Tag: retreat

Who Are The Amigas? Q&A with Danielle Gustafson

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We’re back again to catch up with more alumni amigas that you may know!

this month we’re chatting Q+A style with mother, surfer, and world traveler danielle gustafson to learn more about the why behind her surf journey + a bit about her personal retreat experiences. Stay tuned for monthly stories and updates from our good friends across the globe.

Q: Think back to when you attended your first SWA retreat. Why did you book that trip? What was that first retreat experience like for you?

A: I’ve been obsessed with surfing for 20 years, but I never committed. I was a white wash wahine. As my kids got older and started shredding, I recognized that I had to learn to surf or lose them to their passion. My main motivation to finally commit was to keep a connection with them. It only made sense to send myself to SWA. That was four and a half years ago. I had no idea it would change the course of my life in the best possible ways. 

Q: Now that you’ve been on several SWA retreats, what keeps you coming back?

A: I can’t get enough. Every retreat has been epic. I gift myself at least one a year. Hey, I invest in my kids’ summer camp, tutoring and sports development. Why wouldn’t I offer myself the same level of self-care? 

Continue reading “Who Are The Amigas? Q&A with Danielle Gustafson”

Surf Therapy Retreat at Surf With Amigas with Groundswell

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Surf With Amigas is offering our first ever Surf Therapy Retreat in partnership with Groundswell Community Project the week of June 11-18, 2022 at our Longboard Surf House location in Southern Costa Rica

holly beck surf coach

WHAT IS A SURF THERAPY GROUNDSWELL + SWA RETREAT?

OUR GOAL WITH OUR SURF THERAPY RETREAT IS THAT YOU LEAVE WITH A SUSTAINABLE SURF PRACTICE ROOTED IN SELF LOVE, SEA LOVE AND SISTERHOOD. 

 Groundswell + SWA Surf Therapy Retreats are facilitated by licensed clinicians and surf coaches that create a safe space for you to be brave and wild as you explore your truest self expression in the waves and the world. 

Surf therapy is for all surf experience-levels. Each retreat combines surf therapy rooted in somatic mindfulness practices, yoga/meditation, SWA’s highest standard of surf coaching, community engagement to support local women’s health and ocean health, and unforgettable adventures that will bond you with your new life long surfsisters.

Our surf therapy retreat and trauma informed instructors are here to support you in building the skills for working with trauma, anxiety, triggers, grief and mental blocks in the waves and back on land to enhance your relationship with self, others and the earth. We believe that surfing mother oceans waves is a powerful tool for reclaiming your healing, power, and belonging and can not wait to paddle out with you!

Continue reading “Surf Therapy Retreat at Surf With Amigas with Groundswell”

SWA Community Raises More Than $2000 for Local Partners

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Surf With Amigas Costa Rica

To say we’re thrilled would be an understatement

The Surf With Amigas community just raised over $2,000 in less than 48 hours to support all of our local partners in Southern Costa Rica while they are out of work due to the COVID-19 situation.

Pedro - SWA Taxi Driver
Pedro // SWA Taxi Driver

We’ll admit that we were hesitant to put out a fundraiser in the first place, knowing that so many of us are struggling financially, but we also realized it wouldn’t hurt to try and see what happens. We’re extremely excited about the success of the fundraiser and how the SWA community has come together to support these deserving folks that we all know and love. However, we’re not surprised that you all rallied to show your support- the SWA community is full of big hearts and the best surf ladies out there.

Hotel Staff (and their surf instructors)

We want to give a BIG thank you to everyone who has been able to donate, and another thank you to everyone who is holding this special group of people in your hearts! If you’re interested in reading the story that inspired this fundraiser or interested in donating, please click here.

 

As always,

Pura Vida!

 

 

Return to Nicaragua

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We love Nicaragua and Can’t wait to be back!

 

In April, Civil Unrest Temporarily Put Retreats on HOld

Up until June 2018, Nicaragua was the primary location to join Surf With Amigas on a weeklong adventure of surf, sun, new friends, and awesome good times. When anti-government protests broke out in April of 2018 and turned violent, we hoped they would pass quickly. Months later, daily bad news led us to make the very difficult decision to temporarily shift all our retreats to Costa Rica. You can read more details about the situation in a blog post we published in June via this link. 

Right now the situation is much calmer, but the struggle isn’t over. The Nicaraguan people have decided they want a new president, but his term isn’t up until 2021 and he has shown no signs of stepping down early.

Nicaragua is safe for tourists

For now the situation in some areas of the country, particularly the areas around universities, is still tense. Protests and the government response to those protests are ongoing. But, word from our friends on the ground is that everything at the beach is now, and has always been, totally peaceful. Tourists can travel freely and safely between the Managua International Airport and the coast. Once at the beach, the situation is like it was eight or nine years ago – great waves with many fewer surfers in the water!

Most of our staff that had built a life in Nicaragua are returning this year. I am going myself for two weeks in October and bringing my 2 and 4 year old kids. I obviously wouldn’t be doing that if I was worried about safety. I will also be there for a month in Jan/Feb and we have decided to add one retreat to the schedule during that time.

Join us for One retreat this winter in Nicaragua February 9-16

February 9-16 we will be running a one week retreat at our old home base in Northern Nicaragua. We’ll open it up to men and women in case you ladies would feel better bringing your menfolk along. February is a great month with all day sun and typically awesome wind patterns. That week also has high tide mornings which is ideal for the best breaks in the area.

