lighter boards are coming to win us.

This is mylast entry to this column. I hope you all enjoyed some of this few coments or not. I know i had fun doing it. In the time i did it, Brett Farve retired, Luis Castro, my number one rider beat Federico Pilurzo in a final for first place ( at the same time when those idiots that want to "save tamarindo" had their parade) at a local contest. We went to Pavones twice where I tested my boards with great results. So I have decided to just go back my little world and put the time into promoting MP surfboards and my new Bad Angel surfboards, a new concept for a younger generation... Rex says he wants one. So this is it. Good bye! or not.

May Surf

Last Wednesday, May 28th, a couple of low pressure systems sat on boths Caribbean and Pacific Coasts creating a very unique weather pattern. The skies were grey like any typical winter day but the wind blew from the north pretty much all day long. Louis Wilson sat on the beach watching his girlfriend surf. Louis runs Hotel Las Tortugas (which by the way, serves the best gallo pinto ever!)and first came to Tamarindo in the early 70's. The hotel runs smoothly and for years the ticos that work there seem very happy to show up for work. In order of, exemplary manager, nature loving and good friend Louis Wilson's opinion matters to me. So I took the freedom to ask him a few questions that I thought would be fitting for this column.

WHEN'S THE LAST TIME YOU EVER SAW CONDITIONS LIKE LAST WEDNESDAY?
Marco, you know our friendship has now spanned almost three decades, and we have both been fortunate to be pioneers in the surfing history here in Guanacaste. I remember when you were a gangly teenager hanging out in the hammock at my Tamarindo "house" with Mario Sotela. Tamarindo Estero mouth was an amazing left (the right didn't exist) before the developers took the beach sand in the late 70's to build roads. The north east off shores opened the wave which started in front of "Dollie's" (back then it was "Lobos") and finished somewhere on the Playa Grande side. We took turns drift paddling back to the peak watching each other surf with our legs up in order to not entice the ever present sharks.

There have been some crazy storms over the years. Some lasted for weeks. Once in the 70's, Tamarido reached island status from the flooding. My bed was an island-like sanctuary from the crab-infested water on the floor of my "house". The stranded Dos Pinos truck finally ran out of diesel and we all ate melting ice cream for free until we were sick.

This storm, however , is unique to me. It reminds me more of the hurricanes I have seen in Florida with its rotating nature and side shore high winds. My roof proved definitely not designed for this type of storm.

LOOKING MORE INTO THE FUTURE WHAT SORT OF MIND FRAME SHOULD ANY TOURIST ARM THEIR SELVES WITH WHEN PLANNING A TRIP TO COSTA RICA THESE DAYS
As for our tourists - other than bringing a courteous attitude toward sharing the "wavescape", a keen sense of being a traveler rather than a tourist is helpful. I went through a similar situation in Puerto Rico in the 60's when security became a real issue for surfers who shun the mega-resorts; but it was all part of the experience. At least here, you won't be taken to prison and the possibility of a violent encounter is almost unheard of. The camaraderie between the Costa Ricans and the foreigners never ceases to amaze me. I can't think of a better and safer place to visit for a surf vacation than Costa Rica as long as the Disney World - like atmosphere doesn't lull you into euphoric "loopiness". It's a shame that the tiny criminal element has such an enormous impact in this traditionally peaceful and culturally friendly country.

AND LAST, IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT CHANGES SHOULD WE SEE FORTHCOMING FOR OUR SURFING COMMUNITY IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM ERA THAT WE SHOULD BE AWARE ABOUT
As far as the future of surfing in Costa Rica, I am hoping that Costa Rica will not be lured into completely commercializing its surfing community. We are already feeling the effects of Tamarindo's over-hyping. Hordes of surfers are spilling over into Playa Grande daily. Just recently, I was surfing alone with my wife, Carrie, on an almost non-existent isolated peak when a boat load of noisy beginners was dumped on top of us by a local surf school company. I don't see all that well and after a few near collisions and the drowning-out of all the natural sounds that make surfing so enjoyable for me, we had to get out. I paranoiacally envision the day when it is left to you and me to yell at the jet ski businesses doing tow-ins in Tamarindo and Playa Grande. And so on. Pura Vida.

La Playa!

