Blog - Page 9 of 11 - Safari Surf

The Inside Peak – Holiday Wrap Up

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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The Inside Peak – New Season & New Headquarters

First Month in New Headquarters - The Inside Peak - Safari Surf School

Hi Everybody – Welcome to our new edition of the Inside Peak! We wanted to capture more of the life and color of our guest’s Nosara experiences, so I will be submitting a monthly synopsis of Safari – Everything Surf! – yours truly, Peter Lewis.

Summer Arrives

Blue Skies, brilliant sunshine, and offshore winds appear to have ushered in an early summer season. Even though we are located 9 degrees North of the equator, our dry season here (Dec-April) is referred to as “summer”, and the rainy season (May-Nov) “winter”. The dry season also corresponds with what I refer to as the” International High Season” – where snowbirds escape the cold climes to find warm playgrounds! Here in Nosara we must endure ‘Septober’, our two rainiest months where everything shuts down and all there is to do is read and sleep. November can go either way weather wise, last November was a washout, I’ll take an early summer any day! All around town merchants are painting, renovating, landscaping, and spiffing up for the upcoming season. This year we are seeing a lot of construction everywhere. There are also at least three new tour companies stocked with ATVs, bicycles, and transport vans. The roads were horrendous after the rainy season but heavy equipment moved in and cleaned everything up. However the hot, dry, and windy weather, produce an unwelcome byproduct: polvo or dust. Driving becomes more difficult as visibility is compromised, especially after the big delivery trucks storm by. With lots of motorcycles, ATVs , bicycles, and pedestrians on the roads, everyone covers up with scarves, respirator masks, goggles, and all sorts of innovations (banana leaves, etc.!). The beaches provide sanctuary from the dust storm and is the place to be.

As we move into our summer months clear skies, blazing sun, and inviting blue ocean beacon. As the Northern Nemisphere winter takes hold, our weather becomes dreamy. Every day is a carbon copy of the one before. The waves this time of year settle down and offer lovely conditions for surf school attendees. Playa Guiones is an immense white sand beach where the inclination of the ocean floor is very gradual, allowing for a safe and comfortable entry into the wave zone. Waves here tend to regenerate into new waves after they break on the outside, creating numerous fun zones for beginners. This is one of the friendliest surf locales on the planet. With lots of room to move enthusiasts can always find an empty peak down the beach. With all the best local surfers employed as surf instructors, we have very little “localism” in the water and the spirit of Pura Vida and Aloha prevail!

Donavon’s Return

Safari’s new season opened early and with a bang as we hosted Billabong Pro and wildly popular singer/songwriter Donavon Frankenreiter to Nosara for surfing fun and a big concert at the well known ‘Tropicana’ discotheque. Due to Donavon’s busy schedule he could only come down for a few days in the first week of November which was before the season takes off, but in spite of this the concert pulled in 350 stoked revelers and was a memorable event. Safari is aligned with global surf brand Billabong, which operates and endorses surf schools and camps around the world. Their ‘Surf with a Pro” camps are unique offerings. Staged at exotic locales with perfect surf and idyllic surroundings, a limited number of enthusiasts can book a week to surf and hang with their favorite pro. Only a few select surf camp operations are chosen to host these events. Safari is stoked and proud to have been selected twice to hold Donavon’s camps, and we look forward to more in the future.

Donavon and Peter — Jammin’ with the Pros

The New Safari

We open this season in a brand new location and with renewed focus and energy. For the past 12 years Safari Surf School operated out of the Casa Tucan, a little eight room hotel and restaurant on main street Guiones. The property was sold and Safari circled the wagons around a very special property fronting the maritime zone until we secured a house and five lots to be developed into an upscale sustainable new surf resort called Olas Verdes (Green Waves). Throughout the upcoming season we will welcome surf school guests and operate out of the “Safari House” while the new resort is being developed. The approach is much different than before, as we no longer have a public hotel/restaurant to contend with. It’s a more personal hands-on style of hospitality and service, as if we are entertaining company in our own home. Guests have a choice of several lodging options, the closest and most popular being Harmony and Harbor Reef. We meet daily at the Safari House for lessons, meals, and special events. Surf lessons are conducted a short walk down a wooded path, away from the main beach crowds. Our goal is to create an inviting surfy clubhouse atmosphere where guests can relax and unwind and meet new friends.
Check out the gallery of our new friends and facility so far this season!
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Support the Nosara Wildlife Refuge and “Stop the shocks… after all, it’s a jungle out there.”

