Olas tipico Isla Grande

July 23 ,2011 Coral Abrasions and Smiles
Laying in bed this morning, I was overtaken by the surging sound of Caribbean surf. I took that meaning as a certain omen to roll out of the rack. When I got down to the surf overlook at the Sister Moon hotel, Jorge and Eduardo were already scoping the surf break. I however, was armed with a board under my arm. Without any local knowledge I embarked on the entry into the surf zone, a bit too hastily. My first attempt was without booties on the beach side. Looking like a sand bottom with a few rocks dispersed throughout, I headed undaunted into the water. It wasn’t long before the illusion of sand gave way to a carpeted bottom of reefy, corrugated, live coral. After a couple of spills trying to do the “coral dance”, I realized that this foray into uncharted waters was to be unsuccessful. I drew first blood, however, as I got some scrapes from my falls onto the sharp reef.
I went straight away to retrieve my surf booties for another attempt. Both Jorge and Eduardo had been looking on to monitor my dismal progress, and when I got back to the observation deck, Eduardo convinced me to enter the lineup a bit farther up the shoreline, by doing a rock jump. That is standing on a rock close to the water line, and timing the wave sets until the water fills in from an incoming wave, and diving out on your board. Since I had no local role model to watch, I was on my own, and with heart pumping, did just that.
After the “leap of faith” into the rocky bottomed zone, the next task is to paddle like your life depended on it since the next group of waves is quick to follow. Well it worked out alright until my leash became unattached on my second wave, and my board went barreling downstream with the wave up onto the rocks. The swim in of shame followed, and there was only minimal damage to my board. I would not give up, and after resecuring the Velcro band of my surf leash, entered the water for the third time, again from the rock jump method.
Well, the waves were fun, and before long a tidy little crowd showed up in the line up to score the Atlantic waves. It is a fun little spot that is on the tip of Isla Grande. The swell comes from the North, and wraps around the point of the island where our hotel is located, and breaks in the channel between the island, and the Caribbean mainland of Panama. Both land masses are covered in thick vegetation like a green beard of foliage with the razor stubble of palm trees spontaneously distributed throughout.
I ended up surfing 3 sessions today, and Dylan was out for two of them. He was fearless in his confident entry in and out of this surf area. I was concerned for his safety, but he paddled headlong into the task, never fearful of the rock jump, the crowds in the line up or the exit out of the shoreline. He caught a couple of fun waves.
Midday, we went to the opposite point on Isla Grande to a public beach which has a coral reef just off the waterline. We had all of our snorkeling gear in tow, and had a great little snorkeling experience, watching colorful schools of tropical fish, the coral formations, urchins, and anemone, all the while keeping up vigilance for the Jet skis and panga boats which were sharing the same waters we were in, but at a much higher speed.
Back to the Sister Moon, which is not quite hotel, but not quite surf cabina. It’s a surf hobina!! The hobina is mad up of little cabina like structures, usually with 2 separate rooms. Our structure is the highest of the group, with a great view of the surfing beach, the rooms stacked on top of each other , each with a balcony equipped with the ubiquitous Panama hammock.
After a great day of surfing and snorkeling, we walked the craggy coast line around the island to the tiny town. That description is a stretch for a few homes and restaurants huddled together in front of the shrine to Cristo Negro erected just offshore. Corvina ajillo was the dinner at La Cholita rest. Happily fed, and smiles all around we walked back to climb into bed.