Love the honesty around crowds, vibes in the line up, fat waves etc. Nice to get a realistic perspective of these spots now that surf tourism has blown out. Cheers
Also, I'd add that there's a lot of non-surfing things to do if you are interested. Rio Claro hike is awesome, Punta Banco is beautiful. There's insane fishing in the area, yellowfin tuna fishing is next level there. Boat rentals are cheap and you can either tour rivers, or surf Matapalo, or a bunch of other breaks, or go snorkelling. There's some sick waterfalls in the area. And there's much less crowded epic surf spots that are very close too.
Great observations, I enjoy your presentation style w the graphics too. I've had high expectations of Costa Rica especially after a great first visit, but learned on my second visit how inconsistent and small it is like anywhere else in the world...Where in the world would you say was the most consistent, from your experience?
Thank mate!! Yeah defo hit and miss and has been on both my trips also... I'd say El Salvador (In season), then West Aus for all year round guaranteed waves!!
Probably some sets. But that was real small still... I've caught 2 that linked but on a much bigger day, down the line and warp speed. Rude Brazilians. Paddling is everything there. A lot of low skill in the water.
Cool video, I surfed 2 weeks in Pavones back in 2008 and it was 6-8 ft absolutely firing! The inside section does barrel. The swell on your video is mediocre and the wave can't be judged properly. I hope you catch a better swell next time.
Thanks for letting me live vicariously through you. I really miss surfing all the time. I didn't play my cards right and now I''m 40 trying to finish college whilst living four hours from the ocean in CA. I had a good decade in Hawaii but it left me beyond broke. Your vids give me a glimpse of what my life could be like if I get all my ducks in a row. Keep it up. 🤙
pay now or pay later, I wanted to do the same thing but I decided to go to college, while working hard to invest and travel for surf, you have to plan out your futuree guys. its all about balance
Don't worry mate, once you're done with college and getting a good job you'll be back in there. Starting surfing early made you progress faster than people starting in the 40s so, many people would trade a lot to get those skills.
Based on this footage, you didn't get good Pavones at all. It gets WAY better. In my experience Pavones needs to be much bigger to connect. A surfer at your level will get crazy leg burners when it is overhead. When it is really good it can be filthy with crowds and you'll still get plenty of waves.
Yeah it must do!! To be honest, these are just a few clips my sister got from the odd session, I did get some bigger and better ones, especially on the last day, got one actual leg burner!! But yeah on the best day, it was so busy and pretty slow, I was just picking off the little inside scraps haha!!
Yeah bro, the swell was not big enough. BTW last january I was there a day after the big swell (double/triple overheand) mostly conecting all the way, everybody had left already and we were only 6 in the top peak...😉 I could not believe it, best sessions ever there💪🤙🤙🤙
Very good observations! You hit it on the nail with goofy footers that like to ride midlengths and twins. I spent a good month surfing the point. Overall it is very finicky and sensitive to slight change in swell direction. It does its thing when the swells don't have too much west or are not blocked by the Galapagos, and the wave energy refracts around into Pavone Bay. It can be best wave of life type stuff for intermediate and beginners. It can be a let down for more advanced surfing - chasing the shoulder and limiting doing turns to more check turns and snaps that keep you going down the line, along with no rights makes it not the best for advanced surfers on small thrusters. It lacks more dimensions. It does get all time with big swells and a specific new crowd shows up.
Pavones has the worst crowds that I have ever surfed with. There were 50 people out at all times, maybe I was just very unlucky with timing but it was pretty rough. Really bad etiquettes as well. Unfortunately won't be going back!
It gets big enough that you can see the swell bending across the Golfo Dulce like horseshoes. Waves from the point to past the rocks at the fishing boats… incredibly long and fast, rarely a cutback. Super fun waves on regular days, goofy foot heaven. Went there in 1992 and moved back to CA in 2023… used to be uncrowded plus a couple secrets that were empty
Went there in May last year, biggest swell of the season (3m 18s from the S), was a sight to be seen. 10 foot waves rolling down the point like a freight train.
Good intel Dano, seems it might be a place to spend a season and get those 3 or 4 pumping swells . get 10 waves a swell and call it a day lol . Great clip keep it up.
Why does everyone want to turn on a wave, the best waves in the world,Skeleton Bay, Desert point,Super Bank,etc aren’t really posing waves , just down the line speed
Hi Dan saw you at A Bay September ish last year scooping plenty of runners , thanks for the intel on Pavones , somewhere in Indo now surfing on my own .😊
I surfed there a lot in the very early 90s, often with just a few people out. Predicting swells beyond seasonal generalizations was much more challenging, but patience often paid off.