The Nosara Wildlife Refuge is a worthy cause! They are not a zoo or a wild animal park. Visitors are welcome only with advance appointments and not in large masses. It is a place for rehabilitation; filled with hope that injured animals will one day be free again.
Brenda Bombard I admire Brenda Bombard, the creator of the refuge, immensely for what she does. She has built a rescue program that is well known throughout the Guanacaste region of Costa Rica and beyond. She cares tirelessly for these animals, donating her time, resources and energies to repairing some of the damages that the impact of society has created. As a consequence of her work, she also has to face despairing situations on a regular basis. It takes great courage to deal with the grim and oftentimes fatal injuries that these animals have incurred.
The day that we visited the refuge, Brenda greeted us and walked us out to the broad area on her property where she has constructed giant containment areas for the animals. Many of the monkeys were running, swinging, and jumping around together to the delight of my kids. The Capuchin monkeys were the funniest. They would swing through the cage, land right next to us and make faces. It seemed as though everything they did was to entertain. In the trees above the property, an entire troop of Howler monkeys was playing in the wild. We were surrounded!
Nosara Wildlife Refuge - Howler Monkey Before we were introduced to the individual rescue animals, Brenda gave us a short bit of history on the reasons they usually end up there. The most prolific reason is shock by the uncovered electrical wires and transformers. The refuge is working constantly with ICE, the Costa Rica electrical company to have these wires safe guarded. They have made steady progress, but there is such a long way to go and the expenses for this are, unfortunately, not being covered by ICE in most cases. At one point, Brenda brought out a Howler who had been blinded by electrocution. My oldest daughter was allowed to hold the monkey in its baby blanket and we were all able to give it a little love. This monkey, unfortunately, cannot rejoin the wild, so, it will remain at the refuge.
Other animals were at the refuge due to misguided people taking them in as pets. In one case, Brenda was called to remove a Capuchin monkey from a house that it had basically taken over. The owners of the home had found the monkey as a baby and decided to keep it. They raised it in their home as you would a dog or cat, only to discover that the “wild” was not out of the monkey. When it got older and reached adolescence it became destructive, mischievous and, at times, violent. By the time Brenda was called, the monkey was inside the house while the owners were outside, too afraid to enter. There are television shows and reports that have depicted these monkeys as well as other types to be villains because of their attacks on humans, but, how can we expect docile domestic behavior from animals that are wild? It is no different than expecting a Grizzly bear to cuddle in bed with your child at night rather than a teddy bear.
Then, of course, there are the dogs. Anyone who has visited Costa Rica knows that there is a problem with domestic animals being allowed to roam freely. The dogs have an innate desire to catch the monkeys and when they do, it is not a fair fight. If a young monkey falls from a tree and becomes prey to a large dog, its chances of survival are grim. Luckily, the refuge has managed to save a few of these monkeys which they will likely be able to return to the wild. At the same time, they work with the local vets to spay and neuter stray animals and encourage leashes.
Nosara Wildlife Refuge
These are just a few of the reasons for animals finding themselves in the safe haven of Nosara Wildlife Refuge. Due to its incredible reputation, the refuge finds itself with more and more animals every day. This, despite their ongoing efforts to educate the community.
Nosara Wildlife Refuge - Isomil Baby Howler Monkey Currently, Brenda is caring for many babies which increases the difficulty of the job tenfold. The babies need Isomil baby formula, dried goat’s milk, and constant care. They do the best that they can but without help from outside donations, they could not possibly afford to treat these animals.
If you have visited Nosara, you have undoubtedly spent some time admiring the Howler’s in the trees. If you have not visited Nosara, it will definitely be something you will want to see and that you won’t forget. It is much better to see them in the trees than in a recovery unit. My children learned that from our visit to the refuge and we all gained an impactful education that will stay with us forever.
Please consider making a contribution to the Refuge. Anything that any of us can do to help, no matter how small, is a benefit to this deserving facility. They have a website with a means for monetary donations and a wish list. If you are traveling to Nosara in the near future, Safari Surf will be happy to make arrangements for you to visit Nosara Wildlife Refuge in person and deliver any items that you have to donate. We will also arrange for items to be sent to Nosara if you would like to mail them to our US address.
Support the Nosara Wildlife Refuge
Donations will help the refuge acquire an ultrasound machine as well as a temperature control infant incubator, which will help with the many burned monkeys they receive.

Safari Surf School’s Week with Donavon Frankenreiter

Last week was Billabong’s Surf With a Pro with none other than the legendary surfer and musician, Donavon Frankenreiter! We had an awesome time sharing the pura vida vibes of Nosara and Playa Guiones with Donavon, Billabong crew and the lucky SWAP winners! Donavon and Grundy’s topped the week off with an epic show at the Tropicana in front of a jam packed crowd! Scroll down to see some snapshots of the stoke-filled week:

Safari Surf School's Week with Donavon Frankenreiter — Donavon and Surf with a Pro winners on their way to Mala Noche waterfalls.

Donavon Frankenreiter - Safari Surf School — Mala Noche waterfalls. Photo by Donavon Frankenreiter via Instagram.

Safari Surf School Getting Ready for the New Season!

