Amigas got some awesome waves and some sick go pro footy! Stoked they took a break from their skiing and snowboarding to come hang with us for the week!
Category: blog
Kickball with the Local Girls
Since the beginning of Surf With Amigas history, we have been committed to a community involvement aspect of the retreats. About a year ago, we heard that the Nicaraguan government started a kickball league for women country-wide and the local girls hopped on the chance to get involved in athletics. In the past, women never had such opportunity to play any sport on a team, let alone in a country-wide league.
We began taking our groups of ladies to play against (or mixed up amongst) the local team. After a couple games, we were totally hooked, as the games were super fun, often times bringing on flashbacks to middle school kickball (or “soccer baseball”) matches. Lately, we have been playing against them every week that we have retreats. The girls have improved immensely and regularly squash any dreams we have of winning a game against them.
We are so stoked to support women empowerment through playing sports and love the interaction that happens when ladies on retreats play sports with local girls. The local team, the “Mariposas Sociales” (translation: the Social Butterflies) is now sponsored by Surf With Amigas and recently went to their inauguration game as an official team- with uniforms and all.
Come join us for a northern Nicaragua retreat for an opportunity to get involved in the kickball action!
For more information on how to support the Mariposas, please email [email protected]. Any donations of sports equipment, athletic wear, sports bras, etc are extremely useful and appreciated!
Five Reasons We Love Panama….
- SURF SURF SURF. Waves for everyone, from shredders to beginners!
- We will stay at a little surf camp right on the beach, in front of the wave, where we can FROTH ALL DAY!!
- Yoga with Carly!
[youtube=https://youtu.be/LDbG0bWwMpY]
4. The other activities are awesome: horses, out to dinner, kayaking, waterfall adventures.
5. Panama City makes a great stopover before and/or after the trip. If you haven’t been, you’ll love the colonial streets, artsy vibes, and rooftop lounges.
We still have some spots available and we want YOU to join us. Its going to be epic.
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Email [email protected] if you’re interested.
Announcing New Northern Nicaragua Location!
We are very excited to announce that we added a new location in 2016- Northern Nica 2!Just down the street from our home base, we’ve decided to take over a neighboring hotel for a week.
There are super cute beginner waves right out front….
And other options accessible by walking, car, and boat for all levels!
a brand new elevated yoga studio with this view…
new and exciting activities…
and a killer place to hang out and relax.
All rooms have air conditioning…
…and the food is super yum! 
Come play and learn to surf or improve your existing skills with our awesome instructors. We provide in water and video coaching and pride ourselves on empowering women to push themselves out of their comfort zones. 
Normal Price of $1800 but we have some Special Late Booking Summer Deals Available (email [email protected] to inquire)
This retreat is open to women, couples, guys, and families.
The package includes:
- two-way shared airport transfer (if you get a flight that arrives on the first date of the retreat between 11am and 2:20pm and departs on the last day after noon.)
- 7 nights accommodation in a shared a/c room
- 4 deliciously healthy meals per day
- daily surf lessons with SWA team plus video analysis of every session
- all afternoon activities such as yoga, horseback riding, volcano boarding, estuary cruising, and other surprises
- professional video footage of you riding the best wave of your life
Typical daily schedule looks like this
- 6:30am wake up for buffet breakfast of coffee, juice, cereal, toast, yogurt, fruit
- 7:30-11am surfing, surfing, surfing!
- 11:30am delicious lunch
- 2pm yoga
- 4pm second surf session or other adventure
- 7pm dinner with new friends
The dates for this Retreat are July 9-16, 2016. Email surfwithamigas@gmail today to reserve your spot!
Surfing Cures Depression, Back Pain, and Boredom
It is now scientifically proven that surfing may just be the best medicine for a variety of ailments!
We’ve all heard the saying “laughter is the best medicine.” It seems that since the 1970’s we’ve been moving away from those natural cures and becoming over-prescribed pill heads . The United States is said to be the biggest offender, however France is not far behind. France’s stats show “90% of patients who come out of the doctor’s surgery do so with a medical prescription.” I haven’t seen the data, but I would assume that the figure in the US is closer to 100%.
