By: Greg Gordon – www.crsurf.com

FORECAST

Caribbean Coast – More big East and ENE waves are expected this month. This since has been more active than most, and the colder and stronger the storms are over the U.S., the more powerful the swell is going to be to hit the Caribbean reefs and beach breaks. I would expect at least an overhead day 3 days each week all month.

Pacific Coast – With the Northern Pacific cranking up, I would expect more WNW swell to be favorable to the Guanacaste Coast. These waves may not be big, but will be clean long period swells, with the offshore winds only picking up. I would be bringing a spring suit as well, with upwelling causing colder water temps.

Full Moon – February 14th

Get ALL the tide charts for 2014 on CRsurf.com!

TRAVEL

Upcoming Concert: BEST FEST at Costa Ballena – Febraury 7th-9th. Reggae, hip hop, jazz, bluegrass, electronica, alternative, funk, among other musical styles. The festival will feature artisans offering unique creations while vendors offer a wide variety of of food and beverage options.

Upcoming Event: The 4th annual Envision Music, Art and Sacred Movement Festival will take place February 20th – 23rd on the Southern Pacific coast of Costa Rica. Join us in the sun for world class education, art, workshops, speakers, culture and musical artists.

Upcoming Specialty Camps – email us to sign up!

At La Ponderosa Pavones Resort, they have a yoga and surf retreat $1200pp triple occupancy (dorm style) Feb 22- March 2, 2014, they had 7 spots open. The group will be small and fun 18 people. Includes, transfer from Golfito, meals, daily yoga, one 4 hour hike and two (group of 4 with two instructors) surf lessons. They also host Kristy Murphy’s Siren Surf Adventures during months of April, May and June for Family and Woman’s surf Adventures. They keep the groups small no ‘cattle’ surf lessons, the groups are two to five people, rooms are single or double.
Vista Guapa is offering three YOLO (You Only Live Once) camps in March, July, and December 2014. It includes daily surf sessions, flat-water paddling sessions, fitness training, photography instruction, sightseeing excursions, homemade local cuisine and much more. The first camp is set for March 1st to March 7th. Plus they have SUP tours across the Gulf of Nicoya for $120. Let us know when you are ready to paddle.

Reboot Retreats at Hermosa Surf Inn with Amanda Mason, March 8th-14th and March 22nd-28th. Packages starting at $1250 for six days, seven nights. Designed to help you Recharge, Revitalize, Restore, and Reboot!

Del Mar Surf Camp is hosting 2014 get fit camps with Four-Time World Champion, Five-Time Surfer Poll Winner & Certified Instructor – FRIEDA ZAMBA! The Sea Escape Surf Camp takes place in Playa Hermosa (north of Santa Teresa) at Casa Kalafken, a beachfront villa with six rooms, swimming pool, private chef and more. There are 7 day retreats planned for January through March.

Real Surf Trips, in order to provide their guests with the best possible experience, are now sourcing our food from a local organic grower, Vida y Salud Huerta Organica. They run their camps from the Wave House, almost directly in front of Playa Negra, one of the best barreling rights on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast.
Best flights: If you are traveling light, then Spirit Air has flights from Orlando to San Jose for $344 roundtrip during certain days of the week in mid to late February (and don’t forget the carryon and checked bag fees, too). Otherwise, JetBlue is priced around $400 (with one checked bag free = better deal) March dates have similar prices.

CONTESTS

Danny Bishko and Nataly Bernold won the second stop on the National Surf Tour in Playa Cocles, the Lime Coral Carribean Classic. CRsurf team rider Leilani McGonagle won first in the Junior Womens division and second in the Womens group. Lime Coral also gave $1500 for a best air contest, won by Leon Glatzer from Pavones. February’s contest will be the 15th and 16th in Nosara, so be prepared for a crowded lineup that weekend.

Maykol Torres, the up and coming talent from Esterillos, won the The Puerto Viejo Open Pro in Playa Cocles. This was the 4th year CRsurf.com has sponsored this series, hoping to elevate the surf talent on the Caribbean coast.

ENVIRONMENT & COMMUNITY

The Robert August Surf and Turf Charity event, raising money for the non-profit kids group CEPIA, takes place March 21st-23rd. You can book your trip and enter the event by sending us a note.

For their 3rd year, CR Surf Travel Company has donated $250.00 to the Costa Rica environmental group – PRETOMA, to help them protect sea turtles and the beaches they nest on. This was only part of our 1% For The Planet.

Book a hotel or rental through us for a week or more in Costa Rica before the end of 2014 and CRsurf will donate $25 to Community Carbon Trees, a non-profit group that empowers women by teaching them about the environment and planting native species of trees for reforesting projects in Costa Rica. The donation pays for planting a tree and maintaining through its growth cycle.