What is Surfing like at Surf Term?
By: Annika Nygren
Every day at Surf Term, the practice of surfing is infused throughout all we do. From fueling with delicious foods at meal times to walking to the beach for a "wave check," watching surf analysis videos, practicing mindfulness and breathwork, and grabbing a board from our rack, our days flow with the ocean tides.
Morning Surf in Costa Rica
Surf practice is blended between many modalities. We have coached surfing, on-land training, video/photo analysis, yoga + mindfulness, and "Free Surf" sessions. We are in the water at least twice a day!
Each morning, we wake up to the sunrise's soft pink and blue hues and wander through the lush jungle path to the beach break at Playa Guiones. The first several minutes are spent with toes in the sand and eyes on the waves. After a full-body warm-up and discussion about the ocean conditions, it's time to jump in!
Surf Sessions in Noscara
During the first surf session of the day, the students head out in small groups with our coaches from the local Safari Surf School. Safari Surf has a sustainability business model and only uses local surf instructors. They will group students based on ability levels and gives each small group their own coach. After 90 minutes of working on one's pop-up, wave timing, or paddling, it's time to head back to the Surf Lodge for a second breakfast and study hall. After a few hours of school work, lunch, and siesta, it's time to return to the waves!
Surf Safety
Every afternoon before sunset, the students of Surf Term head out for a "Free Surf" session with our team of Safety Surfers! Our safety surfers are local surf instructors who come out to surf with us to act as lifeguards, coaches, mentors, and guides. These sessions begin with a Safety Briefing at the Lodge, where we discuss beach conditions, grouping, and goals for the session.
If you are feeling tired, there is the option to boogie board or swim with flippers as an alternative to surf practice!
Self-Reflection Time
Following the second surf session of the day, we head back to the Lodge for showers and dinner cooked by local women. Post-dinner, it's time to grab our Surf Journals and record a bit about the day's sessions. The practice of writing about the conditions, the board we used, the skill we tried, and the number of waves we rode provides a space to reflect upon progress and solidify all that we are learning. After dinner, we either wind down with a yoga+ mindfulness session, watch videos of each other surfing to give constructive feedback or play a leadership game to bond more deeply as a community and Surf Term team.
Then it's off to bed to do it all again tomorrow!
