Costa Rica's Weekly Surf Report for 12-22-98

12-22-99

Costa Rica's Weekly Surf Report

Volume 2, Issue 41

December 2, 1999

Brought to you each Thursday by local surf businesses throughout Costa Rica. See http://www.crsurf.com/links.html for pics., forecast links, and tide charts.

FEATURES

National Stats:

Tides

Swell Direction

Area Reports:

Wave Heights & Conditions

Forecasts & Best Spot

Upcoming Events / Contests

SPONSORS by Area

1) Patti at Best Western - Vista Villas & The Monkey Bar "Guanacaste's Surf Connection" (653-0114) in Tamarindo - tamvv@sol.racsa.co.cr

2) Louis at Hotel Las Tortugas (653-0458) in Playa Grande - nela@cool.co.cr

3) Thierry at Hotel Café de Paris in Nosara cafepari@sol.racsa.co.cr

4) Steve at Tropicos Latino (640-0062) in Playa Santa Teresa troplat@sol.racsa.co.cr

Allan at Terraza del Pacifico in Jaco (643-3222 fax: 643-3424) jacowave@sol.racsa.co.cr

Tommy at Hotel Fuego del Sol in Hermosa (643-3737)

cybersurfer@fuegodelsol.com

5) Todd at Alacran Surf Tours in Manuel Antonio (777-1721)

alacran@sol.racsa.co.cr

6) From David at Escuela D’Amore (777-1143) in Manuel Antonio – damore@sol.racsa.co.cr

7) Paco at Hotel Rio Lindo in Dominical (787-0078) hotelriolindo@costarica.net

TIDES (for Puntarenas) – Mareas

** Full Moon – New Moon December 7th **

High tide (Friday) – Marea alta (viernes)

11:37 a.m @ 7.6 ft. – 232 cm.

Low tide – Marea baja

5:26 a.m. @ 1.5 ft. – 46 cm.

SWELL DIRECTION -- DIRECIÓN DEL SWELL

Pacific –Don’t see much surf headed to the west coast of CR until late in next week with a big swell from the north west creeping in with long period surf. Best day – next Saturday. The "dry season" is a time of the year when the best surf will be had four or five days after a full or new moon. See the tide chart above.

Caribbean – Go to the Caribbean!!! Now !!! There appears to be some great conditions, although you need to avoid some torrential afternoon showers. Best day, every day until next Wednesday. Two words – Salsa Brava

AREA REPORTS

NICOYA (N)

From Patti at the Best Western Vista Villas in Tamarindo: AREA WAVE HEIGHTS AND CONDITIONS: Wave size 3-5 with a slight west to it. Offshores bringing in choppy conditons.WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND (weather and waves): Swell starting come in more from the West bringing in chesthigh to headhigh waves over the weekend. Offshores should hold. BEST PLACE TO SURF THIS WEEKEND IN YOUR AREA: Playa Grande at incoming high in the am and glass off in the pm-Real low tide..Playa Avellanes for some fun waves shoulderhigh and good for longboard. Expect a pickup in swell by Wed with a solid north moving due south. NEWS AND UPCOMING EVENTS: IT'S THE TAMARINDO SURF CONTEST - DEC. 11TH & 12TH...CHECK IN WITH VISTA VILLAS OR ALACRAN FOR INFORMATION. SWELL SHOULD BE FROM THE WEST AND WINGNUT AND ROBERT AUGUST ARE HERE FOR THE CONTEST. HANG WITH THE "LEGENDS"AND SURF....

(2) From Loius at Las Tortugas at Playa Grande - AREA WAVE HEIGHTS AND CONDITIONS: The offshores are here and the sandbars are improving. We had excellent 4-5 surf here on Sat and Sun. The swellisflat right now, but with these winds expect excellent surf at the first sign of a swell. WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND (weather and waves): Should be good if the swell arrives. The high tide is in the morning so conditions are optimum. BEST PLACE TO SURF THIS WEEKEND IN YOUR AREA: The area in front of the hotel for a small swell and Chicken head rock if it picks up.

