A Surf and Zoo Day

10/20/2008

Woke up and prepared some yummy Palo Alto coffee, followed by a homework session for Dylan. He is really hanging in there with his studies each day. Patrick takes a group of the cousins for a walk up Ancon Hill. Rich gets us a new rental car, and then we assemble for the Bach party for Tio Ocho. Our trip into the Interior has not changed much since 2005, and we do a surf check after arrival at el Rey in Coronado. The check at the Clube does not look to encouraging, so we check Rio Mar which is not looking much better. However, here is the email I sent to my friends in Cocoa Beach:

Hello my surf compadres!

Just got back from Ocho's "bachelor" party, which was a 2 day surf trip. Got a little later start yesterday than I would've liked, but due to the tide times it was all good. We drove about an hour to the "Interior" of Panama, and arrived at Rio Mar at about mid tide. Rio Mar and Coronado were looking a little weak, so we drove to the Grimison "home break" of Playa Tetas. As the tide was dropping, the Tetas "front" was working which is where the river goes out to sea. Since the underlying swell was not very big, and also, long period we had to be patient but were rewarded with some chest high lefts. Our group was a pretty formidable size, about 9 surfers, but waves were to be had by all.

This morning we checked Playa Palomar and Rio Mar again. Both were looking a little deep from the high tide. High tide flu. We opted to delay the departure briefly awaiting the turning tide. Again, Playa Tetas was the call. The swell had come up some during the night, and again we began the sesh at Tetas front. This day the waves were coming at a faster pace, and somewhat bigger. I could not help but notice that warm Central American feel to the paddle out, as the water's surface takes on that marbled quality with the foam overlying the glassy surfaced agua, and the water with that fresh, briny smell. Today was fun, and as the front closed down, the Point at Tetas picked up. It is a pretty good paddle out to the Punta, however, the sets were pitching over a boil created by 3 submerged boulders. The take offs felt late over the boils, however, after the drop and bottom turn, the lefts were walling up for a spectacular, hollow, chest high wave--very shreddable. It felt good to NOT experience the residual effects of a previous nights' bach celebration, and get some activity of the most glorious kind in Centro America.

Dylan and Ryan are dying to get to the beach, and hopefully will get their turn Thursday, as the whole family will be hitting the beach for 4 days.

Hope all is well with my bien amigos in CFL.
Pletch

For dinner we dined on leftover chorizo/meat stickers from the baptism party and played poker way late into the night. Stayed at Walter Botins home in Rio Mar, Rachel G’s grandfather.


The moms took the ninos to Summitt Zoo and then Miraflores locks whilst the dads surfed their lives away.