanas. Avellanas is a special place that makes you feel isolated from the rest of the world. Time slows down as you focus on the present and nothing more. We spent both mornings surfing perfect, glassy waves in translucent water. Once exhausted, we retired to hammocks on the beach strung between giant palms and surrounded by lush tropical vegetation for a nap. After waking up to the sounds of Bob Marley flowing from Lola’s beach lounge, it was time to refuel with a mango smoothie and some fresh ceviche. Lola is a massive, mischievous pig that hangs out with you on the beach, bathing in the surf and hoping for your leftover food. Nowhere else can you experience an environment this special and unique! Time slipped away as we found ourselves nearing the end of our first week.

Just when we thought things couldn’t get any better, they did! Surfing legend, Robert August from the original Endless Summer joined our group for dinner on our last night. We gazed over the Pacific while conversing with one of surfing’s kings! Mr. August told stories of surfing around the world, filling us in on his lifelong journey as a surfer. After getting photos and autographs we walked back to the hotel satisfied, knowing that we couldn’t have ended the week any better.

Everyone from our group is now a surfer for life! Skills have improved, confidence has been boosted, and outlooks on life have changed! Everyone has officially caught the STOKE! We couldn’t have asked for better conditions or a more excellent group of people!

Stay tuned for round two of our epic surfing adventure..

-Steve