I can remember it just like it was yesterday. I was living in a little cottage on the island of Holden Beach, North Carolina.

One day dad pulls up in the jeep with a monstrosity of a surfboard.  It must have been 12 feet long and weighed about three times what I did.  I was seven at the time, so this would have been 1967 and short surfboards had not been invented yet (yes, I know I’m getting old!).

That sparked one of the great passions of my life, surfing.  I don’t do it as much these days, but from the time I was seven until fifty-two, I loved surfing as much as anything. Still do, it’s just that other pressures of life, coupled with the fact that I am getting older, seem to get in the way these days (excuses, excuses).  That is sad considering that I’ve been living for the past decade in one of the greatest surfing locations on the planet.

Costa Rica surfing probably is some of the best the planet offers, with countless spots dotted along its Pacific and Caribbean coasts. What makes it even better is that the Costa Rica surfing offers water conditions that are simply excellent. The water is warm all year long. There are not that many sharks to eat you like in Australia or even California (well, salt-water crocs are another story). While certain popular spots get crowded, you can always find that perfect little “secret” place where it’s just you and the waves.

I can remember one of my first trips to Costa Rica back in 2001. I was traveling on business with an employee of mine. I told him that since we had a couple days before we had to start working, I was going to hop into a rental car and head to the beach to catch some waves (not being a surfer, he opted for San Jose nightlife).

I can remember the sense of adventure of crossing the mountains on the way to Jacó beach. Of being out in the ocean on my board just before sunset. The waves were small and fun.

Sitting on the board watching the sky light up with a thousand colors as the sun was setting on the horizon, I thought to myself, certainly I’d found my paradise on earth.

Maybe that (and a thousand other such epiphanies) solidified my great love for Costa Rica.

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