Worst surf trip

[Sharkbiscuit]

For the stroganoff phobic among you, don’t try the day old mole at the bus stop in Culiacán if you’re destination is Zihuatanejo.

Three Mole Island had the terlet all Fukushima'd up? I figured I'd get stabbed if I ever unleashed one of my deuces in the bus. The occasional whizz is sometimes unavoidable though.

Colima to Tecoman a cold water can be nice. Otherwise, the Mexi bus is like Ramadan during polar day. Hard no.

 

[HatterasGlass]

First trip to pa_ones, cr when I was I in 7th grade about 15 years ago. Waves were head high and perfect . I was an east coast grom and could do 4 hr+ sessions no problem with the level of stoke. Well I did just that but didnt think to apply sunscreen on the backs of my legs. Legs were red as an apple on day 1. Day 2 pain really starts setting in but could get a session early morning and late afternoon low-sun times. Day 3 woke up bubbling on my legs and my knees locked with the goo drying and blistering when the bubbles popped. Developed a velociraptor walk. Day 3-6 agony but vicodin saved me. Day 6 - bought a sweet parrot carved cane in the airport. Got home. Went to doctor. Said worst sunburn hes ever seen. He put some medicated cream all over them then wrapped them in plastic wrap.

My legs now turn crazy red in the sun even with badass sunscreen. But not sunburn... weird...


Other trip. Followed tropical storm Igor to the outer banks for what we though was gonna be amazing conditions. Winds great, nice weekend, but it was so big only way outer sandbars were breaking and barley and Hines were getting towed in at lighthouse and Avon pier. Not gonna paddle a half mile out with a significant north drift in the box, no way. There was some giant shore break that we played around with and body surfed. Got real drunk camping. Otherwise skunked. Last day coming home we scored ocracoke inlet. I guess it had some sand points to break up the swell. Still kinda far out, big and spooky, but just 4 of the boys out and some angry fishermen on the beach.

Your tale is strong - and familiar.
But mine is stronger because unlike you, I was subject to a Florida flat spell and poor quality weed.

Good game.

 

[000]

my dad decided to move to costa rica
went down, bought a used truck for 10k , crashed it in a ditch
spent 3 months chain smoking in san jose while gettin it fixed
never surfed once, was having heart issues
then decided to come home
so he told a guy to sell the truck for him and send him the $
guy called and said the truck was stolen, as in my dad had bought a stolen truck
predictably, he got no $ for it

 

[Duffy LaCoronilla]

I'm still hellbent on a solo mission down there, one of these days. Despite the fact I always imagine the trip turning out something like that.

I’ll go with you. We can solo together!

 

[urchined]

Bocas Del Toro, Panama and to be specific Red Frog Beach Resort
Just got back.
Never surfed, it was flat and no one wanted to take my money to take me longboarding even or suggest that I go fishing or take me on a snorkel trip.

Overall the general feel of the area is they don't want people from the USA's money. Good food was hard to find, the service was terrible and could not wait to get home, which I have never said being to Mexico over 20 times, El Salvador, Cancun, Cozumel, Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, Maui, etc.

I asked 3 different surf outfits to at least take me to a break to surf whatever was there and the reply was "it's small" even though I talked to a few other guys that surfed around the island I was on, it was a 3 mile walk to I declined.

I was referred to Red Frog Bungelows by a friend who had just been there and had a good experience with the owner and the operation. I messaged him multiple times on IG only to get the same "Surf is going to be small" repeatedly asking to at least suggest someone to take us around, on a boat trip, etc. No reply. Like really? You can't even tell me to F off, just ignore me??? What a kook.

I walked over there in person and spoke with a girl working there and she offered to call the owner and I was pleased to finally chat with him face to face. She calls him on a hand held radio and she comes back and is like "He is too busy doing work in his office to come talk to you" She also said his boat was broken and he could not take us fishing.
Sorry, but if your boat is broken, tell me well in advance.

Just amazing how no one really wants to lift a finger down there to help a traveling surfer out. I guess they have all the money they want and don't practice referring friends.

Bocas itself is dirty and filled with trash, but along the water there is cool little restaurants that are pretty fun. The airport sucks and our flight was 1.5 hours late to depart, no one tells for anything, no update, nothing.

I don't ever suggest going there.

Pros were the water is super clear and snorkeling is great! Bird and animal watching is great! Beer and booze are cheap.

Copa airline is sub-par at best. $150 each way for a double bag.
They screwed up our reservation on the 7:15 hour ride home so my wife and I could not sit together. A joke.

Red Frog Beach Resort is a fraud. Nothing of what it looks like on their site is accurate, some is even photo shopped.

https://www.redfrogbeach.com/

They got my money once, but never again and I'll do my best to spread the word of how much of a lie that area is.

