shift

Buenas Tardes

Another beautiful day here in Puerto Rico. The swell has officially died off as of today... today is the first day since I've been here that I haven't surfed. Gotta love those odds! Feels weird not to surf. Instead, today I drove over to Jobos beach and checked out a new friend's restaurant. Diana is a SUPER cool woman who's probably in her mid to late 30s. She and her husband own El Carey (sea turtle) in Jobos. What a place! This is my Green Room Cafe while I am away--they have lots of healthy dishes (think fish, rice and beans, lots of veggies, MMMM!) They have all the acai bowls and smoothies like the Green Room too. I met Diana, her husband, and 2 young sons while surfing at Wilderness over the past 3 days. They are the nicest, coolest family you could imagine, and I love the fact they all surf together. So it was cool to see them today, and their food is amazing to say the least.

El Carey in Jobos

Yesterday I had another fun, mellow surf at Wilderness and actually just hung out there for at least an hour afterwards talking to Masso, the local watchdog/surfer of Wilderness. He has a close eye on everything going on at his spot, and is just as friendly and down-to-earth guy as you could want to meet. Pretty fun to see who you end up meeting while hanging out at your favorite break, like Masso and Diana--all the people who are drawn to the same place because they are all like-minded individuals.

Upside Down Wilderness Anole

Even though I've really enjoyed my stay here thus far, I made the decision yesterday to cut my trip to 1 month instead of 3. Truthfully, I never really knew how long I would want to be here, but had to plan for SOMEthing, so I initially decided 3 months. I thought a lot about it. Big part of shortening the trip is that May and June onward through summer is really the off-season for waves in PR. Yeah, I knew this when I planned the trip, but there were so many other things I did not know that I found out while down here that swayed my decision:

I learned that while surfing is my passion and probably the biggest part of my life, it does not make up the WHOLE of my existence. For one example, I thought I would not mind being away from the yoga studio--practicing and teaching--for 3 months. But after just a short amount of time, it became apparent to me that yoga was a bigger part of my life than I had realized! I would rather not be away from the studio for that long.

I also realized pretty quickly that while Aguadilla is a great town, it's not the town for me. It is way too sleepy a town. I had to learn that by spending some quality time here. Had to spend time here to find out that it even mattered to me to be in a lively town. I didn’t realize that was important to me until now.

Instead, I would like to try Rincon, PR in the winter for a month or so. From what I've heard and experienced from past visits, there's a bit more going on in that town and it's more youthful. Plus, in the winter, Rincon's waves are world-class (but no waves in the Spring/Summer, which is why I was not down there for this trip).

I had to make this decision right away, in order to give more notice to the people affected by it. I was a hard decision for me, because on some level, I felt like I failed the challenge of being gone the whole 3 months. But I realized that was silly, I had nothing to prove in that regard. While I also felt somewhat bad for inconveniencing others with my change of plans, I trust that the people in my life support my happiness and are flexible. I realized that it’s good to be flexible to change and fluctuation, because that is where growth and evolution lie.

Trusting my own judgment call without doubts...

"What is the biggest problem in human life? Because of lack of self-realization, you always underestimate yourself."

--Bikram Choudhury

Good realizations, here's to life and learning, and displacing yourself to find out more. I'm actually really stoked that I've learned so much so quickly--more quickly than I anticipated. Sometimes the conclusions are not what you expect, but that's the cool part of it! It has been a great journey already and I still have 3 weeks of it left.

Thanks again for reading... stay tuned for more. Fully prepared to have an amazing 3 weeks here in PR.

Inside El Carey. Snapped a few pics quickly before leaving, had wanted pics of Diana and fam but they were in the back kitchen

Citrus Red Snapper at El Carey, MMM!

Frape wall at El Carey

Yesterday's mofongo--mashed plantain goodness. MM! This is the culinary issue of my blog I guess, haha

Almost forgot this edition's self-portrait!! hahaha

Day #?

