Special J: Rincón

Ahhh... where to begin?

Northwestern Puerto Rico is a place where you can find good surf everyday from October thru April, and I would venture to bet that you can find at least a longboardable wave somewhere, on any given day, year-round.

During my stay, I was fortunate enough to surf Rincón's local breaks and a bunch of the spots further north in Aguadilla and Isabela. In general, it is usually a foot or two (or more) bigger up north so these places were great to know about when it was small in Rincón. The key is to get on them early, before the wind.

Back in action. Thanks Tony!

At each new place I would read up on the break as much as possible, watch for a while and ask someone if there were any major hazards and best way in and out. People were friendly and helpful.

Of course, it was on a small day at Maria's that I broke the fin box on my longboard. Luckily, Bobby from Mar Azul Surf Shop hooked me up with a new fin box and Tony from Rapid Ding Repair. Tony had my board fixed in 3 days as promised and did a beautiful job.

Depending on what spots you are at, the crowds can be slightly unnerving, especially upon first arrival. There are so many amazing surfers here; everything is faster; waves are more powerful and people take off deep.

All that said, it's actually surprisingly easy to get a less crowded session in if you go super early because locals think it is cold and other people just sleep late.

Speaking of early morning sessions, next time I will bring a micro wetsuit or a seriously awesome vest or rashguard because the locals are right. Before the sun rises up over the hills, it can actually be QUITE chilly, especially if it is breezy.

Two days before leaving, I was blessed to see the "big wave spot", Trés Palmas, going off. Though everyone was saying that it was not nearly as big as it can get (this spot can hold 40 foot faces), it was still a treat. And it still looked pretty big to me. Trés had not truly been "on" since Dec 25th. I witnessed many people emerging from the beast with bloody feet and missing fins. A calmer day spent snorkeling will reveal that what lies beneath the ocean's surface here is as gnarly as it is beautiful.

There were so many cool people that I met while I was there. Some folks just learning to surf and others with skills that I only dream of attaining one day. The fact that I allowed myself to bond with people (and their pets!) made it all the more difficult to say goodbye. I suppose that is part of being a silly human.

I can see myself coming back for a couple of months next year if life allows. In the meantime, the homecoming swell we got on Saturday makes being home a little bit sweeter. Not gonna lie though - that first duckdive HURT.

La Oficina de Surfrider Foundation. Rincón Chaper

During my trip to Rincón, PR, I was stoked to meet this group of like-minded folks from the local Surfrider Chapter. Their crew consists of an awesome mix of surfers, ocean protectors, animal lovers, and other environmental and community oriented people of all ages. I was warmly welcomed in as a volunteer. I helped out at a couple of beach cleanups, attended a chapter meeting and even found a few super mega awesome surf buddies!

Current Projects

Surfrider Rincón is busy with multiple projects and initiatives so I am touching on just a few highlights from my visit. Please check out their web site to learn more about everything that is going on here now, what will be happening in the near future and to see all of the hard work that this group has already done to honor and protect this beautiful place.

Rise Above Plastics

During tourist season, Rincón is the kind of fun and happening place where drinking of multiple rum bevvies is as natural as surfing all day and getting sunburned. Working with local businesses to eliminate single use plastic cups and straws is one of their primary goals, as is eliminating plastic bags. Perhaps one day in the near future, everyone will travel with their own little sippy cups and get 10 cent discounts for rum punch refills but until that day, it is necessary to continue bringing awareness to plastic waste in our oceans so that we can break the cycle.

Blue Water Task Force
Surfrider Fundacion, Rincón has a strong ethic regarding their water quality testing. Testing the water on a regular basis provides water quality results and helps to pinpoint problems. With numbers in hand, this provides leverage and heightens public awareness for potential improvement projects as needed.

Because the BWTF is a totally volunteer driven project, they are always looking for willing recruits and what better place to start than with the younger generation? A 2-day field trip was set up to teach the fine art of water testing to a great crew of students from MAS Integrated School. Day one was a real life science project and was spent taking samples and learning the process for collecting, packaging and testing. Day two was finding out the results. Day two also included a viewing of Surfrider's epic animation: "Know Your H20" followed by a pizza party. Great kids and an awesome job of Wes, Sandy, Steve and the whole surfrider team for putting this together.

Steve and Wes teaching kids the science of water quality monitoring

Protecting the Beaches (and Other Good Stuff!)
Ongoing projects include planting trees and other native plants around major surf spots. In anticipation of big events, walkways are installed to reduce foot traffic through fragile areas and lessen impact on the ecosystem. Surfrider Rincón works closely with event vendors to keep these amazing surfspots clean and to ensure that litter stays out of the ocean.

The most recent big event was the Rip Curl Pro Tour held at Middles near Isabela - about a 30 minute drive north of Rincón (if you can drive Puerto Rican-style). All of the pros were here and many more spectators. The alternate location was a spot called Wilderness so preparations needed to be made for both.

In the near future there will be a major surf competition held at Domes, right in Rincón. It will be a crazy event. You can count on it!

Upcoming Surfrider Event

If you are in Rincón on March 11th 2011, you will most certainly want to stop by The Rum Shack at The Lazy Parrot for what is sure to be a fun-filled event with live music by The Supertones. There will also be a complimentary buffet, raffle, surf slideshows and more!

Come spend happy hour with Surfrider Rincón and meet a few of the awesome folks who work to protect this little piece of heaven. Be a part of the community, have fun and support a great cause. Sounds good to me!

Super extra special thanks to Jim, Angela, Justin, Steve, Shannon, James, Jason, Roger, Rina, Wes, CC and the ENTIRE Rincón crew for being so welcoming. It sure was swell. You have a new friend in Boston should you ever decide to venture out of paradise. Just remember to bring a wetsuit!