~ by Dagmar Reinhard – Photo Christopher Gstailder
Much like our summer and winter seasons change, the seasons of big surf also changes. The summer months of hot sunny days are gone for now and a more wet, stormy, and cooler season brings more gifts. Many refer to this wet season as “the green season”. A surfer just refer to it as “the surf season”.
Surf Season has arrived
Accompanying the rains come remnants of storms from the South Pacific and the Pacific Coast of South America. The energy from these far away storms arrives to our beaches in in the shape of massive waves. As consistent as the storms, but not necessarily a result of, these waves temporarily change our local beach culture. For the avid and experienced surfers, this is the highlight of the year when wave heights at certain breaks can reach up to 15ft. Different beaches and surf spots that need high swell energy to produce waves are now in their prime, and beaches that were previously enjoyed by swimmers could potentially be dangerous.
For those who are learning to surf, places like Playa Dominical and Playa Hermosa are only recommended if you are with a surf school. Beaches like Playa Dominicalito, Playa Uvita, and Playa Ventanas are recommended and are more manageable. With the heavy rains, the rivers are now shedding more water and as a result, create strong currents and rip tides.
For those who are not surfers, there are still several beaches where you don’t have to worry about giant waves and crazy rip tides. For the more advanced surfers, look for beaches like Playa Dominical, Playa Hermosa and the various reef breaks that need this high energy to create a wave. The surf season usually lasts until late October and early November.
