A Morning at Wild Woman's
10 years ago
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Monday, November 9, 2009
Surf's Up (And Down) in Aguadilla
Two weekends ago, the whole volunteer crew decided to see what all the fuss was about. Pretty much everyone we’ve talked to has recommended we visit the west coast. Also, because of seasonal currents, starting in November and ending in March, the west coast has a giant swell that attracts surfers from all over the world to Rincón and Aguadilla. Rincón was the home of world surfing competitions back in the 60’s and 70’s. We were all excited to experience the beauty we had heard about and also to possibly go surfing.
We left early Saturday morning. Unfortunately, the drive took longer than expected. The major highway going west was closed for about 30 miles due to the oil refinery explosion. We decided to stay the night, so we booked a hotel with 2 queen beds, and 1 double for 85 dollars. Not bad when it’s split 5 ways. Beds, air conditioning, and a hot shower were more than we could ask for. The price of the hotel reflects the general philosophy of life in Aguadilla. The hotel manager told us the beds are packed in tight and the price is cheap because he started the hotel so that surfers could come in flocks to enjoy the beach without breaking the bank. Everyone is laid back during the day and ready to party at night. It’s a sleepy little village that revolves around surfing; everyone just wants to catch that big wave of the day and celebrate it later. As you may have guessed, I was totally in my element. I love everything about Aguadilla. It was a welcome change of pace from the death stares we get in San Juan.
Playa Crashboat (Crashboat Beach) is famous in Aguadilla. It apparently got its ominous name from the eventual wreckage of all boats that docked there due to the massive waves. We journeyed there after we dropped our stuff off at the hotel. Getting to the beach anywhere in Aguadilla from the town is an adventure in itself. The streets, or lack thereof, descend rapidly in a crazy zigzag pattern through heavy brush until you happen upon the ocean. We enjoyed some cheap, beachside pinchos (barbecued meat on a stick) before laying out. Unfortunately, the day was cut short. An hour or so after our arrival, an incredible storm hit the coast. The raindrops were larger than I had ever seen and they didn’t stop all night. Unbelievably, the hotel television had a multitude of channels, including NBC! The day was saved with a case of beer and a Notre Dame victory over BC. Chalk the day up as a tie.
The next day we decided to venture further north to Playa los Jobos. This beach is famous for its surf. After asking directions from everyone in town, a supposed 15-minute drive took us over an hour. The beach was beautiful and everyone there seemed to be having a great time. Tiki bars and sandwich shops lined the beach and reggae was constantly playing. I immediately inquired about surfboard rentals and we quickly found a young surfer dude that was renting out his 3 surfboards. He let us rent each board for 2-3 hours for 20 bucks a piece.
When I first got my opportunity with the board, the waves were of moderate height. I was surprised how easily I got up. That specific beach area has a kind of bay feature to it. I rode a few waves almost all the way across the bay. I had to swim to the shore and walk the board back to our spot. I passed the board off until it was my turn again. My success had ended with that last run. Once I got the board back, the waves were more powerful due to high tide. The waves were also more frequent. I was definitely struggling to even paddle out to wear the waves pick up. Dengue’s damage was evident; I felt weak. Eventually, I got up on a few waves but was tossed after a short run. I also had trouble dropping in. The front part of my board kept dipping too far into the wave, which always resulted in a sandy and salty ending for Jon. Undeterred, I will surf again.
With this surfing adventure came many new lessons. First, I now know why surfers wear rash guard shirts. Given the poor quality of the rental board and the long day of surfing, my nipples felt like I had breastfed an elephant. A powerful image, I know, but it’s the only way I can make you understand the pain. Second, surfers have those slender, compact bodies for a reason. Everything from paddling out, to catching the wave, and maintaining balance is an intense core workout. I didn’t realize how much my abs and arms hurt until about midway through the day. Thirdly, I love the ocean. Okay, that’s not a new lesson, but I do!
Pictures and videos coming shortly after this post! Check the Web Albums.
We left early Saturday morning. Unfortunately, the drive took longer than expected. The major highway going west was closed for about 30 miles due to the oil refinery explosion. We decided to stay the night, so we booked a hotel with 2 queen beds, and 1 double for 85 dollars. Not bad when it’s split 5 ways. Beds, air conditioning, and a hot shower were more than we could ask for. The price of the hotel reflects the general philosophy of life in Aguadilla. The hotel manager told us the beds are packed in tight and the price is cheap because he started the hotel so that surfers could come in flocks to enjoy the beach without breaking the bank. Everyone is laid back during the day and ready to party at night. It’s a sleepy little village that revolves around surfing; everyone just wants to catch that big wave of the day and celebrate it later. As you may have guessed, I was totally in my element. I love everything about Aguadilla. It was a welcome change of pace from the death stares we get in San Juan.
Playa Crashboat (Crashboat Beach) is famous in Aguadilla. It apparently got its ominous name from the eventual wreckage of all boats that docked there due to the massive waves. We journeyed there after we dropped our stuff off at the hotel. Getting to the beach anywhere in Aguadilla from the town is an adventure in itself. The streets, or lack thereof, descend rapidly in a crazy zigzag pattern through heavy brush until you happen upon the ocean. We enjoyed some cheap, beachside pinchos (barbecued meat on a stick) before laying out. Unfortunately, the day was cut short. An hour or so after our arrival, an incredible storm hit the coast. The raindrops were larger than I had ever seen and they didn’t stop all night. Unbelievably, the hotel television had a multitude of channels, including NBC! The day was saved with a case of beer and a Notre Dame victory over BC. Chalk the day up as a tie.
The next day we decided to venture further north to Playa los Jobos. This beach is famous for its surf. After asking directions from everyone in town, a supposed 15-minute drive took us over an hour. The beach was beautiful and everyone there seemed to be having a great time. Tiki bars and sandwich shops lined the beach and reggae was constantly playing. I immediately inquired about surfboard rentals and we quickly found a young surfer dude that was renting out his 3 surfboards. He let us rent each board for 2-3 hours for 20 bucks a piece.
When I first got my opportunity with the board, the waves were of moderate height. I was surprised how easily I got up. That specific beach area has a kind of bay feature to it. I rode a few waves almost all the way across the bay. I had to swim to the shore and walk the board back to our spot. I passed the board off until it was my turn again. My success had ended with that last run. Once I got the board back, the waves were more powerful due to high tide. The waves were also more frequent. I was definitely struggling to even paddle out to wear the waves pick up. Dengue’s damage was evident; I felt weak. Eventually, I got up on a few waves but was tossed after a short run. I also had trouble dropping in. The front part of my board kept dipping too far into the wave, which always resulted in a sandy and salty ending for Jon. Undeterred, I will surf again.
With this surfing adventure came many new lessons. First, I now know why surfers wear rash guard shirts. Given the poor quality of the rental board and the long day of surfing, my nipples felt like I had breastfed an elephant. A powerful image, I know, but it’s the only way I can make you understand the pain. Second, surfers have those slender, compact bodies for a reason. Everything from paddling out, to catching the wave, and maintaining balance is an intense core workout. I didn’t realize how much my abs and arms hurt until about midway through the day. Thirdly, I love the ocean. Okay, that’s not a new lesson, but I do!
Pictures and videos coming shortly after this post! Check the Web Albums.
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