(3) From Hotel Café de Paris in Nosara- AREA WAVE HEIGHTS AND CONDITIONS: 3 - 4 feet very windy. not very nice to surf ,small and messy WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND (weather and waves): It has been 2 days like this. Usually it's only windy for 3 days, so I guess it will be like this one more day. BEST PLACE TO SURF THIS WEEKEND IN YOUR AREA: Ostional must be better.

(3) From Steve at Tropicos Latinos in Santa Teresa (next to Mal Pais) - LOCAL WAVE HEIGHTS & CONDITIONS As flat as it gets here. Swell has dropped steadily all week and is now waist high only. Summer is definitely here, blue skies, blue water and a bit of offshore in the a.m. WHAT TO EXPECT THIS W/E Hope for surf to pick up a bit over the weekend and fun conditions at the beachbreaks - it doesn't usually stay this flat for long BEST PLACE TO SURF THIS WEEKEND The Rancho & Sta Teresa will pick up the best of whatever swell there is.

JACO & HERMOSA (JH)

See National Report

QUEPOS & MANUEL ANTONIO (QMA)

(5) From Alacran Tours in Manuel Antonio - AREA WAVE HEIGHTS AND CONDITIONS: Surf was stronger at the end of last week with good sessions in the late afternoon and early morning, particualry Wednesday and Thursday with overhead sets on Friday. Dominishing swell on Sunday onward throught this entire week with most sets getting no bigger than waist high. WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND (weather and waves): This weekend we are hoping for an increased swell, but aren't expecting much other than waist high waves. The weather on the other hand has been excellent with summer fully on the way, forecasting for sunny skies through the weekend! BEST PLACE TO SURF THIS WEEKEND IN YOUR AREA: The best place to surf this weekend will probably be down south at Playa el Rey or in Playitas for the morning session. NEWS AND UPCOMING EVENTS: Now that the high season is here, we here at Alacran Surf Tours are offering private surf lessons and fully guided trips. For any people heading this way that are interested in such services we can be reached at 777-1721. Anybody looking for a new custom board? If so Tule is the man to see. He was the first shaper here in Costa Rica and only puts out high quality product. Have a great weekend and rip it up! (Surf report by local gringo ripper Jarred, aka Jota)

(6) From David at La Escuela D’Amore in Quepos - 1/Tamaño y consistencia de las olas esta semana en Playa Playitas, el tamaño aproximado es de 4 a 5 pies, de ola derecha con fuerza y veocidad que rompe irregularmente. Playa Espadilla, ha tenido un tamaño aproximado de 3 pies de olas tanto derechas como izqueirdas, con fueerza y no mucha velocidad. Que han estado rompiendo perfectamente y además de estar rompiendo bien, es el lugar donde más han asistido surfeadores desde el fin de semana pasado hasta hoy. 2/Las lluvias ya se están alejando de Costa Rica, así que es muy problable que par ael proximo fin de semana el sol salga. Con respecto a las olas no vemos ninguana característica que nos haga pensar que cambiaran, es seguro que van ha estar igual de buenas como hasta el momento. 3/Esta vez recomendaremos playa ESpadilla, ya que a esta playa es adonde han estado asistiendo la mayor cantidad de surfeadores tanto profesionales como principiantes. Recuerden que al amejor playa de Manuel Antonio es Playa Playitas y que tiene olas fantásticas.

DOMINICAL & SOUTHERN PACIFIC (D)

(8) From Hotel Rio Lindo in Dominical - The waves here in Dominical have been small the last few days.(but the fishing has been good)Only 1-2 ft and glassy. Can still get a wave but best for the longboard. Its pretty much gonna stay the same for the next few days and probably the weekend tambien, Best place to surf is right out front on the beach break. Too small for the point. Ciao ROB

CARRIBEAN (C)

see national report