La Playa!, my almost 4 year old daughter answered when asked about what Papi should write about. Well, I'm stoked since two days ago I saw her for the first time, in Avellanas, get rolled over by the high tide wash that was hitting in front of Lola's last Saturday afternoon. As surfing is, outside my family, my life, I smiled inside since I knew she began a long love affair right there, right then. She is by her own instinct loosing her natural fear of the ocean. The best part is, that can't be taught. I have always thought surfing has a child-like oriented aproach to itself. We were there to celebrate Merrick's second birthday. He is the son of Justin, a young, california surfer, total ex-pat, married to a tica, the works. Half an hour earlier we'd all been singing Happybirthday but now the high tide brought everybody forward to watch the surfers negociate the remainings of a ok surfing weekend. People from San Jose and tourist alike enjoyed watching the stormy surf make the best out of the surfers without knowing. Lola, The Famous was nowhere in site but that didn't seem to stop the bartenders from pouring some sweet rum and coke's and cold beer. Emma is soaking wet and back on her feet. She is blinking the saltwater out of her eyes and she is thrilled cause she knows she made an impression on her dad.

Read this

I am thrilled that, acording to Harry Tang this is the most read colum in the read colums. I take the credit for my words and I stand for them. I don't often want to sound so political about matters that afflict this little town but sometimes, things need to be said. Not that I care so much about what other people want to do with their lives but anyone with any sence of social responsability has to accept that Tamarindo provides jobs for hundres of people. Of course they don't care and carrie on their sinister plans to feel good about themselves. I am not even going to mortify myself anymore but I belive these people needed to be exposed and single out as the eternally selfish and enemies of the less fortunate. Tamarindo is entering a different phase now to where we need better everything. There is a movement towards an improvement of services. When I finally decided to move down here there was a personal criteria that Tamarindo would have "that thing" that is directly the opposite of getting over looked. I am proud that they choose this place to come and not somewhere else. That means "we are hot". We get to be chosen, not left behind. That's all. I am happy.

Europe

Europe. 40 days ago” Pao,” Emma and I set out to spend some down time in the old continent and freshen up on our daily routines. Our destination was simple. Visit our relatives in northern Mediterranean and the Costa Rica of Europe, where my eldest daughter lives, Switzerland. Emma had never seen the snow and I wanted to do a little bit of snowboarding. Traveling without a specific program was our strategy and so we went about reaching our destinations and the people that expected us. Every time we could we would sneak and play the tourist. One place we went to was this incredible place they call The Eternal City. It struck me right away that if you spell the city’s name backwards it reads “Amor”. Insane. Anyway, the place is like three thousand years old and it has this giant arena where people would go and watch other people fight live huge cats and other people. Since I love confrontation I couldn’t help but feel the vibe of the place. It was really overwhelming what this people did back then. The Coliseum I think they called this place was finished in the year VII a.c. Can you believe if some rich fuck would come and say,”Ah, excuse me, you can’t built that here, that’s High Density” Oh Yeah?. Feed them to the kittens! Speaking of cats, they are hugely popular around the whole city. There are calendars and figurines dedicated to them and there is these people dedicated to feed them and such. They even leave their money to them when they die. One place we went to eat has a different kind of history. Remember the movie Fantasy where Mickey is a wizard wannabe and he makes this well swell up and stuff?
Well, we actually ate at the same restaurant where W. D. got his inspiration. To see it we had to go to a sub floor where we saw the well. It was actually quite spooky. Emma was a little hesitant walking down the stairs that led to a cavern like hall. This has been quite amazing for al of us. We’d never spent so much time together and it has been fun. I can tell Paola is not ready to go back but we must. We visited some surf spots since we were so close to the Mediterranean, in the region of Liguria. I wanted to see how other species of surfers lived and acted. We ended up at a place called Varazze. We spotted this place while driving since there was about halve a dozen guys sharing a nice little pick. I immediately jumped out of the car and moved to a look out spot where I could talk to a couple of guys as they where heading out. They where actually quite friendly and offered as much info as I could get out of them. As it turns out, there are no surfboard rentals in Italy. But there was this sign that suggested you must respect the locals. I guess some things never change.

