The conditions are ideal at Rivero Beach in Punta Del Diablo. The sand is pure with no seashells or rocks to cut you up and the waves are great for beginners with about a 150 ft (45m) ride in between the points of the devil. It was December 27th and my instructor noted that the waves were the biggest he had seen so far that summer. I took a 2 hour surf lesson for $20, which was the 2nd lesson in my life. In 2009, I took a lesson in LA on Venice beach for something crazy like $160 for the same amount of time.
 |
| Chris showing Jon and I how to "pop up" |
The lesson was through the hostel where we stayed, El Diablo Tranquilo, with an employee, Chris, our Australian instructor. It was an excellent experience. Chris took me and a fellow traveler at the hostel, Jon, out for a two hour lesson. We spent a few minutes on the beach where he showed us the form and then we headed into the waves. At first Chris said we may only work in the white water, but after just a few minutes, we pushed beyond to where the big waves were cresting. Chris helped us with our timing and gave us a push into the wave. On one occasion, I paddled into my own wave, caught it, and stood up. Gnarly!
 |
| refusing to admit the ride is over |
On many other occasions, when I was too far front on my board, the wave swallowed my face and sent me tumbling under water, and slammed me into the soft sand below. After the original tumble, the board (attached to my ankle) would catch the wave and give me a "thrilling" underwater ride with both arms stretched above my head. The waves, and wipe outs, escalated as the tide rolled in. However, despite the epic tumbles, I managed to ride quite a few waves before the day was done and I'm dying for another chance to ride. All in all, this was a perfect (and cheap) place to learn. If you find yourself in Uruguay, get to Rivero Beach in Punta Del Diablo and stay at El Diablo Tranquilo!
eldiablotranquilo.com
No comments:
Post a Comment