I have made it one of my
life goals to surf in as many countries as possible. Nicaragua did not
disappoint! In a beach town full
of die-hard surfers and expert locals how could I not grab a board and head to
the beach. Honestly, the way these guys surf is mind blowing! I started with a
morning lesson with Arena Caliente at Remanso beach for $25. Surfboards tied to
the roof and a group of us in the back of the open truck. After being taken
aback by strong waves in Sri Lanka I told them I was a complete beginner. New
oceans can take you by surprise, the scar on my leg from Sri Lanka is proof so
I played it safe and they started me on a soft-board.
I have been surfing for a
few years, odd lessons here and there and spent the past couple of summers
surfing with Doc in Croyde, where we load our boards onto his Land Rover
Defender and spend the best part of the day long-boarding on Saunton Beach. Doc
is my Dad's former work partner and possibly the coolest guy alive.
My surf lesson proved
really useful as I've gotten myself into the terrible habit of getting to my
knees before standing on the board. This suited me fine in England when you're
in a wetsuit but a killer if your knees are bare. I am finally learning to pop
up and get to my feet quickly. The waves at Remanso were so strong and most of
the time I was getting pummelled by the tide trying to manoeuvre a cumbersome
soft-board. But as Doc says 'better a crap day surfing than a good day at
work'. I had a great day, met a cool group of Canadians taking the lesson with
me, and finally got to try Ceviche - a delicious dish of marinated fish. I went
for a drink with Megan and Tristan at the Loose Moose in the evening, a lovely
couple from our morning group, and reminisced over travel experiences and Corn
Island with them.
Today was a much better
surfing day. I switched to a hardboard and headed to Maderas. Unlike Remanso,
there are no stones when you hit the shallow so I had a much softer landing and
a fantastic day surfing. My knees are still in pretty good shape, evidence of
some improvement! John, my friend from California gave me some good pointers. I
just need to keep practising, keep getting up. One day I will make this sport
second nature. I have never been happier than after a day surfing. Its not the
first time i have been tempted to move my life to the beach and surf every day.
Doc has done just that and I have the best memory of him floating on the water
saying 'its like a holiday, but it's not, it's retirement!'
I am reluctant to leave; I
love how laid back San Juan del Sur is. My favourite time of day is late
afternoon, post surf; drinking iced coffee, reading and watching people pass by
in the colourful streets. I would happily stay here a while longer but I have
only a week left and I want to explore Ometepe before I depart.
San Juan has had an
osmotic effect on me. I feel brighter, more carefree, more easygoing than the
person I was before this trip began. I have learnt to enjoy the present, that
plans are subject to change and I love the freedom of having nowhere to be, no
tune to dance to but my own. I am holding onto this luxury, recognising not to
take it for granted as I will really miss it when I'm back home.
Imogen
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