Costa Rica Surf Report for April 29, 1999

Brought to you each Thursday by Greg Gordon info@crsurf.com and local surf businesses throughout Costa Rica. See www.crsurf.com for pics.

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) tamvv@sol.racsa.co.cr in Tamarindo
2) Mario at Hotel Antumalal antumal@sol.racsa.co.cr in Playa Junquillal
3) Nela from Las Tortugas Hotel nela@playagrande.co.cr in Playa Grande
4) Hotel Café de Paris cafedeparis@nosara.com in Nosara
5) Tommy at Hotel Fuego del Sol cybersurfer@fuegodelsol.com in Hermosa (643-3737)
6) Mark from the Garden Café grdncafe@sol.racsa.co.cr in Jaco
7) Larry of Hotel Copacabana hotcopa@sol.racsa.co.cr in Jaco
8) David de La Escuela De Idiomas D'Amore, Spanish Immersion Center (777-1143) damore@sol.racsa.co.cr in Manuel Antonio
9) Todd Cutter at Alacran Surf Tours alacran@sol.racsa.co.cr in M. Antonio (777-1868)
10) The editor at Casa del Mar in Dominical (787-0068)
11) Mel Baker from A.T.E.C. atecmail@sol.racsa.co.cr in Puerto Viejo (750-0188)


TIDES (add 50 minutes each day) *** MAREAS (sume 50 minutos cada día)

High for Fri. (4/30) - 3:01 p.m.; Height - 9 ft.
Low - 8:46 a.m.; Height - .6 ft.

Alta para Vrn. (30/4) - 3:01 p.m.; Tamaño - 271 cm.
Baja - 2:52 p.m.; Tamaño - 18 cm.


SWELL DIRECTION *** DIRECIÓN DEL SWELL

Pacific - small SW swell for weekend, best day is Saturday, to drop off by Monday
Caribbean - nothing is showing for this coming week, no best day

Pacifico - Swell de sudoeste para el fin de semana, el mejor día es sabado, a caerse para lunes
Caribean - nada esta mostrando para esta semana, no mejor día


AREA REPORTS -

NICOYA (N)
(1) Patti at Best Western, Tamarindo Vista Villas AREA WAVE HEIGHTS (faces) AND CONDITIONS (glassy): The south and southwest swells continue to come up the coast with 4-7' waves, glassy in the morning with lite offshore winds. The rain in the afternoon is bringing onshore winds early. Swell 220 coming in on Thursday and another 210 picks up on Sunday and holding through Wednesday. Not epic, but clean...... WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND (weather and waves): Swell will turn more sw on Thursday so Southwest facing breaks should have good surf during incoming and outgoing tides. High tide 2:30pm on Thursday. BEST PLACE TO SURF THIS WEEKEND IN YOUR AREA: Playa Negra, Playa Grande and the rivermouth Tamarindo Bay should have good surf conditions all weekend. NEWS AND UPCOMING EVENTS: It's A Wingnut party this Saturday at Best Western-Tamarindo. Join us and be filmed for the new Wingnut video.....

(2) Marco de Hotel Autumalal, Playa Junquillal. TAMANO DE LAS OLAS (en frente) Y CONDICIONES (suave/agitada): durante el fin de semana la ola estuvo pequeña pero del lunes para acá ha mejorado en tamaño esta entre los dos y tres metros pero muy agitado y muchas corrientes. QUE VA A PASAR ESTE FIN DE SEMANA (clima y olas): las olas pueden estar de buen tamaño. las condiciones climaticas tipicas del invierno. EL MEJOR LUGAR PARA SURF ESTE FIN DE SEMANA: sin duda playa negra y avellanas pueden ofecernos buenas olas,el rancho en junquillal el cual ha brindado uno tubasos estos dias donde los locales estan invadiendo cada dia mas esta playa.descubrida por los surfos locales de PARAISO y un norteamericano.

(3) Nela from Las Tortugas Hotel in Playa Grande - AREA WAVE HEIGHTS (faces) AND CONDITIONS (glassy): South swell is hitting now and will probably peak tomorrow. It's running a few feet overhead in Playa Grande. The wind is calm to onshore and causing the waves to be bumpy except for afternoon showers which occassionally result in glass offs in the afternoon and smooth conditions during high tide. WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND (weather and waves): we expect the conditions to hold through the weekend with possibilities for good conditions in the afternoon during high tide. BEST PLACE TO SURF THIS WEEKEND IN YOUR AREA: in front of Las Tortugas Hotel

(4) From Hotel Café de Paris in Nosara - REPORT FOR PLAYA GUIONES NOSARA ON SUNDAY 4.24.99- AREA WAVE HEIGHTS (faces) 6 FEET AND CONDITIONS (glassy) GLASSY WITH SMALL OFFSHORE IN THE AFTERNOON. WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND (weather and waves): SUNNY IN THE MORNING, SOME CLOUDS IN THE AFTERNOON / 5 TO 7 FEET HIGH, GLASSY WITH A NICE OFFSHORE IN THE AFTERNOON. BEST PLACE TO SURF THIS WEEKEND IN YOUR AREA: PLAYA GUIONES IN FRONT OF THE ONLY PALM TREE. (CAN BE GOOD TUESDAY IN OSTIONAL) NEWS AND UPCOMING EVENTS: LESS PEOPLE IN THE WAVES AND NICE SHAPE SINCE 3 DAYS, IT SOULD KEEP ON NEXT WEEK