Closer to Hemosa a really great spot during the season has been the least crowded spots I've surfed in CR is Tulin rivermouth highly recommend it we camped out for a week and always head back mostly to ourselves most everyday and we found Pavones worked on the swells six foot plus or we didn't bother and opted for Domical with much lighter crowds Thanks for sharing Dan The Man Be well and Safe travels my friend 👍🤙
I was lucky to catch Tulin one year w well-over head clean barrels, and an occasional double overhead bomb. Intermediate surfers couldn't make the paddle out. The paddle out is really long and all through whitewater and dumping closeouts. You need to be in shape, this is not close to the sand like Hermosa or Pipeline.
Tulin is Hermosa playa hermosa is around 7 miles long & yes when its looken like this guys video at Pochotal which is where it was Tulin or la curva was probably better its all hermosa truely a place if you dont want to be where its best you cand find a peak & surf alone
Dude traveling as you do and surfing so many waves why don’t you have a groveling board like a seaside or similar quad? Seems you only have the high performance board which to be honest looks like it’s bogging in these marginal conditions
When you crossed the border going to San Jose, you should have gone to Pavones first. That was a good swell. What you where riding was really small. To say it doesn’t really pump here because of the lame swell you just experienced was a mistake. You just totally timed your trip wrong!
Exicited to see Tahiti Pro waiting period started today forecast has solid 10 12 foor Saturday. Hope the winds are good I hope it gets mental . Pavones is a down the line wave pump & take the high line it gets big & has a long barrel section when its firing yeah around where the wall starts to bend into the bay when its firing sucn a fricken barn
place has change so much its crazy ,, last time i was there still had the cantina with rooms upstairs right in front of the rockwall past the river little look out tower to hang and drink beer 1981-82 $5 a nite $2-3 meals .35 cent beers , would take daze if u were to drive from San Jose , best was to fly to Golfito even then it was still all day by 4x4 to Pavones or just sail from Golfito for sure stopping at Roy's place in Zancudo ,, u wouldn't see 50 guys in the water in 6 months ,, when it starts pumping real 8ft and bigger it will spin all the way to the bay ,, truly was still the wild west in those daze in more then one way ,, sadly just another Waikiki now
I'd imagine a monster swell still thins the crowd, it turns into a complete animal on a massive S-SW swell. Saw one of the best ever stand up barrels here. Cool video, really useful info!
Love your content, but honestly curious why you don’t throw an alternative board into the quiver. I think that would open up the joy in less than perfect conditions like you got in Pavones.
Hi mate! Thank you and yeah would love to do that! The only reason I haven't is because I'm on the road (hard to find good boards in Central America) at the moment, and I don't have a spare $1K lying around... but when I do ;)
Like the video style, Just got back from a week down there, the river mouth was overhead and fun, so good. Its also beautiful, wild maccaws, horses on the beach.
thanks for the spot breakdown. hope you score! I used the same surf hat in CR and here in FL, whenever I go w/o it its a liitttle sunny out there for me... keep it up
Can't go when it's that small Dan , needs double overhead to really show its colors, standup barrels through the river mouth section in the rainy season when the river is blown out. Think 8-10'@ 16-18 sec 185-210, Cheers!
Hi mate!! To be honest, it was wayyy bigger than it looks in this video, plenty of overhead sets, just couldn't get them off the crowd hahah, tried to stay busy with some insiders. Wow, yeah I've never even seen a swell that big in Central America...
Hi mate!! Yeah for sure, the swell was decent to be fair and this video probably doesn't do it justice, there were overhead sets, I was just picking up scraps haha!
I've lived in C.R. for some time. The express buses such as San Jose - Golfito, good luck driving faster than those guys. And it's a lot safer. The local buses are where you need the patience.
This place has zero crowds Like he said there’s nothing here- It’s a party wave. There’s so many better waves to go visit. It’s a 4 hour ride one way and due to the Catina burning down the beer is perpetually singed too. Hermosa is the spot if you want some real waves. Plus you’re close to hot chicks everywhere over there. In fact, you’re better off chartering a Quantas flight with you and your boys to go down and hang with the Sheila’s of NSW. Kirra, Bells, Newport, all super rad spots waiting on you to show the Auzzies how to chargeem!