Written this morning, but didn't have time to finish before it was time to go surf, so I'm posting now:

It's a good day

Good morning! Taking the time this morning to blog. The crew of people I've been surfing with the past couple days are very easy-going and not into the dawn patrol thing, so I'm waiting 'til go-time of late morning. Fine with me, as the wind today (and thus wave quality) is not predicted to be any better or worse for late morning. And, I am easing into the day with a nice cup of joe and really enjoying it :)

Well, hmm, the past couple days I worked a lot on this first website I'm doing. Pretty much finished with the design elements and layout of each page, as it's a pretty basic site, just waiting on some content and working on a few technical aspects of it.

I decided to concentrate more on work for 2 days and a little less on surfing (1 session a day instead of 2) because I started to feel just a small hint of soreness in my elbows and shoulders (sites of previous wakeboarding injuries). I got a little burnt out spending so many consecutive hours on the site for 2 days,

And also because during this process, I am teaching myself a lot. I can build simple websites, but as is my nature, I'm really not content with that. I want to be better at it. I eventually want to be one of the best, if this is what I'm gonna stick with! I am considering going back to school for this too, we'll see. Baby steps.

Surfing has been good, the waves are more mellow right now, in the 3-4 foot range. I have been spoiled on the big waves, to where now it seems harder to SHRED the little ones! It reminds me of why they say the best surfers come from FL east coast, because it takes a good surfer to really rip on a small, weak wave! So it is great practice. Still lots of fun. And no crowds, because the locals don't really waste their time on these smaller waves!! In Cocoa Beach it would be PACKED on a 3-4 foot day, but not here.

Had a grill-out with a few friends last night, which was good fun. We also planned a poker night for Thursday, so I'll be able to get my poker fix this week! While I was out last night, Sheena was texting me with pictures and videos from poker night at Rum Runners in Cocoa Beach. It was soooo awesome to get the video of everyone at the poker table saying "HI COURTNEY!!!" It really made my day! I sent them a hello video back :)

I am very excited for my girls Sheena and Jessica to come visit in about 10 days!! I imagine that in addition to lots of surfing, we will probably make trips around the island to the rainforest and to my favorite, the north shore, which is more natural-looking and dense than the area I'm in... think big wild sand dunes, dense palm groves, big rocks and caves and stuff out into the ocean... super cool. If you surfers have heard of the famous break Hollows, that's where Hollows is.

Hollows in Arecibo, PR

Thanks so much for reading--it really means a lot to me that a lot of you have said you enjoy following my blog. Thank you for staying connected by reading it. I sure do miss everyone at home; I have the best people in the world as my friends back home. I cannot tell you how grateful I am for that. In a few weeks' time, I will be back home with the energy of a new experience to share with everyone in person.

As per many requests, here are pics, pics, and more pics! You guys sure are a visual bunch, loving the pictures! Well I aim to please. Only wish I had a camera other than my iPhone, but I do what I can for ya!

-Court

Yesterday's self-portrait, chillin on the beach at Surfer's Beach

Surfer's Beach, painted wall is a surfer's memorial

Surfer's Beach 3

SB 4. That wave you see out back is 3 foot... there were some decent waves coming through yesterday but zero people surfing, since compared to how it can be here, this was not a "good day"

Surfer's Beach 5

Famous board Mellow Yellow crazy fin setup

Mango trees, almost ripe... I'm waaaiting...

Jessica, bring your machete.

4/7/10, Took the day off--I sunned myself for a while on Crashboat Beach after surfing at Wildo all morning.

Days 5&6

The Quickening

Two days since my last blog, and it feels like 2 months. Because, of the sudden amount of time on my hands and sudden shift into a new life. My geographical location may be temporary, but some of these shifts are more lasting. For instance, a shift in jobs. Another instance, a shift back into creative output (many projects, which I will discuss further down). So many more differences: no dog, no close friends, no hot yoga studio. Not drinking, no distractions from work and various other creative endeavors. Of course, there's surfing, the main theme to this adventure, but I also had the intent for (most of) the other shifts as well. And I can only surf so many hours of the day!

Contemplation. I have so much space and time to think. Maybe too much! I have to be careful to stay on the positive side of thinking, about all things. It is a trial for me to be in a new situation essentially by myself with no security blankets and keep all thoughts positive. It is a good challenge, it only strengthens this ability in me, where I don't have the close network of friends and established life to fall back on.

