(Sayulita, Nayarit, Mexico)  About an hour ago, I was lying on my bed, looking out the sliding glass door, pass the rose-colored bougainvilla (sp?)watching the break and the few surfers left in the fading sunset.

My friend Barb and I are staying about 3 blocks from the beach, but up a steep cobblestone street, Calle de Marlin, and then up 60 more steps to a beautful 2 bedroom spot tucked in the side of a hill.

We'd just come back from the second session of the day.  Water temps are easily mid-70's and the air is about the same, maybe a little warmer.  Waves this late afternoon had lost some of the punch of the morning when it was high tide.  Those were shoulder to over head with lots of power, very steep.  Now they were mostly waist to shoulder high and pretty gentle.  Was it the ebbing tide that brought the change?  Couldn't say?

Although there were about 8 longboarders out this morning and that number doubled by mid-day, the after siesta, after work, after school crowd was smaller. Sayulita has excellent local surfers who are protective of their break (as they should be).  You take off on a wave that they are on, they will whistle you off.  You don't get off? You might get a board thrown at you.

I love to watch these local kids surf.  There were about 4 young teenagers and one boy about 10.  They could get into anything, no matter the size, no matter the shape and totally rip it up -- and they have a great time.  The youngest was on a board that at the most looked about 5 feet long; since he was small, many of his waves were overhead and his buddies would hoot and holler and cheer in Spanish as he carved his way down the line.

Sayulita was a sleepy little pueblo when i was here about 4 years ago. It still is small and picturesque, and still doesn't have a bank, but the plaza next to the church has been redone, the number of restaurants and surf shops have tripled and I've noticed a few high end shops.  Given all that, with it's cobblestone streets, brightly colored flowers, good inexpensive food and great surfing, this is a perfect spot for me.

Local sounds that go with the setting sun from my room about 300 feet up the side of the hill overlooking the town and with an eagle's view of the break:  roosters crowing, someone hammering, laughter and joking in Spanish, and the sound of the ocean with those consistent waves peeling in.

ggcarroll

Where did the yellow hibiscus fit in?
Surff

They were all over.  I saw them everywhere.
ggcarroll

(Sayulita, Nayarit, Mexico) Well, the swell has disappeared.  Sayulita is mostly swimming pool flat, but even with the drop in the wave height, there are still some small rollers coming through.

For those who have never been here, there are primarily two breaks:  one right off the middle of the beach where the restaurants are and most of the beach goers sit.  Then there is the left break.  Are you goofy foot?  Then this is the one for you.

The main break is juicy, but mostly a longboard spot.  From the water, looking back towards the shore, the little village climbs upwards and houses are built into the hills.  Since this is the same latitude as Hawaii, the vegetation is tropical.  Towering palm trees come close to the shore and deep green jungle isn't too far away.  The beach is sun-bleached white.

I brought my short board and my friend Barb brought her longboard.  (She now has a new concrete ding, made by bumping the nose of the board into one of the many steps we have to climb to get to Casa Roberto, the spot we are staying.)

While I could pick up a few waves at the main break, the zippy, long left break is my favorite.  Fast and steep; it's drop-in, stay tucked and as close to the face as possible.  Fun ride, after fun ride.

Met a number of interesting surfers from Texas, Oregon, Massachusetts, Australia but no Californians!  One guy started coming here when he was 17 and now 30 years later has a house about a block from the beach.  He flies in from Texas as often as he can.

These conversations between sets have been fascinating.  I've learned about surf spots all over the world, buying property in Mexico, choicest restaurants, and the bus schedule to Puerto Vallerta.

Besides the surf chat, I've seen a couple of almost serious accidents.  New surfers just going for it in a crowd spells disaster.  One guy at the left break was smacked in the head with a longboard; another guy this morning bailed in the absolute wrong spot and his board went flying into the back of a guy on the wave in front of him --- results?  Broken ribs.

Still getting in 2 sessions a day, even when it's small.  Since we've been walking back and forth through the plaza twice a day with surfboards (for dawn patrol and at sunset), locals smile and say "hola" and those from gringolandia stop us and ask for surf reports.

However, it was so flat right off the main break this morning, that once Barb and I paddled back in.  We propped the boards up on a stand and turned around, dove back into the water and swam out to just about where we were surfing.  Water was a toasty 75 to 76 degrees.

