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Published: August 9th 2014
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After scoring our whole time, it was time to move from the life of luxury. Not after getting some pictures of the surf tho. The photos are now all posted on the previous entry. We got a ride to managua and were told we should catch a bus to Puerto Sandino.
Upon attempting to converse, we found catching a bus to puerto Sandino would prove difficult. We we're able to get a taxi there which wasn't too bad. We were told Sandino was a small town and the spot to surf is one in which we would need to get a boat to. Well, the taxi driver followed what he thought was the way to puerto Sandino and we ended up at some form of a blocked off authorized personnel road only. We found one hotel nowhere near the ocean, and realized maybe this wasn't the best call.
We decided we could find a place near the Miramar surf camp we were staying at. So we told our driver we'd give him some extra dough to drive us to Miramar. We are driving around, seeing nothing that resembles a hostel or hotel and eventually see
surfboards. We pull over and I walk in and ask where we are, is there room, etc. a guy comes out wearing an ET Surfboards (local surf shop where I grew up) shirt. Turns out he grew up around there and started a surf camp. We were looking for something a little cheaper so he showed us a small hostel. We were lucky to get a room.
There as one room available in the hostel and we snagged it. Unfortunately,mas we arrived Matt was beginning to not feel very well. There was no surf in the water so most of our day was just resting after surfing our brains out the past few days. We met Galo, the chef at the restaurant we went to. Galo told us about some of the issues going on in Nicaragua. This has been the driest season for a long long time. Cows are dying and people are really having trouble making enough money to feed their families. One of the workers had 3 kids and just made over 100$ a month, yet still had to pay for a nanny to watch the kids at home. The poverty is pretty evident
as most houses are really just big rooms with bars over the windows and tin roofs. I can't imagine that the kids in that area make it to any form of school.
While Matt was resting I had the opportunity to meet a few others including an investment banker that does mergers and acquisitions for oil companies. I was able to get some insight into oil companies from him. There are probably only 3 people reading this that would realize how interesting this was for me: dad, GPa and Beau. After our couple days of layday, heading just 10 minutes north to our next surf camp.
The surf camp sits right on the point and most the pictures you are seeing are rom that spot. Since Chris (or taco as I may incidentally refer to him as that) was to afraid to meet us in El Salvador, he and his sister came and met us here. Megan is heading to university of michigan, following her brothers footsteps. We all arrived near the same time. The surf has pretty small but there was a big swell on the horizon. We decided to hop on the
boat and check out puerto Sandino since it supposedly picked up more swell.
Although we have no pictures to show it, this wave was pretty spectacular. It breaks probably half a mile out to sea and you could catch a wave and ride it for quarter of a mile. This happens since this wave is a combination of a sandbar with some reefs. It sits in front of a river mouth that pushes sand out. I've seen videos of it barreling pretty much off the takeoff, yet due to the no rain, the wave was more of a rippable wave. This day it was pretty crowded and got too windy quickly. The wind as a little bit of an issue in general so people were only surfing it in the morning. As the swell filled in Chris and I hopped on a boat with only 3 other guys (including owner of camp). We looked at wind forecasts and told him we wanted to go out in the afternoon. It was sort of a secret afternoon boat that was never announced. Usually a boat gets announced and they will do 2-3 rounds of 8 people. There are also
other camps that take boats out, so a crowd is very likely.
We headed out there to see easily overhead clean waves breaking with no one out. Turns out we were right. Just us 5 were sitting out there trading off waves. I saw 2 turtles getting it on, a bigger fish catch a smaller fish in the air, and other wildlife every where. I then caught what was to be the best wave of the trip for me and the longest wave of my life. I was sitting out after catching a couple and seeing the boat mates catch a few. I then sat way deeper and saw a solid set coming in. I paddled over the first wave and second, the turned around to catch the third. I paddled as hard as I could, and just as I was beginning to cat the wave I went totally blind. The offshore wind howling water up the face, into my face. I stand up and somehow find my self out in front. 15+ turns later and what seemed like an eternity, I kicked out. I can't even really conceive hone far I took it but it took
me 15 minutes to paddle back out with the offshore wind at my back without getting caught inside. Maybe 200 yards? I really don't know. The wind got on us soon after and that 1 hour session is one for the books.
The swell had evidently begun to kick in. Unfortunately Matt was still under the weather and unable to surf. Taco and I watched it pick up and get big. We were surprised to only see about 5 people out. There were about 20 Brazilian surfers staying at our site, yet only one was paddling out. Chris and I went out and found out really how big it was out there. After getting blown out trying to paddle in and taking a few wipeouts, we caught a few. I then watched taco pull into the heaviest barrel I've ever seen a friend pull into. Unfortunately he didn't make it out but was fine. I then was trying to get my big one in. I commit to a set that I was too deep and too late. I got to end my session with free falling down the face and taking the worst wipeout of my life.
I got back up and was fortunately able to take some more waves on the head (check the picture).
I woke up the next morning with my whole body aching. I can't say I've ever had such an achy feeling strictly from surfing. But the surf was still fun and we made it out. There was a new guy that was a pro surfer from Brazil. I saw the 2 best live barrels of my life right in front of me. It was unbelievable. Taco also then proceeded to break his board he rented that day.
Thanks for joining us taco and Megan. And photo credit goes to mostly Megan and Matt. We are heading north now and Matt is feeling good. He made it out on our last day and we both got some fun ones. We are heading to "the boom" which will be our last spot we go to in Nicaragua. A friend of matts guaranteed "the best barrels of our life paired with the most beatings." Excited to see what's in store.
Hope you enjoy the pictures.
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mom
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so great!! parker can't wait to join you. love u