Uncle Lawrence and Soyala go to Costa Rica
If you get bored, just skip to the Outline Heading that you are interested in.
Foreword
What I am trying to achieve with this missive.
• When I decided to sail Lake Arenal in Costa Rica, I tried various sources to ascertain what
would be needed to make this trip as easy as possible. I looked in “Windsurf” magazines,
“Moon Handbooks – Costa Rica”, “iWindsurf – Community tab – Travel”, and other
websites, such as docfuntrips.com. All were helpful to some degree, but nowhere did I
find anything by a Regular Joe that would give me the information I needed.
Everyone seemed to have some vested interest that put a slant on their story or they left out
pertinent facts that would conflict with their viewpoint.
• Take everything I say with the ole grain-o’-salt, ‘cause I was only there for one week. What the
hell do I know?
Background
If you care to see where my prejudices lie.
• Uncle L – 56 yrs old, 5’9”, 170 lbs, General Contractor. lcaulkett@earthlink.net
• I have been sailing for some 24 yrs. (not quite teak booms but close).
• I should be better than I am for as long as I have been on the water. So either this is a difficult
sport, or I have no talent. After this trip it’s more certainly the latter.
• If you can believe the ratings in “Windsurf” magazine, I am somewhere between advanced and
expert. I make most of my jibes.
• I own 5 Boards from 71 to 120 liters, 8 sails from 4.0 to 7.5, and all the other shit (30 grand
over the years).
• I have sailed Crissy Field, Rio Vista (The Delta, Sherman Island, whatever you want to call it),
3rd Ave., Bonaire, Lake Isabella, Cabrillo Beach, Leo Carrillo, Baja (La Ventana) and
other places I can’t remember.
Other Characters
In order of appearance.
• Soyala Breen – Girlfriend, 5’7”, 130 lbs, 34 yrs. old, sailing for 4 yrs., waterstarts but no jibes.
Speaks Spanish, this came in very handy. My private interpreter.
• Eric Sanford – docfuntrips.com
• Edwin Solano – Driver of van for transfers between locations. Excellent driver and reliable.
Unfortunately speaks no English, but this didn’t present any problems during the drive.
Cell – 011 506 811-2661 & Home – 011 506 695-5031
• Norm – Titular owner of “Rock River Lodge”. Every business needs a front man.
• Juan Paul Buchert – Has leased “Rock River Lodge” from Norm. I arranged my trip, including
sailing equipment, thru Juan Paul, and everything went smoothly.
reservations@ecogoals.com
US-efax (305) 768-7757 & Costa Rica fax 011 506 293-8536
• Peter – Operator of “Tico Wind”.
• Malcom and Danny – Work for Peter
• Holman & Margarita – Bartender and front desk clerk, respectively, at “Rock River Lodge”.
• Mark Bruinsma – Operator of the windsurfing rental at Salinas Bay.
Web mail: mbruinsma@gmx.de, email: mark.bruinsma@uwnet.nl
Time of Year We Went
Feb. 19, 2005 (Sat.) thru Feb. 26, 2005 (Sat.)
• Day 1 – 4.5-Hour Drive To Rock River Lodge, Sail Lake Arenal
• Day 2 – Sail Lake Arenal
• Day 3 – Vehicle Is Delivered, Sail Lake Arenal
• Day 4 – Drive Around The Lake
• Day 5 – Sail Lake Arenal
• Day 6 – 3-Hour Drive To Eco-Playa Resort, Sail Salinas Bay
• Day 7 – Sail Salinas Bay, 3-Hour Drive To Rock River Lodge
• Day 8 – Vehicle Is Picked-Up, 4.5-Hour Drive to Airport
Time of Year to Visit
My estimate upon direct observation and discussions with other sailors.
• The general consensus is Dec. thru Feb. Some people say it’s good thru Mar., but when
we left on Feb. 26th, the locals were all saying that summer (the wet season with
no wind) had arrived.
• It had been blowing like stink for 5 days prior to our visit,
Day 1 - I started on a 4.1 and an 83-liter board, then went down to a 3.7.
Day 2 - I was on a 3.7, and an 83-liter board.
Day 3 - I was on a 4.1 and a 91-liter board.
Day 4 - We drove around the lake, but one guy said I would have been on a 4.1.
Day 5 - I was on a 5.4, but as the day progressed, the wind started to die
Day 6 - Little wind at Arenal. We drove to Salinas, and I was on a 5.0 and 120-liter board.
