SURFING WITH A BABY ON BOARD

---

My pregnant surfing experience so far…….

I found out I was pregnant at the beginning of my work season as a Surf Instructor. I thought to myself how long can I surf? Is It safe to surf? Should I be pushing people into waves?

There is no one size fits all answer to surfing during your pregnancy. So I did and I will continue doing what feels right to me and my body. Most importantly I am listening to my intuition.

Firstly you need to talk to your healthcare provider and discuss surfing with them. I was told not to start any new exercises and to just stick to what I normally do. Being pregnant and surfing for me isn’t about improving my surfing. I stick to what I know I can do, not the time to try new tricks and big barrels.

Here is what my journey has been like so far with a bun in the oven.

---

“Attending births is like growing roses. You have to marvel at the ones that just open up and bloom at the first kiss of the sun but you wouldn’t dream of pulling open the petals of the tightly closed buds and forcing them to blossom to your time line.” – Gloria Lemay

---

20 weeks

---

“Birth is the pinnacle where women discover the courage to become mothers.” – Anita Diamant

---

First trimester

I was fortunate that I was not sick during the first trimester. I was tired and slightly nauseas at times but for the most part I didn’t feel much different physically. The baby was still super small and lying on my stomach felt totally fine. I was surfing every day and did notice a difference with my balance. I was surf instructing 3-5 hours a day and teaching yoga. Not until the middle of my first trimester did I start getting more tired. I am not a person that takes naps and I would nap almost everyday for an hour. At the end of my first trimester I slept a lot more. I would surf, sleep, eat, and repeat. I started craving meat after being a vegetarian for 5 years. I had not gained much weight yet and was still surfing my regular short board, long boarding started to feel more uncomfortable.

Symptoms

• tired

• irritable

• nausea

• sensitive boobs

• breast size grew 1 cup size

• vivid dreams

---

“The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new.” – Rajneesh

---

Second Trimester

I felt amazing the first month or so of the second trimester. Surfing was a breeze, I had lots of energy and was surfing and working a bunch. The waves were amazing and I surfed a ton. I felt my first kick around 18 or 19 weeks. I was so excited,.

Around 20 weeks I was working for a big swell and around this time I did start being more selective in the water and distancing myself from the crowd.. Then my belly started to pop and I was over longboarding, It became uncomfortable to lie on my belly on the long board so I stuck to shorter boards with more volume.

I retuned home at 21 weeks and had officially finished work until after the birth. When I got home I realized I needed a bigger board. My regular short board was to small to paddle and I was about to quit. I had a couple really terrible sessions at home at my beach break. I took a decent size set on the head and got rocked. My mental state was changing and I was psyching myself out

.After I got the bigger board everything changed. I got my confidence back and could surf! The belly makes it hard to paddle, I lie on my boobs and kind of lift my but up to take the weight off the belly. Paddling is slow and my pop up has slowed down a bit as well. Once I am up and riding I am good to go.

I am at now at 24 weeks and still surfing and feeling good but I don’t feel comfortable when the waves are more then head high. My surfing has changed. I take off on the shoulder of the wave and sit away from the crowd.

Symptoms

• gained weight

• lots of energy

• hungry

• started to show

• uncomfortable to lie on longboard

• needed a bigger board

• stopped surfing in crowded waves

• small waves only for me

• paddling is harder

---

Third Trimester

27 weeks paddle technique

In the last 6 weeks my belly grew rabidly. I am still surfing although things have defiantly change now. With the belly getting bigger and lying on it I run out of breath quickly. It takes me forever to paddle out so I just take my time and move really slow. I paddle with all my weight on my boobs and my but up in the air. (as seen above)

Now I am 28 weeks and 4 days pregnant. I surfed a few days ago and I am amazed I can still surf on a short board. My strategy now is just to paddle out and catch one wave and do a turn. That is a successful surf session for me.

I have been surfing most of my life and I surfed almost every day before I was pregnant. Stick to your gut instinct. Surf waves that you know well and stay away from unexperienced surfers. Have fun and keep it light. Surf for an hour instead of four hours. Listen to your body and follow your gut. As I got further along in my pregnancy, I became a lot less confident in not just myself but other surfers as well. There was this whole mind game happening.

