Costa Rica's Weekly Surf Report for February 10, 2000

Brought to you each Thursday evening 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) Steve at Tropicos Latino (640-0062) in Playa Santa Teresa
troplat@sol.racsa.co.cr

Martine at Hotel Café de Paris (682-0087) in Nosara
cafepari@sol.racsa.co.cr

4) Chuck at Chosita del Surf (643-3328) in Jaco
chucks@sol.racsa.co.cr

5) Tommy at Fuego del Sol Hotel (in Playa Hermosa)

6) Todd at Alacran Surf Tours in Manuel Antonio (777-1721)
alacran@sol.racsa.co.cr

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

Vida Verde Land Management & Sales (787-0116) in Dominical
vidaverde@sol.racsa.co.cr

Paco at Hotel Rio Lindo (787-0078) in Dominical hotelriolindo@sol.racsa.co.cr

7) Mel Baker at A.T.E.C. (750-0191) in Puerto Viejo - atecmail@sol.racsa.co.cr

Cabinas Casa Verde (750-0015 fax 750-0047) in Puerto Viejo
http://www.greencoast.com/casaverd.htm or atecmail@sol.racsa.co.cr


TIDES (for Puntarenas) – Mareas

** New Moon - February 5th, Full Moon - Febraury 19

**High tide (Friday) – Marea alta (viernes)6:40 a.m. @ 8.3 ft. – 253 cm.

Low tide – Marea baja 12:41 p.m. @ .3 ft. – 9 cm.

SWELL DIRECTION -- DIRECIÓN DEL SWELL

Pacific – The WSW swell that was showing on this coast will diminish through the weekend, but you can enjoy the morning high tides and offshore winds with surf in the chest with overhead sets range. Then by next Wednesday see the first push from the SW swell and by the weekend a stronger push from a larger NW swell (I'd go to Ollie's or Matapalo on the 22nd!)

Caribbean – THIS IS THE TIME OF THE YEAR TO SURF HERE! It is at least chest high everywhere and will continue for the week. Unfortunately, this could be it, as the swell drops here as quickly as it develops. Isla Uvita is the call this time.


AREA REPORTS

NICOYA (N)

(1) From Patti at the Best Western Vista Villas in Tamarindo -
AREA WAVE HEIGHTS AND CONDITIONS:
Glassy conditions with a slight SW pushing in to T Bay.
Offshores are howling with 15-25 knots of wind. Should see more of the
same with a decrease in winds over the weekend.


WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND (weather and waves):
Offshores continuing, but slowing down a bit by Friday. A north west
moving down, but holding offshore. May see a slight wrap on Sat. Swell
from the WSW switching to stronger SW by Tuesday next week. Waves 3' to headhigh at most West and SW breaks.

BEST PLACE TO SURF THIS WEEKEND IN YOUR AREA:
Playa Langosta - early morning, good winds and glassy waves. Playa
Avellanes - offshore winds with 3'-5' surf. Witch's 3'-5' with some
heavy winds. Playa Grande - am surf with offshore conditions. PM surf
should glass off with 3'-5' surf.

NEWS AND UPCOMING EVENTS:
A sea of legends at VistaVillas - August 2000. Stay tuned for the surf and turf details......Pura Surfing

(2) From Amy at Hotel Las Tortugas in Playa Grande -

AREA WAVE HEIGHTS AND CONDITIONS:
small but consistent all week, waist to shoulder high
yesterday and today, it came up. shoulder to overhead

WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND (weather and waves): more of the same. consistent and medium size.

BEST PLACE TO SURF THIS WEEKEND IN YOUR AREA:

in front of the hotel and all the breaks up and down Grande

(3) From Steve at Hotel Tropicos Latino in Santa Teresa (next to Mal Pais) -

AREA WAVE HEIGHTS AND CONDITIONS:
The NW swell, which brought us a week of peeling rights, has now turned square and grown to 5'+ on sets, walled out and a lot less user friendly. Some good ones among the close outs.

WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND:
Expect the swell to drop a little to create much better conditions for the weekend.

BEST PLACE TO SURF IN YOUR AREA THIS WEEKEND:
Incoming tide in the a.m. should be perfect for Playa Carmen.


JACO & HERMOSA

(4) From Chuck at Chosita del Surf in Jaco -
AREA WAVE HEIGHTS AND CONDITIONS:
Jaco thurs. morning clean glassy @ 3-5 ft , bigger than the last couple days for sure! Seems to be a bit of 2 swells . Maybe the points for the next couple of days !
WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND (weather and waves):
Just coming up so should have WAVES for the weekend !

BEST PLACE TO SURF THIS WEEKEND IN YOUR AREA:
If the swell hold check the points if drops off a bit the beachbreaks
could be really good !

NEWS AND UPCOMING EVENTS:
Randy Weir from Revelation Surfboards is here with a new batch of Ventura born and proven hot shapes ! Come on by and check em out ! Thanks Chuck !

(5) From Tommy at Fuego del Sol Hotel in Hermosa -
It's absolutly going off here today!!!!! We just got what seems to be a medium to large southwest but it's got a weird mix in it. There are some six footers rolling in so, we are stoked. It's been flat for a few days and no one really was expecting to see much today. It's still glassy out there so, get out and get some. We have sunny skies so, get on the block. The water is calm there is only a light breeze coming from the south so, enjoy. We have our crew out back all morniing getting major barrels. Check the video at www.fuegodelsol.com/page3.html



QUEPOS & MANUEL ANTONIO

(6) From Alacran Tours in Manuel Antonio – AREA WAVE HEIGHTS AND CONDITIONS:
Last weekend, the Alacran crew took a trip up to Esterillos and were blessed
with overhead + sets all morning...only ones in the water. Slight onshore
winds, however not really affecting the surf. Morning sessions at Playitas
and Bajos have been glassy and afternoon sessions this week have been fairly
choppy (a lot of backwash)

WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND
If things stay as they have been, we are expecting sunny skies with
scattered clouds in the early afternoon. With no swell showing, we are
expecting a slow weekend of surf around here (waist high +)

BEST PLACE TO SURF THIS WEEKEND IN YOUR AREA:
The best place to go this weekend will be Playitas or Bajos at incoming tide
2 hrs before. For bigger waves, head to one of the more exposed beach
breaks in the nearby area (El Rey or Esterillos).
NEWS AND UPCOMING EVENTS:
TORNEO DE SURF PLAYITAS, 2000
18,19, 20 DE FEBRERO
PLAYITAS, MANUEL ANTONIO

5000 COLONES INSCRIPCION (YA ESTA ABIERTA LA INSCRIPCION)
ORGANIZADO POR ALACRAN SURF TOURS Y BURRO SURF SHOP
PARA MAS INFORMACION, LLAME AL 777-1721 O EMAIL al info@alacransurf.com o
alacran@sol.racsa.co.cr
The contest in June is also set for June 23, 24, & 25th in front of Terraza and once again organized by Alacran Surf Tours and Hotel Terraza del Pacifico...SERIOS SURFERS..we have increased this year's total purse to
$20,000 making it one of the largest events in Central America's history. Check out the blurb on SURFERMAG.com...

DOMINICAL & SOUTHERN PACIFIC
See National Report
CARRIBEAN
(7) From Mel Baker at A.T.E.C. in Puerto Viejo -
AREA WAVE HEIGHTS AND CONDITIONS:
3-5 ft at beachbreak, a bit mushy, best in the early morning
WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND (weather and waves):
No rain for now, good sun today but that could change by Saturday.
NEWS AND UPCOMING EVENTS: 2nd Festival of the South Caribbean Coast, at the Playa Chiquita Lodge (south of Puerto Viejo)