Day 7 - A 5.4 and 95-liter board, then we drove back to more light wind at Arenal.
Day 8 – As we went home, there was little wind at Arenal.
• If I ever go to Arenal again, I would pick the middle of Jan.
Trip Planning
What you should do.
• Airlines. I would fly into Liberia instead of San Jose. Rock River Lodge is about 2 hours
from Liberia and 4.5 hours from San Jose. We used a business travel agent. He got
us a good price $539 US each roundtrip LA), but didn’t know to tell us to go to Liberia.
• Travel books. I used the “Moon Handbook – Costa Rica”. Lots of good maps, but prices
throughout the country seemed twice as high as quoted in the manual.
• Shots for disease. We didn’t get any, and had no problems. If you go during the wet season
(why would you go, there is no wind), I hear the mosquito problem is a lot worse. We
had absolutely no bug infestation, but than again you would have to be one tough
mosquito to hang around in 30-knot winds. Windsurfing spots may be godforsaken,
but at least there are no bugs. I was told that there is a malaria pill you take right before
you leave, but for infectious hepatitis you have to start weeks earlier.
• Tipping. Old Louie Gold once told me you have to spread it around. If you can afford to take
the time off from work and go all the way to Central America, you can afford to tip.
Nobody I have ever met minded getting paid extra for helpful service. Cough it up. I am
being generous with my time here. Be the same way. You were just lucky that you
were born in the USA, act accordingly.
• docfuntrips.com. I was going to use these people for our vacation, but Eric Sanford e-mailed
that the trip got cancelled for insurance reasons. Planning the trip by myself saved at
least one-third, and it
was a lot of fun to just wing it.
• Windsurf stuff. Take your harness, wetsuit, gloves, booties, and beach towel (some hotels
provide
these).
Stuff to do
We went to sail, so didn’t do much more.
• Arenal Botanical Gardens. We decided to go here to see the butterflies, but if you’re into
plants, this place is pretty cool. We also saw monkeys in the trees. Takes about
1.5 hour.
• The Arenal volcano. Only go on full sun days, or else it’s just heavy clouds. One couple
told us they took the tram ride at the volcano, and found it to be very enjoyable.
• Equus. Between Tico Wind and the village of Rock River. A restaurant and disco, only
open on Fri. and Sat. Some guy built this stone and mortar labyrinth. I view it as a
folk art masterpiece.
• As you drive around, keep your eyes open for fauna. We saw a sloth in a pine tree on
the road to Tico Wind, a toucan in a tree on the driveway to Tico Wind, and monkeys
at various times. Our favorite was a bunch (herd?) of coatimundi about 5 kilometers
from the damn on the road around Lake Arenal. Damn these raccoon like critters are
gregarious. As we were driving along, I notice a car had stopped. I slowed down to
see what they were looking at, and these coatis come spilling out of the jungle, about
a dozen of ‘em. “Hey humans, we’re cool, what’d ya got to eat?” Came right up to you.
Hilarious.
Hotels
Where to stay.
• Rock River Lodge. 5 nights, $470 US. This is where we stayed. Nice bungalows with good
beds and pillows and hot showers, good food (breakfast included with the room),
beautiful open air dining with a fabulous view, great fireplace with real wood, and an
adequate bar. The tarbender is Holman, the nicest guy anywhere, and he speaks
passable English; he is a good source if you have any questions about the area. His
wife Margarita mans (womans?) the front desk. This seems to be the place for
hardcore sailors. If you want an exciting mountain bike ride, talk to Norm. In fact Norm
will talk and talk to you about anything, but he is a good shit sort of entertainment.
People come to this restaurant for dinner, and to mingle with other sailors.
• Hotel Tilawa. We didn’t stay here, but drove over for a look. The rooms are large, and there
are a few more amenities then Rock. We talked to a couple (windsurfers) that has
been coming here for the last 7 years, and they love it. You can walk (15 min.) to
Tilawa Viento Surf Center launch site on the lake (see below for equipment rental).
• Mystica Resort. We also looked here. Technically speaking, this place is the closest to
Tico Wind, but it is still a drive. Again nice rooms, and a restaurant with pizza, but I
didn’t come all the way to Central America for pizza. We met a couple staying here,
and they were not unhappy. Advertise yoga, but the center was closed (owners
divorce).
