It has been a week of epic proportions.
Actually, it’s only been 5 days since I landed in the land of Pura Vida but so much radness has already happened…(And my heart feels so full and happy)
I know I titled this The blind surfer… yep, you read right- The blind surfer.
I was fortunate enough to experience something pretty profound that will stay with me for a long time…
but I’ll get to that later… saving the best for last today—
So 2 days ago we woke up to a full moon. Yes. Woke up. To the full moon🌕🌟💫(dawn patrol.. wooot woot)
There is something particularly magical about walking barefoot-down a dirt road-to a jungle path- surfboard in hand- to the waves- to be the first and only people out in the water, all while the magnificent moon, who pulls the tides, and makes the waves, shines down on your with her radiant illuminating glow…
As she was setting in the west the suns warm vibrant fire was slowly beginning to creep into the opposite side of the sky.
Uh huh 😍😍
and this all happened before 5 am 💕🌊🌈☀️
So we caught some waves, were out of the water by 7am, and enjoyed some particularly special and extra delicious coffee made by Don Henry Gutierrez.
While sipping coffee we engaged in meaningful conversation, listened to music, and hung out on the front porch of the cabina, surrounded by all things green and lush and peaceful. Sharing moments like these are priceless and something I wouldn’t trade for all the riches in the world.
Let me now tell you about the man who
Makes this delicious coffee. He lives in the hillside of Terrazu, Costa Rica. He is making a grass roots movement to take back the hills from American and multi-national corporations. These corporations have ripped up all the native coffee plants, planted foreign species, and as a result have completely killed the soil and land that for SO many years has produced rich, delicious coffee…
This amazing man, via Corazón de los Pargos, is teaming up with Surfrider foundation to sell ” Surfrider coffee” -coffee for clean oceans- for profit that will be used in the efforts to keep the oceans clean and better protect the earth that so graciously houses us. 🙏🏽🌎Keep an eye out for this coffee-☕️☕️☕️
As for the music we listened to. A bit deep and profound to describe with my simple words. This musician, a Somali refugee sing/raps powerful messages and funky melodic beats- telling stories about struggle and pain, love and life, but ultimately, about staying positive and rising above. This musical, lyrical genius is K’naan. Look him up 🎤🎧🎼:)
Ha. And that was all before 8am. Some
pretty rad energy vibrations happening…
But let’s rewind a little bit.
I landed in San Jose, Costa Rica 🇨🇷 Wednesday am. Rented and car and drove 5 hours in the pouring rain- like can hardly see 20 feet infront of the car, Dont think it’s rained that much in San Diego the whole year rain-down a mountain side and across muddy pothole infected dirt roads to the Guanacaste province in the North Pacific coast of Costa Rica.
And so the adventure began.
But when you feel like you are “going home” it’s all worth it:) Not to mention all the roads and country side are lush, green, jungle love ❤️🌱🌴🌿💕 so the scenery certainly doesn’t hurt..It’s nothing like driving 5 hours in traffic amongst concrete buildings, concrete roads, and metal vehicles everywhere.
Guiones the town I will living in is pretty magical. I arrive at the Nosara beach hostel. The hostel is owned and managed by Ticos, it’s only 100 yards from the beach, and rooms go for an amazing affordable price. It’s a traveling surfers gem. I am immediately met by familiar welcoming faces, the awesome guys who run Agua Tibia surf school. (The surf school is currently connected to the hostel and if you ever visit nosara/guiones they are 💯% my recommendation for board rentals and lessons- a really solid group of human beings 🏄🏽)
At this point in the day I’m feeling exhausted, but stoked to be here 🙂
The hostel this time of year is super mellow. Only me and one other guy:)
Sweet!!…Easing into a slower pace of this fantastically simple, delightful life
I Enjoy dinner and more amazing conversation, with Sergio, my friend who works nights at the hostel, and crash out early, eager for waves.
Yay!!
Soooo, super fun waves on Thursday 🌊🌈 and warm water!?!