We have been rallying the troops over here in Playa Guiones to get ready for the new season and a new Safari Surf School! As most of you all know, our last season at the Hotel Casa Tucan ended in August and we have moved on to a more sustainable future with our new LEED surf resort – Olas Verdes, which will begin construction in the next couple weeks! While Olas Verdes is being built, Safari Surf School and Women’s Surf Adventures will be based out of our large house that sits on the developed part of the Olas Verdes property. It’s a beautiful home that has everything we need… we just wanted to make it our own so it really exemplifies the pura vida vibe we’ve come to know and love! See the beginning stages of prepping the new Safari Surf HQ last week:

Donavon Frankenreiter is Returning to Nosara With Safari Surf School

Singer-songwriter and pro-surfer Donavon Frankenreiter is returning to Nosara in November after a two year absence and will be performing a concert Nov. 8 at the Tropicana.
Frankenreiter will be in the local waters as part of the “Surf With a Pro” program sponsored by Billabong at the affiliated Safari Surf School. He and his musical partner Matt Grundy will offer an acoustic show featuring some songs from his latest CD, Start Livin’.
Peter Lewis, programs coordinator with Safari Surf School who is handling logistics for the local show, said “We are stoked that this is the second time they have chosen Nosara to bring down Donovan and his camp. I think Billabong likes what they see in Nosara, because it’s diverse and family oriented. His music is optimistic, and he has some kind of magical aura. It’s a very high energy show that people get caught up in. He brings people together.”
To add an extra dimension to the show, VJ and professional photographer Ray Moss will be presenting his signature TransceVisuals, a real-time liquid-themed computerized image show, which will be projected from behind the stage onto a screen. Moss said, “I’m looking forward to showing some underwater video imagery that I took from a trip to the Caribbean, as well as some liquid-themed imagery filmed at Guiones, including some video of Donavan surfing.”
Frankenreiter’s sponsorship as a ‘free surfer’ by Billabong allows him to surf while no longer competing in tournaments. Now 39 and based in Hawaii with his wife and two sons, his concert/surf tours have recently taken him to Australia and the U.S. East Coast.
Surfing the waters of San Clemente, California as a teenager, Donavan began his musical career at 17 and quickly developed a passion for it that equaled his love of surfing. In the mid ’90s, he joined Sunchild, a five-piece “good time rock and roll” band, which gained acclaim in Southern California for its laid back style, reminiscent of the late ’60s and early ’70s LA sound. During its time, Sunchild opened for The Doobie Brothers, Willie Nelson, Ben Harper, Social Distortion and The Descendants, and joined the Vans Warped Tour.
Frankenreiter released the first of a series of solo discs in 2002. According to his website, “Spurred by the coupling of his desire to say something original along with a new found musical maturity, Donavon boldly rode the wave into the world of the acoustic singer/songwriter.”
Local musician ‘Jungle Joe’ Davis will integrate the PA system with the Tropicana’s house sound system to fill the venue with sound.
Tickets cost $20 in advance and $25 at the door, and are available in advance at the Frog Pad, Harbor Reef Hotel, Surfing Nosara, Organico Mini-Market, as well as directly from Peter Lewis at 8911-4593.
His signature folk-rock style tunes can be sampled or purchased at his website, www.donavonf.com.
Source: Costa Rica Star
Article by: Voice of Guanacaste

November Early Bird Special – Save $150 Today!

November Early Bird Special - Safari Surf School

Book any package for November from now until October 15th and save $150 off your entire package!

Safari Surf Delivers Toothbrushes and Toothpaste to Local Schools

We want to give a HUGE thank you shaka to Safari Surf guest Kris Maichle, who brought down toothbrushes & toothpaste for local Nosara schoolchildren as part of our Pack for a Purpose program. Check out some pictures of Kris and Safari Surf staff members, including owner Tyler Marsh handing out Kris’ donation at a local school!
Pura Vida!

Olas Verdes Press Release

BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR COSTA RICA’S PREMIER SURF SCHOOL
Safari Surf School’s new headquarters to be developed using sustainable design practices.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 28, 2013

Contact: Carl Kish at 866-433-3355 or carl@safarisurfschool.com

NOSARA, COSTA RICA – Safari Surf School, Costa Rica’s premier surf school and surf camp, will begin construction of its new headquarters — Olas Verdes — in November of this year.

The beachfront property is located on the edge of a 200 meter setback from Playa Guiones in adherence with the protection of the Ostional Wildlife Refuge. Local architecture firm, Prendas Loria, in collaboration with Safari Surf’s Sustainability Director, Carl Kish, will ensure Olas Verdes complies with internationally recognized sustainable design and tourism standards.

Safari Surf’s longtime base of operations,the Hotel Casa Tucan, and the surrounding property was purchased by the owners of the The Harmony Hotel, a local sustainable resort. While Safari Surf School’s owners, Tim and Tyler Marsh, are saddened to part with the hotel that has been their headquarters for over a decade, they are eager to push the envelope for sustainable tourism with Olas Verdes.

“What excites us the most is this entire project will be built with sustainability in mind. From the architecture, to the water reclamation, to solar, grey water systems etc. Our facility will be built with Sustainable Certification as a top priority from the country’s highest standard (CST), as well as certification from the Center for Surf Research.” — Tim Marsh, Co-Owner/CEO.