• Villas Alpino. I think (what do you expect for nothing) this is the name of the place just
down the road from Rock. I met a guy from France who was staying here. He showed
me his cabin, and it was nice, plus it had a kitchen. He said it was $350 US per
month. A bargain.
• Eco-Playa Resort at Salinas Bay. www.ecoplaya.com. 1 night, $52 US. The rooms are
certainly ok, but the food was marginal for the price. This hotel is a good place to
take a family. There’s a big pool, and other activities. Our first thought was a
whanna-be Club Med. Edwin Solano told us he had other places to contact in this
area, and Mark rents rooms himself or can recommend others.
What Not To Visit
Don’t bother wasting time.
• La Fortuna. As you go around the north side of the lake, stop when you get to the
volcano. Further on are ugly charm less concrete structures with air-conditioning
built expressly for fat Americans.
• El Cacique. About 15 minutes northwest of the Rock River Lodge. The food is half the
price of other bar/restaurants, and you get what you pay for.
• Tabacon Hot Springs. A personal decision. When we drove by there was at least 40
or 50 cars and tourist buses parked. Not my idea of a getaway.
Money
The Costa Rican Dollar is called a “Colon”, or plural “Colones”.
• DO NOT buy colones at the airport. I figured (foolishly) that these people were
quasi-government, and would exchange US dollars at the official rate. Wrong.
They gave me 8334 colones for a $20 US, and at any bar or restaurant I got at
least 9170.
• I never found any establishment that would not or could not take a $20 US. You might
get colones in return, but just use them for the next transaction.
Costa Rica
Impressions of a first time visitor.
• Is it authentic? Well now, what are your expectations? To have an authentic journey,
do you need to have poor food choices, or people trying to shaft you on monetary
exchanges, or terrible roads, or dislike of all things USA, or women in veils, or
religious police, or heavy weapons toting surly troops in black uniforms at
roadblocks, or long lines at immigration, or rampant machismo, or beggars with
oozing wounds?
• Not me. I would rather take Costa Rica as it is. The society feels egalitarian, with women
running businesses. This may be why many USA citizens say they like “Tico”. Just
a monetarily poorer version of the USA. Poor people, but not desperately poor people.
I didn’t see one beggar. None of that macho nonsense. For instance when driving,
people pull over to let you pass. I gave the gas attendant two $20’s US, and he
handed one back, telling me I only needed a few colones more. On the drive to Lake
Arenal, Edwin said that we are going to a very safe place. Cool.
• I guess that Costa Rica is not the cheapest place, but I believe you get what you pay for.
Mexico is cheaper, and there’s a reason. Enough said.
Food
The guidebook said Ticos like their food bland. Correct.
• Diaherra. We drank the water, used ice cubes, ordered salad, and ate anything placed
in front of us at some pretty suspect establishments, yet we had no digestive tract
hassles.
• If you want to eat or have a beer, just look for an “Imperial Beer” sign. They are everywhere.
• When you go into a restaurant, the question is: pork, chicken, or beef. That is the choice,
because you will also get black beans, white rice, lettuce salad, and if you are lucky,
fried plantains (banana like). 6 or 7 US bucks per dinner.
• Amisted Bar/Restaurant. Between Tico Wind and Rock, is a small village, with no town
sign, but is actually named Rock River. In this town is Amisted, which became our
favorite restaurant. Run by a character named Betty and her husband Luis, the meat
is cooked over an open fire.
• Rock River Lodge. The food is good. We had breakfast (covered under the room) here every
morning. The only difference between an American and Windy Hills breakfast is rice
and black beans (Gallo Pico = Louisiana dirty rice?) with sour cream or bland white
cheese instead of meat and white bread toast. They also have French toast. Pupas
(French fries) with mayonnaise are excellent for a snack after sailing.
The Pan-American Road and other roads
Notice not Highway.
• The last time I drove on the Interstate, I did not encounter any farm tractors completely
blocking the only lane in one direction. That having been said, if you can drive the
Pacific Coast Highway all the way from LA to Frisco, you should have no problem
handling the traffic. If you look at the map of Costa Rica, we drove from Lake Arenal
to Salinas Bay, and had no problems of any sort. Plenty of gas stations, food
establishments, banos (bathrooms), and fruit stands along the way. The only nervous
time is with some of the semi-trailer trucks (or as the Ticos call them, The Owners
Of The Highway). Some of the roadway is marginal, but remember you’re driving a
rental.
