Costa Rica's Weekly Surf Report for July 29, 1999

Brought to you each Thursday by local surf businesses throughout Costa Rica. See http://www.crsurf.com/link.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@playagrande.co.cr
3) Steve from Tropico Latino Lodge (640-0062) in Santa Teresa - troplat@sol.racsa.co.cr
4) Tommy at Hotel Fuego del Sol (643-3737) in Playa Hermosa - cybersurfer@fuegodelsol.com
5) Mike at Villa Hermosa taycole@sol.racsa.co.cr in Hermosa (www.surf-hermosa.com)
6) From Allan at Terraza del Pacifico (643-3222 fax: 643-3424) in Hermosa - jacowave@sol.racsa.co.cr
7) Paco at Hotel Rio Lindo (787-0028) in Dominical - hotelriolindo@costarica.net

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

High for Fri. (7/30) - 4:17 p.m.; Height - 9 ft.
Low - 10:04 a.m.; Height - 1 ft.

Alta para Vrn. (30/7) - 4:17 p.m.; Tamaño - 277 cm.
Baja - 10:04 a.m.; Tamaño - 24 cm.

SWELL DIRECTION -- DIRECIÓN DEL SWELL

Pacific - The swell shifts more southerly for the weekend at the fizzles out by Tuesday evening. Another one farther out to sea should push in 2+ overhead surf by next Thursday evening. Best day will be Friday
Caribbean - Low pressure systems keep the Caribbean side wet and choppy, with a slight E swell moving through by Saturday. Best day will be Friday.

Pacifico - El swell cambia a mas del sur para el fin de semana, y cae para martes en la noche. Un otro swell mas lejos de la playa debe empujar olas de 6 a 8 pies para el proximo jueves en la noche. El mejor día será viernes.

Caribean - Tormentas queda el Caribean mojado y el mar agitado este fin de semana, con un olejita de este saliendo para lunes. El mejor día es viernes.

AREA REPORTS -

NICOYA (N)
(1) Patti at Best Western, Tamarindo Vista Villas - AREA WAVE HEIGHTS AND CONDITIONS: Gunacaste is showing 2-4 feet at most breaks. Lite offshores and switching to onshore early in the afternoon. WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND (weather and waves): a slight south swell is slowly coming up from South America. By Sunday, we should have 4-6' waves rolling in at south facing breaks. Weather, switching out of Indian summer breaking possible rain and onshores by Monday. BEST PLACE TO SURF THIS WEEKEND IN YOUR AREA: It's coming from the south, Mal Pais, Playa Negra and Playa Avellannes may pick up the swell by Sunday. NEWS AND UPCOMING EVENTS: It's a 150 day countdown to the year 2000 at the Monkey Bar Best Western Tamarindo. Robert August and the boys are in town and heading the the "Rabbit" contest.

(2) From Louis at Hotel Las Tortugas in Playa Grande - AREA WAVE HEIGHTS AND CONDITIONS: Today the swell dropped to just overhead and the constant off shores that have made the surf so good this week stopped blowing by noon and came on shore. We still got about an hour of glassy waves before it blew out. WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND (weather and waves): Daybreak sessions will begin to be possible by Sat., thus giving us the possibility of two high tide surf sessions every day. The morning sessions should be off shore and possible showers in the afternoon will help the shape in the afternoon. BEST PLACE TO SURF THIS WEEKEND IN YOUR AREA: As long as the swell stays small, the area around the hotel are the best possibility. As it gets larger, the cleaner waves move towards the Tamarindo end of the bay.

(3) Steve from Tropico Latino Lodge in Santa Teresa - WAVE HEIGHTS AND CONDITIONS. A powerful SW swell over the weekend with sets at 6' at Sta Teresa, not big or clean enough for reefs. Dropped to head high by Wednesday evening with occasional 4' sets. Squally weather has prevented surf cleaning up for the a.m. sesh a couple of times. WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND: Looks like more of the same, hoping that the weather stabilises to bring us a few days of fun, clean surf. BEST PLACE TO SURF IN YOUR AREA THIS WEEKEND: Playa Carmen still has too much new sand in the line up to hold shape for the bigger stuff. Santa Teresa is the spot that's still working best round the tides. Best call is Teresa a.m. and Carmen if it glasses off in the evening and isn't too big.

JACO & HERMOSA (JH)
(4) Hola, desde Hotel Fuego del Sol, Playa Hermosa. http://fuegodelsol.com We have a southwest swell that is giving us overhead conditions. The camp surfed overhead with bomber cleanup sets at the Camp. We will have high tide at around 3 p.m. Get out and get some. Pura vida !!

(5) From Mike at Villa Hermosa (center of soccer field) at www.surf-hermosa.com : AREA WAVE HEIGHTS AND CONDITIONS: Dying swell, still a couple feet overhead sets. Glassy nice peaks with incoming tide. WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND (weather and waves): Swell will weaken, rain in afternoons probably drop to head high BEST PLACE TO SURF THIS WEEKEND IN YOUR AREA: Probably Tulin at low tide, Hermosa at high NEWS AND UPCOMING EVENTS: Rabbit Longboard Contest at Barranca starting next week in Puntarenus.

(6) From Terraza del Pacifico in Hermosa - Las condiciones del Swell estan mejorando, una rapida derecha, con un seccion tubular esta quebrando en frente del hotel Terraza, no hay corrientes fuentes esta mañana. El clima se encuentra nublado, caliente y húmedo desde temparano por la mañana.Se espera que las condiciones del surfing mejoren por l a tarde ya que tenemos el Swell entrando de lleno el viernes. By: Allan (Tiempo- Soleado y glass por las mañanas.)

AND IN ENGLISH !!!! The conditions of the swell are getting better, a fast right, with a tube section that is breaking in front of the hotel Terraza, there is not strong currents this morning. The weather is cloudy, hot, and humid from early en la mañana. It's hoped that conditions will improve for the afternoon since the swell is starting to fill in for Friday.

QUEPOS & MANUEL ANTONIO (QMA)
See national report

DOMINICAL & SOUTHERN PACIFIC (D)
(7) From Hotel Rio Lindo in Dominical - AREA WAVE HEIGHTS AND CONDITIONS: Waves have been in the 6 - 8 foot face range with bigger sets with incoming tide. Lots of tubes and lots of rain. WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND: The waves stay the same until Sunday, with better form for Pavones. BEST PLACE TO SURF THIS WEEKEND IN YOUR AREA: The point will offer superclean long smaller surf until 10 a.m., then surf again at the beachbreak at sunset. UPCOMING EVENTS: Just the Rock every Saturday night for the best disco (and ladies) for miles around. And Paco's Pollo and Pool Bar has just opened for the best chicken, fruit drinks, and sunsets in town.

CARRIBEAN (C)
See national report