Surfers and Weather

If you’ve read any of my blogs you can’t miss the many references to weather and it’s effects on waves, wind, and well….the weather. Surfers are the consummate arm-chair meteorologists. We speak in terms of  low pressure systems, buoy readings, wave periods, latitude and longitude, wind direction. It’s all part of it. Surfing can expose you to many cool things: travel, culture, photography, yoga, fitness, meteorology!
Herbie Fletcher once said, “surfing’s a trip, better pack your bags.”
So back to meteorology. The offshore winds have been honking down here for almost two weeks running. This phenomena is explained by the non-stop cold fronts plunging south from the northern hemisphere, resulting in a ‘Polar Vortex’ that  pushes the subtropical jetstream deep into the Caribbean, creating pressure inversions, and hence these winds.

You may have seen the news about giant swells hitting Hawaii, and now California. These big storm swell events up north can and do send swell our way. Generally they are not as big and strong as the Southern Hemi swells, but due to swell direction the north swell energy can get into little nooks and crannies and light them up. I surf a spot I call “Riddles” because the waves peak up all over the place and can confuse you, especially the newbies. A little north in the swell pulls the take off spot further up the point and the waves can be perfect little  southbound runners. It did this yesterday. Looking for mire today!

Smooth Mile on a southbound runner

My sweetheart Emily connects one down the beach.

More Swell Getting In Today!

MEANWHILE AT MAVERICKS (just south of San  Francisco):

I talk weekly with my dear Dad who has been on the planet for 93 years and lives in Florida. He’s had a storied career in the Air Force and  was the meteorologist navigator aboard B-24 bombers in World War 2, and relied on a sextant and a slide rule to get his crew there and back time and again.  After the war the Air Force sent him to M.I.T. where he earned his masters degree in meteorology and worked in many  capacities , including  being one of the original Hurricane Hunters flying modified B-29s out of Bermuda.
So you see I had a head start with this meteorology habit. And  man does he love the beach, ocean, bodysurfing, sandy shoes. The man is pure Salt and Light!
My Dad Colonel Bill Lewis (Ret.) – still bodysurfing at 93

Olas Verde Update

Our new sustainable “surf resort” project is set to break ground very soon. There have been ground clearing crews hard at work all week, and our excitement builds as we anticipate the creation of this state of the art project. The design and construction team of Loria/Guanacaste Builders is one of oldest and best in all of Guanacaste – you’ll  see! The buildings have been designed and placed to minimize tree removal as much as possible–we are removing small Jobo trees, palms and some shrubbery, but the large Guanacastes and Pachotes have been saved to retain their beauty and shade qualities for generations to come!
We plan to take daily photos of the  project following the progress, lets call it “Countdown to Olas Verdes”.


Old World Tree Cutting Techniques!
THE CLUBHOUSE TO COME!WITH MY CUT AND PASTE EMBELLISHMENTS!

Nosara Fiestas

It’s that time of year again! Nosara’s legendary Fiesta takes place from Tues-Mon this week with rodeo events, horse shows, mystery food stands, lots of alcohol, and live music and dancing into the wee hours (3am nightly). Every town in Costa Rica has a fiesta, which is essentially a celebration of cowboy culture. A favorite attraction is always watching blind drunk campesinos jump into the bull ring in a mini ‘running of the bulls’ show of foolish bravado. It’s wild, raucous and rootsy fun, worth a check.
The Tope is my favorite part of Fiesta week. Best described as a ‘horse pageant’, the Tope brings  together dedicated horse lovers of all descriptions for a kind of macho “show and tell’ of their horses’ skill and derring- do. Its full of passion, fueled by ego and alcohol, and not to miss!
THE LEGEND OF MALACRIANZA
Without a doubt, Guanacaste’s greatest (animal) hero is a bull named Malacrianza.
Translated to ‘Bad Manners’ or ‘Bad Ass’, Mal has enjoyed a long, storied rodeo career throughout Costa Rica. Riders greatly feared this cantankerous creature who dominated the rodeo scene for over two decades. He is known to have killed several vaqueros over the years, giving him the moniker “El Toro Asesino” (The bull Assassin). I’m glad (relieved) to report that Malacrianza is now ‘out to pasture’ and enjoying his retirement and legend status in a finca (ranch) very close to Nosara. We see him all the time, pretty cool link to the soul and history of this place.
If you want a great laugh you have got to watch this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7WkcFKJQ7M&feature=player_embedded
Excellent article on The Legend of Malacrianza:
http://www.sbnation.com/longform/2013/5/14/4312042/legend-of-malacrianza-costa-rica-killer-toro-bullfightin#top

Thanks for Coming

Every week we have the marvelous pleasure of welcoming new and returning “students” to our little world down here. These lovely folks, men and women, kids and families of all ages make up the soulful atmosphere that is Safari. Thanks for coming guys and see you next year!
Laura and Emma Guitar (cool name or what!) – Multi-year Safari Alumni from Florida
Erin and Valerie escaping a COLD Canadian winter

Scott and Kate from Toronto
Brian and Jamie,  educators from Chicago (on both ends)
Jessie Witherspoon from Boston (middle) – another cool name!
Pio, Chad and Sarah (from Atlanta) – the grandparents are watching their two boys!
Alumni Ben and Ellie from Toronto
SONRISAS EVERYBODY
The word for ‘smile’ here is sonrisa… There’s a beautiful metaphor there.
Until next week, Salud!
Peter

