Back to Esquina Del Mar, Costa Rica

I went to Costa Rica with Bill Robson and Kevin Smith to Pavones at the end of March. We really didn't land much more than waist to chest with occasional 2 feet overhead at the peak but it was still a great trip and at the right tide, some great waves. Kevin is Greg Smith's younger brother. Greg was a good friend of mine who passed away a few years ago and I became good friends with Kevin while hanging out with Greg and during a trip to Panama (Santa Catalina, Venao Beach). Kevin brought the hat that Greg bought while we were in Panama with Greg's ashes in it and a couple of cool Pictures of Greg on one or two of the trips he and I had made to Pavones. It was a great tribute and if it weren't so expensive (with a wife and two kids in San Diego, it is) we'd go back more often.

My first trip to Pavones was in 1992. But my most memorable (and perfect huge south swells) were with Greg in 1993, 1994, and I believe 1996. Greg and I had gone to the Outer Banks of North Carolina several times and caught some great south swells there at any one of the sandbars and piers there. Travelling with Greg was always a good time. And if I can help it I'll be making a few more trips with Kevin too...Good surfer, good traveler, and a funny dude.

I read Allan Weisbecker's 2nd book "In Search of Captain Zero" which was a very cool book and ended right there in Pavones. This was my 7th trip (sometimes we went back to Pavones to catch a 2nd south swell within a month) in 8 trips to Costa Rica. Lots of bills to pay and to deal with a scratch in the car that the credit card insurance company is supposed to pay for. Here are some shots. Nothing good of the surf, we were always just surfing when we could to catch the right tide due to the lack of major swell in the water.