Symptoms

• belly popped

• gained weight

• tired/ napping again

• slow

• run out of breath easily

• moody

---

1-year post-partum

I was actually scared to get back in the water after the birth, I think mostly because I knew it was going to be such a struggle for me. After my first surf. My ribs hurt; I had zero core strength. Getting to my feet took me about three seconds to long. And I felt like a huge kook. It was however magical to be back in the water again. The physical struggle was expected, the mental struggle not so much. I wanted so bad to surf like my old self, but she was hard to find. I knew it would take time to get back to the surfer I was before pregnancy and birth. I didn’t know the mind *uck it would be along the way. They say when you give birth you lose a of bit of your old self. Please Universes don’t let that be the piece I left behind I thought.

Fast forward to a year post-partum. Praise Jah. She is back! I feel strong, energized and confident in the surf again. If there was anything advice to give, I would tell you to have no expectations of your surfing when you get back in the water. Take your time, don’t get discouraged. Instead of focusing the woman you were before or how you used to surf, remember what you have done. You brought life into this world, you are strong, you have already surprised yourself once. I believe you will do it again.

Happy surfing to all you Mamas out there. Xoxo Coco

POST COVID-19 TRAVEL

How has travel changed with Covid-19 & how to be a responsible traveler in 2021

---

I have no doubt most people are ready to travel after over a year of social distancing and lock downs. It is normal to have mixed emotion about traveling during Covid. Feelings of guilt, selfishness, fear and anxiety are common. Most tourist based economy’s need you to survive. They don’t have the option to work at home or get financial aid. Here at Sister Surf retreats we are doing our part and following local laws to stay open. We want tourism, the locals want tourism and as long as we all are responsible then please come support us. It has been a long year to say the least and we are so happy to be up and running again. Here are some details and traveling to Puerto Rico and Costa Rica.

How has air travel changed?

• mask are mandatory for the duration of your flight

• sanitized planes

• no food is for purchase on flights only snack bags are given out

• 6ft spacing in lines

• some airlines block middle seat (Alaska Airlines, Delta, Hawaiian Airlines and JetBlue)

Covid protocol for Puerto Rico and Costa Rica

• Puerto Rico link Travel Safe (pr.gov)

• Costa Rica - does NOT require a negative test to enter. However insurance is need for the duration of your stay and a health pass. A NEGATIVE COVID TEST is required to get back to the US. Link for health pass Pase de Salud Costa Rica

Sister Surf Retreats Covid protocol

• We require a Negative Covid test for both Costa Rica and Puerto Rico unless you are vaccinated already.

• We practice responsible tourism by wearing a mask when in the taxi, stores, and restaurants and washing hands before entering business. During the retreat we are mostly outdoors and don’t require clients to wear mask outside.

How do we support the local community?

• We hire as much local staff as we can, from taxi drivers to our chefs and cleaning staff we try to get as many locals involved as possible. Its is our goal to do our part and give back in any way we can to the local communities.

A DAY IN THE LIFE AT SISTER SURF

Here is a glimpse of the day to day happenings at a Sister surf & yoga retreat.

---

Our days orbit around the tide

The three of us sisters are water beings through and through. Day to day routines shift with the tides. In Playa Grande we surf near the high tide, if it is an early morning high tide we dawn patrol, midday high tide we begin our days with a yoga class. One thing is for sure each day begins with a cup of piping hot coffee or tea. We rise with the sun and go to sleep closely after it sets.

We like to keep our retreats on the smaller side 4-8 women. With smaller groups we are able to be a bit more flexible with our schedule and make sure everyone’s individual needs are met.

Surfing is scheduled when the conditions are the best. We normally have a combination of beginner and intermediate surfers and choose locations and times based on their ability. Our surfer to instructor ratio is 2:1 so that you will always have the attention and instruction needed in the water. Depending on the tide we normally surf one long session or a morning and afternoon session. All surf session are filmed for our surf coaching sessions.

Surfing so much really works up your appetite and Costa Rica is known for its delicious tropical fruit and fresh line caught fish. Ceviche is a local fish dish here cooked in lime juice. We work with the local staff to cater the menu to your every need. Our menu is a mix of traditional Costa Rican foods and some house made specialties like homemade pasta and zucchini and tuna carpaccio. We also have vegan and vegetarian options.

