Whelp- i did it. i broke my 1st board 2day... clean in half.
Here's how it went down:
Woke up super early... not sure of the time b/c i have no watch. it was light outside though, but hardly anybody was up. Tortilla Flats is right across from the beach, so i walked across the street, sat on the beach, read, & watched the waves.
Soon a couple rolled up & were the 1st ones in the h20. Paul & Kelly- Paul is from Alberta, Canada & Kelly from New Jersey, USA... She's lived in CR for the last 4yrs. together tey started a photography company taking pics of surfers from British Columbia to Costa Rica. Kelly gave me some helpful tips on the surf in Dominical. next i went for a run on the beach. i headed south until the beach ended, explored some rocks, then turned around. the beach here is beautiful & the h20 is WARM! i went back to the room, took a shower, & went to breakfast @ the tortilla bar... i was able to join Morgan & Shannon.
next i fell asleep in my room 4 a little. when i woke i sought to explore the town. i saw some tree-cutter Ants & followed their work- so cool =]!
i ran across a ton of little lizards (cool looking). Dominical is a cool town.. Quaint, quiet, small, not too built up.. it's cute. i was @ the end of town (by the River to the north) looking @ an abandoned resort (Lindo rio?- cool looking) when i SAW A HUGE IGUANA cross the road! Green body, orange head =] he was about 4ft long! he crawled towards the bank of the river.. when i was about 20ft away he jumped in the h20 & submerged! i walked about 30yds down the river and he popped up out of the banks (HA!) surprised to see me again he immediately jumped in the water a 2nd time. i did the SAME thing (walked 30yds down), he didn't... i guess i'm not as smart as an iguana. All of this made me think i should have a camara.. so i popped into the store right there & bought a disposable 27exp. i also eyed some cohibas 4 later. the Pudgy man @ the outdoor counter was very congenial.
i started @ the northeast end of town & took pics of the whole town until i ended up @ my place again. on my way i met Bob Clarke (saw him around earlier & the night b4).. he had surf boards & offered the best rental rate $10 a 1/2 day $20/full day- less/deal 4 multiple days. i eyed the Yellow 10footer & changed into my board shorts.
the waves didn't look too bad from the shore (actually they looked big), but out there they were HUGE! I GOT OUT ON MY 1ST PADDLE OUT. Arms hurt, out of breath.. & surprised by the POWER, HEIGHT, & MASS of these waves. Almost got taken out by a couple close-outs. i tried on 3 waves- Ate it on 2, stood on the last one, but got ahead of the wave & taken out (by the white water). i decided to paddle in- it was crazy. OH also, a guy from venezuela was giving me pointers out there.. Good Advice, but i was scared on the perfect wave w/ a nice shoulder & didn't catch it. Carmen was on the shore & she said she couldn't see me b/c i was too far out- i was relieved.
i decided to go out again, but stay in close & went to my room 4 a breather & H20! (never drank so good). Carmen came back to her room to change to go out- i went out w/ her & a couple others- including JunYung (korea) from Carlsbad. i stayed on the inside while my Venezuelan friend ripped it on the outside. the 2nd wave i caught was the best all day- it was a nice right & i was on the face till it died. i cruised by JunYung & carmen. i surfed white water probably 4 another hour or so (plus) then headed in. Bob gave me a couple tips (avoid beginners, don't surf in too shallow of water, etc) & he let me keep the board to get my next AM session in (i gave him $20 for 2 halfs).
i showered & cruised town. Shannon & Morgan recommended (saw them on the streets right after their lunch) the San Clemente restaurant 4 lunch, so i did that... it was too much food & i didn't finish it. i went back to the room & slept.
upon waking i decided i needed to head to San Jose in the morning to be sure i arrived without problems... which meant i should get my other surf sesh in 2day. so i headed to the beach- it was 4 o'clock & Bob was leaving @ 5, so it wouldn't be long. the surf was smaller, but Bob warned me they pop up from nowhere here. i met a beautiful girl from Holland- briana. i paddled out no prob, went further south to be on a calmer wave (thanks kelly) but noticed when i was out i had drifted north to the guard tower. the surf had also picked up & got BIG. they were slightly smaller than b4 & i thought- "oh well, i'm here." i paddled 4 a big left... stood up & fell immediately- but OH what FUN! =]! LOS TICOS YELLED TO ME, "PURA VIDA!" & i paddled out 4 another =. saw a beautiful (but BIG!) wave forming & went 4 it- balls to the wall. was closing left so i went right. i popped up immediately & pulled hard right... it WORKED! =] i surfed right only 4 a split second until the wave closed from the other side & i was caught in the spin cycle. i made it & right away looked to my board- it was broken in half right down the middle & held on only by the lamination. And the next wave broke that. i floated in on the half connected to me as the top 1/2 washed up on shore- a $400 mistake.
Bob was as cool about it as he could be. he charged only 400 when earlier he said if broken it's $600 though the board is irreplaceable/his favorite/his baby. i ran to the ATM just out of town (which only worked when i used spanigh as the language! go figure). i gave Bob his money & he still wanted my info to hook up in the States (he's from the OC & lives there in the summer). Also he thinks i should bring a group of my students to CR & he will set me up w/ accomodations & service projects, etc- oh & activities to enjoy. i told him if he needs a place to crash 4 a night in ventura county- call me up.
by the way- i'm sitting right now @ the tortilla bar... i'm on my 3rd Pilsen, writing in the journal, cigar from Fernando (pudgy guy) in hand, POURING outside (open air & 5ft from me), 1/2 eaten nachos... bought that out of duty & "empty stomach & cigar/beer" principle- i have no hunger. A little earlier i walked to the beach- when a HUGE firework was lit 10ft from me. i ran to the guard station where i sat & watched a local tico display for 15min.
tomorrow i'll take the AM bus to San Isidro then head to San Jose & my Best Western. America here i come.
Oh- & i topped off 3 Pilsen's & 1 Imperial... shared the last 2 w/ my new swiss friends- Lawrence & Thomas. They were cool guys & taught me much about Switzerland (7 presidents, they elect 200 that vote for the 7) oh & lots more. Also @ several times in the night someone lit off a string of fire crackers in the bar area... it wasn't seen as such a big deal & it seemed like the trick was to scare the camarera. Sat in the Hammock outside my room for a while b4 heading in. Lawrence & Thomas invited me to their next drinking place, but i declined. it was raining like crazy... a Dauschaund found shelter under a small red 2 door compact. this place seems surreal. very cool.
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