Hotel Casa Tucan has long been a central part of the growing surf community of Playa Guiones as well as Nosara, and has been a “second home” to thousands of Safari Surf School students who have come to Costa Rica to learn to surf and experience the Costa Rican “pura vida” firsthand.

Tim Marsh’s full story on the Casa Tucan and more details about Olas Verdes are available here: https://safarisurfschool.com/2013/05/28/ciao-to-the-casa-tucan/

About Safari Surf School

Founded by brothers Tim and Tyler Marsh in 1999, Safari Surf School is an official Billabong Camp and is Costa Rica’s premier surf school. In addition to surf lessons from ISA certified instructors, Safari offers complete vacation packages including a range of accommodations, dining, transportation and numerous other activities. The school is located at Playa Guiones near Nosara on Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast. Business and administrative operations are based in San Diego, CA, U.S.A. Specific businesses include Safari Surf School, Safari Surf Adventures, Safari Surf Vacations, and Women’s Surf Adventures. For more information about Safari Surf School, go to https://safarisurfschool.com/, https://www.facebook.com/safarisurfschool, https://twitter.com/safarisurfer.

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olas verdes press release

Ciao to the Casa Tucan

Safari Surf & Hotel Casa Tucan – “The Story”

by Tim Marsh, Co-Owner/CEO.
I can remember my first time at the Hotel Casa Tucan in 1995…driving through Nosara on a mission to find surf, sun, and fun on my first visit to the “rich coast”, I stopped in to have a beer and ask directions. Little did I know at that time that I would come back years later and run a business out of this location.
Safari Surf School officially opened its “doors” in 1999 and from 1999 to 2005 the Hotel Casa Tucan was home to our surf program and the base of Safari’s operations. We were a small start up surf school, one of the first in all of Costa Rica at the time, and using this facility as our base of operations. We did not own the hotel but we had forged a good relationship with the manager and owner and promised her we could fill the place with traveling surfers and tourists.
From 1999 to 2005, Safari Surf steadily grew and had a solid “fan base”…word was getting out about this cool surf location, cool and unique surf program, and the unbelievable local townspeople, vibe, and just amazing aura that was Nosara, Playa Guiones. Hotel Casa Tucan along with its charm and mystique steadily became a meeting spot, a hub if you will, for traveling surfers and tourists alike. The rustic charm, the relaxed pura vida vibe of the staff was unmatched. It was so authentic you could taste it. People who could afford to stay at much more expensive lodging preferred to stay at the Casa Tucan due to its charm, its allure of pura vida, its relaxed vibe…it was perfect in so many ways.
In 2005, the hotel became available for purchase. We (Tim & Tyler) quickly knew something had to be done to make sure they could keep this little slice of nirvana. We reached out to a few previous surf school guests about the prospect of going in with them and purchasing the hotel, bar & restaurant. Within a few short weeks the funds were realized and the hotel & bar were now firmly rooted in Safari Surf Schools’ name and future plans.
From 2005 to 2010, Safari Surf school steadily rose to prominence within its industry…building relationships with guests one by one that will last a lifetime. Families, new found friends, continue to return year in and year out to visit Playa Guiones, Safari Surf, and Hotel Casa Tucan. So many faces have come in and out of Casa Tucan over the years and many to this day continue to come and enjoy the charm and serenity they have become accustomed too at their home away from home…Hotel Casa Tucan.
We have watched many of the families children grow over the years and every time they return it is like a long lost family reunion…something that cannot be forged, a real bond with people and place.
In 2010, the “other” investors preferred not to be involved in the hotel and bar side of the business so Tyler and I decided to lease the entire hotel to keep secure the environment we had created over all those previous years. To keep intact the vibe and aura that had become so renown to all its guests.
In March of this year (2013) we were approached by an investor who was eager to buy our property. So much so, that this investor offered top dollar for our entire property. Tyler and I being 1/3 partners were unfortunately not in the majority and a decision was made to sell the Hotel Casa Tucan. 30 days later and the hotel was sold. The new owners were nice enough to allow Safari Surf to finish out its current lease that runs through August of 2013. At that time the Hotel Casa Tucan, the memories, will unfortunately be no more.
This was obviously an incredibly difficult time for Tyler and me in many respects…but mainly, what were we going to do for our business, how were we going to move forward? Things transpired in lightening speed and the reality that Safari Surf did not have a home after Aug. was to say the least, a bit stressful for us.
It’s interesting how life moves…moves in ways we cannot predict. I believe things happen for a reason and that fate does play a role in our lives more than we recognize.
Not more than 2 or 3 days had passed once we had realized we were not going to be able to save the Hotel Casa Tucan than an aberration appeared before us…my wife Marsi and I had reached out to many of the local real estate and rental agents in and around Nosara inquiring about locations or homes we could use to set up our base of operations for our surf program, when we received a phone call from one of the agents informing me that there was an amazing property that had just become available and it was not currently on the market so no one knew of its availability.
This property is right on the 200 meter line or as most in Nosara know…beachfront as you can get in Playa Guiones. There were 8 lots with one of the lots having a gorgeous 4 BR 3 bath home on it. This was the ideal location for an amazing surf school retreat.
I had to work extremely fast as time was not on my side. Once word got out to the other local RE agents that this property was for sale and it would have gone in a second. There has been a large influx of money coming back into Nosara and the fact that this was available would have been swallowed up by an investor quite quickly. You just don’t see this size of a property, with its location (and potential) available any more in Playa Guiones.
I quickly sprang into action and put together an investment opportunity and sent this proposal out to a few select people I thought might be interested. The long and short of it was I was right…there were interested parties and when it all came down to it the property was purchased and a new partnership came to life.
The plans for this new location are to build an office for Safari Surf School, a club house, kitchen / food service area, pool, commons area with BBQ along with 8 to 12 (2) BR units for rent.
What excites us the most is this entire project will be built with sustainability in mind. From the architecture, to the water reclamation, to solar, grey water systems etc. Our facility will be built with Sustainable Certification as top priority from the country’s highest standard ICT as well as certification from Center for Surf Research and other entities.
The name of our new location will be “Ola Verde” or Green Wave.
We have begun the architectural design phase and anticipate breaking ground this coming November 2013. Safari Surf will be putting together a blog to follow the progress of this amazing project from start to finish.
The one and most important thing we want to transfer from the Casa Tucan to Ola Verde is that amazing vibe, that relaxed surf theme. What made the Casa Tucan so amazing was ultimately the staff…and we will be bringing the majority of our staff with us…keeping intact the “real” pura vida vibe that made Casa Tucan and will make Ola Verde the place to be!

