My friends that surf 26th street in Manhattan invited me to join up with them for an eight day (seven nights) long surf trip to Mainland Mexico. They said the water would be warmer than Hawaii and the surf would be awesome. All you can eat and drink included at this surf resort Costa Azul where everyone stays. I ran the dates by my boss six months in advance to see if I could get the week off and at the time he said it was ok. Six months later he had forgotten all about it and was taking vacation during the same time I was planning on being gone too. I ended up getting only a few days off, but I figured it was better than nothing. I talked my friends into taking my 7’ 4” hybrid for me since I would have to change planes to get there. I called my travel agent two days before my trip and I guess they had forgotten about me too. They said they had no record of me. It wasn’t looking good. I got them straightened out and manage to get a room at Costa Azul after all was said and done. I had never been there before so I asked if the hotel was sending someone to pick to me up at the airport or if I needed to get a ride there. They said that someone from Costa Azul would meet me at the airport just outside the baggage customs area and they would take me to my hotel. I planned on just bring a carry-on backpack (travel light as always) so should be easy going.
So the day finally arrived and I jumped on the plane with my flip-flops and backpack and caught the first leg of the trip. I had never been to the Dallas airport before and found that my 45 minute stop over was just barely enough time to make it to my next terminal on the other side of the airport. I wasn’t the last person to board the plane but it was a close race. Finally I was able to relax a little. Just a few more hours and I’d be landing at the Puerto Vallarta airport and then off to surf with my friends. Before I had left my friends told that there was this fun left beach break about a ten minute walk from the hotel called San Panchos and I was already day dreaming about riding some hot waves there. By hot I mean the actual water temperature (about 85 degrees sometimes hotter).
 |
| Artist: Eric J. Cedeno Title: San Panchos Oil on Canvas 12 inches by 12 inches |
They also said it that from the airport to the hotel there was a time change which always messes people up when they try and leave and make the 45 minute drive back to the airport that turns into an hour and 45 minutes. I didn’t care about the drive I was just looking forward to getting out in the surf and catching some of those waves they kept talking about.
The plane landed and I filled out whatever customs paperwork the flight attendant handed me. I grabbed my bad and followed the herd of people thru customs. There a big button that everyone presses in front of big Mexican military looking guy with a machine gun. The button turns a light above it either green (no search required) or red (get ready for a strip search and interrogation). When I pressed the button the light turned green and I was on my way to find my ride to the hotel.
The airport was full of people and nearly all of them were speaking fluent Spanish and all I could think of was that I should have paid more attention in my high school Spanish class all those years ago. There were many people holding hotel signs, some with passenger names, some without. I looked and was having a hard time finding my name, or my hotel name. Soon the crowd dispersed and I was almost all alone. I check out side and looked around and still no one with a Costa Azul sign with my name on it. I was getting nervous and tried continue to look calm, like I take this trip all the time. I didn’t want to stick out and get robbed or kidnapped after all I was in Mexico and bad stuff was known to happen there. I asked the row of cab drivers if they had seen the van from Costa Azul and they said that it didn’t come today. I asked if they knew where the hotel was and they didn’t seem so sure. I said that it was next to San Panchos and one of the drivers said he knew where that was and agreed to take me there.
It was a long ride and I had no idea which direction my hotel was really in, but I kept a calm appearance. The city roads faded into lust tropical jungle and about 40 minutes into the journey I saw a large billboard on the right side of the road that said Costa Azul Surf Adventures and I felt much better. The cab driver went thru a very small town with cobble stone roads with big pot holes and loose dogs. I saw the Costa Azul hotel and was happy to make it there in one piece. I got out of the cab and met the hot tropical air and the driver demanded his $65 payment for the ride. I was thinking 65 pesos, but no he meant $65 US Dollars. It was all the money that I had brought with me, but there was no way I was going to be able to talk my way out of it so I gave him the money and he quickly left.
I checked in. My friend saw me on my way to my room and said the surf just came up and to put on my trucks and they’d bring my board to me. I put on my trunks and grabbed a rash guard just as my board arrived. I pulled out my 7’4” out of my travel bag and it was still in good shape. I put the fins back in, grabbed my leash and headed to the beach. The guys where hanging out at the “all you can eat” restaurant. They said the surf was getting better and to go down the beach to the left and hit up San Panchos. The other Eric and T-Bone were also headed that way.
The sand was softer than I thought it would be just out front of the hotel. The shore break was surprisingly big and gutless, dumping about head high on nearly dry sand. I was a little nervous and was beginning to think that maybe the surf was bigger than I could handle, I kept walking. I could see a few heads out down the beach that was rimmed with palm trees and jungle. I finally made it to where the waves were breaking and I could tell it was going to be bigger out there than it looked from shore. I strapped my leash to my right ankle and jumped over the shore break onto my board and started to paddle out to the peak. The ocean water was really 85 degrees, maybe hotter. I know people that don’t even wash their dishes in water this hot and I couldn’t help but laugh. At least I wasn’t going to get cold for a change.