Early dawn surfing under the moon set

---

Itinerary Example

Arrival day

Depending on the time of your arrival the first day we try to squeeze in a yoga class if we can or a sunset before dinner. Check in time is generally 2:00.

• 2:00 arrive at hotel

• 3:00 light snack

• 4:00 / intention setting for the week

• 5:30 Sunset cocktails

• Dinner

---

Day One

On days when the tide is high in the morning and in the afternoon we normally surf twice. Our day would flow like this.

High tide 5:00 am 5:30 pm

• 5:30 Small breakfast/ coffee

• Introduction to surfing and beginner lesson

• Breakfast

• Yoga

• Lunch

• Pool session. Learn surf safety, paddles technique and how to turtle roll or duck dive.

• Video coaching

• Sunset Surf

• Dinner

Video coaching

---

Day Two

• Morning surf

• Breakfast

• Yoga

• Lunch

• Cultrual Tour

• Dinner out

Cultural tour

---

Day Three

• Morning surf

• Breakfast

• Hike to tide pool

• Lunch

• Restorative Yoga

• Self Care

• Sunset Surf

• Dinner

Sunset hike to tide pools

---

Day Four

• Morning Gentle Flow Yoga class

• Breakfast

• Surf

• Lunch

• free time

• Sunset

• Dinner

Chelsea with her artwork

---

Day Five

• Estuary Tour

• Breakfast

• Surf

• Class room session*

• lunch

• Surf

• Closing cermomy Yoga class

• Dinner

Early morning in the estuary

---

Departure day

Depending on what time you leave we will have our last breakfast together and part ways. If you have an afternoon flight you can leave your bags at reception and use the facilities until your departure.

START YOUR DAY RIGHT

Here is what I do every morning to set the pace for my day

---

---

1. Get to sleep early.

   I live in Costa Rica and right now the sun sets at 5:15 pm. I go to sleep a few hours after sunset and wake up before sunrise. I normally spend most of the day in the water, either teaching surf lessons or surfing for 3-6 hours. Between the sun/salt/wind and non-stop paddling, I am struggling to keep my eyes open until eight at night. 9 hours is my sleeping goal.

2. Drink WATER.

   The first I do in the morning is fill up my water bottle. I love coffee but I try not to drink it until I finish my 4 cups of water. Getting hydrated and staying hydrated especially when you live in the tropics is challenging. This is the most important part of my morning routine.

3. I clean my space.

   I can’t think if my space is messy. I make my bed, sweep, clean the kitchen, and clear all the counters. I also like to burn essential oils to make my house smell and feel clean. Clutter drives me insane.

4. Take 10 minutes of quiet time.

   Either stretching, sitting still, or meditating. Whatever works for you take a few moments to be calm. I am very slow to rise in the morning so normally I do this while lying in bed before I get up. I just gather my thoughts, and ask myself. How do I feel?

5. Move your body.

   A little exercise. love to start out with a surf or run/bike ride, HIT workout or sun salutations. If I work out in the morning I make healthier choices throughout the day.

   Thank you for reading guys and feel free to share your morning routine with us @ www.sistersurfcr.com and remember by starting slowly with one step you are more likely to hold on to some of these changes. If you make too many changes simultaneously, it may be harder to keep doing them. Pura Vida Coco

---

FAVORITE SURF READS

Lost your stoke? Need some new reads? Not frothing on cold water surfing? Open up one of these books and be taken to a tropical paradise with some cool buds and tasty waves.

---

View fullsize

My favorite surf book ever. This book really captures the essence of a surf travel for me. It opened my mind to the magic and wildness of Mexico.

On his journey from New York to Central America in search of a long lost friend he finds himself in some wild locales. Surfing empty waves and gathering clues of his dear friend Captain Zero’s where about along the way. Hilarious and entraining from beginning to end.

I still dream of driving through Mexico to Central America, maybe one day it will happen. Eventually I did make it to Salsa Brava though, a town in the far south on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica. As far as I know Captain Zero is still living there. My sister ran into him a few years ago in Panama and they surfed together.

---

I read this book while living in Hawaii. The author “Rabbit” is an Australian surf legend who writes about his adventures in Hawaii in the winter of 1975. The Australian was almost chased out of Hawaii, first by locals then by huge waves crashing through their front door in the night.

