Costa Rica's Weekly Surf Report for February 24, 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) Surfpati at Vista Villas / R.A. surf shop Tamarindo (506-653-0114) in Tamarindo - surfpati@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

4) Kristian up in the North Nicoya Peninsula
surf_witch@hotmail.com

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

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

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 - March 4th, Full Moon - March 19th **
High tide (Friday) – Marea alta (viernes)
6:51 a.m. @ 8.2 ft. – 250 cm.

Low tide – Marea baja
12:51 p.m. @ .4 ft. – 12 cm.

SWELL DIRECTION -- DIRECIÓN DEL SWELL

Pacific – The large swell from the Northwest should drop off a little throughout the weekend, but still provide overhead surf until Tuesday. Morning high tides make it a perfect morning offshore surf session. Smaller conditions (chest to overhead) will prevail from Thursday until the following weekend. Go to the Caribbean!Caribbean – This weekend expect rising surf: from chest high on Saturday to 2-3 feet overhead at Isla Uvita by Tuesday afternoon. Of course - Salsa or Bonita will have powerful surf as well.

AREA REPORTS

NICOYA (N)

(1) From Patti at Best Western Vista Villas in Tamarindo -

AREA WAVE HEIGHTS AND CONDITIONS:
Waves 4'- 7' at most breaks all weekend. Glassy conditions am and sunset surf sessions. Playa Negra walling up at double overhead.

WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND (weather and waves):
Waves continue to roll in with a mix of WSW swell. Offshores, cranking midday, but glassy conditions dawn patrol and sunset. Swell to start breaking off a little by Sunday. Lots of pacific wave movement coming up next week.

BEST PLACE TO SURF THIS WEEKEND IN YOUR AREA:
Playa Grande - Dawn Patrol - headhigh and glassy.
Playa Langosta - am - 4' + all most sets.
Playa Negra - walling out with some double overhead sets.
Witch's Rock - 6' and clean with occassional gusty offshore winds. (Water temperature a cool 63 degrees at Oli's and Witch's)....

NEWS AND UPCOMING EVENTS:
Wingnut, Robert August and Mark Martinson surfing, golfing and drinking around Tamarindo all weekend.....Look for them at the Best Western Tamarindo VistaVillas.

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

AREA WAVE HEIGHTS AND CONDITIONS:
The waves have been well overhead with off shores all day for almost a week now. Some set waves have been in the double overhead range. The shape has generally been fair to excellent at medium to three/quarter tides with all the peaks working and Chicken Head Rock coming on at high tide. Due to the constant off shores the water is now cold and a spring suit is not out of place.

WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND (weather and waves):
The wind seems to be holding and with the high tides moving into the morning for the weekend, conditions are excellant for more of the same excellent surf we've been having. Bring a wet suit - vest or spring especially for Witches or Ollies.

BEST PLACE TO SURF THIS WEEKEND IN YOUR AREA:
All the breaks are working with Chicken Head as good as it gets at high tide. Tamarindo River mouth is worth checking at incoming. Avoid Witches and Ollies while the wind is howling.

(3) From Steve at Tropico Latinos in Santa Teresa (near Mal Pais):
AREA WAVE HEIGHTS & CONDITIONS:

The NW swell - which has brought us the best waves of the year, 12' faces, barrels, long walls etc.- has now started to drop a bit. However sets this morning were still well overhead and coming in at short intervals. Conditions have been superclean with afternoon offshores.

WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND:

Would expect the swell to continue to drop slowly - there should still be head high surf and expect the perfect winds to continue.

BEST PLACE TO SURF NEAR YOU THIS WEEKEND:

Playa Carmen has been epic on this swell - with the high tide moving into the morning, it should be the best spot at the weekend.

(4) From Kristian at Witches Rock - (Sunday - Feb. 20th)
The water was about 70 degrees. The winds are off shore at both points but very strong, for the waves. The waves were between 2ft to 3ft at potrero with sets of 4 waves every 15 minutes. At witch´s the waves was the same but the sets took forever, and the water there was much colder. Not a cloud in the sky.

JACO & HERMOSA
(5) From Tommy at Hotel Fuego del Sol in Hermosa -
We have a southwest swell running about Six feet on Hermosa beaches. Low tide is at around noon today. The tide has mellowed out and it looks like another great day in Costa Rica. More Pictures of the beaches with our crew at: www.fuegodelsol.com/page3.html



QUEPOS & MANUEL ANTONIO
(6) From Alacran Tours in Manuel Antonio – NEWS AND UPCOMING EVENTS:
ALACRAN SURF TOURS & HOTEL TERRAZA DEL PACIFICO PRESENT:
2ND ANNUAL CAMPEONATO INTERNACIONAL DE PLAYA HERMOSA, COSTA RICA
JUNE 23,24,25, 2000

IN FRONT OF HOTEL TERRAZA DEL PACIFICO

PRO-AM OPEN INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
$20,000 IN CASH PRIZES

$75 ENTRY FEE - DAYTIME COMPETITION
$35 ENTRY FEE - NIGHTIME EVENT

FEATURING GOLD SPONSOR - QUIKSILVER USA

ALSO FEATURING A GIANT SURF EXPO - ANY SURF RELATED BUSINESS, HOTEL, ETC.. INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING IN THIS EVENT TO BE HELD ON THE TOURNAMENT PREMISES, THIS WILL BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO DISPLAY & SELL YOUR PRODUCT TO A VERY BROAD INTERNATIONAL MARKET OVER A 3 DAY PERIOD. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT TODD @ ALACRAN SURF TOURS @ 777-1721, 777-2724 OR EMAIL AT todd@alacransurf.com or info@alacransurf.com...ALSO THERE A FEW SPONSORSHIP POSITIONS ARE AVAILABLE FOR THIS WORLD CLASS EVENT...SERIOUS INQUIRIES ONLY CONTACT TODD AT THE SAME NUMBERS...

CHECK OUT WWW.SURFERMAG.COM FOR A DESCRIPTION OF THE EVENT!!!! THIS IS GOING TO BE A WORLD CLASS EVENT SO DON'T MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SEE SOME OF THE BEST SURFERS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD!!!

DOMINICAL & SOUTHERN PACIFIC
See National Report

CARRIBEAN
See National Report