New Retreat Location – Central Nicaragua August 2-9 2015

on February 17, 2015April 2, 2015 By hollybeck27

In our never-ending quest to add more awesome retreat locations we stumbled upon a hidden gem in Central Nicaragua.

I’d been eyeing this zone for a few years but had never taken the time to drive down and check it out. On a week off in February (while the rest of the staff was raging in Bocas) my husband Kim and I packed up Luna and cruised a couple hours down South to explore El Transito and the Solid Surf Camp.

I had seen photos online of the owner, Allison, shredding the waves out front and was eager to meet her and check the surf out for myself. We were thinking of possibly adding the location to our list of retreat options, but really, I just wanted to get away on our first surf trip as a family of three and catch some waves myself!

The waves were pretty small that first afternoon, but I grabbed my Rusty Dwart and ran out front. It was small but super fun and I couldn’t help starting to imagine Amigas loving it!

The next day the swell started slowly filling in and I surfed all four spots! I got some super Amiga-friendly rides right out front, caught a punchy right and did a bunch of turns at the peak just down the beach and even had fun on the gentle left point at the farthest South end of the beach on my shortboard. On a fish or a longboard it would have been even better!

After an hour, I went to check on the baby and since she was still asleep, I walked down the beach to the right to scope out the thumpy hollow wave. There was no one in sight and I paddled out and straight into the best wave of my trip – a sweet left tube! During breakfast I watched Allison get some sweet rides out front.

After breakfast we went back to the hollow beach break so my husband Kim could surf it. The sun was strong but we set up a shade on the beach for the mamas and babies (the sister in law of the owner was in town with her 8 month old) and Kim paddled out and caught a couple of good ones.

We had to take off that afternoon as there was a group of Amigas showing up the next day for a retreat in Northern Nica, but as we were driving off I snapped this pic with my phone and decided we absolutely need to bring Amigas for a retreat!

We were able to find a week that works and are so stoked to announce a new retreat August 2-9, 2015. All the info is available here.

Send me an email for more info or to sign up!

[email protected]

Learn to Surf and Help Save Baby Turtles in December

on September 26, 2014February 18, 2015 By Jackie George

For the second year, Surf With Amigas is sponsoring the Waves of Hope baby sea turtle project. By joining us on a retreat in Nicaragua in November and December you will get a chance to support baby sea turtles while also getting to watch them hatch. Can you say cutest thing ever? As of today the November retreats are fully booked but we do have spaces available Dec 6-13 and 13-20. Email [email protected] for booking info!

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEtmDWVFbSc]

Mi Ola

on July 24, 2014February 18, 2015 By Jackie George

Working in Nicaragua has been such a dream. Good waves, amazing fruit, tons of sun, and bikini weather every day. The trick is picking the right bikini. When the waves are small it doesn’t make much of a difference, but when it’s kinda pumping you better hope your bikini stays on. It’s really been a constant struggle to find a cute one that will stay on. It sucks when your duck diving a ten wave set and your bum is showing.

One day we wake up and decide to go for a surf. It’s a gorgeous morning and the waves had been cute and little all week. I put my Mi Ola bikini and my sunscreen on and we head out. We pull up and to my surprise there are waves! I’m waxing my board watching wave after wave peel through. Frothing! That day the friends and I spent nearly three hours surfing. Duckdiving sets, speeding down the line, charging the big ones and taking drops some of which I made, and some of which I didn’t. My only “complaint” after this sesh was too much sun on my face. No bikini rash, no adjusting, no mooning or flashing the fellow surfers. I was so stoked I had picked that bikini for that day. Now, if I know there’s going to be some waves and I am going to be spending some time in my bikini I go straight to my Mi Ola.

Jamie Came to Improve Her Surfing – Success!

on July 14, 2014February 18, 2015 By hollybeck27

Jamie has been surfing a few years in the Los Angeles area without any formal coaching, just going surfing with her friends. Some of those friends had visited Surf With Amigas the year before and greatly improved their surfing, so Jamie came down hoping to do the same. After a few days she realized that the issues she was having didn’t have a lot to do with skill necessarily but were mental blocks. With the help of the Amigas instructors (both surf and yoga) she was able to overcome and scored the best wave of her life, riding all the way to the beach with mindfulness and control, on the last day of the retreat. Here’s Jamie’s story.

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPb5X1gSjI4]

Falling in Love with the Ocean

on April 15, 2014February 18, 2015 By hollybeck27

We love keeping in touch and hearing from Amigas after their week with us. Sometimes it’s an email to ask for suggestions on what type of board to invest in. Sometimes it’s a photo of ladies who met on a retreat in wetsuits in the snow, or in Cabo, or at Coachella. Other times it’s a note of gratitude like the one below. Roisin joined us on our Southern Nicaragua Retreat in 2013. Thanks for sending Ro!

This email is really about sending a BIG overdue THANK YOU to You, Jackie, Nadia and Nikki for being instrumental people in a life changing year that was 2013. I knew something new and cool was on the horizon for me. I just couldn’t figure out how the fuck to get there! Until Surf With Amigas.