After reading this book I moved to Australia and eventually met him at Southern Cross University where I was studying Sports Management “surfing studies”. I remember we were all sitting at our desk with him in the front of the class. He was a guest speaker I cant really remember what it was about but we sort of just had an open discussion with him. He asked us if we could maybe leave our desk and sit in a circle on the floor instead. Legend indeed.

---

“The particulars of new places grabbed me and held me, the sweep of new coasts, cold, lovely, dawns. The world was incomprehensibly large, and there was still so much to see. Yes, I got sick sometimes of being an expatriate, always ignorant, on the outside of things, but I didn't feel ready for domestic life, for seeing the same people, the same places, thinking more or less the same thoughts, each day. I liked surrendering to the onrush, the uncertainty, the serendipity of the road.” — Finnegan

This quote taken from the book sums up the excitement of surf travel. Never knowing what is around the next corner. Traveling to new place and exposing yourself to new cultures, embracing the unexpected. I read it in a few days. After reading I starting thinking about surfing bigger waves and began training a few weeks later.

EL SALVADOR

El Salvador

---

El Salvador, regular foot heaven.

I had read about El Salavador in one of my all time favorite surf travel books, “In Search of Captain Zero”. So when a friend of mine wrote me asking if I could go on a surf trip with her somewhere, El Salavador was the first on my list. For one its only two countries away from me and secondly I had been scoping out tickets to go there for months. I had found some great deals on Volaris airlines and asked a friend of mine that lives in Costa Rica who also surfs. It did not take much persuasion. We booked our tickets and off we went.

Our hotel

---

The thing about surfing and traveling for waves is you never know what you are going to get. Its always a gamble when it comes to mother nature.

I had been watching the surf report with anticipation every morning leading up to our departure. When I saw we were going to have 4-6ft waves at 20 seconds I was stoked! I have slowly been getting more confident in bigger waves and was looking forward to surfing a right point break.

Sarah and I left Playa Grande at 4:00 am and drove the 6 hours to San Jose to catch our flight. We heard through the coconut wireless the night before that the students in San Jose were protesting. We gave ourselves an 8 hour window to drive to the airport. We made it in four hours which is amazing considering the roads, trucks, pedestrians, animals, and protesting going on. After a quick hour flight we landed. We searched for a cold beer.. Little bugs swarmed our heads for 90 minutes while we were waiting for our friend to arrive from Florida.

Alexis ended up arriving an hour late and I was feeling anxious about driving the three hours south after dark. I know it is sketchy to drive in Mexico at night and seeing as though this was my first time here I wasn’t stoked about being on the road at dark. We stopped halfway for a cold beer to calm my nerves, the gas station with armed guards waiting for us as we used the restroom and shopped didn’t reassure the situation. But the cold beer did and we were on our way. We arrived too late for dinner so I drank another beer to get some more calories and went to bed.

---

The sound of waves crashing had me up before first light.

Since we arrived after dark I was blown away by the surf and the view from our hotel. I took a sip of coffee and woke up the girls. We were so pumped to get out there, we quickly waxed our boards and made our way down the trail to the beach. I was SO excited I had forgot to tell Sarah how a point break even works. She began surfing in Playa Grande which is a beach break and had never surfed a point break before. There is a bit of a difference in how you catch and read the wave from a beach break to a point break. Sarah has been surfing for only one year and is very determined and quick to learn. I have watched her push her limits in the surf and have not seen someone advance as quickly as her. Alexis is confident in bigger surf and was anxious but not worried. I had met her at a barrel riding retreat in Nicaragua and have been on three trips with her already. She is a mom of two from Florida and has more stoke than a teenager.

---

---

We were all a bit intimidated by the waves and crowd at first. After picking off a couple in the inside I slowly made my way to the peak. I waited for my opportune moment and got a sick one all the way through to the beach break. We surfed for hours and then headed up to the hotel for breakfast. As we ate we talked about how to surf a point break and how to catch smaller waves without getting hit by the bigger waves. You kind of have to play a game of cat and mouse with the set waves. Paddle inside after a set rolls through and try to pick off the smaller friendly waves, then as soon as you see white water on the outside rocks you have to paddle out and away from the point as fast as you can before the bigger waves or set waves come. I grew up playing this game at a wave back home in the Caribbean for years. Now that spot in the Caribbean is my favorite wave I have ever surfed, but to say I am comfortable surfing there when its big is a long stretch.

