Have you ever backed onto a ferry and parked sideways along with the rest of the cars? If not, you haven't been to Costa Rica. The ferry attendants took it all in stride as this “English-only” gringo was guided backwards into a small vertical drop in the back of the boat to park for the hour-long ride. After a three-day journey to the northern Pacific coast, sleeping in a “hot” open-air cabina the last couple of nights, and the long drive on dusty roads to the ferry, this surfer was yearning for a cool breeze on the open water. Only problem? The wind was from the stern so it zeroed out any breeze at all, causing a midday ration of heat, the likes of which I could have done without.

The winds this time of year blow mostly offshore all day, making for really clean waves and a barrel or two. Very consistent head-high and bigger waves all year account for why there are countless North American surfers taking advantage of the warm waters and tropical settings that Costa Rica offers. From the regulars who come down every year for a month or three, to the weeklong traveler just looking for some warm water, the country offers all sorts of accessible breaks just off the road. Floridians like Johnny Futch and Charlie Kuhn have started a land development/ real estate biz, as has John Logan. Brad Hersh owns a cantina, shapers like New Smyrna Beach, FL’s, Mark Wooster and Kill Devil Hills, NC’s, Michael Price have full-fledged surf factories, and Floridian Don Long is the owner of “Auto Tica” in Jaco Beach if you need your car fixed. The Garson brothers, Kyle and Joel, along with their dad Rich own the long-running surf camp Loma Del Mar, and post daily photos on their Rover Cam website. Californian Jimmy Hogan also runs a surf camp and is Surfline’s man for daily photos and surf reports under their cam at Hermosa Beach. And surfers that own property here are too many to name: Todd Morcom, Matt Kechele, Ben Bourgeois… Other surfers who spend extended time here include New Jersey’s Randy Townsend and Floridians Shea Lopez and Eddie Guilbeau, among many others.

The locals are stepping it up, too. You see good surfing being done by Costa Ricans at every beach you visit. Yes, it is getting to be a challenge to find those uncrowded waves here like in years past, but the really good thing is there are still empty waves and new breaks being discovered. That’s the reason I come back here year after year. The added bonus is the people, places, and wildlife that Costa Rica has to offer. Someday I hope to build my dream home and reside here six months out of the year when winter hits in the U.S., but until that day, this gringo will just have to enjoy short visits when opportunity knocks.