Costa Rica's Weekly Surf Report for August 12, 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
5) From Allan at Terraza del Pacifico (643-3222 fax: 643-3424) in Hermosa - jacowave@sol.racsa.co.cr
6) From La Colina Hotel (777-0231) in Manuel Antonio - lacolina@sol.racsa.co.cr
7) Paco at Hotel Rio Lindo (787-0028) in Dominical - hotelriolindo@costarica.net
8) ) 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. (8/13) - 4:12 p.m.; Height - 10 ft.
Low - 9:59 a.m.; Height - -.1 ft.

Alta para Vrn. (13/8) - 4:12 p.m.; Tamaño - 299 cm.
Baja - 9:59 a.m.; Tamaño: -3 cm.

SWELL DIRECTION -- DIRECIÓN DEL SWELL

Pacific - The waves this weekend will not be exceptional, since one SW swell is dying and another won't push in until next Thursday or Friday. BUT, large shifts in tides will push in some overhead surf 2 hours before high tide until dead high. (Then watch it drop fast with the tide going out) Check out the contest at Barranca.
Caribbean - A small East will leave this coast by Sunday, with waist high or less surf predicted through next Wednesday.

Pacifico - Las olas este fin de semana no serán grande, porque el swell esta moriendo y un otro no llega hasta el próximo jueves o viernes. Pero, cambias grandes en las mareas
empujarán olas sobrecabeza dos horas antes de marea alta hasta marea alta en punto. (Pues, mire las olas caen despues de marea alta rapido) Visite el torneo del surf en Boca Barranca este fin de semana.

Caribean - Un swell pequeño del este va a salir la playa para domingo, con olas de tamaña de cintura o menos para la próxima semana.

AREA REPORTS -

NICOYA (N)
(1) Patti at Best Western, Tamarindo Vista Villas - AREA WAVE HEIGHTS AND CONDITIONS: Waves heights are waist to head high on south facing breaks. Glassy am, onshores early. Rain in Gunacaste throughout the day. WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND (weather and waves): It's small with only ocean swell till next Wed, when a good SW starts coming in to the northern pacific. Waist high to head high on south breaks only. BEST PLACE TO SURF THIS WEEKEND IN YOUR AREA: Dawn patrol at Playa Grande or Playa Avellanaes.

(2) From Louis at Hotel Las Tortugas in Playa Grande - AREA WAVE HEIGHTS AND CONDITIONS: The waves are running waist to shoulder high with good form. The wind is off shore in the morning and yesterday all day long with good waves up to just before high tide and then most of the way down till sunset. WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND (weather and waves): Rain showers in the afternoon are helping with the off shores are should facilitate a few good sessions. The swell seems to be holding BEST PLACE TO SURF THIS WEEKEND IN YOUR AREA: In front of the hotel if it stays small.

(3) From Steve at Tropico Latino Lodge in Santa Teresa (next to Mal Pais) - *Report from Monday 8-9* WAVE HEIGHTS AND CONDITIONS: Surf 2 - 3' through the weekend, glassy and fun. Building through Monday and Tuesday with sets coming in at 4-5' SW at longish intervals. Weather has become squallier so the swell is not too well organised but clean enough to ride in the a.m. FORECAST FOR THIS WEEKEND: Swell should continue to build through the week. Hoping it switches more to the south, as it is coming very square for the beachbreaks. Weather pattern (i.e. more rain) should continue now. BEST PLACE TO SURF IN YOUR AREA THIS WEEKEND: With the low tide moving into the a.m. Santa Teresa should be the place to find barrels this weekend.

JACO & HERMOSA (JH)

(4) From Allan at Terraza del Pacifico in Hermosa - Las condiciones del Swell están mejorando, una rápida derecha, con una corta sección tubular está quebrando frente al Hotel Terraza del Pacífico, no hay corrientes fuertes esta mañana.El clima se encuentra nublado, caliente y húmedo desde temprano 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.

AND IN ENGLISH !!! The conditions from the swell are improving, a fast right with a short tube section breaking in front of the hotel. No strong currents this morning. The weather is cloudy, hot, and humid from early in the morning. One wishes for the conditions to improve by 1 p.m., so that we have the swell filling in for Friday.

(5) From Mike at Villa Hermosa - AREA WAVE HEIGHTS AND CONDITIONS: Dying swell, maybe a little overhead on sets, glassy, mushy at higher tides, high tide in afternoon for weekend WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND: proabably a little over head high at tulin, hermosa head high sets, rain in afternoons BEST PLACE TO SURF THIS WEEKEND IN YOUR AREA: Tulin at low and hermosa at higher tides NEWS AND UPCOMING EVENTS: "Rabbit" contest at Barranca

QUEPOS & MANUEL ANTONIO (QMA)
(6) From Hotel La Colina in Manuel Antonio - AREA WAVE HEIGHTS AND CONDITIONS: choppy WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND (weather and waves): rain in the afternoons. Everyday has been raining in the early mornings BEST PLACE TO SURF THIS WEEKEND IN YOUR AREA: Playitas, Playa el Rey NEWS AND UPCOMING EVENTS: Music festival in Manuel Antonio at Si Como No

DOMINICAL & SOUTHERN PACIFIC (D)
(7) From Hotel Rio Lindo in Dominical - AREA WAVE HEIGHTS AND CONDITIONS: Lots of rain, and some dirty river water at both tides. Waves still overhead right before high tide. WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND: Wave size should remain the same this weekend, waist to chest at low tide; overhead on the sets at high tide, but mushy. BEST PLACE TO SURF THIS WEEKEND IN YOUR AREA: Clean Dominicalito water, or closer to Roca Verde UPCOMING EVENTS: Mother's Day is August 15th. Next Basura Buster's cleanup on August 21st. (See David at Gringo Mike's for details)

CARRIBEAN (C)
From Mel Baker at A.T.E.C. in Puerto Viejo - AREA WAVE HEIGHTS AND CONDITIONS: ABOUT 3-4 FT AT BEACHBREAK, WAVE ANGLE FROM THE EAST, A LITTLE MUSHY. WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND (weather and waves): THE WEATHER HAS BEEN OFF AND ON, ONE DAY SUNNY AND NEAR CALM AND THEN THE SEA JUMPS UP. NO WAY TO KNOW WHAT TO PREDICT FOR THE WEEKEND.