I can see the area being fun for the 20-30 year old backpacker, there was lots of them. But not for the approaching 50 surfer that pays for expects a luxury resort.

Sticking to Mexico, where I have always had good experiences with honest people.

I know the surf goes off there, but there are many other options where you don't have to deal with as much BS.

My worst trip was bocas as well. probably around 1995. Everything sucked from constant rain, no swell, bad food, no local help to get boats to outer spots, etc. only surf trip that I never surfed. It was a bummer because I had scored salsa brava nearby in Costa Rica for 4 years in a row right after Christmas for weeks each time.

 

[LifeOnMars]

I’ll go with you. We can solo together!

I wouldn’t do it, he might roofie your tuna melt

 

[racer1]

All you single guys should be buying trips right now. Deals and it'll be empty.

 

[LifeOnMars]

All you single guys should be buying trips right now. Deals and it'll be empty.

Going to Indo next week, $500 one way from LAX on Singapore. Usually it’s at least 2x that. Haven’t been this early in the season, guessing it will still be crowded enough.

 

[SharkBoy]

Lanzarote, there was swell, but onshore on both sides of the island at the same time, odd considering it was only a 25 minute drive apart. But overall the trip was good.

 

[GromsDad]

These stories make me feel better about my most recent trip. 5 days of small but ridable surf then it finally got good for the last 3 but when it was good it was so insanely crowded that it really bummed me out on the whole trip.

 

[surfadelphia]

All you single guys should be buying trips right now. Deals and it'll be empty.

sh!t, not single but the wife and I are trying to head down to Ixtapa (non surf trip, may try to get a few surfs in) in April but flights are pretty fucked from the east coast, no deals and out of the way connections. As of now opting for a few days in Mexico City with direct flights back home rather than some 15 hour layover in Seattle.

 

[Watervalley]

Costa Rica hands down September this year , witches rock , missed the part where i had to pay a local 250 US per trip or 700 with the tropic surf mafia , surf was fun when i spent it with the local but just 2 days , crocs the size of boats walking around the beach into the water the one day i'm solo out there , i was freaking , then tried surfing all around the resort on any kind of swell trashed board , the best part was the first day i head down lock the 250 in hand amped , local goes you like Woman cocaine , I'm like yeah but not at 6:30 am with sun block on my face and my wife sleeping 50 meters from us .

 

[Subway]

Costa Rica hands down September this year , witches rock , missed the part where i had to pay a local 250 US per trip or 700 with the tropic surf mafia , surf was fun when i spent it with the local but just 2 days , crocs the size of boats walking around the beach into the water the one day i'm solo out there , i was freaking , then tried surfing all around the resort on any kind of swell trashed board , the best part was the first day i head down lock the 250 in hand amped , local goes you like Woman cocaine , I'm like yeah but not at 6:30 am with sun block on my face and my wife sleeping 50 meters from us .

LMAO man i loved costa rica when i was young drunk horny and single

 

[Sharkbiscuit]

sh!t, not single but the wife and I are trying to head down to Ixtapa (non surf trip, may try to get a few surfs in) in April but flights are pretty fucked from the east coast, no deals and out of the way connections. As of now opting for a few days in Mexico City with direct flights back home rather than some 15 hour layover in Seattle.

There is no good way to get from the East Coast to that zone via plane. Mexico City, Guad, and often PV the flight is reasonable but any farther West/South and like you say, 12-18 hours in an airport.

 

[casa_mugrienta]

I’ll go with you. We can solo together!

Ill let you know if I go

 

[ElOgro]

There is no good way to get from the East Coast to that zone via plane. Mexico City, Guad, and often PV the flight is reasonable but any farther West/South and like you say, 12-18 hours in an airport.

My name is José Jiménez
I am an astronaut

 

[Truth]

Going to Indo next week, $500 one way from LAX on Singapore. Usually it’s at least 2x that. Haven’t been this early in the season, guessing it will still be crowded enough.

bali usual crowds in water - swell starting late next week - looks like some fun surf
do yourself a favor - go to a another island where there are low season crowds

 

[Sharkbiscuit]

View attachment 87180
My name is José Jiménez
I am an astronaut

Yew; that's why I put the via plane in. With a board and sin esposa I'd cut out the board transfer + layover risk for the bus mission. I dig the Mexi bus, but not everyone does.

One of my long time surf buddies came with me one time. Once we got our bags and got to the Guad long term bus station, we spent almost no time waiting. Walk in/Walk out stops bus rolling in 10 in Colima and Tecoman. Perfection timing. Landed afternoon and surfed that same day. He thought the $100 or whatever to get driven by some rando who shouted $100 was the smarter move. It was easily 4x as expensive (10ish years ago).

The young Enci boys doing the all store bought food, tent or no A/C jail cell budget missions get driven solo in a car from Manzanillo. Perfectly serviceable Spanish. I give up.