By: Greg Gordon – www.crsurf.com

Photo caption 1: What the owner of the CRsurf will be doing this month – in Playa Negra. Photo: John Lyman

FORECAST

Caribbean Coast – With a quiet tropics so far, one would expect that more activity will come this month at the end of the season. Those wave makers, coinciding with the first Northeast’ers that roll off the East Coast and send waves under the Lesser Antilles and past Jamaica towards the white sand beaches and reefs of Cahuita and Puerto Viejo, should make it a consistent month for surf. Plan on more overhead days towards the end of the month.
Pacific Coast – November does not typically have big waves, but the southern hemisphere is not finished pumping up new storms and swells. Combine that with the beginning of the North Pacific wave season, and you have ripe conditions for plenty of head high to overhead A-frames from crossed swells. Plus the rainy season winds down leaving more days of sunshine and offshore winds. The second week of the month looks to be best with a nice combo SW and WNW swell bringing 1-2 foot overhead peaks.
New moon – November 3rd Full Moon – November 17th

TRAVEL

It’s almost too late to suggest hotels for the holidays since most of the recommended spots are sold out. But some great events are taking place in November. First is the Surf with a Pro week in Nosara with Rasta and the Billabong surf team, highlighted with a concert by Donavon Frankenreiter on the 8th.
Then on the 9th in celebration of the 25th Anniversary of Mango Surf Shop, the Billabong team heads to Jaco for the 1st Festival of Surf. There will be a surf contest along with a free concert by Donavon Frankenreiter and Ojo de Buey, plus autograph signings by world famous Billabong riders.
Then on the 23rd and 24th is the ECO-SUP race and SUP Expo taking place behind the Los Suenos Marriot in Herradura. They are raising money for the athletes on the Costa Rican Special Olympics Team.
Finally, on the 30th in Jaco is a horse parade (called a ‘tope’), with live music held right in the downtown park.
If you are planning for a January trip, don’t forget about Jungle Jam 2014 with Slightly Stoopid, Dumpstaphunk, The Expendables, Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers and more at the Hotel DoceLunas in Jaco from January 16th – 19th.
Best flights*: Lucky dates are January 13th – 24th on Spirit Air from Fort Lauderdale for $241.00 roundtrip. If you can fly from Orlando in January for less than $400 you are doing well. Find a seat and then email us travel@crsurf.com or by phone 877-SURF-007. (877-787-3007) *all prices listed cannot be confirmed until a reservation is made.

CONTESTS

CRsurf is proud to sponsor the 2nd stop on the Puerto Viejo Open Pro tour, this time on November 2nd and offering more than $3,000 in cash and prizes. The contest takes place behind the Hotel Marea Brava in Playa Hermosa de Jaco.
Andrea Diaz, owner of Waves Costa Rica in Tamarindo, is organizing a surf contest circuit in Guanacaste. The first contest takes place in Playa Brasilito on November 16th for amateurs (new date), and will include events in Tamarindo, Marbella, Avellanas, and Playa Grande.

ENVIRONMENT/COMMUNITY

The Share the Stoke Foundation just made a trip to Dominical and dropped off 5 Firewire boards to the kids. Check the photos on their Facebook page of some happy groms.

The Hotel La Dolce Vita is a photo award competition open to photographers anywhere in the world who love Esterillos and Costa Rica. Submit your best photos of this secluded Pacific coast beach to win free nights and other prizes.
Another fun event to attend is the The Pura Vida No Pro at the Hotel Pelicano in Playa Esterillos Este on Saturday, November 23rd from 8am to 5pm.. It is a charity surf event where a group of 40 children from the Hospicio de Huerfanos de San José orphanage come to the beach for a day of surf lessons and interactive games. For more information, email puravidanopro@gmail.com.

Our company has been sponsoring surfers in Costa Rica and the United States since we started the business in 1998. Our surfers have participated in contests around the world, and hopefully will one day get a spot on the World Tour. Besides Noe Mar and Leilani McGonagle, we now are helping Dominical surfer and lifeguard Jossue Venegas in his quest to one day join the Costa Rica national surf team and compete internationally.

CR Surf Travel Company is a member of the Surfrider Foundation and 1% for the Planet, donating one percent of their proceeds to environmental causes. We are also a certified Benefit Corporation, pledging sustainability in all of our business decisions.

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