In keeping with my 2025 Theme and Nuclear Surfing Plan, we recently spent a week at a surfing retreat in Nosara, Costa Rica. We started as a group of twelve surfers, including my son and me. On the first day, after warming up in the white water for a few minutes, per the instruction of our in-water coach, my surfing partner and I paddled toward the break. Conditions were unusually big for this time of year, and fresh off the airplane, I quickly became exhausted as I struggled to get out of the impact zone. Waves seemed to come from every direction at this beach break, and the sets would not stop. I was getting nowhere fast, and my coach and partner disappeared as they paddled off without me!
I struggled on, intent on getting out past the break. As I got closer, I saw another student riding the face of a seven foot wave with ostensible ease. Seeing that in the midst of my struggle, and having been abandoned by my surf coach and partner, I questioned if I had made a mistake with this surf camp. Full of doubt, I slowly paddled onward, past the break.
Completely depleted, I sat alone, on my board on the royal blue sea. For a moment, I looked to the horizon and watched a massive wave forming and rolling toward me. Then this ten foot mountain of water lifted me up onto its peak, passed me by (thank God), and broke a few seconds later. The only soul I saw was a Rod Stewart look-alike who said hello and quickly vanished on his shortboard. As, I sat out there searching for my coach while trying to keep an eye on the waves, my doubt slowly morphed into a simmering anger.
Really? I came all the way to Costa Rica and paid good money for a surf retreat, and this was the experience? About ten minutes went by when the coach and I finally saw each other. He asked me where I had been and chastised me for not having proper control of my board on the paddle out. He scolded, “You have to be more careful, especially out here.”
WTF!?! He knew I was an entry level surfer, and on my first day, within the first fifteen minutes, he has me paddling out into big conditions, and then paddles off without me–which should not have happened–and had previously communicated no plan on what to do if we were to become separated. I do believe I had every right at that point to read this guy the riot act. However, I remained calm, and carried on. My surfing partner, the one who had paddled off with the coach; however, broke his rib and had to go home to Texas the next day.
Back at camp later that morning, before reviewing the video of the session with one of the land coaches, she asked me what I though of my in-water coach. I hesitated, because I don’t like to say negative things about people. However, I decided to answer the question honestly and constructively. I used the bookend approach–say good things, followed by difficult things, followed by good things. Another surfer in the group picked up on my discomfort in sharing my displeasure and gracefully told me I was doing the right thing–he had attended this camp the prior year and regretted waiting until the third day to inform the staff of some issues. He said as soon as he did, they took care of the problems.
Fortunately, communication with my in-water coach got better the next day and remained good for the remainder of the retreat. Also, the conditions moderated to levels that were manageable for me. Between time in the water with a local coach, attending surf theory classes, reviewing video of my sessions with excellent land coaches, and practicing on my own, I learned a lot and got better. My son also improved.
I really wanted to learn to catch unbroken waves more consistently, pop up higher on the waves, and angle my takeoff so I could ride the face of waves instead of popping up to late and riding white water straight into shore. By the last day, with the help of my coaches, I made a lot of progress toward my goals. Check out this video:
In the video, I can see several things I did incorrectly–things that need work. 1. On the pop up, I moved my front foot up first and then then the back foot, the reverse of what I am supposed to do. That led to 2. My stance was incorrect. My back foot was too far back, and pointed backward (instead of perpendicular to the board or slightly forward), and my front foot was too far off center to the left (to my credit, I did eventually shuffle step my back foot forward into a better position and angle). 3. My left hand should have been over the left side of the board.
Nevertheless, I caught the wave, angled the takeoff, popped up near the peak and rode the face of the wave for a sweet left! I even adjusted my hat in during the ride, an indication that I was relaxed and somewhat in control. I was so happy that you can see me giving two thumbs up near the end of the video!
Being able to ride the face will open the door to learning to trim and carve. That’ll be cool. I can’t wait to get in the waves, again. Three of the surfers in our group were from California and one was from Hawaii. They will be able to more immediately practice what they learned in Costa Rica. I’m thrilled for them. If I were in there shoes, I would have been out there this weekend (and almost every weekend and probably some weekday mornings and afternoons, too). As for me and my son, we’ll have to wait until a trip to Pacific Beach in May.
Speaking of my son, he brought home a souvenir–stitches. In a wipeout, a fin on his board sliced open an inch of his scalp. Thankfully, he got excellent medical care in Costa Rica, and he’s okay. Now he has a cool story!
Pura Vida!
P. Gustav Mueller, author of The Present
Notes to self. Angle the takeoff by leaning on the rail and looking where you want to go. Remember on the pop up–back foot forward first, then twist the hips and bring the front foot forward. Back foot should be perpendicular to the board or angled slightly forward; front foot should be angled slightly forward. Both feet should be midships. Knees should be bent with about 60% of the weight on the front leg.
Turn the shoulders about 45 degrees forward from the back of the board and look where you want to go. Left hand over left rail, right hand over right rail.