I have been surfing much longer then the other girls and was stoked they were able to handle the heavier waves. Whenever you surf a new break or get out of your comfort zone in bigger surf it can be frustrating. I have spent many sessions out surfing when I don’t even catch one wave. This is how we grow as surfers. When you get back to surfing somewhere you are comfortable or your home break you will feel more confident for sure.

---

---

Sunrise

---

Sarah and I pre surf stoke

---

Afternoon refreshment

---

We wanted to surf a few other spots so we hired a guide to take us down the road a bit. The spot we ended up surfing was a short walk though the jungle that opened up to a small cove with another right hander reeling along the point. We were told this wave would be a little smaller and more friendly. I could see the potential out there but the current was so strong on our first attempt we got washed down the beach and back to shore. Our second attempt we walked further towards the point and almost made it out before a set came and we nearly got washed into the rocks. We came in with our tails between our legs. Sometimes the ocean straight denies you.

Over the next three days we basically dawned patrolled early, came in when it got crowded and then we would surf again when most the crowd came in for breakfast. We had an advantage because of where we were staying we could see how busy the line up was and what the surf conditions were all day long. We chose the opportune moment to paddle out and ended up scoring some great sessions with just a few other guys out. We surfed sunset sessions and at night drank spicy jalapeño margaritas and chatted over the waves we shared that day.

I will be back to El Salvador for sure, locals are predicting in five years El Salvador will be as safe as Costa Rica. I hope they are correct because the people there were so friendly and welcoming. Though we are only a few hundred miles away you can see El Salvador has a long way to grow as a tourist destination. I hope for the people of El Salvador their predications are true because it really is a surfers dream.

READING WAVES 101

The most common question I get asked by beginner surfers is, how do I know what wave to catch?

You all have heard of the Goldie Locks story, right? About the porridge - it can’t be too hot or too cold - it’s got to be just right. Well it’s the same thing when looking for a wave. If the wave is too steep, over the falls you go (when you get thrown over the white water). If the wave is not yet breaking or just rolling along, it’s not steep enough (you paddle and the wave rolls right underneath you). The first step to reading waves is to find the peak. Once you can identify the peak of a wave, you can begin looking for your Goldie Locks spot.

---

The Peak

This person is dropping in at the very peak of the wave. This is a huge wave but it is very easy to identify the peak. The peak is the highest part of the wave. This wave is an A frame, meaning it is breaking both right and left.

Next time you go to the beach or for a surf, watch the waves and start guessing where you think the wave is going to peak. If you don't live near the ocean, watch a surf movie or a professional surf contest. The more time you spend watching and looking for the peak, the easier it will be to find it when you are out there surfing. Always watch the waves for at least a few minutes before you paddle out.

Now you might be wondering why you should be looking for the peak, which is the most powerful part of the wave, when you don't want anything to do with those steep drops. NO problem, if you can find the peak you can definitely find the nice soft shoulder of the wave.

---

Shoulder of the wave…

The shoulder makes for an easier drop in, meaning the wave is not going to be as steep or as powerful as the peak of the wave. However, catching a wave at the shoulder means you have to paddle, paddle and paddle in order to catch it.

Surfer farthest to the right is paddling for the wave on the shoulder. See the white part of the wave to the right of him. That is the peak. He has positioned himself perfectly for a nice, gentle drop on the shoulder of the wave.

---

Etiquette tip:

Generally, if you are on the shoulder trying to catch waves not at the peak, the more experienced surfers are going to be sitting deeper (closer to the peak than you). This means that they have the right of way. Don't forget to look towards the peak and make sure no one is there paddling or already up and riding before you catch the wave. In other words, don't be a shoulder hopper.

---

How to position yourself for a wave.

If you are paddling for waves but not catching them, what is going wrong?

1. You may be too far from the peak. Look for the peak, paddle towards it, then wait and try again a little bit closer to the power source.