The other Eric was already out there in the right place since he had all week to get the place dialed in. I sat next to him and we waited for the next set as T-Bone sat on the beach with her camera ready to take pictures of us surfing. A big set roll up and the other Eric had the right of way. He smiled and said “take it. I’ve been here all week. I’ve had plenty.” I was stoked. I paddled hard and made the big drop.
 |
The wave was fast and pretty clean and I had no idea if T-Bone could even see me, but it didn’t really matter to me. I headed out for more. We traded off on sets and I caught as many waves as my arms could handle. I knew there was more action coming my way in the next few days and didn’t want to burn completely out on my first session. It’s a strange feeling being so comfortable in a new place. I imagined that I was going to move into one of the houses on the little peninsula and live there forever. Another fun wave rolled up to me and I easily caught it. Big bottom turn into a smooth off the lip, this never happens back in the South Bay for me. These waves were roomy with lots of face and time to play on.
A few hours later I got out and headed back to my room to change, and then I was off to the restaurant to find out if they really meant all-you-can-eat. I ordered three dinners. I had almost forgotten that the last time I ate was before the sun came up and it was already dark out but still really warm out. Cliff told me that they were planning on going to Santa Cruz the next day and that I should ride with them. He said it should be really good, like 200 yard lefts. I thought he might be exaggerating but then again he was right about the water temperature. He said we’d meet up early around 6:00 am at the restaurant for a light breakfast and then we’d jump in the van and head about 45 minutes north to Santa Cruz. I tried to rest but there were two things that kept me awake for most of the night. One was that I kept re-living each wave that I caught at San Panchos and how the hot salt water would burn my eyes just a little whenever I would duck dive under a wave. The other thing keeping e awake was the Air Conditioner that rattled like a World War 1 gunner plane in a dog fight. I tried turning it off and almost melted in the August heat. It was a matter of survival, it had to stay on. Eventually I got used to it enough to get a few hours sleep.
I met the gang in the morning in front of the restaurant and grabbed a few snacks for the road. Everyone was excited about the swell that had rolled in when I showed up the day before. They all said I was lucky and had great timing. Turns out the last few days were nearly flat and I hadn’t missed anything. Our driver took us thru the jungle roads north to Santa Cruz. I’ve never seen so many palm trees before; they went on and on as far as my eyes could see. Eventually the road ended on a little empty beach and we piled out to check the surf. Sure enough, 200 yard lefts, some longer.
We all paddled out hungry for waves. I ended up surfing off to the far left with Alonzo (a top 10 surfer in Mexico) were the waves were shorter but had a nice barrel off the take offs. A 200 yard left sure makes for a long paddle back and eventually everyone was spaced out enough that it almost seemed empty. It was incredible fun. Most of the waves were around head high. They just kept coming in breaking super fun all morning long. It was hot out and I think the water may have been warmer than the air. We all paddled till our arms were pretty much useless. There were some snacks and drinks waiting for us at the van and he happily accepted them before heading back to the hotel.
Most of the crew ate a big lunch and then disappeared for a long siesta. I ended up surfing San Panchos again for a little bit before the daily thunderstorm arrived in the late afternoon like clockwork. At Dinner we decided to take a boat in the morning to get to our next surf destination. I think they the locals called it Punta Bonita but it could’ve been Punta De Mita. After diner I was too exhausted to worry about the AC keeping me up, it didn’t. In the morning we did the usual morning ritual of a light breakfast and loaded up the van and headed for the harbor. We charted a boat to take us to a cove that is only accessible by boat, my kind of trip. I had never take a boat out for a surf trip before this I had always travel by land to go surfing. It was way cool. It took about 30 to 45 minutes at mostly top speed to reach our secluded cove. The surf had dropped in size from the day before but it still looked fun to me. We jumped off the boat and headed for the line-up. Before long I noticed Cliff was way off to the left (if you are looking towards shore) and I told the other Eric that I was going over there to surf with Cliff. The other Eric said it might get crowded knowing that only Cliff and I would be there. I paddled over to Cliff and he said that it breaks real shallow and there’s a bunch of sea urchins down there so the trick is just don’t fall. Perfect a frame pitched up on us and we took turns wave after wave. “This is what it’s all about. This is why we work so hard so we can do stuff like this” Cliff said. It was getting hotter and I figured I’d beat the rush back to the boat for a snack. I had some fresh ceviche and some juice and was feeling refreshed. I put on my hat and paddled back to the peak where I last saw Cliff. The tide was dropping and Cliff headed back to the boat and I stayed behind catching wave after wave, shallow barrel after barrel, alone. Kimy later told me that every time she looked over at me surfing the point I was riding a wave, she never even saw me paddling and wondered if my surfboard had some sort of motor on it.
It was an amazing experience getting to surf those jungle breaks with my friends. I went back to Costa Azul the next year and went to a few other breaks like Chacala and Platanitos. Chacala breaks just like Haggs (Haggerty’s) back home and I was extra stoked when Alonzo (#4 on the Mexico Surfing circuit) gave me the wave of the day. Platanitos was a great break, but a little scary to get to, after all you have to paddle across a river that was known to have caiman crocodiles in order to get the main surf break.
 |
| Artist: Eric J. Cedeno Title: Platanitos Oil on Canvas 12 inches by 12 inches |
If the caiman don't get you the mosquitos will for sure. Mainland Mexico is a great place, even better when you have good friends to share waves with, but for me nothing compares to San Panchos. Whenever I make the long walk from the hotel down the soft sand beach to San Panchos I always feel like I’m walking home. I later painted a five foot by six foot oil painting of San Panchos so I could be closer to home, while at home.
 |
| Artist: Eric J. Cedeno Title: San Panchos Oil on Canvas 60 inches by 72 inches |
I love your paintings. Your so talented!..... in the water and on land. what can't you do?
ReplyDelete