Costa Rica's Weekly Surf Report for December 17, 1999

Costa Rica's Weekly Surf Report
Volume 2, Issue 43
December 17, 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

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

4) Chuck at Chosita del Surf (643-3328) in Jaco
chucks@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

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

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


TIDES (for Puntarenas) - Mareas
** New Moon December 7th, Full Moon December 22nd **
High tide (Friday) - Marea alta (viernes)
9:26 a.m. @ 7.3 ft. - 223 cm.
Low tide - Marea baja
3:26 p.m. @ 1.5 ft. - 46 cm.

SWELL DIRECTION -- DIRECIÓN DEL SWELL

Pacific - A slight SW swell will be arriving on Monday, bumping up the surf to overhead in most spots. Enjoy the morning offshores that groom rippable peaks.

Caribbean - The east side is quieter this week, with no major swell expected so waves should remain under headhigh. Hit the beachbreaks.


AREA REPORTS

NICOYA (N)

(1) From Patti at the Best Western Vista Villas in Tamarindo: AREA WAVE HEIGHTS AND CONDITIONS: Chest high to Shoulder high with glassy conditions-winds *Offshore*. Swell direction WSW turning SW late Friday.WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND (weather and waves):Fri surf should pick up more WSW and then turning to the SW for a small ocean swell. Shoulder high to head high. Offshore winds with glassy conditions Dawn Patrol and sunset glassoff. BEST PLACE TO SURF THIS WEEKEND IN YOUR AREA: Playa Grande incoming hightide - T Bay Rivermouth early incoming high. Playa Avellanas outgoing high. NEWS AND UPCOMING EVENTS: Thanks to all the surf teams who made it to T Bay for the surf contest. Pictures with Robert & Wingnut with all the winners are available.

(2) From Loius at Las Tortugas at Playa Grande - AREA WAVE HEIGHTS AND CONDITIONS: The surf has been small in the waist to head high size all week. Lots of off shores and perfect shaped straight and westish swells hiting passable sand bars. WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND (weather and waves): Should be more of the same with the swell picking up a little today. The incoming tide is in the morning with lingering tidal push extending the rideable window. BEST PLACE TO SURF THIS WEEKEND IN YOUR AREA: All the spots are working from chicken head to the river mouth.

(3) From Martine at Hotel Café de Paris in Nosara - AREA WAVE HEIGHTS AND CONDITIONS: Overhead, 5 feet, nice and clean, offshore wind. WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND (weather and waves): Same thing for the rest of the week BEST PLACE TO SURF THIS WEEKEND IN YOUR AREA: Playa Guiones, Ostional must be really cool too. NEWS AND UPCOMING EVENTS: Fire on the beach, for the night of the 31th dec. 1999. And the 22 dec. you will be able to watch the biggest moon ever. Don't ask me how it's possible !!! I just know the fact.

JACO & HERMOSA (JH)
(4) From Chuck at Chosita del Surf in Jaco: AREA WAVE HEIGHTS AND CONDITIONS: Just got out of the water out front , fun waist to chest , glassy til 9:30 then light wind out of the n.w. Some short boards in the water but long or funboard is key ! WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND (weather and waves): Looks like more of the same , nice and sunny chance of showers in the p.m. BEST PLACE TO SURF THIS WEEKEND IN YOUR AREA: Hermosa or Tulin for sure ! NEWS AND UPCOMING EVENTS: Just got the new northshore underground clothes for 2000 and The Realm is due this week ! Matt Kechele is our newest board line and also due on Mon. if the road from Limon stays open , What challenges we run into here in C.R. doing business ! Anyways if your in town stop in and see us need a cheap place to crash come see me too ! Or just need " A FRIEND IN COSTA RICA " here we are ! MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR TOO ALL , god bless

QUEPOS & MANUEL ANTONIO (QMA)
(5) From Alacran Tours in Manuel Antonio - AREA WAVE HEIGHTS AND CONDITIONS: Waves have been hard to come by in this area for the past couple of weeks and the plethora of rain has certainly not helped anyones' already pessimistic attitude. Anyway, the few waves have been waist to shoulder high (if you are lucky). Some afternoons have been plagued with heavy winds making for a choppy session although yesterday afternoon saw some glass and waist high+ sets in Playitas. With a small SW due this weekend, we are expecting the waves to reach shoulder high in most exposed areas and waist high+ in less exposed areas. The weather is looking up this morning with sunny skies and high temps. BEST PLACE TO SURF THIS WEEKEND IN YOUR AREA: The best place to surf this weekend will be Playitas just before high tide as well as Bajos (if you don't mind a lot of spongers!). A few of our guides went out to Isla Damas this morning for a little something different and Playa El Rey may be a good option this weekend if the swell picks up. NEWS AND UPCOMING EVENTS: This season, Alacran Surf Tours will be offering surf lessons, board rentals, guided surf trips (interm - experts) to El Rey, Dominical , Escondida, etc...We will be offering 4x4 surf trips, jet ski surf trips and we also have a 46' sailboat that we willbe using for charter surf trips to any area of the country...full day trips to El Rey, overnights to Dominical, or multi day trips to wherever. The boat has 5 beds in 2 air conditioned cabins, full kitchen, 2 bathrooms, kayaks, snorkel and scuba equipment, fishing equipment, 2 zodiacs, etc....if anyone has any clients heading this way and they are looking for an exciting surf trip, send them our way and our guides will show them a trip of a lifetime...ALSo, as I mentioned in a prior email, starting on Jan 3 or 4th, I have been hired by SURFER MAG to take around one of their journalists to investigate all hotels, restaurants, surf points, etc as they will be coming out with a new publication this spring called SURFER TRAVEL REPORT. The magazine will come out only 1 every 5 years and will be filled with information such as hotels, surf spots, travel agencies, etc...if anyone is interested in advertising, let me know and I can forward the rates to you...hotel co-op pages are available...call me at 777-1721 or email at alacran@sol.racsa.co.cr....if anyone can help out with lodging on your end while I am showing this guy around, I (and he) would be greatly appreciative.

DOMINICAL & SOUTHERN PACIFIC (D)
no report this week

CARRIBEAN (C)
see national report