Costa Rica Surf Report for May 18, 2002

Brought to you each Friday evening by local surf businesses throughout
Costa
Rica. See http://www.crsurf.com/links.html for pics., forecast links,
and tide
charts.

Lifeguard Competition/Workshop is scheduled for June 1st and 2nd in
Playa
Espadilla - Quepos. Support your local crew and sponsor a team to go!
Call Luis
Hidalgo @ 458-3949.

Send me a note if you are interested in working on a Costa Rican
chapter of the
Surfrider Foundation - Protecting the World's Oceans, Waves, and
Beaches.


TIDES *for Friday - add 50 min. each day after

Low Tide - 1.15 ft. at 12:03 PM
High Tide - 8.35 ft. at 6:19 PM

NATIONAL FORECAST

Pacific - Consistent head high to 2 foot overhead conditions and clean
for the
beachbreaks. Offshores to 9 a.m., then light onshores kick in until an
hour
before dark when the wind dies out. Swell turns more southerly Sunday
and by
Monday dies fast, back to chest to head high with a 12 second period.
Tuesday
and Wednesday morning are smaller, but watch for a freak peak pick up
Wednesday
afternoon from a nearby SW windswell. Then it drops back to chest high
with
some head high sets for next weekend. Also midmorning high tides make
it
perfect for the morning seshes at your favorite beachbreak. Keep an eye
out for
a hefty south swell to appear by the end of the month.

Caribbean - Solid chest to head high surf pushing in from the ENE with
some
bigger sets. Get on it now as Sunday witnesses a drop to waist to chest
high
conditions, and by Monday the swell is gone, back to waist high. No
relief
until the next report with no visible swells in the Caribbean Sea.


SPONSORS by Area

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

Robert August Surf Shop (653-0114) in Tamarindo
surfnbat@tamarindovistavillas.com

Witches Rock Surf Camp (670-1138) in Tamarindo and Playas del Coco
witchsrock@hotmail.com

Pura Vida Surf Camp and Tours (653-0835) in Playa Grande
costax@sol.racsa.co.cr

Tropico Latino Lodge (640-0062) in Santa Teresa
troplat@sol.racsa.co.cr

Hotel Cafe de Paris (682-0087, fax 682-0089) in Nosara
info@cafedeparis.net

Chosita del Surf (643-1308, fax 643-3328) in Jaco
chuck@sol.racsa.co.cr

Fuego del Sol Hotel (643-2078) solsurf@sol.racsa.co.cr in Playa Hermosa

Escuela D'Amore (777-1143) in Manuel Antonio
damore@sol.racsa.co.cr

Adventure Education Center (787-0023) in Dominical
*tell em crsurf sent ya (aecdominical@sol.racsa.co.cr)

Third World Productions Surf Camp, Trips, & Photography
thirdworldproductionscr@yahoo.com (643-1064)

Tico Travel - Surf Trips (1-800-493-8426)
info@ticotravel.com

Roca Verde Hotel (787-0036 fax 787-0013) in Dominical
http://www.hotelrocaverde.com or info@hotelrocaverde.com

Cabinas Casa Verde (750-0015 fax 750-0047) in Puerto Viejo
http://www.cabinascasaverde.com or info@cabinascasaverde.com

Century 21 Realty (653-0300 / FAX: 653-0600) in Tamarindo
http://www.century21tamarindo.com or realestate@century21tamarindo.com

Hotel Diuwak (787-0087 fax 787-0089) in Dominical
www.diuwak.com or diuwak@sol.racsa.co.cr

Dominical Homes / Dominical Realty (787-0116) in Dominical
email: daveed@dominicalrealty.com


AREA REPORTS

NICOYA (N)

** From Louis at Hotel Las Tortugas in Playa Grande:

AREA WAVE HEIGHTS AND CONDITIONS - Tamano de las olas y condiciones:

Unbelievable surf conditions for May!! We've had consistent offshore
winds for
the last week with head high to overhead surf! Thursday saw more of the
same
with overhead surf at the main peak at Grande and offshores all day,
making for
two great sessions, both morning and afternoon. Friday was swirling
light
offshore to north sideshore for the morning session and by noon it was
howling
onshore. There's still some swell in the water and as the rain storms
rolled in
from the south by evening, it went offshore briefly before dark.

WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND (weather and waves) - Que va a pasar este
fin de
semana (clima y olas):

We will at least have a good morning session if there's plenty of
swell. The
afternoon session all depends on the wind.

BEST PLACE TO SURF THIS WEEKEND IN YOUR AREA - El mejor lugar a surfear
este
fin de semana en su area:

The main peak at Grande. Or head north to Witch's for a better chance
of
afternoon offshores.

** From Diana in Robert August Surf Shop in Tamarindo -

AREA WAVE HEIGHTS AND CONDITIONS - Tamano de las olas y condiciones:

For the last week the south swell has come rolling steadily into the
bay
bringing us sets up to head high at the estuary as the tide comes in.
Langosta,
reportedly, has been throwing out fast 5-foot rights. Even the Capitan
Suizo
has been breaking at about three feet at high tide. The hard off-shores
that
have blown for the last week switched on-shore yesterday at mid-day as
the
inland sky piled up with clouds. Esta semana el swell del sur ha
llegado
constantemente a la bahia, trayendo sets de tamano a la cabeza en el
estero a
la marea entrante. Langosta, se dice, has estado tirando derechos
rapidos a
como 5 pies. Hasta el Capitan Suizo esta quebrando a 3 pies a la marea
alta.
Los vientos fuertes off-shore que han sido constantes toda la semana,
cambiaron
on-shore ayer al medio dia mientras el cielo al este se lleno de nubes.

WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND (weather and waves) - Que va a pasar este
fin de
semana (clima y olas):

The swell appears to be dropping, but the weekend should remain a lot
like the
week--with good sets coming from the south. We'll see what the wind
does. I
wouldn't be surprised to see some more on-shore afternoons. El swell
esta
bajandose, pero el fin de semana debe ser muy parecido a la semana--con
buenos
sets del sur. Veremos que hace el viento. No me sorprenderia ver mas
tardes
on-shore.

BEST PLACE TO SURF THIS WEEKEND IN YOUR AREA - El mejor lugar a surfear
este
fin de semana en su area:

The actual best places to surf around here right now are Avellanas and
Playa
Grande. In town, look for the
estuaries (Langosta or Las Baulas) as the long sand bars and Pico
Pequeno
aren't doing much. Los verdaderos mejores lugares para surfear ahora
son
Avellanas y Playa Grande. Aqui en Tamarindo, busque los esteros
(Langosta y Las
Baulas) como los sandbars largos y Pico Pequeno no estan haciendo nada.

JACO & HERMOSA

** From Chuck at Chosita del Surf in Jaco -

Waves today in Jaco are 3-5 ft and glassy with tube rides on some of
them. It
was a lot of fun and should stay the same all weekend. Shop is stocked
with the
most high-performance wave riding equipment in Costa Rica, everything
from one
of the best local shapers "CARTON", 15 T&Cs by Cino, and Glenn Pang
from Pearl
City Hawaii ! Hawaiian Town & Country performance and Quality right
here in
Costa Rica ! Of course, dont' forget our Matt Kechele boards, shaped
with
Kechnology!