Luckily for the French, there may be a change on the horizon as a group of Biarritz Doctors have decided to tackle this dependency with the healing powers of the ocean. They are literally prescribing water sports for chronic health issues. The program entails patients doing four months of surfing, paddleboarding and other lower intensity ocean activities. Nicolas Guillet is one of the program leaders and has seen positive results after just six months. They attribute these results to the vitamin D intake, improved blood flow, building core and extremity strength as well as pain relief. One patient reported that her back pain of over a decade was cured by six months of paddleboarding.
Aside from the physical benefits, there are psychological benefits. Breaking waters are said to release negative ions into the air which are thought to improve mood. “Physical exertion along with intense focus often produce flow states which flood the brain with neurochemicals like anandamide and serotonin, the same substances found in antidepressants.”
One of the most amazing aspects of this program in Biarritz is that it’s fully funded by the town and doesn’t cost the French Social security system a dime. The support of local health associations means that it only costs patients 10 Euros to participate. With more positive results to come from this “miraculous” surf treatment the days of saying “surfing is the best medicine” are near!
If you aren’t lucky enough to live in France and participate in this State supported program, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take the advice. It has now been scientifically proven that surfing is good for you. Do yourself a favor and get in the ocean as soon as possible!
December Retreat Highlights
Surf With Amigas surf and yoga retreats for women finished off the 2015 season with an awesome week of very athletic Amigas. The surf conditions were favorable and we had what we’re calling the most athletic group of Amigas on one retreat ever. There was tons of shredding and lots of improvement.
Puerto Rico Highlights
Always on the hunt for great locations, Surf With Amigas took a group of awesome surfing ladies on an adventure in Puerto Rico. We scored some super cute waves, had unexpected adventures, and made friends for life. Surf Yoga Adventure with us!
Late November in Nica
Good times in the surf, on the volcano, and all around northern nicaragua with the Surf With Amigas Surf Yoga Adventure Retreat.
Instructors Surf and Party on a Week Off
Some might think the SWA instructors have the best job in the world. They spend a couple of weeks helping Amigas get the waves of their lives and then have a week or two off to party, surf, and play. Some might be right!
On a week off in early December, the waves ended being small, clean, and tubular. The Amigas staff were posted up at Hotel Chancletas and between surf sessions spent some time with new friends in a daily pool party. Here are some photo highlights from the week courtesy of Rick Briggs of @DondeX photography.
Abi smiles through a super cute bottom turn.
Kinda awkward when your head gets barreled but your butt gets left outside the tube. Ha ha!
One day when the waves were small, the girls took a boat trip to a river mouth around the corner, and girls did what girls do…. jumped off a boat for the photo.
Michelle rarely goes surfing without having a pineapple waiting for her on the beach or in this case, the boat!
Afternoon pool parties are a must!
Chloe paddles out at the river mouth.
Emily didn’t get any good tube shots even though she is actually an awesome tube rider. This is how it made her feel.
On weeks off, Holly usually goes into hermit mode getting work done on the computer and hanging out with her little girl. But when the waves are hollow she may sneak out and grab a view.
Jackie has been working hard on her tube riding skills. It’s paying off as she scored the best photo of the batch. YEW!
Michelle aka “Grom” is probably the most frothy of the bunch.
She has also been working on her tube riding. Nice one!
The girls compete for “likes” on Instagram. Looks like Chloe just pulled ahead! Better get some more tube shots, Em-dawg!
Reesie is acrobatic.
Reesie has been seriously stepping it up in the surf lately. Sick shot Amiga!
Awesome photos by this guy, Rick Briggs! MUCHAS GRACIAS!
Co-ed Retreat Highlights
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Sometimes SWA allows amigos to join us! while we are usually ladies-only, at least once a year we suggest ladies bring their guys along. here are the highlights from our co-ed retreat in early november in northern nicaragua.