ola-verde-clubhouse — First drawings of the new Safari Surf Clubhouse at Ola Verde.

hotel casa tucan

The Inside Peak – Weekly Wrap 05.22.13

inside-peak-weekly-wrap-up-05-22-13-featured-image

Welcome back to the Inside Peak, fresh from a short holiday to Panama to check out the Caribbean (it was nice!) and some much needed down-time (as life is SO hectic here) and we are back and ready to rip!
In fact, a whole lot of Guiones has gone into shut down mode over the past few weeks. The bars and restaurants have been relatively empty, as have the crowds in the surf. Even the usually bustling Casa Tucan has been quiet and relaxed, and we have only had a handful of students taking lessons from our expert instructors.
But while things have been slowing down on land, it seems somebody forgot to let the ocean know it could have a break too. The surf has been, again, continuously pumping for the last week, with well over head high conditions on the outside breaks being the norm. Once again this is thanks to big south swells being generated wayyyyy down in the southern Pacific Ocean, somewhere between Auckland and Antarctica. These swells travel thousands of miles across open ocean before they hit our beach, and by that time they have sorted themselves into the well groomed, long interval peaks that we know so well.

But we aren´t the only break in the world that turns on in these swells. Waves across literally half the globe have been lighting up over the past few weeks, from Fiji to Tahiti to Hawaii to Mexico. Here is how the swell looked in Ala Moana, Hawaii…

ala
…and Teahupoo, Tahiti…

Heavy!
Now, not quite as large but no less exciting, check out some pictures and videos below from Safari Surf School guests making the most of conditions at Playa Guiones over the past few weeks…

That´s all for the Inside Peak this week. My apologies for the shortness of the blog post, but watch out as things ramp back up again coming into Summer! As always, keep an eye out on our Facebook, Instagram (safarisurfer) and Twitter accounts for daily updates on the Safari Surf School World.

The Inside Peak – Weekly Wrap Up 05.07.13

Hello and welcome to another edition of the Inside Peak Weekly Wrap Up.
It is an absolutely gorgeous morning here in Playa Guiones. Clear blue skies, offshore winds and postcard-perfect water conditions have combined with a severe lack of crowds to make for an incredibly enjoyable morning surf session.

tuesday-morning — This is how Tuesday morning in Guiones looks. How does your morning shape up?

After a topsy turvy week, weather wise, you could have been mistaken for thinking that we were back in the middle of the dry season (except for the lack of crowds). And with client numbers slowing down, our instructors have been able to get out for some free surfing of their own. As you would expect, they have been ripping! With surfers as talented as these guys (and girls), it is easy to see why we are still Costa Rica´s premier surf school.

kimber — Kimber ripping on her backhand.

nick — With a few less students around I also got a chance to try out a few boards from our massive quiver… this is the 6´6 funboard – it is a real treat to ride!

alonso-fish — And when there are no waves, there are always fish! Alonso with one of his latest catches.

As always, our students have also been having a great time out in the water. Below is a selection of shots taken over the last couple of weeks:

owen-sink — Owen doing his shark impersonation.

