In the fall of 2023, I emailed a few people letting them know my Costa Rica trip schedule and that a couch was available if anyone wanted to join. Ben Stevens jumped in saying it would work for him for part of my January trip. We went back and forth with me letting Ben know what he was getting into both in the place that I rent, that he will have to rent surfboards, and what to expect on how to get here.
It all worked out. Ben arrived in Nosara a few days after I did. His trip was for two weeks and a day during my three-week stay.
He arrived in time to have a beer and go out to dinner. Then we returned to the Airbnb so we could unpack and unwind. The next morning we walked over to Juan Surfos Surf Shop so he could rent boards for a week. We walked down to the beach and got the lay of the land, then went back home for some breakfast and then prepared for a surf session. Surprisingly, our time in the water was about the same but I’m sure Ben put a lot more effort into it than I did.
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| We shop at the same store for surfwear. |
Ben was enthusiastic enough that he would swap boards to get a feel for how they were in the water. Ben also got to know everyone in The Tribe Of The Log.
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| Subset of The Tribe Of The Log |
Our daily routine was either a walk to the beach in the morning to check the surf or just go surfing then back home to have a late lunch. This was followed by time out of the sun during prime time. In the early afternoon, we would then take a walk around town and possibly think of doing a second surf session. Usually, the conditions did not warrant a second session, so then we kept it to watching the sunset and Ben would jump in the ocean for a swim. Evenings out were for dinner and a trit and usually back home to rest and recover for the next surf session.
We did manage to walk north to Playa Pelada and check out the beach there. The blowhole would be going off if we caught it at the right time.
We also stopped over for Friday evening, known as Expat happy hour time at Olga's. Terry Gulley and others would be playing music. This was followed by our walk back on the beach at night time, and Ben’s customary jump in the ocean.
After Ben’s stay in Nosara, he booked a shuttle that would take him into Liberia to a hostel. The next morning he made plans to work his way to the Nicaragua border crossing to get to a surf spot there.
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| Ben's last evening in Nosara, at La Luna. |
More pics from Costa Rica January 2024 here