That's the heavier stuff... the lighter stuff would be how much fun the surf still is! I cannot believe how good it's been since I've gotten here. I mean, this trip was my dedication to my love of surfing, and here I am getting just what I had hoped for: good waves that I can progress on. Fantastic! What have I learned? One of them is "stay on your feet!" Sounds basic, right? Actually something that helped me in skateboarding a while back. Just making the dedication "my feet are NOT coming off this board no matter what!" Sometimes the big waves out at Wilderness could get a little hairy and try to knock me off my balance, or I would do some turns and stuff that would make me fall, but now I'm using that same "just stay on your feet no matter what" mentality and becoming way more consistent on each wave. Sounds basic but it helped. I so wish I had surfing pictures to share, but I don't! That is one of my goals while I am down here though, to get some surf pics taken! Soon.

Saturday, I surfed Wilderness, head-high to overhead waves, very fun, lots of good rides again. Today, I got up just before 6am to make the sunrise Easter session with Tom and some of his buddies, again at Wilderness. It was a little choppy and not as organized as usual (non-surfers, this just means the quality wasn't a 10...I'd give the quality a 6), but BIG still. I had a bunch of good rides again, but I was also getting my butt kicked on a few waves!! Because they weren't as organized, sometimes I'd take off on a wave and it would end up not being the best takeoff spot and I'd get slammed! Thank God I am a yogi, because flexibility really comes in handy at times like those. I had a few hard falls: I kinda got a whip-lash effect twice and one time hit my face and head right on the deck of my board, also one time the fins on my board hit me real hard on the palm of my hand as I fell.

EASTER SUNDAY AT WILDERNESS

I have a theory about wrecks and accidents in sports: they're no accident, and completely avoidable given the right mindset. Clearly, I did not have this mindset going on today, but the best thing to do when that happens is laugh it off! You take all power away from the mindset that is drawing accidents and falls towards you, and start bringing the vibe back in the good direction. When I hurt my hand, it hurt a lot and at first I thought it was going to be bad, but I shrugged it off and said, it's fine. I laughed off that fall and my other goofy falls. And no joke--I watched that thing on my hand go from a purple lump to nothing, all in the time I was out surfing, a couple hours. Feels fine now. Powerful stuff.

The other great thing about surfing today was the SEA TURTLES! The whole time I was out, there were about 3 or 4 HUGE turtles... I think they were Green Sea Turtles... in the line-up with us. One of them was swimming on the surface of the water out to sea as I was paddling back out after catching a wave. I caught up to him, and fully expected him to submarine to escape me... but he stayed right on the surface and I paddled right alongside him within 2-3 feet for a bit. It was really cool, I've never been so close to one without it swimming away.

Besides surfing I've just really been burying myself into the web design/new business startup work and learning some tools of the trade, as well as other creative endeavors--doing a lot of photo manipulation and graphic designs with Photoshop, also a couple other side projects in the works that I won't talk about just yet because I'm not sure where I will go with them. Anyway, very good to be creating again, an area of my life you could say I neglected a bit over the last 2 years.

I did my first home practice of Bikram yoga today. I'm excited because I was able to heat the room enough to get a good sweat on... boy did it feel good to do yoga after the rough day of surfing... I feel all better! Yoga is the magic cure-all!

Also, my buddy Ray got back into town today, so I'm excited to hang out with him and his crew of friends that I really enjoyed hanging out with the last time I was visiting in December. I definitely need to get out and be social at this point before I become too reclusive artist type.

Thanks for reading my long blog.

As per request, more pictures:

There's some abuse going on down here. Me, abusing Jungle Love Acai energy drink!!

Fire at Wilderness Saturday. Don't worry everything was OK.

Another self portrait Saturday after I came in from surfing

Previous tenants left me some starfish. They're still drying out but will go into this little decorative hodge-podge of sea objects I made in my apartment

My view chillin on the beach on Saturday after surfing

Day 4

The day after April Fools' Day is Good Friday...odd

Schoolyards in Downtown Aguadilla. That wave you see in the back there is about chest high.

