Costa Rica Surf Report for April 6, 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. Check out the TIME MACHINE to see how it looked this week - Last Year!!!

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

Louis at Hotel Las Tortugas (653-0458) in Playa Grande - nela@cool.co.cr

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

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

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

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

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

5) 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

Chris & Tanya at WWW.DOMINICAL.NET in Dominical

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 - April 4th, Full Moon - April 18th **

High tide (Friday) – Marea alta (viernes)
4:50 p.m. @ 10 ft. – 299 cm.

Low tide – Marea baja
10:32 a.m. @ -.6 ft. – (-18) cm.

SWELL DIRECTION -- DIRECIÓN DEL SWELL

Pacific – Look to the South for new swells to come in this next week. SSW peaks will be continuing in the head high + range at incoming tides. LARGE tidal shifts this weekend (it could look small with the outgoing tide and perfect 3 hours later) Tuesday there will be a definite 1-2 foot increase in size. Expect a large swell to hit in the next 9 days, a long shot but with possible 12-15 foot faces at Pavones - you need to start planning a trip NOW!! See next week's report for an update.

Caribbean – This side is still hot - fun head high surf with offshore mornings and rainy afternoons. Surf should build to overhead at main beach and point breaks by Monday and continue through Friday. Use the link below to see the daily weather conditions in Limon.


AREA REPORTS

NICOYA (N)

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

AREA WAVE HEIGHTS AND CONDITIONS:
It's been from the SW with overhead conditions. Should stay in the 4'-6' foot range over the weekend. Offhshores, gusty at times. Dawn Patrol and sunset glassoff sessions coming in as of Friday. High tide coming in with new moon cycle, so more time in the water at high tide breaks.

WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND (weather and waves):
Glassy, offshore winds and some barreling surf. Dropping a little in size, but holding around 4'-6'. Playa Grande firing at sunset session and Playa Avellanes working good on mid to low tide. Tamarindo rivermouth, good solid right with some headhigh sets coming in.

BEST PLACE TO SURF THIS WEEKEND IN YOUR AREA:
Have an Endless Summer experience over the weekend. Head high with some good wind conditions at Witch's and Oli's. Worth the trip out.

NEWS AND UPCOMING EVENTS:
It's a week long bash here in Tamarindo.

(2) From Steve at Tropico Latinos in Santa Teresa -

AREA WAVE HEIGHTS AND CONDITIONS: The SW swell has dropped over the last few days and there are fun waves at the beachbreaks, around head high on sets and lining up OK. Offshore winds in the morning keeping conditions clean late into the morning.

WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND: Wouldn't be suprised if there was another SW coming in now we are in April.

BEST PLACE TO SURF IN YOUR AREA THIS WEEKEND: The tides are set perfectly for a.m session at Santa Teresa, p.m. Playa Carmen.


JACO & HERMOSA

(3) From Tommy at Hotel Fuego del Sol in Hermosa -
Monday 4-4 Hello, We have a good sized southwest coming in right now. We have surf in the 4-6 foot range at select spots. Our camp surfed Esterillos again this morning and Hermosa in the afternoon. There was surf at Roca Loca, but, it had a bit more south in it today making some sets close out a bit. Pura Vida!!! More Pictures at: www.fuegodelsol.com/page3.html

(4) From Chuck at Chosita del Surf in Jaco -

AREA WAVE HEIGHTS AND CONDITIONS:
Jaco was 3-4ft and kind of fun definite onshore wind problem though ! Come on rainy season ! Big tides so some currents and a few bigger sets ,almost headhigh?

WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND (weather and waves):
Could get some rain, surf should be strange with the big tides over 10ft of change on Sat. Remember Jaco likes extreme tides and we have high in the a.m. and p.m. could be even better than Hermosa , you never know !
BEST PLACE TO SURF THIS WEEKEND IN YOUR AREA:
I probably will surf right here !

NEWS AND UPCOMING EVENTS:
Contest in Panama , Billabong pro , the whole team from La Chosita Del Surf is ready and waiting ! Going to have a clearance sale over Semana Santa up to 25% off on some Items ! Probably will be closing the shop in May for reconstruction of a new building , same site just HUGE @ 2000 square feet with a/c and more surf equipment ! Erie is sending a big batch of boards for June and we will try to have the largest selection of NEW BOARDS in Costa Rica ! Thanks- Chuck, Luz, Alvaro, and the rest of the crew !


QUEPOS & MANUEL ANTONIO

From David at Escuela D'Amore in Manuel Antonio -
1. ¿Cuál es el tamaño y la consistencia de las olas esta semana en Manuel Antonio?
En playa Playitas las olas han estado muy buenas esta semana; han estado midiendo un poco más de 5 pies en marea alta y sus condiciones han sido excelentes(fuertes, limpias, concistentes, un poco agresivas y con dirección derecha).
En playa Espadilla también están muy buena, solo que, un poco más pequeñas(cerca de tres pies en marea alta). Sus condiciones, no se porque, ha atraido a muchos surfeadores esta semana.

2. ¿Qué esperan el próximo fin de semana con respecto al tiempo y las olas?.
Las olas van a estar buenísimas este próximo fin de semana, esto es algo que aseguran los surfeadores y que nosotros esperamos que sea así. Con respecto al tiempo, es muy posible que haya mucho sol, lo creemos así, porque, hasta el momento lo hemos tenido.

3. ¿Cuál es le mejor lugar para surfear en su área el próximo fin de semana?.
Con respecto a este tema le hice algunas preguntas a los surfeadores de Manuel Antonio y casi la mayoría contestaron que ambas playas están igual de populares esta semana. Solo que a playa Espadilla han estado llegando muchos principiantes tanto hombres como mujeres y la mayoría son extranjeros (turistas).

4. ¿ Hay alguna noticia o evento venidero?.
Sí, "la historia de tres estudiantes de la escuela".- El fin de semana pasado tres estudiantes de la escuela D'amore fueron a surfear a playa Playitas, y cuando lo estaban haciendo pudiero ver dos delfines que estaban nadando cerca de ellos y que estubieron jugando a su lado por mucho tiempo.

DOMINICAL & SOUTHERN PACIFIC
See National Report above

CARRIBEAN
See National Report above