** From Tommy at Fuego del Sol in Playa Hermosa -

Local Climate: Partly Cloudy Skies, Offshores 0-5mph, Air Temp 85f,
Water Temp
at 85f, 8 ft. plus Tides

We have another southwest building with some size. It is six foot plus
at the
outside reefs Esterillos. High tide is around 7:00AM. Upper Hermosa
from Brisas
to Terrazzas should be fun late morning, as the tide drops out. Also,
Corners
will be worth checking out this morning. Esterillos for the higher tide
in the
morning and afternoon, and catch great surf without the crowds. Dennis
Christopher and Tobit McLean, are doing their Endless Summer Surf
Clinics in
Playa Hermosa, so, call Tobit for details and info 506 643 2078 or
e-mail him
at brisadelmar@ranchocoral.com. or Call Tommy in Esterillos at (506)
778 8648
Pick up useful techniques, the latest equipment, boards and critique
yourself
on video and improve your surfing. Enjoy our Live "How's the Surf,
Really?"
Surf and Costa Rica Live Info Chat Talk to a Real Surfer here on the
Beach (Our
Office is literally a Stones throw from our Surf Break We can tell you
current
conditions and crowds by looking out the window). Real info provided by
Real
People, Here, not, there. First in info, first in the water, that's
what
happens when you wake up on the beach everybody else drives to. We are
The
Coral Ranch, Catering to Surfer's Speeds and Needs
http://ranchocoral.com.or
http://fuegodelsol.com


QUEPOS & MANUEL ANTONIO

** From Escuela D'Amore in Manuel Antonio -

1- Tamaño y consistencia de las olas esta semana en:
Playa Playitas: Esta semana las olas han estado un poquito
inconsistentes,
limpias, no muy grandes, con dirección derecha y con un tamaño
aproximado de
más o menos 5 pies en marea alta.
Playa Espadilla(el bajo): Aquí las olas han estado limpias, medianas,
con
dirección derecha y en ocaciones con dirección izquierda, más o
menosconsistentes y con un tamaño apraximado de 3 pies en marea alta.
Isla Damas: Sin información por esta semana.

2- ¿Qué esperan el próximo fin de semana con respecto al tiempo y las
olas?.
Para el próximo fin de semana es muy posible que llueva por las tardes,
pero es
casi seguro que hará sol por las mañanas. Creemos que las mareas
continuarán
iguales, lo que significa que las olas estarán medianas; sin embargo,
las
mareas han estado impredesibles durante este mes.

3-¿Cuál es el mejor lugar para surfear el próximo fin de semana?.
La mayor asistencia de surfeadores ha estado en playa Espadilla,
espacificamente en le área llamada "el bajo". Tal parece que las olas
han sido
más consistentes aquí que en cualquier otra parte de Manuel Antonio.

4- ¿A qué horas son las mareas altas el próximo fin de semana?.
El sábado: 6:56 AM y 7:12 PM.
El domingo: 7:51 AM y 8:11 PM.

Nota: La semana pasada la marea roja estuvo afectando casi toda la
costa
pacífica; sim embargo ya para esta semana ha disminuido notablemente.
Esto no
está afectando, esta semana, a la asistencia de los que practican la
divertida
diciplina del surfeo. Esto es todo por el momento. Adios.
Escuela D'Amore


DOMINICAL & SOUTHERN PACIFIC

** From Greg at the Adventure Education Center in Dominical-

AREA WAVE HEIGHTS AND CONDITIONS - Tamano de las olas y condiciones:

Surf was amazing yesterday. Surfed the point, then the beachbreak until
a rosy
senset lit up the sky. Few showers brought the onshores to a halt. Nice
offhsores this morning and high tide around 7 a.m.

WHAT TO EXPECT THIS WEEKEND (weather and waves) - Que va a pasar este
fin de
semana (clima y olas):

This weekend, surf will be fun in the morning and around sunset.

BEST PLACE TO SURF THIS WEEKEND IN YOUR AREA - El mejor lugar a surfear
este
fin de semana en su area:

Beachbreak, early.

NEWS AND UPCOMING EVENTS- Noticias y dias especiales:

Spaces are filling up at the school! You might just have to stay at the
beach
house - 20 meters from the surf break. Terrible, huh.. Check out
www.adventurespanishschool.com. For $389 a week, get a room, 20 hours
of class,
food, adventure tour, and waves right out back! Email
aecdominical@sol.racsa.co.cr for more info.

CARIBBEAN

see the national report above