The Inside Peak - Mid January Update

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!