2. You need to paddle more. So many times people are paddling and could have caught the wave but they stop. I always find myself saying “just 3 more paddles”.

3. Not paddling soon enough. Try not to wait until last moment to paddle for the wave. When you see it starting to stand up, start paddling. You need to have speed to catch a wave.

This video is Christine from one of our past retreats. She rips by the way and has only surfed a few weeks in her entire life. She only needed two more paddles to catch this one.

---

Catching a wave on the shoulder.

This video shows Chrstine paddling perfectly on the shoulder of the wave. To the left is the peak where you see the white water. This is what a a typical morning surf session looks like in Playa Grande.

---

In conclusion, if you want to learn how to read waves, start looking for the peak, guessing which way a wave is going to break, and when it is going to break. Get out in the water; the more time you spend in the ocean or even at the beach just watching other surfers, the better. I used to sit on the beach with my surf coach and just listen to him critique the other surfers. You can learn a lot by just observing people surfing. Reading waves takes a lot of practice. So get out there and start going for it.

Good luck and feel free to contact us at sistersurfcr@gmail.com if you have any questions. We are always happy to help.

SURF TRAINING

The quaint surf town of Playa Grande just had a gym open called Flex and Flow. I observed a few members of our surfing town attending the classes there. Over a few months I saw people looking more fit and watched their surfing improve as well. I decided it was time to check it out. I took a few of their early morning classes thinking “I’m fit already, this should be easy for me”. Well it was so hard I decided to take a private training session with one the gym’s founders Hyam. We took a few videos of some workouts that I think would be beneficial for building strength and balance for your next surf trip.

---

Core and arm strengthen workout

I had been doing plank and yoga push ups without tucking my pelvis under creating a dip in my low back. Please have someone watch you or workout in front of a mirror to see your alignment. This is a great core and arm work out, if you can find something heavy to put your hands against and then walk the feet out until the back is flat. Its good to start in this position then slowly work your way walking the feet further away from you. Also notice my hands, the thumbs are pointed inward. Practice this position before moving to a yoga push up to get your alignment . Hold for 30 secs 3 reps increasing the seconds by 15 each time.

---

Plank walk out with feet elevated

This is a great core and arm strength exercise. You can put your feet on the end of your bed or on something higher like a chair. Walk hands out until they are directly under shoulders. Bring chest all the way between shoulders and try to keep hips from moving side to side.

---

Yoga push up

Hands under shoulders, chest between arms. Knees can be lifted or on ground. You want the back to be flat. Notice my spine is slightly dipped near my low back. Ideally you want your back straight. You will feel it more in your core when you are in perfect alignment. 5 times 3 reps

---

Bun burner

Stand on something super sturdy. Its good to have someone spot you. What I liked about this workout is how much easier you will find it on your dominant leg. I could barley do one round on my left side without a spotter. I couldn't get my left foot nearly as close to the ground as my right foot. I was sore for a few days after but I love being sore from a good workout.

---

Start with 5 reps of each workout and do 3 rounds. Check Flex and Flow Facebook page to see what they are all about. https://www.facebook.com/flexandflowpg/

Thank you for reading and feel free to share. Coco

THE HUNT FOR WAVES

“It’s not the destination, it’s the journey”.

---

You may have heard the saying “it’s not the destination, it’s the journey”. It’s always kind of annoyed me because the journey normally means long plane rides, delays, layovers, canceled flights, etc., and I just want to get to the destination already and skip the “journey” part. It does not have to be that way at all. I prefer to think of the journey as an adventure and wherever I end up, even if it’s not the place I had intended to go, as the destination.

---

My latest surf adventure was by boat with 3 girlfriends, a cooler full of beer, a comically large quiver of surfboards, and desire for right hand point breaks. We left not so bright and very early (4am) and loaded up the boat with all of our boards. We brought long boards, mid-length boards and short boards. The great thing about traveling with a boat full of women is that we are always prepared with stylish surf costumes, which explains the plethora of bikinis, leggings, rash guards, surf hats, and some surf sunglasses. Oh, and just in case, the snorkel, mask and fins. The boat ride took about an hour to reach the first place we wanted to check that none of us had surfed before. There was no one in the water and not much swell. We watched for a few moments and saw a couple waves that looked rideable. That was enough to get the stoke going and we got sunscreen on and jumped in.