After,  we walked towards the ballfield and watched baseball...Sayulita vs Ixtapa.  Looks like Sayulita has better surfers than ball players.

ggcarroll

How did six days go by so quickly?  I'm back home in Marin County, Ca, back at work -- physically on both counts, but not mentally yet.

The last morning at Sayulita, I was up before it got light, peering out at the break, from way up high on the hill four blocks away.  I saw someone paddle out before the sun was up around 6:30 am and someone else quickly followed him.  I had a pretty good idea who they were.  These two guys always seem to be the first ones out.  The swell had bumped up a notch and it looked like we would have waves for the last surf before heading for the airport.

By 7:15 am, Barb and I were walking towards the beach down the steep cobblestone road outside our casa.  It was pretty quiet except for the constant crowing of roosters all over the village.  Talk about a sure proof alarm clock...well, this village has hundreds of them.

With us in the water, the lineup numbered about ten; but these were people we'd been seeing every morning and it was easy to sit and chit chat with them in the warm early morning air.  Sets took their time coming in but I really wasn't in the mood for surfing.  I hung out almost in the impact zone with my trusty water camera and took pictures (to be posted later).

I wanted one more shot at the left break so we walked down the beach.  I paddled out and up to a guy from Ontario, Canada, originally from the United Kingdom, who I had met the day before.  I told him I was just there for a few more waves and then I had to leave.

"The next two are yours," he said and he meant it.  Two waves later I was headed for the shore while he waved a good bye.  It was 8:30 am and it was time to get ready for the airport.  My vacation, unfortunately, was just about over.

Trip Facts
We flew Alaska Air.  I packed both Barb's long board and my short board in one board bag.  For some reason, we only were asked to pay one way for the boards -- and that was coming back from Mexico.  It was about $50 one way for the board.

The Casa Roberto, Buena Vista suite, http://www.casaroberto.net/, where we stayed was $65 a night; had two bedrooms, with a double bed in both, a large bathroom and a kitchen with refrigerator, blender, toaster, microwave and two burner hot plate.  It was rented through Sayulita Properties.  Check out http://www.sayulita.com for info.

Taxis from Puerto Villarta to Sayulita average between 300 to 400 pesos.  It is better to arrange pick up before you get there, because some of the taxi drivers try to double the amount.

ggcarroll

1. Would you do this destination again?
Yes, I sure would.  I'm thinking about going back in April if I can swing it.

2. If so, what would you change, if anything?
I'd stay a little longer, bring binoculars and a radio.  That's about it.

Our last trip to Sayulita we spent with TdSurf and their friends in a rented house just north of there at San Francisco. I spent almost all of my time on the center break in Sayulita. Sometimes the surf cooperated, sometimes, not. We also tried to surf at Punta de Mita, but there wasn't surf there on this last trip.

We love the area and looked at some real estate while there.  Thanks for sharing the stories, they brought back some great memories for me.

Craig Kemnitz, Great Lakes Surfer

Read Craig's Spring 2001 Sayulita Trip Report.

I'll try to respond to everyone on this post.  I wrote and posted my columns while I was away, but I'll repost here later on.

John:  Biggest waves were about 2 feet overhead when I first got there.  It was the day following a storm.  Average was about waist to shoulder++ high...very doable and fun.  Yes, I'm still surfing at Bo. Was there on Sunday, took out the long board.  Will try to get to Stinson soon.

Andy:  I was there  two weeks ago.  I packed Barb's longboard and my board in the same board bag... was only charged one way.  Went on Alaska Air.  One way is $50.  Boards are rentable there.  There are 2 surf shops.

Rod:  Never been to Costa Rica, so I can't compare.

Sayulita, although it has grown, is still a sleepy little place.  Only the businesses have phones, no cinema, no bank; great inexpensive restaurants with fresh food; bottled water is in all the rooms and
served at the restaurants, rental rooms don't have tvs, vcrs, radios.  Essentially what I'm saying is that apart from a few bars, there isn't any nightlife - so if you want to PARTEE, don't go here.

Offshores pick up around 1 and blow to dusk. 

Most local surfers, shop owners and folks in the restaurants speak some English.

I found it to be a fun, very relaxing place.  All I wanted to do was surf and sleep.  Did plenty of both and had enough time to walk around and see some of the sights.

Will go find the columns I wrote and post them here.

glenda