The title is not a missspelling but an inside joke for you, Bill:)

Some of the best compliments I recieve from returning clents are about how we seem to attract great people to our programs.  This is the truth- it seems like every adult surf camp I facilitate just gets better.  Now as hard as it would be to top our 2008 Costa Rica Surf Camp, I have to say that this session was right on par and even more magical in it’s own right.  The best part of my job is simple.  It is the fact that I get to know some of the best people I could ever meet.  This trip had Eddie, Debbie and Eileen who now mean way more to me then just Surf Clients, the lawyer crew from PA which could not have been any cooler, and Joe and Marcia from OH who were just a pleasure to have around.  Joe was simply determined to get his young frame up on a board, and boy did he succeed.  How often in life can you try something as hard as learning how to surf and then get your first sucessful stand up ride captured on both video and a high meg digital picture?  We all know surfing is very physical but it was about impossible to keep Joe out of the water. By facilitating these camps, it is easy to see why our clients are so successful in their own worlds, and what shear determination will do for someone who really wants to achieve a goal.

So the bros from PA……what can I say.   Put it this way, after breakfast on a couple of days, they would do an open ocean swim to our surf break, an easy 1/2 mile swim.  It tured out they were both fantastic surfers growing up and they picked up right where they left off. So many more stories to tell, but there is no need to tell them:)  All I can say is that I hope to surf with them again.  Bob S, had the quickest pop up I had ever seen.  He was so quick to his feet that he was dropping in on his own waves by the second day. Paul, “did you see the size of his arms” was just a go with the flow camper with natural athletic ability that made Dougs job super easy.  With his natural ability and level of determination, I really hope that he finds the time to continue progressing his surfing skills.

My favorite part of every day was the late afternoon. We would surf this bay everyday called Tortuga Cove and I must say that it is a magical place.  So magical, in fact, that I simply would not want to leave.  As the sun sank lower in the sky, the crowds dissapated and the frost would melt from my glass bottle of my coolade, and I would feel a unique calm just overtake me.  I am the first to admit it, when I am at home I run full throttle and take on way more then I should.  After a day of surfing Tortuga Cove, I actully feel the stress melt away and a certain peace overtake me that I normally do not feel in my everyday life. The cheeseburger and rice and beans that I usually ate for lunch everyday I’m sure also helped.

My only bummer was that we did not visit Anagada.  It would have been great to show everyone such a magical place! So anyway…… I will not recount all the incredible times and laughs we had,  but just let you know that every time I leave the Caribbean I simply count the days untill I can return to this magical part of the world.

- Rick

After several weeks soaking in the tropical sun and clear waters of the heart of the Caribbean, it was tough getting back to reality.  My first week was the best family vacation I have ever had, although this one was quite different because we are now parents and chasing around a 1.5 year old is non-stop.  It was great to spend time with everyone.  As life is flying by and our second child only months away from joining us, it was nice to slow it all down for a week and spend it with the people who mean the most to me.

My son, Vincent, started off the vacation a bit leary of the ocean and who could blame him.  The surf was loud and big for someone who stands at only 2 feet tall.  So we spent a bunch of time building sand castles and even swimmiing in the pool.  The place we stayed has the biggest pool in all of the BVI. Believe it or not, after all the time I have stayed at this oceanfront resort, this was the first time ever getting in the pool.  With the most amazing beach and ocean just steps away, it is hard for me to pass up water with salt in it:) After a few days and seeing his favorite cousin literally turning into a fish, Vincent was cool with heading into the ocean with his Pops.  We even got a chance to see several sea turtles coming to the surface for air.

Everyone always asks if Vincent will be a surfer like his Dad.  I can only hope, but I feel the best thing I can give him is the opportunity to do whatever he wants in life.  It will be hard for him not to love the ocean as he will be spending his summers at the beach all day long in our camps in only 3 more years.

It is amazing how one can acclimate so easily to island time.  As things just take a little longer in the Caribbean, it forces your soul to slow down.  So what did we do?  We hung out, ate great food and pretty much just went to the beach.  The only thing structured we did was went to this dolphin swim place so my Godson Kyle (5 years old) could swim with dolphins.  It was cool to see him interact with one of nature’s greatest surfers!

Before we knew it, our week was up and everyone had to leave to get back to reality.  Except for me, that is, as I was about to start up our first week of our Adult Surf Camps and would be picking up Clifton, Jen, and Doug in just a few short hours.

- Rick

It’s saturday night and Jen and I just got back from our Friends Ed and Brenda’s house.  Ed works for CAMA and every year they get the CAMA and DMF crew as well as some other great people together for an oyster roast.  I missed last years because of our Tortola trip so we were stoked to be able to go this year.  If you like to eat oysters there is no better place in the world to eat them!

We only have 4 days untill we leave for Tortola and I am counting the days.  Although I worked all day today and will have to put in some crazy hours untill I leave for several weeks it will all be worth it.  I talked to my friend Owen in Tortola on Friday and got the update on how the waves have been.  I surfed in Wrightsville Beach on Friday and had a great session, believe it or not the water felt great (except for the two dozen straight waves I had to duck dive on one occasion)  good thing I was wearing a hood.  For Christmas I got a new Rip Curl E-bomb and I must say it is fantastic and makes winter surfing so much fun.

Every year I look forward to heading back to see my Caribbean friends.  I have not had a great plate of rice and beans since last year so I will be sure to get my fill.  I am super stoked that Eddie, Debbie and Eileen are coming again this year.  For sure they get the hard charger award as they just went to Costa Rica with us last month.

I must say the thing I am most looking forward to is having my family with me for the first week.  How stoked am I to be doing a surf camp for my family!! My parents  came to camp with Ben Bourgeios mom in 2002 so they are really excited for a tropical Surf Camp experience.  I am also really looking forward to getting my sister and her family in the water and have Jen do some relaxing.  I feel very lucky to be getting our son Vincent’s passport stamped at 1.5 years old!  I so look forward to just spending some time with him building some sand castles and splashing around in the warm water.

- Rick