---

The water was brilliantly blue and clear, and not long after we got to the line up, the first set of shoulder high waves rolled in. As we traded off waves, I looked around at the shoreline. Waterfalls trickling down the cliffside into an open beach cave. Not a soul around but us girls, and a feeling I hadn't felt in a while, the feeling of the unknown, surfing a new spot all alone in the Pacific with just your friends. It really didn't matter that the waves weren't perfect, because that is not what it is about. It was about the journey and sharing it with great friends enjoying each others company. The giggles came readily as we watched our friend scamper across the rocks to get a drink at the fresh water spring.

---

We surfed three spots that day. At one of the spots, two surfers paddled out to the boat as we were watching the waves. We took them off guard when they realized it was a boat full of surfer girls. We invited them on board and offered them a cold beer. They had been camping on the beach, obviously had not had much social contact with other humans, and were looking for some fish to buy. They invited us to lunch at their camp site and we politely declined. They looked like they had been there for a while and maybe hadn't seen many woman in a while either. Anyway, we had lunch plans already at a resort down the way.

---

At the next spot, we pulled out the long boards for a quick session before lunch. We hiked a few minutes walk through the jungle to a resort we knew about that serves up some tasty tacos and even tastier jalapeño margaritas. We witnessed a sweet, snuggly moment between a baby monkey and his mama on our way back to the boat. On our way home, we showed an expensive charter fishing boat that didn't seem to be having any luck how it was done by catching a yellow fin tuna on the handline and ate it for dinner that evening.

---

So, fellow surfer adventurers out there, pack up your bags, book a ticket, find some friends to bring along or meet some new ones on the way. There are waves breaking somewhere out there in this big old world with no one surfing them. What are you waiting for? Go start your journey and once find it don't tell anyone about your destination. Thanks for reading and feel free to share or comment. XOXO Coco

Check out this short clip of your trip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S40VAagppRw

SURFVIVING A FLAT SPELL

Growing up as a surfer in the Virgin Islands you experience a lot of days with no surf (flat spells). We could go weeks without waves. When the surf would finally come up I would find myself winded and tired after just a few hours of surfing. Flat spells not only took a toll on my physical body but my mental as well. When I first started surfing all I wanted to do was surf. I had to find another activity that would calm down my mind as well as keep me healthy, flexible and strong for surviving the flat spells. Here are the few things that have helped me over the years.

1. Healthy Diet

There is so much to be said about what we eat. I think the best thing would be to avoid processed foods as much as possible and try and eat as many veggies and greens as possible. My favorite way to eat my greens is in a smoothie I have 1 or 2 a day and it consists of 2 cups of spinach, frozen zucchini, cucumber, ginger and lime.

2. Exercise

Keep your body moving whether its running, swimming, walking whatever. I just joined a local gym where I live and have been going to a few workout classes a week. I have already seen a difference in my surfing and general well being so keep that body moving!

3.Yoga

Go to a yoga class a few times a week or practice at home. It does wonders for your body and mind. It's important to be flexible for surfing. I think yoga is the key to surfing and life. I discovered it during a flat spell and it felt like the missing piece of the puzzle. An aha moment for sure.

4. Get Massages

I am a massage therapist so of course I think this is important. What massage does for your body and mind is incredible especially if it is from a good therapist who you trust. They are life changing. Massage literally helps everything from flexibility to releasing tension and helping with self discovery. Try and get one once a month or more.

5. Watch Surf Videos

Get Inspired. If you longboard watch longboard videos, if you short board watch shortboard videos. Pay attention to their techniques in the videos and then try your version of it while you surf.

6. Mind Surf

This is my last tip and it might sound kind of funny but I do think it is very important. Try to visualize in your head what you want to see yourself doing on a wave. Whether its dropping into a perfect wave and riding it all the way to the beach or doing a turn floater or pulling into a barrel. See if you can see yourself on the wave. I do this a lot when I am running, walking or just watching the surf.

Ok those are my tips and what has helped me through my surfing journey. Surfing to me was everything it still is but my stoke has changed since becoming a mom. I used to be the first one in the water and the last one out. Now I only need a few waves and am happy to play on the beach with my daughter. I can't wait for the day when I can share surfing with her.