Finding Balance

Taking deep breaths on a surf vacation in Nosara, Costa Rica

words & photos :: Glen Harris

Take a deep breath, clear your mind and go back to a simpler time. You’re on a beach; it’s that time at the end of the day when the sun’s light is magical and you can hear the sounds of clean surf—tidal white noise.

Your loved ones are still out there. They’re living in the moment, navigating the waves and timing their return while gaining momentum in a balancing act.

You’re wet and salty, slightly pummelled. You set your board down by the palapa. Time for a cold beer, time to sit back and watch the show.

There’s a community out there on the waves or walking the miles of white sand shoreline—travellers from all over the world, people who have moved there and the lucky locals who grew up in this paradise. And that’s what it is. Nosara, Costa Rica, is a direct flight from Toronto, one time zone away. From Liberia airport you take a two-hour shuttle and you’re there.

Is it a hedonistic retreat from the fear, confusion and sadness in the world? Most definitely. Is it you working on you? Yes, it is. Nosara is a hub for yoga retreats, healthy food, fit people and clean surf, so if you’re up for any of that then book yourself in.

Don’t overthink it. We did it all with Safari Surf and they were awesome, but there’s a wide range of accommodations everywhere from shipping containers with a shower to waterfront palaces.

The thing is that Nosara is not all that much different from the Blue Mountains. It has been discovered in a big way already and embraced as an economic hub for tourism, natural beauty and quality of life. Real estate is crazy there too—but who cares? Everyone wants to be there because it’s a special place, and it’s happening.

There they surf in the winter, while here we ski and snowboard. But the feelings are all the same. In the Blue Mountains your day of fun ends with a beer on a patio looking up at the slopes. In Nosara, your day ends with a beer under the palapa watching the clean surf roll in.

Is it a hedonistic retreat from the fear, confusion and sadness in the world? Most definitely. Is it you working on you? Yes, it is.

safarisurfschool.com