With things slowing down for the rest of the month, this will be the last batch of SSS student photos for a little while. A few of our instructors and staff are taking the chance to head off on some mini-holidays, with El Salvador, Nicaragua and Panama the most popular destinations. Even I will be heading to Bocas del Toro in Panama at the end of the week for my own vacay, so will be resting The Inside Peak for a week or two.
But before I tip out for a little while I should come to the last, but certainly not the least, segment for the blog. Keen followers of Safari Surf School´s Facebook page would be aware of a competition announced last Thursday, whereby fans were encouraged to subscribe and register for notifications from our page (as opposed to just liking it). Just to spice things up, we decided that five randomly chosen new subscribers would be rewarded with Safari Surf School t shirts. All sounds like a great plan, right? Well it was, and it came off without a hitch… except for one important issue. Due to recent changes at Facebook, we cannot actually see the new individual subscribers for our page. We can see how many there are, but not who they are. Thanks for nothing, Zuckerberg.
But of course, we still have these t shirts to give away. So, if you were one of the new subscribers and still want to be in the competition, comment on this page or write me an email (nick@safarisurfschool.com) with your name and details… first five to do so, win the shirt! This competition is only open to fans in North America (for postage and handling purposes). So, get typing, and as always make sure you keep up with our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for more exclusive updates and offers.
Peace and duckdives,
Nick.

inside peak

The Inside Peak – Weekly Wrap Up 04.29.13

Top of the morning, afternoon and evening to you all and welcome to the Inside Peak.
As we move into the month of May (Already? I know, right!), our little coastal hamlet of Guiones continues to chug along at a comfortable, easy pace. After the craziness of a few weeks ago, client numbers at Safari Surf School and the Casa Tucan have also eased. While this means slightly fewer pool-side conferences, impromptu surf sessions and bar singalongs (I promise this actually happens) for those lucky enough to be currently visiting us, it also means more time for optimum relaxation and tranquility. And, there is still a whole bunch of good times to be had, both in the water and out.

tucan-bar — Whether it is with 2 of your best friends, or 200 of your best friends, Casa Tucan always delivers.

Anyway, let´s talk surf.
Steady pulses of WSW swell from the southern Pacific has seen a continuation of the mid-range swells from the previous week. The rain storms have eased off somewhat, only really hitting late at night and early in the morning. This means that the wind has shifted back into its standard pattern of offshore until around 10am, followed by light onshores and an afternoon glass off. With the swell not getting too crazy, our students have been able to really get out and make the most of the conditions.

owen-students — Owen going through some on the beach, last minute theory before hitting the waves.

This move is called ´the dropped wallet´.

James at Surfing Nosara has again delivered the goods with his exclusive, weekly Safari Surf School video. This week´s edition also has some older footage from some of the big swells to hit earlier in the month, and it definitely worth a look if you haven´t seen it already.

Meanwhile, an awesome collaboration between Safari Surf School and our friends at HKTK clothing and apparel has resulted in a new range of SSS rash vests for our instructors that use 100% vegetable-based inks in the screen printing process. These inks contain absolutely zero environmentally hazardous or carcinogenic content, and the printing is done here in Nosara. Environmentally sustainable projects that support the local community like this form the core of what Safari Surf School is all about, so we are naturally incredibly stoked with the outcome!

zac-hktk — Zac from HKTK weaving his magic.

Be sure to check out the HKTK Facebook page for more info on their products, and to support the local surfing scene in Nosara .
Now, for a slice of nature. Yesterday afternoon, my girlfriend and I were lucky enough to stumble across (almost literally) an Olive Ridley Turtle laying its eggs on the high tide line at Playa Guiones. This is the first time I have ever seen a turtle doing its thing this far south from Playa Ostional, but I am told that it is a relatively common occurrence. It was a real treat to observe such a rare and endangered animal in its native habitat, and it really does amaze when you think how much these gals go through to reach this stage of their life. The Olive Ridley Turtles are the species responsible for the Arribada, which is the mass nesting and hatching that takes place at Playa Ostional, just north of us, however obviously this particular turtle decided to go it alone down with us gringos at Guiones. Here are a few of the photos my girlfriend took (right when I had just pulled a backhand cheater 5 on my Robert August 9´6 in the shorebreak in front of her, mind you. But just kidding, I heart turtles).

Best of luck to all the baby turtles that momma left behind last night, and if you happen to have a can of radioactive goo poured over you and turn into a Ninja Turtle, remember that Casa Tucan makes the best pizzas in town!

teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-pizza — Cowabunga!

And on that note, I will see you all next week. Surf safe!

inside peak

The Inside Peak – Weekly Wrap Up 04.23.13

Hello and welcome again to the Inside Peak Weekly Wrap Up.
Our prayers to the weather gods were answered on Friday night with the first rain in over six months falling. This is, I am sure, completely due to the will power of the millions of Inside Peak readers that I inspired to wish for the rain in last week´s blog. Great work guys, we could not have done this without you. But in all seriousness, already the air is feeling so much cleaner and crisper, and the local flora has exploded into a million different colours.

