Cost Rica

stemple · Post by **stemple** » Tue Aug 17, 2004 9:03 am

Here are my impressions from a first time CR travaler.

On a scale of 1 to 10 I would rate it 5 or 6. I was pretty disappointed in the wave quality at Playa Hermosa and the surrounding beach breaks. We had solid surf (6 to 10 foot) for two to three days. It really wasn't much better than your decent standard Cal beach break. In fact most of the time it looked pretty similiar to Fort Cronkite here in Marin. It was pretty evident that given the south swell angle that Hermosa really could not handle any size larger than 8 foot or it just turned into heavy death pits that were really only makeable 25% of the time. The other local beaches like Tulin, Oste, Bejuca have a much more flat profile. They did look peaky from the beach but highly sectioned most of the time. Tide swings on the order of 10 feet happen. So the beach breaks really only work for about maybe 1.5 hours a day or they turn into closeouts or mush burgers. People say southwestern swell angles are better. In terms of quality, nothing I saw could hold a candle to Moss or OB.

The points and reefs in the the area were not really going off but for 1 or 2 days and the best breaks were as crowded as a west side SC line up. We boated out Escondita once. Its a fun wave that very similiar to stockton ave but breaks both right and left. Way crowded with definate aggro Tica crowd. Boat drivers tried to rip us off after we got back, an argument happened and ended up paying him slightly more then was agreed upon and this was with a local guide. (Pura Vida Right!!)

The Santa Cruz area has a way larger variety of just as or higher quality waves. By the end the week I almost wishing I had taken time off in fall and just spent a week surfing two sessions a day here in Norcal.

It wasn't that cheap, the place was packed with 20 something surfers from Florida, and the guides were basically lame. I think wavehunters totally oversold the trip and many of the other guests felt the same way. I won't use them again.

I spent a lot time in Cabo during the early 80's. This area reminded me a lot of that time. Expats are moving quickly into the area and starting businesses, Mariott and other chains are buidling mega resort developments. You won't even have to leave the compound of unless you want to pick up a prostitute at the Backyard Bar. Beers are $1.75 in the bar.

Farmland is developing fast with signs for new "surfer" communities. The folks that are making money are the expats not the locals. Most of the stores in Jaco that are not surf shops or resturants are owned by Gringos. I bet a hardrock cafe in Jaco is already being planned. Very soon I would say in 10 years or so there will be a huge class separation in the tourist towns. This will likely lead to more crime and hostility towards tourists and expats.

Many parts of the country are very beautiful. The national parks and the rainforest are pretty cool. If I did go back it would be more as an eco tourist and not as a primary surf destination.

Bottom line and lesson learned I am not going back to CR anytime soon and Hawaii is a far better option for me and my family. Other lesson learned if you travel for the soul purpose of surf, then travel to perfection and pay a bit extra its totally worth it. Next trip will be back to Hawaii with the family or to indo. Maybe a camping trip through New Zealand, who knows. I am not that into the central america thing. If you are interested in doing a boat trip to indo in a year or so I would go. But from here on in I only travel to world class points and reefs.

surfseeker7 · Post by **surfseeker7** » Tue Aug 17, 2004 9:31 am

Stemple. Well, sorry you didn't have a good time there. I can't argue with any of your points. I've had similar impressions myself about CR since living there. Luckily, I was there to work in San Jose, and only made it out to the beach areas every other weekend. You're right, it's not high quality surf. And it's slowly being ruined. But it was being ruined 10 years ago, and 20 years ago too. Surfers, especially kooks from Florida, tend to not be the most socially and culturally advanced creatures on earth. And don't even get me started on the Expats ! When I lived there I mostly hung out with Ticos. It seemed like every American or European I met was an "Escapee" with a gnarly, shadowy past. From divorce to crime to just plain insanity or drug habit, those people are the last one's who should be allowed to set up shop in CR. No wonder the locals down there get aggro sometimes !

I prefer Mexico for a Latin American surfari. Much better surf, way cooler locals, better food. I do still have a place in my heart for the Costa Rican peace-loving system of government (no army), their rainforests, and their struggles to preserve natural areas with ecotourism and national parklands. But you're right, going there purely for surf ain't worth it !

~SS7