What's Your Next Surf Trip Going to Be?

since it's 3 of us, we'll likely rent a car. 2 1/2 hr drive to nosara. Buddy coming with told us where to book an airbnb there, he was there bout a year ago. Not sure why he's so desperate to go back to same place, but for the me and the othey guy it's new and we had nicoya on the bucket list. I want to go by Avellanas, Playa Negra, but Playa Guiones is right down there. Not sure if they'll be interested in Witches Rock, but i haven't mapped out all the spots. I just don't think we'll have time to run it down to St THeresa, get in Thursday afternoon for an evening sess and get a Sunday dawn patrol sess before catching a flight that afternoon. I saw something where you can take your own $30 DIY test, but we'll have to check with airline if they'll accept that. Let yall know what we find out

 

As someone who did the exact same trip to Nosara twice, I understand why your friend wants to go back. My first trip was 10 days, and the return trip I stayed a whole month. Both trips were in the rainy season but it actually didn't rain all that much during the day. I had the same airbnb in Pelada both trips and could walk to Guiones or the little point break in the village. Or you could drive north to Ostional for a more challenging wave on a black sand beach. Great diving and fishing nearby too. So much to do and explore. Pleada is simply paradise for surfers looking for a low-key get away.

 

hey guys, puerto vallarta...pretty easy to rent a board out there? puerto rico looks like it's staying pretty high $400+ again this year to fly R/T (used to be able to get there for $200 in offseason). Obv i'm willing to pay more to try something different. If you got any recs to encourage this trip, lemme know, thanks

 

Yes. Easy to rent sayulita Las panchas
And a few other spots come to mind. The airport is right there.
No ember to March is ideal

Sayulita has like on particular wave and it's a battle.
Las panchas to me was better and a place near there off the map a bit is burros. It was good also. Cool towns and great people. Also visit Las mujertos coolest cemetery Ive seen.

 

Hawaii still somewhat cheap...

 

I'm hoping to do Hawaii this winter. The supply chain issue has me somewhat concerned about my income though so I am reluctant at the moment to pull the trigger. If that doesn't come together there are usually very inexpensive flights to California and Puerto Rico in February.

 

Where would you be flying out of? Do you live near the airport? If you live near an airport that Spirit flies out of you should be able to get tickets for $99 or less per person if you play it right. The trick is to watch their website in incogneto mode regularly for the dates you'd like to fly. When you see the price go low don't buy the tickets on the web. Get in your car and drive to the airport. You will pay about 30% less at the ticket counter than what you see on line. It might take two attempts but this strategy works. Spirit sucks but it is cheap. I've gotten Philadelphia to PR for $89 and Philadelphia to LAX for $136 round trip by buying the tickets at the Spirit desk at the AC Airport.

 

did fly spirit out of Myrtle (2 hr away) because of spite, can't remember why but it was like $200 cheaper to wherever it was vs out of CHS. I just pulled the trigger on (San Juan) PR Feb 2nd-6th. I took a look at 90 day weather forecast first, supposed to be real cold first two weeks of Feb. Flights in n out of Aguadilla were whack, all btwn 2-5am, no thanks. This will be a solo strike, planning on heading West this time. I liked my previous trip with a buddy, going East n cutting thru central PR on our way up. Would like to go all the way down West PR (maybe on a day when swell isn't in the cards). Didn't look again at Hawaii, just wasn't sure if i would enjoy a day of traveling solo and Puerto Vallarta flights were couple hundo more, maybe was too late to pull the trigger on that one. Flying American, so it'll cost the same to check a bag if i bring a board. Will think about it, had good luck on the Cali trip with that moove

 

@UnfurleD
I don't mind traveling solo at all but when it's possible I would rather have a buddy along with me if only for the stoke and different point of view.
Just wondering how you made the decision to go solo?

 

I've gone solo to the Carrib a bunch of times. Love it.

 

it's usually 3 of us going on the winter trip. I rarely miss a trip at any time cuz i'm single, not married, don't have a kid. Those two guys have the latter. One dude bout to have a kid in a couple weeks, he's not willing to pull the trigger. Other dude got Nosara, CR w his girl for her 40th in January and France (family thang) in April. The only non-surfing trip that would've got me outta the cold was Key West, but the couple guys i know that'd be interested wasn't rallying hard enuff for me to be optimistic. I've done solo trips, one to PR actually but that was centered around San Juan and my love of rum/cigars. It's not bad, def don't want solo trips to deter me & keep me homebound, but i hear ya on stoke level w buddies minus the usual squirmishes and bust-ups on which road to fukin turn on

 

I hear that. I'm always curious to find out what drives people to make the decisions to things like this.
My kids are grown and on their own and I get 10 weeks of vacay every year with a shit ton of sick leave so I love the idea of going when I get the itch. My gf surfs so that helps a ton but at times I just like the solitude and experiences that go with the solo trip.

 

I like to go solo to a new place, then decided if it's a place I'd take my wife and/or kids. I've done that a few times so I don't end up disappointing anyone... sometimes a place turns out to be just too sketchy, or too boring, or too remote... or whatever for other people. But if it's got options for family, I'll take them back. If not... it stays on my "solo trip" list.

 

Have a non-surfing buddy on board for PR. Had to move it back a couple days because of work, but we are doing the circle trek around the western front. Staying (by the night) in San Juan, Arecibo, Aguadilla, & La Parguera. It'll be a lotta driving, 2 hrs maybe a day but the journey(s) tend to be the best part of the trip then just bummin around in same spot. I'll try to surf every morning except the last day when we're in the south. We'll do the treking just like the last time when going around East PR, stick to coastal roads as much as possible. Two of the non-surfing plans are El Yunque (drive by first day; I haven't technically been) and bioluminescent bay at La Parguera. Hopefully February will come around here in no time; i haven't had the winter itch yet but i'm sure i'll be getting antsy in a couple weeks

 

My son and I hiked El Yunque... pretty cool, but not what I expected. Hiking the volcano on Guadaloupe was way better. Nastier in terms of the weather at that altitude, but way cooler.

 

Booked a place in Flagler Beach over the wknd, hotel i've been meaning to stay at for a while. We got sleet predicted here in the Carolinas over the wknd, so the 20 degree uptick in weather down there seemed worthy to split town. Forecast has been pretty steady, good bit of wind on Saturday before it lessens down on Sunday somewhere in the shoulder to head hi range. Should be getting cold on Sunday down there, but i'm hoping to find some rides and maybe come across a board to purchase. I may try to get some rides in Jax or sumtin otw back to Carolinas. Safe to assume it's wetsuit w booties kinda wknd. Hopefully it'll hold my spirits up for another couple weeks to when i'll be safely warm in PR

 

There is a decent pulse being long range predicted for the Caribbean for February 3rd-8th I may book it.

 

What island?

 

Puerto Rico.

 

Yea, i saw it too last night on the drive back. Looks like there may be one more sess around here before then. Flagler really didn't let up until Sunday afternoon when winds slowed down. It almost looked manageable that morning, but every on-looker like me thought it might be too punishing, drifty. Waves were shoulder to OH, had a good couple hold downs. Took out the 6'3 alchemist, but never really dialed flagler in. Was really hoping for a couple sessions since i knew that could be the case but it just became one drawn out sess which left my feet feeling like bricks for the following 3 hrs. I had to go bootless, made the trek down there and all. Did go board shopping tho Sunday btwn St Aug & Daytona, picked out a Sunday 6'2 board. Looks really dam fun, gotta get a couple things fixed to watertight. Will shoot pics latr on