• Other roads. We were both scared by the guidebook and don’t really want to drive on
vacation. But this was no sail-in sail-out place. Rent a vehicle. The roads are no real
problem. Country not city driving. On the drive to Salinas Bay, once you are a couple
of kilometers out of La Cruz the road turns to dirt/gravel. No big deal. Maybe in the wet
season this road would be tough, but you will be here during the windsurf/dry season.
The road signage was adequate. You can depend on hotel signs more than road signs.
Vehicle Rental
I would suggest renting a small SUV-type, as opposed to a car.
• Many, many, many potholes on Road 142 on the west end of Lake Arenal. You will
probably average about 25 KPM, not MPH, driving where you want to, that is to or
from Tico Wind and bar/restaurants.
• You will need a vehicle to get from Rock River Lodge to Tico Wind. I suppose you could
walk, but it would take at least ONE HOUR. The bad news is it’s all up hill on the way
back. You may be able to hitch a ride with other sailors, but then you’re on their
schedule. Or else you could ride a bike; how tough are you?
• If I had to do it again, I would get picked up by Edwin at Liberia airport and taken to the
Rock River Lodge. From there I would rent a vehicle, as Juan Pablo has an agreement
with Alamo for no drop off fee (we paid $75 US ‘cause we had to use Dollar rental).
Then use Edwin to get back to the airport. A couple guys said it took them one hour
after the plane landed and they had their bags before they got their vehicle.
• The driveway for Tico Wind is pretty bad. Other guys had a small car, and while the dirt
roadway is passable, they were constantly worried about the rocks sticking up. The
driveway is about a mile long.
• Our Suzuki 4-Wheel Drive (the 4-Wheel went unused) cost us $375 US for 5 days, plus
$75 US drop-off fee. If you reserve ahead, it will probably be a little cheaper.
Transfer
I think the price is the same no matter who drives.
• San Jose to Rock River Lodge - $110 US
• Rock River Lodge to Salinas Bay - $100 US
• Salinas Bay to San Jose - $150 US
We didn’t use all of these, but here are the prices so you know what to expect.
Weather
What to expect during windsurf season.
• Cold. There, I said it. We are weather wimps; we live in LA. When we got off the plane
and on the drive to Arenal, it was hot. But when we got closer to Arenal, things
changed. Edwin told us that where we were going it rains a lot. It was drizzling on
off for the first 5 days. We were really glad we packed sweatpants and sweatshirts
for after sailing. When the sun is out, it was about 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The
weather was like the wind; sun for 30 min, overcast for 20 min, drizzle for 5 min,
sun for 15 min, overcast for 30 min, sun again, overcast again, etc.
• On day 6 the sun came out to stay, and the wind died. Coincidence? I was not there
long enough to decide.
• Everyone was glad that I kept the fire roaring in the fireplace during the first 5 days. I
will guess that it was 60 degrees at night.
• On the drive to Salinas Bay, the further we were from Arenal, the hotter it became.
At the coast it was probably 75 degrees, and very little humidity.
Tico Wind
Equipment Rental. $58 US full day, $38 US half day.
• You must pay in cash. No credit cards, UNLESS you paid in advance as we did through
Rock River Lodge. I doubt if Peter has any other arrangement with other hotels.
• Reservations. This is a very important consideration. If you decide to pay on a daily
basis, you may find that there is no equipment available, because Peter is holding it
for the people who made reservations. Now there are exceptions to all rules. I got
there on Sat., and my reservation didn’t start till Sun. I asked for equipment, and
Peter said come back in one-half hour, and he would see if he had any stuff for me.
He did, and I sailed. But it wasn’t very crowded, and there was only one of me. Don’t
be cheap, reserve the stuff. Peter ain’t getting rich off of this, and if you want to have
really nice equipment when you go somewhere you have to support the local
merchant.
• “JP” boards and “Neil Pryde” sails. I hope you like these ‘cause it’s the ONLY option you
have. That having been said, all the equipment is in brand new or excellent condition.
• Breakage. You pay. I got launched forward and put a 1.5-inch crack in the nose of a
board. Cost me $15. I noticed a few dents on a sail or two. Check your stuff carefully
before using, and bring to notice any prior damage.
• Booms. When you reserve equipment, they label your boom and use that boom for all
sails they rig for you. This way your harness line length and settings never change.
Really nice. Like I said, don’t be cheap. This kind of service is worth it.
