Tag: learn to surf

Amigas Score Pumping Low Tide Pavones on Day 0 of the Retreat

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The retreat hadn’t even officially started yet, but three of the Amigas showed up on the early flight and with a solid swell running and the froth factor high, we took them to Pavones for their warm up session. It was incredible! Holly and Michelle were frothing so hard. The current was ripping along the point making it impossible to stop paddling for even a second while well overhead doubling up lefts were steam rolling down the point.

We were a little nervous taking the girls out at first. Molly is from Chicago and had only surfed one week before, during her first retreat with us almost a year ago. Luckily she’s a really strong paddler and had total faith in the instructors. She dodged the sets and scored a couple of sweet rides.

Karen is 66 years old and lives on Kauai. She is so inspirational. She paddled out through a heavy set and then out to the peak. Her goal this week is to catch some waves without going to her knees. She caught 4 or 5 of the most beautiful waves before calling it a day.

Amber is from the gulf coast of Florida and surprised herself being able to surf big Pavones, especially on the first day of the retreat. She took a gnarly wipeout on a big wave that was unfortunately not captured on video, but shook it off and got one good wave after that.

It was so unbelievably fun!amber pavones

holly pavones

holly pavones lip crack

karen pavones

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michelle pavones

molly pavones

SWA Instructor – Michelle

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One day in El Salvador, Michelle was out ripping, minding her own business, when Holly paddled over to her and asked her what she was doing living in Florida and why not come work with Surf With Amigas. She said Yes and it led to a total change in lifestyle. Michelle now lives in Central America bouncing between Nicaragua, El Salvador, Costa Rica, and Panama teaching people to surf and having awesome adventures. She’ll be working with Surf With Amigas in spring, summer, and fall.

michelle sick slasher

New Retreat Location – Central Nicaragua August 2-9 2015

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solid roomIn 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.

Screen Shot 2015-02-17 at 7.29.28 AM 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!holly solid out front 2holly solid out front

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!

holly solid

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.

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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.

holly luna shade solidkim pistons

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!

Screen Shot 2015-02-17 at 7.28.58 AMWe 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]

Highlights from the First Retreat of 2015

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We kicked off 2015 with an awesome group of mostly beginner Amigas with a couple of shredders thrown in. We had small waves with a few sneaker sets to mix it up. The girls were having an awesome time getting silly, charging down the beach on horseback, taking gopro selfies, and achieving their goals in the water. Check out a few highlights.

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Awesome photos by Abbey Moore. thanks Abbey!

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New Instructor for Winter 2015 – Emily Nanninga

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Two Emilys for January to March 2015? You better believe it!!! You may have already met our first Emily – now to be known as “Em-dogs” who worked with us Nov-December 2014 and is returning for another season with us starting in January. We met this Emily on a retreat in Costa Rica last year that she attended with her awesome mom. She was everything we look for in an instructor – energetic, smiling, happy, super stoked, frothing, shredding, and awesome. She also happens to be smart and skilled in lifeguarding. Bonus! Here’s what she’s all about in her own words…

Born and raised in sunny San Diego, Emily grew up loving the beach, the water, and anything outdoors. So, naturally, when her mother brought home a $10 garage-sale surfboard in the summer of 2005, Emily was hooked, ready to terrorize the San Diego beaches with her mother who, thankfully, decided to pick up surfing again after a 20-year hiatus.
nanninga surf
After graduating from high school, Emily’s love of swimming, surfing, and the ocean led her into a lifeguard tower, working the beaches every summer throughout college. During the UCSB school year, she kept herself busy surfing, rock climbing, and, beginning her third year there, working for UCSB Adventure Programs, where she led outdoor camping and backpacking trips and helped teach rock climbing, kayaking, and canyoneering classes.
 nanninga lifestyle
The years flew by until June of 2014 suddenly came, ending her time at UCSB with a tarred surfboard and an Environmental Studies degree. Upon graduating, she spent the rest of the year lifeguarding, surfing, leading camping trips, and just having fun running around the west coast. Now Emily’s excited to start the new year off in Nicaragua with Surf with Amigas!
check out this video where Emily features prominently from our trip to Costa Rica last year