Divorce, an ailing father, quitting my shitty job in New York City and a big nudge from my friend Emily all led me to the Amigas. I went down with a HUGE fear of the water, a weakened spirit, and out of shape muscles. Holly you got me on my first wave and I will never forget it!! Looking at the video, not sure who was more excited you or me! Either way, I got home, hit Mondos, near Rincon, caught the first wave I went for and rode it all the way to the parking lot!

Since then, I have taken up Stand Up Paddling boarding (shhhh….) (it is really good for your core, and the waves are more predictable), leased a horse and ride waves when I can. More importantly, I LOVE the water!! I paddle my SUP board like its a surf board and there is always white water to tackle and waves to ride. (although I haven’t actually done that yet..lol) My buddy is also an avid boogie boarder, fins etc…so water sports abound!!

My point is without the four of you giving me the confidence to ENJOY our beautiful oceans, my time here in Cali would be wasted. Every Sunday I am out there paddling with the dolphins and the seals. I always jump in the water for a swim and we are bringing our masks and snorkels tomorrow and heading out to the reef for more exploring.

It is impossible for me to be in the water without thinking of all of you.:)

In short, Thank you for getting me to the place I was meant to be.

Fuck Yeah!! and Namaste:)))

~Roisin

Spring Retreat in Southern Costa Rica

on October 4, 2013February 18, 2015 By hollybeck27

Previously, we had avoided planning any retreats in Costa Rica because Costa Rica is so overdone. Instead, we’ve been focusing on less common locations like Nicaragua, El Salvador, and the Philippines. But as a goofy-footer, I’ve always eyed those long lefts at Pavones with amazement. It’s time to go check them out! Anyone want to surf super long lefts with me?

Like any world class wave, Pavones can be crowded. So, we’ll stay at a mellow place in the jungle about a ten minute drive (or 20 min bike ride) from the point. This place has a private little wave right out front that is super easy and user-friendly when small, and more powerful and tubular when the swell is bigger. The nice thing, is that we should have it mostly to ourselves! There are several other waves within walking distance of where we’ll stay which will be awesome for the afternoon sessions. We can even hop in a boat and check out some rights across the bay!

We’ll hit up the main spot at off times to try to avoid the worst of the crowd and we’re going slightly early in the season, so it shouldn’t be too bad. Plus, we’ll paddle out in a pack of bikinis and smiles, so that should definitely work in our favor!

The place we’ll stay is nestled in between jungle and ocean. This region in Costa Rica is regarded as one of the most biologically diverse places in the world. There’s a nature trail from the hotel to a waterfall where we’ll check out monkeys! We’ll go on an adventure to a native indigenous village. We’ll relax and reconnect with nature.

The accommodations only have space for 10 amigas and while some of the rooms are slightly more eco-friendly than others, all are super comfortable.

There will be yoga too of course!

Retreat details

Dates: March 29 – April 5, April 6 – 13

Price: $1700
Includes:
– Transfer to/from the resort to/from the Golfito Airport
– 7 nights accommodation in a shared room
– All meals (alcoholic beverages are extra)
– Surf coaching/instruction with video feedback
– Surfboard rental (if you can’t bring your own)
– Daily yoga
– Other adventures

Travel info:
Fly into San Jose Costa Rica on whatever airline works best for where you’re flying from.
Connect with Sansa Regional Airlines and get a flight from San Jose to Golfito. They have three flights per day and flights look about $103 each way ($206 roundtrip).
We’ll pick you up at the Golfito airport.

For booking info, contact [email protected]

Check out this video of an 8 year old girl loving the long lefts of Pavones

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrLcfAxtE0o]

And to see what 4 years of surfing awesome long lefts can do for your surfing, here she is at 12 years old!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6LBlV2CG4w]

Instructor Profile – Nadia

on August 14, 2013February 18, 2015 By hollybeck27

[youtube=http://youtu.be/0_cpZJQCY7s]

One day Nadia was minding her own business out surfing the Boom (gnarly tubular wave rarely surfed by girls) when Holly paddled over and started in with 20 questions. “what’s your name? where are you from? where are you staying? how long are you here? have you ever taught surf lessons? want to come work for me?” It’s rare to see smiling girls out shredding with the boys and Nadia was out there with a big smile, paddling around and dropping into bombs. She spent a few weeks in November with Surf with Amigas and came back for two months this summer. We hope she’ll be back again! This is why….

Heather Used a Transition Period in Her Life to Reconnect With Surfing

on April 23, 2012February 18, 2015 By hollybeck27

[youtube=http://youtu.be/D3iLaVMsHhI]
Heather Finlayson is going through a transition period in her life. She’s in her last year of law school, just got out of a serious long-term relationship, and needed a break from real life to evaluate where she wants to go from here.

She had learned to surf as a kid, but hadn’t kept it up regularly. During her week in Nicaragua she fell back in love with surfing. She started in the whitewash on day 1, but by day 6 she was charging into some seriously big waves and coming up with a smile every time. Even after only horseback riding once in her life, she took off galloping down the beach and gained new perspective on life.