Gilbert and Salsi drop by

Making surfboards is a tough business. Last year at the ripe age of 48 I went on the national circuit just to prove that my boards worked. Everybody knows I can't surf so if i made a couple of podiums it prove my point. Let me tell you, it was so much fun being around so much talent. It also gave me the opportunity to flirt with some of them with the promise of a free board here and there. I'd get instant publicity, My career would take a quantum leap. Bum!... Well, maybe not so fast but at least I'd be helping their carreer either way. One of the guys I recently gave a board to was Gilbert Brown. With him I knew I would not go wrong. If the board worked, great, if not he would not just sell it. The reason for this is I have seen some of the younger generacion caribean boys warming up at contest scences riding preatty decent boards. When asked them how they got them they would drop the name of their mentors Gilbert, Ronald or Nino. These guys have scored deals with big companis such as Quicksilver, Volcom and such. They have paved the road for the next generation and they are given. The greatest lesson in surfing is surfing it self. Gilbert is such a great guy. Him and Salsi Boy had the cortesy to stop by the shop after the trophy ceremony on Sunday . Gilbert had just won the contest and still had the courtesy to thank me for the board. Him and Salsi are classic. We talked some serious surfing and had a good laugh. At the end we wished each other good luck and best wishes. Salsi called me Pachequin and Gilbert called me Pachecon and that to me is gold.

About surf

The thing with surfboards came about one afternoon. My dad dragged me to watch this movie, on a Wednesday I think. I must have been seven or eight years old. The movie was showing in Costa Rica for two days only so we had to go. I remember the guys loading their boards on the back of their old trucks, the sun setting on the horizon, the golden light shinning through the fiberglass translucent fins. That stuck in my memory bank. I learnt how to surf ten years later, the year my father died. I went on to be part of the same movie some years later and saw my life come at full circle. Having been part of that project means a lot to me. Last year Bruce Brown was in town and I was able to thank him for the opportunity and talk story with the man. What a guy! some one that night asked me how I got the part in the movie. I said I'd be the wrong person to ask, you are going to have to ask Bruce that question. So when he got to it he said, "well, I just asked you if you wanted to work for free"..........................surfing has given me so much so building boards is a lot like playing God in a way. You decide who gets what. Charles Williams was the guy that taught me how to shape. I'd been playing with all the concepts and such but it was Charley who gave me the visuals, the method to the madness. I am always quoting him when talking story wherever, whenever. Specially among the young guys. Charley if from Florida and he charges. I have seen him committed to the most horrendous pits and his facial expressions show nothing but piece of mind. I find my self surfing my best when he is here. Some times I'll paddle to the channel and enjoy the show. I have my limits. He has spent a lot of time surfing his surfboards IMPACT in Puerto Escondido, Mexico. He is extremely humble and was one of the things that impressed me the most while going surfing. I want to leave you with one of his favorite lines. "It's easier to be a better surfer than a better person"

Tamarindo Today

This chapter begins with Tamarindo today.

A lot has been said about the lack of lifeguards in Tamarindo etc. You and I might not be willing to dig into the complexity of excuses from the people responsible..., but how about the inherited responsibility we obtain when we learn how to surf. Back in the days when surfers where just beginning to grasp the lifestyle it wasn't that rare to find guys that life-guarded during the summer and traveled to the islands during the winter months. I mean, who else but a surfer to understand the desperate sensation we experience when underwater after a long hold down? I have noticed a divorce from the young to their primal responsibility: "The Need to Preserve Life"; especially if you are the closest person to a drowning victim. So let me just say this to every guy out there with a surfboard under their arm. Nobody really cares how many trophies you hold above your head, what people really want to know is how good of a person you really are.

Another subject I really want to touch is a recent movement in town against what they call "HIGH DENSITY' Big Words! What bothers me regardless of the actual building is the fact that I see so many ticos wearing this negative press. They need to open their eyes to what it's really happening here. Some rich people's view of the ocean is getting blocked by this new project, right behind that public parking area. For some reason the people against this project claim this is bad for local bussines; yadda yadda.... Please you people, if your bussines is hurting it is because it sucks. There are plenty of places doing great, thank you. A building like the one they are talking about would provide many job opportunities to so many Costa Ricans for such a long time. My question to the people of this town is 'What are you teaching your kids?', since I see so many of them with the "bad press logo".

PROTECT THE RICH? BURY THE TICOS?

What we have to understand is that we are no longer a sleepy little town. We are going to be an epicenter for many good thing. Remember, every job a Costa Rican or Nicaraguan or even a foreigner from a developing country represents a separation from poverty. If you ask me; what would you rather save, a tree or a family of three?