JACO & HERMOSA (JH)
(5) From Hotel Fuego del Sol- http://fuegodelsol.com - Big Hello from Playa Hermosa, We surfed mostly Boca Barranca (3-4 ft. 300 yrd. rides) this week on the medium to large swell prediction we saw from last weeks maps. Since the swell was so, south and, large, most beaches along Playa Hermosa were closing out. It was double overhead solid 6-8ft out there with thick 8 ft. clean ups. The guests were bored and tired of surfing Barranca for the third epic. So, we went to the reefs. We surfed at Escondida (3-4ft perfect) and Little Fiji where it was sectioney. We are looking at more from the south for the weekend. So, the reefs will get swell from the size; but, it won't be ALL TIME without something from the west. Surf those south facing beaches this weekend. No doubt, it will still have size through Friday. It may trim down for Sun. but it is supposed to come right back up. Pura Vida & Happy Southern Hemis!!!

(6) Larry from Hotel Copacabana in Jaco - 1.Jaco - headhigh 2. Hermosa - overhead 3. Tulin - double overhead Sunny in the morning, possible rain in late afternoon. Best places to surf - Hermosa and Tulin
ESPANOL-- 1. Jaco-a la cabeza agitada 2.Hermosa - overhead superagitado 3. Tulin - dobleoverhead. Seguro bajan las olas a la cabeza con lluvia. Mejor lugares - Hermosa y Tulin

(7) Mark from The Garden Café - AREA WAVE HEIGHTS (faces) AND CONDITIONS (glassy): Reefs and points have been breaking all week. The guys have been saying that they have been getting the best waves of their lives at Boca Barranca ( but then again, they are from Florida). Head high glass every morning. Also check local reef breaks in Jacó area. The $10.00 boat trip may be the best $10.00 you spent on this vacation. WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND (weather and waves):I have no crystal ball but if it stays the same, I still won't get any work done around the house. (
It's not easy surfing and sleeping all day.) BEST PLACE TO SURF THIS WEEKEND IN YOUR AREA: Playa Hermosa to Tuline if the swell drops but if it stays the same, you now know where to go. NEWS AND UPCOMING EVENTS: Hooters has all you can eat chicken wings and all you can drink beer Sat. and Sun. for 1 set price.

QUEPOS & MANUEL ANTONIO (QMA)
(8) David, at La Escuela De Idiomas D'Amore, Quepos TAMANO DE LAS OLAS (en frente) Y CONDICIONES (suave/agitada): Las olas han estado un poco extrañas en esta semana, se debe al mal tiempo que hemos tenido ultimamente, aún así el tamaño es el mismo. QUE VA A PASAR ESTE FIN DE SEMANA (clima y olas): El Instituto Meteorológico de Costa Rica informó ayer (martes 27 de abril) que debido a una inestabilidad atmósferica en todo Costa Rica vamos ha tener lluvias los días miércoles, jueves y viernes, 28,29 y 30 de abril respectivamente, pero para el fin de semana todo va ha estar tranquilo e igual que siempre. EL MEJOR LUGAR PARA SURF ESTE FIN DE SEMANA: Insistimos Playa Playitas continua siendo líder para el surf, pero también se puden divertir en Playa Espadilla, isla Damas, Playa el Rey, Playa Matapalo o Playa Dominical. ANUNCIOS SOBRE FIESTAS O TORNEOS: No tenemos conocimiento de algún torneo de surf o de fiestas, pero podemos decirles que Costa Rica estará festejando el Día del Trabajador el próximo primero de mayo.

(9) Alacran Surf Tours, Manuel Antonio Campeonato Internacional de Playa Hermosa
$10,000 in cash prizes
$2,000 in cash prizes for nighttime surf exhibicion
**For more informaiton, please direct your attention to: www.alacransurf.com/campeonato


DOMINICAL (D)
(10) Greg's house, Casa del Mar, Dominical - AREA WAVE HEIGHTS (faces) AND CONDITIONS: Waves have been head to overhead + since Monday with the rising tide the best to catch it. Rain showers in the late afternoon can make it a nice evening glass section. WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND (weather and waves): The rainy season has started, so expect at least a drop or two every afternoon and evening. With high tide in the early a.m. next week, expect morning glass with remnents of a SW swell giving us overhead 6-8 ft. waves. Also, the late afternoon seshes will work over the weekend. BEST PLACE TO SURF THIS WEEKEND IN YOUR AREA: Beach break at dawn and from 1 p.m. to sunset. NEWS AND UPCOMING EVENTS: Talk up the Quiksilver Pro Contest in Playa Hermosa - June 4-6.


CARRIBEAN (C)
(11) Mel Baker from ATEC -AREA WAVE HEIGHTS (faces) AND CONDITIONS (glassy): The sea remains interesting. Conditions: waves 4-5', Salsa is good and beachbreak as well. Some intermitant rain squalls stir up the water but it calms down again a little after. (this was sent last Saturday) Not much is expected for this coming week, waves only 1-2 ft.