SONRISAS YA’LL

Chamber of Commerce Weather

If Nosara had a chamber of commerce they would no doubt be beaming at the amazingly dependable weather and beach conditions we enjoy during our verano (summer) season.
Every day seems to be a repeat of the previous one with sunny skies, steady offshore breezes, spectacular water clarity, and absolutely perfect sparkly little waves peeling off up and down the beach. You can set your watch by it, year after year, when the states and Europe are freezing their knickers off……we are wallowing in a surfy tropical fantasy land. Sounds like a good time to come for a visit, no?
I would wager that the majority of property sales here go down in this same time period (Dec-April). How many people get the urge to chuck it all, the job, mortgage, school, girlfriend, you name it… to become full-time Nosara surf bums? The summer season is so seductive. It is paradise, no doubt about it. A vacation in paradise does the trick every time, but be careful, it can rearrange your cosmos!
My wife and I have lived here for 5 years. At 58 years old we sold everything we had and moved to Nosara. What were we thinking?  For me, my beach love-affair started long ago, way back in the 50’s and 60’s on the Jersey shore. My people were all beach people, dyed-in-the-wool sand-in-your-shoes by the silvery sands beach people. I have them to thank. And you know I’ve never looked back, I’ve continued surfing non-stop and here we are!

Ocean City NJ 1968, that’s me on the far right.

Offshore Winds

Woke up this morning to howling gusty winds, blowing hot and dry off the land. To a surfer offshore winds are Nirvana, shaping and grooming each wave into a moving cylindrical race track. But this morning the Nosara Chamber of Commerce is concerned – it is too windy! Generally related to Northern Hemisphere cold fronts diving south, the Jet Stream penetrates deep down into the Caribbean basin, creating the mechanics that result in these seasonal winds (think Santa Ana’s). Known here as the “Papagayos” or “Guanacastes” these conditions occur from Dec-April, our dry season. These wind events usually last up to three days and then moderate. Today our morning surf lesson schedule was cancelled due to these dangerous winds, but in the afternoon things calmed down enough to produce beautiful glassy blue-green peelers.
Morning gusts up to 45 knots – too windy to surf

Mid day conditions looking up!

Afternoon session: fast, clean, & fun!
 

Great Beach Walks #1

Nosara is a very scenic place. Our coastline has vast diversity; white, pink, and black sand beaches, lava reef, and white coral all within a 15 mile span.
Beach walks can be revealing and inspirational. Walk #1 starts on Playa Guiones and ends at Playa Pelada:

On Playa Guiones head north toward the point

Look for the path across the headland.

Playa Pelada – Enchanting!

At far north end of Pelada looking south

Ancient Civilizations?
 

Beach Walk #1 Details

• Distance: approx. 3 miles round trip
• Time: approx 1.5-2.0 hrs
• Attractions: tide pools, lava reef, blow hole
• Restaurants: La Luna, Olga’s
• Bring: camera, water, suncreen

Safari Class of January 15, 2014

We are stoked to welcome our new “students” this week. Bienvenidos to Gordon, Jake & Cara, and the lovely Stafford family. It’s great fun to to watch this “dynamic” come to life – folks of all ages, backgrounds, and diversities come together to form this lovely unique group. Lifetime friendships are forged, matches made, and extended families spawned, it is truly a very cool phenomenon!

Gordon Fontane (safari alumni) from Boston – a real live dog trainer!(Check his website: http://zendogtraining.net)

Jake and Cara from New York – Personal “CrossFit” Trainers!

Olivia, Katelyn, Emily

Interviewing the dynamic Stafford girls!

Safari Surf School Class of Jan 15, 2014

Extended Family!

On Vacation!
Thanks for reading! See you guys next time on The Inside Peak!
Pura vida,
Peter

Welcome to The Inside Peak in 2014!

The Christmas holidays in Nosara was in full swing this year, the town was packed with happy families, yoga devotees, soul surfers, and party animals. Hotels and restaurants were full, rental cars, ATV’s and bicycles were all taken, and the areas many popular tours were booked to capacity. As hectic as this sounds, it never seems to feel over crowded here. Maybe it’s the jungle that surrounds you giving the feeling of peace and solitude. The beach at Guiones can accommodate heaps of people and the learning conditions were ideal with numerous wave zones groomed by offshore winds. The waves this time of year have been described as soft and friendly. The Southern Hemisphere seas are quiet now, giving way to background swells from the west and northwest, resulting in fun waist to chest high rollers. The peak experience for any beginning surfer is to catch and ride a ‘green wave’. This is the unbroken wave caught outside the white water zone. As the swell nears it reacts to the shallow sandbar and crests and breaks. This is the pure essence of surfing which is accessible to students. Once back on the beach they describe the experiencing of riding a green wave to the beach in mystical terms: “surreal”, “amazing”, “cosmic”, “dreamlike”. This vibe spreads throughout the town as everyone is surf stoked to da max!

Speaking of mystical, wildly popular Yoga Diva Shiva Rea brings her Surf, Yoga, Soul retreats to Nosara over the Christmas holidays in two one week sessions. Based at The Blue Spirit Yoga Resort on the point just south of Guiones, these retreats have been sold out well in advance for many years running. Shiva is good friends with Safari owners Tim and Tyler Marsh, and each year she brings her students to Safari for “surf immersion” (lessons!)

Safari Surf welcomed many wonderful guests over the holidays, and it is a true pleasure to observe the subtle transformation everyone goes through during a week of great food, fellowship, and surf immersion: skin turns a healthy tan, hair turns blonde, folks conquer their fears, muscles toned, and all exude an inner peace and health. This applies to boys, girls, men and women of all ages, shapes, and sizes, kids. If you’ve ever wanted to experience surfing and its essence, don’t hold back; make your 2014 New years Resolution to come to Safari Surf!

Thanks to all who brightened our days over the holidays.
The following picture gallery tells the tale!
Pura vida,
Peter
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