Holy heaven. I proceed to spend the rest of the day napping, reading, hammocking, and enjoying life as it unfolds. It’s pretty powerful to be present in the moment. Zero anticipation, about where I’m going to go, or what I’m going to do, just throughly blissful about existing right here, right now….
and I’m not alone in this joy- I find a huge part of what draws me to Costa Rica and Guiones (or the beach towns here in general) is this mentality 🙂
Pura vida ☮️ Si. Life as it, with out adornment, is more than enough, in fact, it is complete…
Thursday night I found myself in a Tuk-Tuk, a normal occurrence in guiones, except my driver happens to be my friend and she has never actually driven one of these strange little vehicles before. The hysterics ensue, stalling out, stuck in first gear, catching air off potholes in the dark, haha- all while trying to hold on to beers, her cigarettes and her dog who chased us down the street as we left for the store.
Needless to say I was laughing so hard i cried…
Then Saturday arrives and I’m on the open road again… and that means this Cali girl gets to drive through 3 rivers and 1.5 hours on the most lovely, enchanted jungle dirt road up to playa negra…. daaaamn. No Rivers on the roads of north San Diego county that’s for sure. That means this adventure is equally scary and exciting. But i survived-Accompanied by some zeppelin, Tom petty, Trevor hall, pepper, katastro, passiflora, and many other rad road tripping jams!! A necessity for any road trip… I might say tho, blasting “over the hills and far away”, as a mob down a dirt road solo, and free, is a most exhilarating feeling. I highly suggest trying it at some point in your life if you have yet to do so.
So I make it to playa negra, more specifically, the soon to be community center/ bakery/cafe/coffee shop of Corazón de los Pargos, and I’m Stoked…
Such a rad project in the works, the guys here, who I’m beyond grateful and lucky to call my friends are incredible human beings. Their passion to work hard, to live a dream of creating a space where people gather, learn, eat, drink, create and commune in positive environment is humbling, inspiring and contagious.
And just wait.
The humbling inspiration continues…as the guys work, with focused effort of intentions to open Corazón de los pargos by November….
I get to surf 🌊🌊❤️❤️🙌🏽🙌🏽yeeewww
Playa negra is a pretty sweet wave. Being accustomed to paddling out in beach breaks like Oceanside Ca, and even more punishing Guiones, it was a delightful treat to paddle out and not even get my hair wet?!!! 😍😳 a girl could get spoiled surfing here…. anywho, here comes the good part
A blind man who surfs. While in the water, two friendly guys paddle up to me, and one man begins to explain that his friend in the red shirt is BLIND!! He wants to let all the people in the water know so when his friend is charging down the waves, be sure to get out of his way. It’s not like this guy is splashing around in knee high white wash- he is sitting in the line up, paddling into peaks, above a rocky reef, point break wave….
My mind is blown.
The interaction, between these two men, and the blind man and ocean, leave me speechless. Humbled. But, mostly inspired. The man lost sight midlife, but clearly refuses to live a life less satisfying. It’s beautiful, the communication between the man and his friends. Their words guide him into waves (decent size waves i may add) and his determination and dedication simply just to feel the waves, a spirit so full of a hunger for life, his refusal to quit, Is one of the most incredible things I have been fortunate enough to experience in my small time on this planet.
So ,next time you think you can’t.
Next time life feels overwhelming.
Next time you are rut and feeling low, discouraged, frustrated…
Remember this blind man who surfs…
And remind yourself you can:)
You are able:)
And that- sight, legs, food, all we have, are gifts. Allow a gratitude to manifest around all the blessing present in your life ✨
And as they like to say here in Costa Rica-
Gracias a Dios
Thank you god
(whoever God may be to you)
For this day and this breath and the love we get to experience.
Have a happy day sweet friends
Live with love, because love wins❤️
And so does life in a bikini 👙😘
Your salty and sunkissed gypsy mermaid
-Katie ☮️
Salty and Sunkissed 