I am incredibly excited to host this retreat alongside our team. Will you join us? For more info on the location click here: Northern Nicaragua Eco Resort

Our local friends and partners might be even more excited than I am. The sudden drop in tourism has left so many Nicaraguans without work, struggling to feed their families. They need us to return!

To book your spot, email me at [email protected]

For more information on the situation in Nicaragua as it concerns surf tourists, see the Surfline article below:

Nicaragua’s New Normal from Surfline

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Surf Coaching in Costa Rica for All Levels

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Learning to turn more radically.

Surf Coaching in Costa Rica

At our Costa Rican location, we offer surf coaching retreats for advanced beginners and intermediate surfers. We define advanced beginners as those that have already stood up in the white wash, can paddle themselves outside, and are ready to start riding green waves. Although we have been flexible with this description, these are the types of surfers that tend to have the best time and are able to take advantage of the amazing waves our Costa Rican location has to offer!

Continue reading “Surf Coaching in Costa Rica for All Levels”

Sunny Longboarding Session in Costa Rica

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costa rica, surf yoga retreat, christmas week, dec 22-29 2018, surf with amigas

This week had absolutely firing surf. Each day had it’s own flavor – from super long point breaks, to adventurous boat trips, to bigger waves, we sampled a bit of everything. Normally we have a mix of ability levels, but on this retreat, almost everyone was pretty close to the same level. They were all catching tons of waves and working on turning.

One day the swell was a bit smaller, but still offering really clean long waves. Holly had just gotten a new longboard so she convinced everyone to paddle out on longer boards. Since it was super sunny, everyone threw on surf leggings and big floppy hats for full sun protection. Holly paddled out with the GoPro to capture all the awesome rides from a surfer’s perspective.

Surf Yoga Retreats led by women are the most fun! Come see why!

music by Nicki Bluhm

Nov 19-25 Highlight Video North Nicaragua Surf Yoga Retreat is LIVE!

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Thanksgiving week in Nicaragua is always a good one for a surf yoga retreat. November is one of the best months of the year in Nicaragua. We have awesome weather, perfectly groomed waves, and plenty of sunshine.

This week we had a saucy fun group of ladies who were loving the surf yoga retreat dance parties. They enjoyed pool parties, volcano boarding, horseback riding on the beach, and all the other adventures that  pop up during the week.

Many of our guests this week were returning Amigas. It’s always fun to reconnect and see improvement in their surfing. Not all of our retreats feature a lot partying, but this particular group was happy to put away a few rum shots here and there. Who can resist some rum-fueled synchronized swimming at sunset in such a gorgeous environment?

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These retreats are all about empowerment, bonding, adventure, pushing yourself, and reviving your energy so that you go home ready to take on the world.

For more info on retreats like these check out our North Nicaragua Retreat Page!

“Cute wave” and other taglines from a surf trip with 20 frothing women

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We had an Amiga join us on a retreat a few months ago who is already an experienced surfer but was looking for a “girl’s trip” surf getaway. She wrote a review on her blog which you can read here:

Cute Wave and Other Tag Lines from a Surf Trip with 20 Frothing Women

Here’s a preview, but check out the link above for the full review! It’s a fun read:

Review of Surf with Amigas, Women’s Surf and Yoga Retreats held in Nicaragua and Costa Rica

One recent evening after weeks without swell at our local break and a couple of glasses of wine, I jumped on the internet to research surf spots in Nicaragua and came across a review of Surf With Amigas , a women’s surf coaching retreat founded by retired professional surfer Holly Beck. Fuelled by impulse and alcohol, I shot off an email to Holly asking if there were any available spots on an upcoming trip.  Waking sober the next morning to a reply from Holly, I realized I had somehow committed myself to a whole week of 24/7 female bonding with twenty women I had never met. After a bit more back and forth with Holly about my surfing ability, board sizes and objectives for the trip, I lay down my 50% deposit and booked a waxing appointment.

My husband and I have been on many surf trips where I was the only female surfer or there were only 2 or 3 of us. There is upside and downside to this arrangement but I have to say it had never occurred to me to attend a women’s only surf camp.  However, despite surfing for over 20 years, I classify myself as a competent but not confident surfer.  Big, hollow waves still cause brain freeze after all these years and the chance to improve my technique and confidence in fun uncrowded waves where I didn’t have to hassle with a bunch of guys was appealing….

More here!

Feel Like Escaping The US Right Now????

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We’ve all been through a lot lately. Maybe it’s time to take a break.

If you’re like me, you’ve spent the morning in disbelief, scrolling Facebook posts of friends who are angry, concerned, bewildered. Maybe you are excited about something new, interested to see what will happen now.

However you feel about the results of the election, now is a good time to take a break from it all. How does galloping along the beach on horseback sound? The wind in your hair, an empty stretch of beach ahead of you, a crew of badass Amigas by your side whooping and cheering with ear to ear smiles….

If you’re ready to get away RIGHT NOW! we do have a few (like 4 total) spots open the weeks of Nov 26-Dec 3 and Dec 10-17. If you can’t move quite that fast, there are plenty of spaces available in Jan, Feb, and March 2017.

Just a reminder…. we welcome all ages, all surfing abilities (from zero to hero), and 90% of our guests come solo and leave the week with a new group of friends.

Surround yourself with positivity, cheering, laughter, adventure, excitement, newness, and reconnect to yourself, with us!

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