• Rescue. Again, here is a wonderful service. The local Danny and Peter’s son Malcom at
your beck-and-call. This is where you get to like jet skis. Soyala got rescued twice
one day, and after both times Peter said don’t worry about it, try sailing again. One
guy said he was rescued twice that day, and his friend eight times.
• Lunch. Oddly important. With a full days equipment rental, lunch is included. The food is
adequate (usually some kind of casserole with rice, juice drink, and a delicious
nut/chocolate bar or muffin), and the meal is right here. Worth every cent. The
nearest place to eat is probably 15 or 20 minutes by car.
• Phone. At Tico Wind there is no electricity, and no landline telephone. Peter regularly
used his cell phone. I don’t have international roaming on my cell, so I didn’t find out
if it would work.
• Bathrooms. There is an outdoor bathroom. Everything is outdoor here.
• If you have friends at Tilawa, you can sail from Tico to Tilawa, or vice-versa.
Tilawa Hotel
The other place to rent equipment and sail Arenal. Prices similar to Tico.
• We didn’t sail from here, but went to look.
• The launch isn’t any easier than Tico, and you have to point upwind to get back. There
is a small bay that would be easier for an intermediate, but if you drift into the bay,
you would have to get back by boat. The have a rescue service, but I didn’t get the
price. Remember, this lake is not for the weak.
• “Real Wind” boards and “Hot Sails Maui” sails, plus a few other assorted. Not the
quantity of Tico Wind.
• The good thing about this place is that you can walk from the Tilawa Hotel to the
launch (15 min).
Lake Arenal
Wherein Uncle L ain’t as good as he thought.
• Can you say Fetch? Fetch is the distance that wind travels over the water, and the
distance waves travel with no obstruction. On the ocean, the wind travels a great
distance, so the interval between waves is longer than on a lake. At Arenal, the
wind is blowing across a maximum 20 mile long fetch, and it all stacks up against
the windsurf launch. The surface gets blown into waves, and then the water
underneath has nowhere to go, and it’s as if it bubbles up going the other direction.
Gnarly.
• The water surface. I was glad I sailed The Delta before, or else this would have gone
from really tough to impossible. On the day when I was on a 3.7-meter sail, the
waves were maybe 3 ft high. Not as bad as The Delta, but way more confused.
And coming directly at you. On the day I was on a 5,4, the waves were easier, and
I could kinda slip down them. The waves are even tighter together than at The Delta,
and there can be shit in the troughs and on the crests.
• I am a lot more used to a starboard tack, and this is a port tack on the way out against
the waves. I had a hell of a time getting used to this, especially on equipment I was
not intimately comfortable with. I use a pointer fin where we normally sail, so I have
a bad habit of putting too much pressure on my back foot. If you’re a good sailor this
is no big deal, but even some of the people who looked smooth said that they felt
like beginners when they first arrived.
• Skill level. You have read about my problems. Soyala has sailed The Delta, and can get
back to her starting point. She could not sail at Lake Arenal. Two problems; the
heavy chop combined with equipment (especially the JP boards) that she was not
used to. And very little room to do the Walk-O’-Shame. If there’s big wind, you have
to be good, not pretty good, damn good.
• The Launch. I sail The Delta, so nothing could be worse. You carry your equipment maybe
20 yds from where they rig it for you, to the water, and then it’s a slippery (smooth red
clay) entry. The “beach” is some 60 yds long, with a quick drop-off. Actually, dropping
your board and stepping on/water starting is relatively simple.
• The Walk-O’-Shame. Well, it’s not far. Maybe you can actually walk 80 yds, on really
slippery red clay, against the wind, with sort of a shore break going on at the same
time. There are three small trees and the jet ski metal ramp to dodge. Downwind after
that it’s rescue time.
• Wind. It’s typical lake sailing. What’s the difference between gusty an up-and-down? Lake
Isabella is 5 knots to 35 knots, which I call gusty, and Lake Arenal is 20 knots for 5
min., then 30 knots for 10 min., then 20 knots for 10 min., then 25 knots for 5 min.,
etc., which to me is up-and-down. I tended to sail a slightly bigger board to get me
through the lulls, which are numerous but don’t last long. Keep an eye on the water for
gust-ripples.
• The water quality. It’s a damn big lake, and all the time I was there I didn’t see a single
boat out on the lake. I drank at least half the lake while being pounded and launched,
and had no digestive track crisis.
• Wetsuit. I wore a 1-mil short sleeve rash guard under a 2-mil sleeveless shorty, and I did
not overheat. Soyala wore her 4/3 full wetsuit, and was glad she had it. Standing
around in the drizzle is not warm.
