Costa Rica Surf Report for May 4, 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

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

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

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

6) 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. @ 10.1 ft. – 308 cm.

Low tide – Marea baja
9:24 a.m. @ -.4 ft. – -12 cm.


SWELL DIRECTION -- DIRECIÓN DEL SWELL

Pacific – A nice big week is in store for you! Big tides plus SW swell equals 8-10 faces at Nicoya beaches and points further south. Not enough south for way down south, but also expect shorter periods and waits between sets by Monday.

Caribbean – The right coast will be hit with a powerful ESE swell that will bring lots of rain and surf. Well overhead from Puerto Viejo to Playa Bonita from Saturday until next Tuesday.

AREA REPORTS

NICOYA (N)

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

AREA WAVE HEIGHTS AND CONDITIONS:
It's been a slow week for surf, with Playa Langosta and Playa Avellanes picking up some of the surf. Onshore and variable winds on the waves throughout the day. WAM shows, some ocean swell on it's way up and we should see it by late Friday. Dawn Patrol is the best bet for surf as the high tide starts turning early morning.


WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND (weather and waves):
By late Fri. waves should be coming up from the southwest. Should come in at the headhigh range at most beach breaks and outside reef points at 7'-9' or two to four overhead. Winds, onshores coming in early. Get out early. Slight chance of rain over the weekend.

BEST PLACE TO SURF THIS WEEKEND IN YOUR AREA:
Playa Langosta - am and high tide/ Playa Grande - early/ Playa Avellanes low tide.

NEWS AND UPCOMING EVENTS:
The information on the Rabbit is out. Check it out on : www.toesonthenose.com. Tamarindo will also be doing a Legends event the first of August. Stay tuned. any interesting new in your area - let me know at surfpati@racsa.co.cr Tico Times column twice a month for all of us surfers.

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

AREA WAVE HEIGHTS AND CONDITIONS:
The swell has been running overhead at just the right size for weeks. We've been killing it especially last week when the high tide was in the morning and the wind blew off shore for several days in a row and strong in the morning. The swell is tipically jumping up and down daily. Thursday it was a little smaller, but still overhead. Monday out going tide, after everybody went home was insane with powerful creasing, glassy conditions. Lots of genuine tube rides.

WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND (weather and waves):
The tides are moving into the dawn patrol time slot with Sat. having about an hour and a half window if it doesn't get too big. The off shores are hanging around at least until mid morning but could switch to on shore conditions any day now which will mean early morning surf only.

BEST PLACE TO SURF THIS WEEKEND IN YOUR AREA:
The sand bars are excellent in front of the hotel and the Playa Grande side of the Tamarindo rivermouth has had some excellent form lately.


JACO & HERMOSA

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

AREA WAVE HEIGHTS AND CONDITIONS:
It's me again for the Jaco report ! Once again 2-4 ft semi-choppy in the p.m. , wind trying to back off and seems like it wants to rain !

WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND (weather and waves):
My guess at least thru sat. is small fun rideable Jaco , good tides for Sat. and Sun.! WE LIKE HIGH TIDE !

BEST PLACE TO SURF THIS WEEKEND IN YOUR AREA:
Early a.m. sessions at Hermosa and the P.M. sessions are right out front !

NEWS AND UPCOMING EVENTS:
Diego is in california competing in a couple of junior pro events , trying to stretch his wings etc. ! After a long wait the shop just recieved a new batch of THE REALM CLOTHING and ERIE surfboards! It wont all fit in the store but we are trying !! HAH HAH , Jaco also has mellowed out a bit the weekend should be relatively uncrowded and back to normal after the last 2 weeks of CRAZINESS !!!!~~!!!!(4) From Tommy at Hotel Fuego del Sol in Hermosa - Big hello from Playa Hermosa! We have a south swell today coming in at a solid four to six feet at select beaches. We have a low tide at around 7pm. Check the cam at the top of each hour for the live footage, it's still good. www.fuegodelsol.com/page3.html Pura Vida!!!

QUEPOS & MANUEL ANTONIO

From David at Escuela de Amore in Manuel Antonio - (4/28)

1. Tamaño y consistencia de las olas esta semana en:
- Playa Playitas: agresivas, fuertes, limpias, no muy consistentes, buenas, de dirección derecha y su tamaño ha estado entre los 4 y 5 pies en marea alta.
-Isla Damas: fuertes, agresivas, no muy limpias, un poco consistentes, quiebra tablas y han estado midiendo más o menos 8 pies en marea alta.
-Playa Espadilla: fuertes , poco agresivas, limpias, consistentes, de dirección derecha e izquierda y su tamaño ha estado entre 2,50 y 3 pies en marea alta.

2. ¿ Qué esperan este fin de semana con respecto al tiempo y las olas?
-Con respecto a las olas todo está muy bien aquí en Manuel Antonio. No así con el tiempo, ya que este ha estado un poco extraño en las ultimas dos semanas(con lluvias en algunas horas) por esta razón nosotro creemos que es muy posible que llueva los días sábado y domingo(fin de semana), y de suceder esto sería por la tarde.

3. ¿Cuál es el mejor lugar para surfear en su área este fin de semana?.
- Para responder a esta pregunta entrevisté a cuatro surfeadores de la escuela(estudiantes que surfean), y ellos respondieron: que en esta semana las mejores olas están en playa Playitas y que además a esta playa es adonde han estado asistiendo la mayoría de los surfeadores.

4. ¿ Hay noticias o eventos venideros?
- El próximo lunes es el "día del trabajador" en Costa Rica; y este día es feriado (Holyday) para casi todos los costarricenses. Así que es muy probable que haya muchas personas en la playa este día.

DOMINICAL & SOUTHERN PACIFIC

see national report

CARRIBEAN

see national report