We are now settling in to a pattern of morning sunshine and offshores followed by afternoon and early evening showers, and then mostly clear nights. Beers are tasting cooler, waves are breaking for longer and everybody is looking even more attractive than usual. It is pretty much heaven on Earth.
The surf has been a continuous exercise in excellence. Dropping down to a much more manageable size after the large south swells of the past few weeks, the shape and consistency of the waves has been ideal. With crowd numbers thinning after the craziness of Semana Santa, our SSS clients have been able to get out and make the absolute most of the conditions. Check out some of our latest photos below.

derek — Derek, picking right back up where he left off after a year out of the water!

kids-camp-2 — Kimber and Helberth with the Kids Camp kids!

And, as always, our good friends at Surfing Nosara have put together an exclusive Safari Surf School video with all of the latest highlights:

As many of you will be aware, surfing isn´t the only attraction when you make the trip to visit us in Playa Guiones. Safari Surf School offers a number of adventure and sustainability tours as extras to your surfing package. Just yesterday, I was lucky enough to join some holiday makers on a guided horseback tour of the coastal fringes of Nosara, starting from north Playa Guiones and travelling all across Playa Pelada and through to Boca Nosara.
With our tour starting at 4pm, an intense downfall at 3:30pm had a few of us worrying whether or not the tour would go ahead at all. Luckily, the rain cleared and we were treated to an absolutely stunning afternoon. After a quick familiarization with our horses (why the long face? etc) we set off on the ride. Feeling like extras from a Lord of the Rings movie*, our local guide escorted us across beaches, headlands, hills and mountains. A brief pit stop for a beer and sunset at Lagarta Lodge, home to one of the most amazing views you will ever have the fortune to see, was followed by a gallop back along the beach to avoid the next rain fall.

horseback-pelada — Playa Pelada reflections.

lagarta-lodge-vista — Lagarta Lodge vista.

honeymooners-brandon-jane — Happy honeymooners Brandon and Jane.

horseback-ride — Completely normal posing, perched on top of a 20 meter high cliff.

This is just one of the many adventure and sustainability tours that you can choose from when you stay with Safari Surf School, and is an absolute blast of a time. I highly recommend it.
Finally, you might remember from last week´s post that I was talking up a couple of secret spot missions that myself and a few of our instructors and clients have made over the last few weeks. Well, due to some “surfer´s code” type stuff it turns out I
can´t really tell you too much more about the waves that we scored. But, even though I have been sworn to secrecy, I am still going to post a WORLD EXCLUSIVE VIDEO from one of the trips. It is only a short clip, and definitely wasn´t one of the best waves ridden, but it still gives you a pretty good taste of the quality of this particular set up. And I figure that if you are still actually reading this far into the blog you deserve some sort of reward.
All I can say is that it is south of Ostional and north of Jaco, that you need a boat to get there and that we saw about five sharks on the trip out. But it was all worth it! This video features our resident Instructor and grouch, Owen, with filming credit going to Alonso.

Come and visit us in Costa Rica and we will show you more!
That is me done for the week, guys. As always, keep an eye on our Facebook and Instagram for some serious surf jealousy, and I will see you next week!
*Unfortunately Mount Doom and the Eye of Sauron were shut for the season.

inside peak

The Inside Peak – Weekly Wrap Up 04.15.13

Hello again, Inside Peak followers.
Yet another week has passed down here in Guiones at Safari Surf School, Costa Rica´s premier surf academy. As we march through the month of April there is still no sign of the first rains of the wet season. We have experienced two or three days that were tantalizingly close to opening up, but it seems that every time the clouds pass over the mountains and head towards the coast they lose their mojo. With the water levels at dangerously low levels for some rural parts of Nosara, the rains really cannot come soon enough.
However, a crack team of SSS Instructors, (led by our resident Englishman Owen who hails from the witch capital of the world, Cornwall) have been performing nightly rain dances in the hopes of enticing the storm gods to release their bounty, so we expect to see some results soon. I wonder if a “Sustainability through Paganism” initiative could take off?

While the weather gods have been uncooperative in the precipitation department, they surely have been smiling on us when it comes to the surf! It seems like every week I am writing something along of the lines of “…and the swell just keeps on coming at Playa Guiones” because, well, the swell DOES just keeps on coming at Playa Guiones! Storm cells in the South Pacific – which produce the strong southerly swells have been experiencing – have been particularly active. We are entering week four of continuous quality swell, and it still shows no real signs of abating.

pipe — Ok so it isn´t quite Guiones but we still know how these guys feel.

As always our clients have been right in the thick of it, with beginners to intermediates to advanced all giving their best – and having the times of their lives in the process. While some of the extra big days have made conditions hazardous at certain times and tides, we have made sure that our lessons have been situated at the optimal hours for client safety. And if moving your lesson to 6:30AM means that you get to catch the sun rise while you surf, it is really a small price to pay!
Check out a few of our more recent client shots below:

Lauren, up and riding on her very first lesson! — Lauren, Seattle´s newest surfer, up and riding on her very first lesson!

Shelby takes her last ride of the trip all the way to the beach.