• Booties. I wear mine all the time, so this was no different. There are no sharp rocks or
debris to worry about at the launch, so if you usually don’t wear booties, you’ll have
no problem. One guy had to tape two toes together because he was bootless, and
broke one toe going for the foot strap.
• Who sails the Lake. Tourists, only tourists, except for Norm. French men and women, a
German/Wash. D.C. woman, 2 guys from Texas, 1guy from Cleveland, 3 guys from
Boston, 1 guy from Wisconsin, 2 guys from Toronto, a tall couple from Winnipeg, and
5 more guys from Canada. A bad infestation from The Great White North.
Salinas Bay
The other place to sail.
• It’s a huge beautiful bay with a ¼ mile sandy beach launch if you have to do the old
Walk-O’-Shame. No real shore break even though the wind is directly onshore. So
you have to point like hell to get out.
• More lake sailing, up-and-down. But here it’s even more extreme; I’m on a 5.0 and a
120-liter board, 25 min. planning nicely, 10 min. where I can’t even hook-in, 15 min.
planning, 25 min. plowing the south 40, etc. That was the first afternoon, and we gave
up out of frustration. Mark told us that the wind is more consistent earlier in the day.
So the next day we started at 11 AM. The tide was way out (200 yds) so it was a
long walk to the water. This time I was on a 5.4 and a 95-liter board. The wind was a
lot more consistent, and I sailed about a half-mile out to an island. Then a screaming
run back on a broad reach. As the afternoon progressed, the wind got flukier.
• The water. Gentle swells that you sail parallel to.
• Skill level. Easy except for the pointing; kinda reminded me of Cabrillo in LA. A place
where you could take an intermediate, but for a beginner it would be tough because
of the swells.
• Equipment. The same price as Tico Wind. Apparently Mark used to work for Peter, and
then took over the concession. So it’s JP and Pryde all over again. Not the quantity
of Tico, because fewer sailors. Mark’s Dutch, so there’s that fanaticism for keeping
the stuff in perfect condition.
• Mark feels that Salinas is better than Arenal, but that is because he’s really into free-style
sailing. He claims that it can get as windy as Arenal. It was not very windy while we
were there, but then again there was light wind at Arenal at the same time. Mark said
that the weather systems that affect Arenal are the same for Salinas.
• Rental Location. Mark runs his windsurf rental right next to this hotel, but he was not sure
how long that connection would last.
• I would contact Mark (you can get messages to him through the Eco-Playa) about
equipment availability before heading all the way over there. Mark is a really nice guy,
who is very helpful, but he is just getting going, and it remains to be seen how many
windsurfers will show up. The first day we were the only sailors, and the second day
there was one German woman with us.
• Mark took us to a wonderful little beach. Instead of turning into Eco-Playa, continue to a
small village named Jobo. In the middle of Jobo, turn right and go past the police station
to the end of the road. Here is the perfect place for a glass of champagne at sunset,
although you will have to bring your own champagne and flutes.
Surfing
I don’t surf; too much sitting in cold water.
• When I bought my new wetsuit at a surf shop, they all went, ‘Ooh, ooh, you’re going to Costa
Rica! We all dream of getting to such a paradise.” I said I was buying the suit to windsurf.
They said it doesn’t matter; you’ll love Costa Rica.
• Some of the sailors said that they boogie to the coast if and when the wind dies. Most of the
guidebooks have a lot more information on surfing than windsurfing. Also check surfing
magazines.
• It’s approximately 1.5 to 2 hours drive from Arenal to the surf spots.
• The scuttlebutt around the fireplace was that the surf spots were more typical gringo tourist
holes.
Would I Go Back
An interesting question.
• One night we were sitting around the fireplace at Rock, and this German girl wondered why
anyone would sail here, as the chop on the water made sailing so difficult. If you want
heavy weather and can handle it, Arenal is the place to work out. Salinas Bay is easier.
• We are really glad we went to Costa Rica, and we would recommend it to anyone.
• As I get older, I want to try different places. The adventure of a new place is always a strong
lure.
• Having said that, every year we go to The Delta for a week stay at a rental house (the
Dibbles Warehouse, inquire at Delta Windsurf, Rio Vista, Ca.) that is right just across
the road from the water. I have had really good luck at The Delta as far as wind goes.
It’s probably the same at Arenal.
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