Costa Rica Surf Report for May 18, 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

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

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

6) 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

David at Escuela D’Amore (777-1143) in Manuel Antonio – damore@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 - May 3th, Full Moon - May 18th **

High tide (Friday) – Marea alta (viernes)
3:42 p.m. @ 9.1 ft. – 277 cm.

Low tide – Marea baja
9:27 a.m. @ .7 ft. – 21 cm.

SWELL DIRECTION -- DIRECIÓN DEL SWELL

Pacific – OK, have you packed a travel bag for the south part of Costa Rica? The SSW swell should be filling in Friday and be at maximum potential by Sunday. Then it will drop from 2+ feet overhead to chest high by next Thursday. Afternoon high tide session in the rain is the call or get on it super early Sunday.

Caribbean – This coast will not see too much for surf. Try to catch some dawn patrols at Bonita, Black Beach, or Cocles.


AREA REPORTS

NICOYA (N)

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

AREA WAVE HEIGHTS AND CONDITIONS:
Waisthigh to headhigh surf showing as of late Thursday. Storm pressure moving through and then a south pulse on Friday followed by ground swell on Sunday. Headhigh (5+ -8+) at most breaks south facing. Onshore midday.

WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND (weather and waves):
Shoulderhigh to overhead at all south break. Storm movement over the weekend bringing in some onshore winds with it. By Sat. should improve.

BEST PLACE TO SURF THIS WEEKEND IN YOUR AREA:
Check out Playa Langosta mid morning - headhigh***Playa Grande around 1:00pm with overhead conditions***Playa Avellanes morning low tide - +4 - +7. Watch the ditches - we've had rain and some of them are getting full.

NEWS AND UPCOMING EVENTS:
We've got the RA Legends happening in Tamarindo July 28th - August 5th and then on to the Rabbit....Big party in Tamarindo Saturday night with the Leatherbacks. Check it out at Best Western Vista Villas....

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

AREA WAVE HEIGHTS AND CONDITIONS:
The surf has been big and tricky this week with one outstanding overhead smooth session at the Playa Grande side of the Tamarindo Estuary at high tide on the one day last week the wind blew off shore into mid day. The rest of the days have had a descent hour here and there but you really had to be on it to catch a few good ones. The afternoon rains (that's right rain) have been coming too late to smooth it off in time for the tide to be right. I have been tucking deep into the bay in search of smoother waves, but have had to settle for less power. Some broken boards out front mostly because of the sectioning thick unpredictable set waves.

WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND (weather and waves):
The swell dropped on Thurs. and tomorrow we can sample the dawn patrol. It looked messy on Thurs. morn. and I'm not expecting any miracles but you never know with dawn patrol. Over the weekend and in to next week the morning window will get longer as we go into morning surf near the end next week and a much higher probability for a great session.

BEST PLACE TO SURF THIS WEEKEND IN YOUR AREA:
We'll try out front tomorrow and then slip deeper into the bay as this swell jumps over the weekend.

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

LOCAL WAVE HEIGHTS AND CONDITIONS:

Much cleaner than it's been over the last few days today - even a touch of offshore! It's chest to shoulder at Playa Carmen right now, SW, fun lefts and rights.

WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND:

Surf should continue to clean up as the bad weather moves North. Hoping for a S swell to follow it in and a good w/e for goofy footers.

BEST PLACE TO SURF THIS WEEKEND:

If there's enough S in the swell check reefs a.m. and point p.m., Sta Teresa should be good in the a.m. with the tide sucking out, Carmen on the incoming tide in the afternoon, wind permitting.


(4) From Cafe de Paris in Playa Nosara -

AREA WAVE HEIGHTS AND CONDITIONS:

5 feet,bigger in high tide

WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND (weather and waves):

Depending on the rain but the conditions have to be the same

BEST PLACE TO SURF THIS WEEKEND IN YOUR AREA:

Playa Guiones

JACO & HERMOSA


(5) From Tommy at Hotel Fuego del Sol in Hermosa - (5/13) www.fuegodelsol.com/page3.html Pura Vida!!!
Big hello from Playa Hermosa! We have a Northwest /southwest swell today coming in at a solid six to eigth feet at select beaches. It's bombing at those rare spots as well. We have the Island reeeling slow 300 yrd long at 4 Roca a solid eight feet. Some twenty foot faces. We have a low tide at around 6AM . Pura Vida!!!


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

AREA WAVE HEIGHTS AND CONDITIONS:

Chuck here from Jaco with a little input from"SURFER JOE" out front thurs. a.m. 2-3 ft offshore to sideoff and a bit funky ! Lots of weather and rain last nite , boys off to check TULIN and see !

WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND (weather and waves):

Looks like a definite swell possible for the weekend, global forecast shows some 6-8 ft southerly possible !

BEST PLACE TO SURF THIS WEEKEND IN YOUR AREA:

Your guess is as good as mine ! We do have hightide in the p.m. so could be good out front too ! Expect some rain !!!!!

NEWS AND UPCOMING EVENTS:
Aaron is back with some new REVELATION surfboards from Randy Weir ! Come see em ! Thanks Chuck ! P>S> Alvaro is on vacation and is out surfing somewhere!!!

!!! Hey Greg , this a p.m. update ! Unreal Jaco ! 4-6 ft super fun glassy from 11-6:30 p.m. ! Best day since Nov. Glad to see the rains back !


QUEPOS & MANUEL ANTONIO

see national report


DOMINICAL & SOUTHERN PACIFIC

see national report


CARRIBEAN

see national report (I guess everyone is on Tico time)