Surfing Costa Rica - Surfers urge caution to visitors this Holy Week due to increased swells and high tides
During this upcoming Holy Week, many travelers choose the Costa Rican coast as a destination to enjoy their vacation and relieve some of the stress caused by different factors.
Once at the beach, many visitors overlook some very important details such as the conditions of the sea, sometimes due to lack of knowledge, other times due to not following precautions or due to the use of substances that alter our behavior.
For this Easter 2021, precautionary measures with the ocean should be even greater, due to the expected increase in wave size, coupled with a high tide and a lunar cycle that aligns with these dates, making conditions potentially quite dangerous for swimmers or inexperienced surfers.
Surfer and professional instructor Ariel Gutierrez elaborates further on this topic and advises surfers and swimmers on how to avoid accidents. 
“I want to give you a report for this upcoming Holy Week so you can be prepared, since starting March 28th there will be an increase in swells from 2 to 4 feet, continuing on the 29th from 3 to 5 feet, and so on until reaching a possible 4 to 7 feet on April 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th. This recommendation is for swimmers or surfers with little experience who will be visiting the beach areas of Jacó, Hermosa beach, Esterillos beach, and other beaches of the Central, South, and North Pacific. I recommend you be very careful because in addition to strong swells, there will be a full moon on Monday, March 28th, which could cause even stronger swells and quite high tides, around 10 feet. For beginner and intermediate surfers, my recommendation is to try to find conditions that suit your skill level so you don't have any problems with waves that will be very powerful with a period of 16 to 17 seconds, which makes the wave grow a bit more and May it have greater strength. For swimmers, my recommendation is that if you are going to enter the sea, please do not enter under the influence of alcohol. Another suggestion is that if you enter the sea, enter near the lifeguard towers.
“If you take these considerations into account, I’m sure you’ll have a nice vacation without any major setbacks,” said Gutiérrez, coach of Hermosa Riders Surf School.
Another surfer who calls for caution and awareness of our actions is the current National Champion, Jair Perez Quiros.
"This is a call to all beach lovers, not only in the Central Pacific region but nationwide. We know we have many factors at play, such as tourists who surf, from beginners to professionals. Our beaches have high and low tides that change every three hours. It's best to swim when the tide is coming in, not when it's going out, as the tide tends to pull you in a bit more. Based on my experience at the beach, if you're not a strong swimmer or don't have the necessary skills, it's best to stay in water no deeper than waist-deep or less."
For beginner surfers, it's best to go in one-on-one with your instructor. During Holy Week, there will be many people, both swimmers and surfers, and everyone needs to be aware of the dangers of the ocean. This isn't about scaring people, but it's important to ask lifeguards or professional surfers for advice when you're on the beach.
I always recommend that people keep a cell phone nearby when they go to the beach, with quick emergency contacts, so they can act quickly in any situation.”
Complementing these recommendations, we consulted the Head of Aquatic Rescue, Mr. Mar Chen PĂ©rez, who gave us five important facts to avoid aquatic accidents.
1- Keep an eye on the children; do not allow your children to go to the sea alone. Sometimes parents let them go alone and stay 500 meters away, and that is not good. The distance between parents and children should be much smaller so that in case of any situation, there can be a reaction in a few seconds to avoid being dragged by a rip current.
2- Do not allow children to use inflatables in the sea as they are sometimes more likely to be swept away by waves and currents.
3- Adults are not allowed to do motorized activities such as Zodiac, Jet Ski, boats near where bathers and surfers are doing their activities, as these are very dangerous motors, causing an accident or even causing a person to lose their life.
4- The best places to be safe are near lifeguard towers and surf schools.
5. Every time you travel, be sure to check the surf and weather conditions. Also, regularly check the local lifeguards' websites or information pages to stay up-to-date on any relevant information.
On behalf of the entire Surfing Republica family, we wish everyone a wonderful holiday this Holy Week and urge you to follow the experts' recommendations to avoid unpleasant experiences on the beautiful Costa Rican coast.
Written by: Enrique Hernández
General Management: Marco Montero