... and Fox goes right! — … and Fox goes right!

guitars — “Watch out mum!” Guitar family fun.

anna-wipeout — Anna got some excellent waves on her trip, but I could not go past this excellent wipe out shot… Sorry, Anna! I will owe you a drink for this one next time you are here.

Our Kids Camp has continued in full swing, with the eager little grommies absolutely eating up the fun conditions on the inside break.

helberth-kids — SSS Instructor Helberth lends a guiding hand.

chumi-2 — Alonso and the happy campers, post surf.

On top of these great photos, you can check out this video put together exclusively for Safari Surf School showcasing some of our students and instructors in the second half of March:

As I mentioned last week, some of our instructors, and more advanced students, have been taking some trips up and down the coast to search out some of the other quality set ups in this area. I have personally surfed two breaks here in the past week that I never knew existed, and have scored some absolutely world class waves in the process. I will post a few teasers below, but keep your eyes out in the next week or so for some quality photos and footage. The surprises this place can throw up never cease to amaze me!

big-wave — This wave is a lot bigger than it looks, and is not too far away from our HQ. But where, you ask?

secret-spot — Secret spot #2 was a heavy reef break left that requires boat access… this was us bringing it ashore yesterday afternoon. But from where?

And on that note, that is a wrap for this week. As I said, be sure to follow our Facebook and Instagram accounts for more exclusive photos and footage, as well as all the latest happenings from SSS.
Peace!

The Inside Peak – Weekly Wrap Up 04.08.13

Happy Monday everyone!
… yes, it is Monday already, which means it is time for another Weekly Wrap Up from The Inside Peak. It has been a busy seven days here at Safari Surf School, with loads of old, new, familiar and friendly faces gracing our establishment and making the most of our facilities. Among the dozens of clients and guests we have worked with in the last week, we have taught and tutored English celebrities, entire surfing families (x 3), honeymooning couples (x 2), real estate barons, medical scientists, teachers, Broadway producers and IT head honchos.
We could write a story about each and every one of these fascinating individuals and groups – only problem is we would never have enough time!
But if we have to give one shout out for the week, it would be to a first-time guest of ours at Safari Surf School, named Molly. Molly came to Costa Rica by herself, with her trip given to her as a gift for her 60th birthday. In her 60 years Molly had never once tried surfing, but within only a few days she was up and riding like she had done it her whole life. Her constant state of joy and stoke in the water was absolutely infectious, and I know that all the instructors and clients that met her happier for having done so. So, happy 60th Molly!

molly — ¨This is the coolest thing everrrrrrrr!!!!!¨

Lessons this week have been running in overdrive, with twice as many guests meaning twice as many classes. Combine this with an unprecedented amount of ´walk in´lessons, and you can understand that our instructors have been getting a real work out! I know a few of them have been averaging over five lessons a day – no mean feat when you consider how physically demanding the lessons can be.

siesta — Lunch time at Casa Tucan currently.

But of course our instructors are up to the challenge, and are still managing to deliver the same excellent level of service to each and every client – exactly what makes Safari Costa Rica´s premier surf school.
Also keeping everybody tired has been the relentless run of swell we have had at Playa Guiones for the last few weeks. As I type this the waves are on to their fourth consecutive day of double overhead sets. Our beginner and intermediate lessons on the inside of the break have been running uninterrupted, but for those looking to head out to the ´green´waves on the outside have had to exercise real caution in choosing when and where to surf. However, those that have made it out the back with the guidance of our instructors have been getting some absolutely classic rides. Particular kudos goes to Joel (the medical scientist), who seems as adept at dropping into bomb sets on double overhead days as he is at building microscopes, and to Simon (one of the honeymooners) whose first ever outside wave was an overhead backside dredger that he managed to ride all the way to the beach. Both these guys have the makings of being great surfers if they stick with it. Do you reckon you would be up to the challenge?
We have also been taking a few of our more advanced clients to some nearby secret spots that have been handling the excess swell. In the words of the great Michael Peterson: I could tell you more, but I won´t. You will just need to come down here and find out yourself!
Meanwhile, Safari Surf School Instructor Owen has continued his run of scoring incredible surfing shots. Here is one of them taken on Saturday, courtesy of Nosara Shack.

And as always, our good friends at Surfing Nosara continue to capture daily, high quality action stills and videos of Safari Surf School students. Check out some from one of the few smaller days this week below:

chumi — SSS Instructor Alonso with some of our Kids Camp Kids!

stan-2 — SUPs to the left, Instructors to the right, Stan´s stuck in the middle with you.

drop-in — These guys are obviously not Safari students.

And when they haven´t been in the waves, our guests have as always been enjoying yoga classes, horse riding, canopy tours, sustainability tours, hosted dinners and maximum relaxation. It is a tough life down here sometimes!

I hope you have enjoyed the inside view of our little slice of paradise for this week! As always, be sure to keep up with our Facebook and Instragram (safarisurfer) accounts for daily updates and photos, and we will see you all next time!