I've been in Jacó for 4 days learning how to surf. "No problem" I thought - I snowboard. How much different can it be?
As it turns out, surfing is a lot harder than snowboarding, and these weren't beginner waves according to the locals. I've been bounced off the bottom of the ocean, hit in the face by my surfboard while being tossed around by waves, and broke a fin on my surfboard. I got up eventually, and it was like nothing else I've ever done.
In most sports you feel like you're doing something to or on nature. When you surf, your surf with the ocean - you feel and work with the power of a wave that has crossed the world the world by ocean. An incredible feeling.
The mornings here are hot and sunny, afternoons are overcast. In the evening, the rain comes in off the ocean with the most spectacular thunder I've ever heard. On my first day I was anxious to start and made my first attempt in one of those thundershowers. A little unnerving being out there alone with lightning flashing all around. The rain was so hard I could barely see the shore, but at least when I got there, I didn't need a shower to wash off the salt water. If I had it to do over, I would have found someone to teach me properly. Maybe down the road.
Again, I can't say enough about travelling in the off-season - the shoulder especially. Besides being cheaper, you get to have places to yourself that are usually packed with tourists. Everything is easier when you don't need to worry about reservations.
Posted by dhuska at November 3, 2003 12:37 PM