Surfer’s Digest

by dominicaldays
05.02.10
1:13 PM UTC

Filed in Costa Rica

By: Greg Gordon

Forecast
Pacific Coast – This month the swells come from all directions, and the winds stay mostly offshore. Rivermouth sand bars get smoothed out by the smaller surf, and so when waves arrive, they provide some long rides. The main beaches get a dozen riders on each peak, but the holiday masses have left and so if you explore, you can find a break to yourself. Best spot is the Dominical beachbreak, picking up swells from most directions without the packed peaks.

If you are in Dominical, you really don’t need to travel to surf. But what if it is too big out front? Here are a few choices to start with:

Dominicalito
About 2 km. south of Dominical, this bay works best at almost dead high tide. At lower tides you will hit a few rocks, so paddle out carefully. It gets smaller the farther to the south end you go.

Playa Uvita
The Whales Tail is located 16km south of Dominical and although at the tip the waves don’t get over knee high, on the north side it breaks a little bigger. It is best right around high tide, otherwise it’s almost all closeouts.

Playa Ventanas
This scenic beach is about 25 km. south of Dominical and breaks at both high and low tides. You can park safely in the yard of the owner’s home, and for another $1 they will cut open one of the 1000’s of coconuts to enjoy the healthy water inside. There is a left and a right in a small protected bay, but is can still get big on the sets and there is a rip so be careful. The safest spot is towards the center of the beach.

Contests
Costa Rica earned second place at the IX Pan American Surfing Games held in Bahia, Brazil. Although the ‘Brasileños’ were able to sweep the top spots, Jason Torres from Jaco took 2nd in the Open Division and five of the eight on the Costa Rican team made the semifinals in their divisions.

The Costa Rican Federation of Surf has announced their calendar for the 2010 Surf Circuit. They are planning six dates, and also including a new division for girls, under 15. The official site for the CNS is www.surfingcr.net. Or just follow the news and results as it’s posted on crsurf.com.

Environment / Community
Project Green Jungle is a group started by the Florida Teaching Zoo who helps fund educational and research projects in the Talamanca region of Costa Rica. This year they are planning to hold a raffle for Earth Day to raise funds for their current initiates and are looking for prizes to be donated. It could be services, products, hotel stays, or artwork. For more information about the group, visit www.greenjungle.org.

You can support environmental initiatives in Costa Rica by buying a CRSURF eco-T-shirt. Not only are they made from recycled materials, but $3 from every sale goes to help PRETOMA (helping sea turtles and sharks), the Surfrider Foundation Tamarindo Chapter, and the Dominical Lifeguards. They make a great holiday gift, and are ON SALE for only $12.99 at www.crsurf.com!