The Inside Peak - Tyler Marsh Story (Pt 1)

Hola friends & welcome back to the Inside Peak! I have decided to present ‘The Tyler Marsh Story’ in two parts. In Part One (in this issue) I will attempt to introduce this amazing enigmatic character as I know him from my personal experiences and observations gained from working at Safari Surf. Part Two follows on next week’s blog, and will feature ‘an up close and personal’ interview with Da Man himself. I have known Tyler for over 4 years now, and have had the pleasure of watching him and his family and his business grow. Anyone who knows me well knows that I am nuts about kids, and his 1st born son Bradley (5 yrs old) and I have formed a bond that transcends age and traditional roles. He is a treasure, as are all kids, and I feel blessed and lucky that he can be ‘in my life’. Now there are two more boys in the brood, all future surf connoisseurs and soccer stars to be sure.

MADDOX, BRADLEY & KALANI MARSH

BACKSTORY – THE WAY WE WERE

Tim and Tyler grew up on the beaches of Hawaii and became excellent surfers. Tim eventually moved to California and became a successful house painter and Tyler stayed in Hawaii. In 1995 Tim and girlfriend Marsi took a 3 week surf trip to Costa Rica and instantly became enamored with the beauty, people, simplicity, and perfect surf. They felt as if they had found Nirvana and fantasized about living in this paradise. Their travels lead to the Nicoya Peninsula where they started their explorations in Tamarindo, and then moved south, eventually ending up in Playa Garza (the next beach town south of Playa Guiones) in a torrential downpour. They were lost, tired, and hungry. They happened upon a small market with a light on and English signs in the windows. The owner Richard took them in like family and gave them shelter, food, and encouragement. He showed them around the coast and took them surfing to wondrous empty beaches. Tim and Marsi sensed destiny and they ended up leasing the little market and moving to Costa Rica to pursue their tropical dream. They loved every minute of it and called Tyler in Hawaii to entice him to come down for a look. Tyler arrived two weeks later and never looked back, making Costa Rica his permanent home. Tim and Marsi eventually returned to California to regroup and prepare for the arrival of Camille, their first of three children. Little did they know the seed had been planted…

THE MINI MARKET IN PLAYA GARZA 1997

DESTINY CONVERGES

My wife and I moved to Nosara in 2008. We had ended our professional careers and decided to pursue a ‘more interesting life’ living in Nosara. We sold all of our possessions and left the Miami airport (just as Tim and Marsi had) with 4 suitcases and 3 dogs in kennels. We built a house and gradually learned the crazy ways of this new life. We kept our eyes and ears open and explored different possible opportunities to stay busy and earn some expense money. My wife had retired from 35 years of critical care nursing and became a cake maker, starting a little dessert business called Ems Yums. It didn’t take long for me to gravitate to my roots; surfing, restaurants, and travel planning. I met Tim Marsh and family on the local zip line tour and quickly found we had much in common and knew many of the same people in the surfing world. Tim brought me into Safari Surf School initially as a chauffeur, driving the van to and from the local airport, tours, etc., I eventually landed in the office helping with administrative tasks, guest welcome orientations, and general office duties. Tyler was the on-site owner/manager while Tim and Marsi operated the main office in California. Tyler and I came from different eras, but we worked well together as we realized our passions and backgrounds were one and the same I had to prove myself at work and in the water, and eventually earned a spot on team as the “tribal elder”.

HAWAIIAN CODE

Growing up in Hawaii, Tim and Tyler learned to endure a strict and often hostile surfing culture. The Hawaiians are a fiercely proud people always protective of their turf. The Haoles, or light skinned outsiders were often harassed and ousted in a kind of reverse discrimination. But deep down they are loyal, loving, and have hearts of gold. I could sense that Tyler was engendered with these same traits. At times misunderstood, Tyler’s mind goes a mile a minute. It is often hard to “pin him down”, but he doesn’t miss a beat, he processes everything that’s going on, and has a deep moral sense of right and wrong. Most significantly, Tyler has a big heart and is very sensitive and perceptive of feelings. He is often moved to tears by acts of kindness and loyalty. I have always loved that in him, it defines who he is.

TYLER AND TIM IN THE EARLY DAYS OF SAFARI SURF

BIRTH OF A DREAM

Whereas Tim and Marsi returned to California to regroup, Tyler stayed in the Nosara area. He found various odd jobs to sustain him, and of course surfed every day. (I am looking forward to more detail on this in our interviews). Tim found work as a mortgage broker, made good money, bought a house, and acquired many ‘possessions’- the archetypical model of success. But deep down he was disenchanted and unsettled, he longed for the simple Costa Rican lifestyle. A chance encounter one day with an old friend changed everything. Pat Weber was one of the first to open a surf school in California, and it was thriving. Here was a guy having fun, staying healthy, and making a good living while making a life. Seeing this started the wheels turning, and the “what ifs” in Tim’s head would not cease. Safari Surf School was opened in 1998, and was one of the first in Costa Rica providing full service vacation packages. It has steadily grown every year.

The next step in Safari’s evolution is currently underway with the development, construction, and operation of Olas Verdes, a state of the art sustainable surf resort slated to open in 2015.

FAMILY MAN

Tyler found love and married local girl Arlene DiCarlo and started a family, 3 boys whom he adores. He has a beautiful house, nice cars, and is currently finishing up 4 beautiful guest rooms on the corner of his property. Not bad for a happy go lucky surfer dude from Hawaii!