Good Friday. No one out in town, only a few on the beaches. Everyone at home or church. Not me, went out for surf and joyriding around town, lunch, groceries, etc--only a few places even open. Waves choppy; surfed downtown Aguadilla at Schoolyards (no traffic this time), only one out, 3-4 ft waves with some chop, but I'm def. not complaining. Still beautiful, still fun. New apartment: "Previous tenant was a bit of a shut-in" (funny line from Fight Club). Had a lot of cleaning to do, now officially moved in and feeling comfy. Did pretty decent amount of work, only due to fact that waves are blown out. Working on Uurthe, Inc. website first. Getting the logistical, legal, and proprietary details outta the way first, can't wait to get into the creative side of it. Waiting on some pictures to come my way (ahem, Les... :)

Self-portrait out of my car window at Schoolyards

Miss classes at the HOT yoga studio...did some on my porch in the late afternoon, but it's not the same :( have been looking around for yoga studios for some type of yoga to go do but haven't found anything yet, must dig deeper... sure there's something in Rincon 30 min south.

Been trying to decide if it's worth my while to stay for June. Have one friend who's lived in PR 20 years says, yes, even though rest of PR is flat, there's still surf in Aguadilla in summer, but every other person I've talked to (including another friend who's lived here 20+ years), and my research, all say it will be pretty flat in June...love it here for reasons other than surfing but surfing is the real reason I am here. Plus just found out good friend Yumi is getting married June 12 in Cocoa Beach and don't wanna miss! I have plenty of time to decide that one though, as it gets closer to June 1.

Can always come back for Winter!!!!!!! When the waves are UNREAL good! I probably will for at least a month? 2? 3?

Day 3

A lot happened for such an uneventful day...

It seems like not much exciting happened today, but I guess I did do a lot. First on my agenda this morning was surfing (of course). I am not waking up as early as I would like, I suppose because I am tired from surfing a lot. Also just the toll of transition and travel means I'm wanting the extra rest for a few days :)

Anyway, I woke up around 8:30 and headed out to surf. The first spot I checked was Wilderness. Man, another day of Wilderness going OFF. It looked kind of intense, and I was feeling a little lazy from my big surf day the day before, so I thought to myself, "Maybe I'll just check the other spots to see." Little did I know that was the wrong answer, and the surf gods would soon punish me for passing up such amazing (albeit exhausting-looking) waves at Wilderness before I'd actually get to surf today!

I thought I'd check the surf spots in downtown Aguadilla. I am not into traffic at all, so I do my best to avoid it in PR, where traffic can be a problem. Today though, the road to downtown did not seem heavy with cars so I went for it. Sure, the road INTO downtown was not crowded, but wow, the actual downtown sure was. I spent at least an hour and a half in traffic, and then, getting lost when I tried to go around traffic. Add to that, it was absolutely FLAT at all the spots downtown! This was the surf gods playing a trick on me for passing up Wildo!!

Cool shot out of my rearview mirror in downtown Aguadilla

I finally made it out, and checked Wishing Wells--the spot just south of Wilderness (yes, I essentially went in a huge, pointless circle, hahaha). While I could see down the beach that Wilderness was PACKED, there were only 2 other people out at Wishing Wells, and the waves were about 4-5 foot and fun. By this point I was sweaty from driving my no-AC beater thru downtown and just wanted to get in the water, so I went for it instead of making the expedition back to Wilderness (you have to go all the way to the main road and then back down the network of crazy dirt roads to go back to Wildo, even though you can see it just down the beach). I had a pretty fun surf here for a couple hours. This spot is a bit punchier and steeper than Wildo, with longer rights than lefts. If you get thrown, you have to be careful not to hit the reef. Wishing Wells is just as beautiful if not moreso than Wilderness. It seemed surreal because it was so quiet here and I had my own peak to myself in this little paradise. Felt like being in a dream.

Top Left, the road to Wishing Wells. Middle, looking north towards Wildo from Wishing Wells. Bottom Left, cool sea fan I found on the shore... will be bringing this home to go with the junk sculpture I'm doing with an old hula doll!

Scored my first amazing cafe con leche, con canela (cinnamon) at the bakery at the main road after you leave Wishing Wells. Got to converse a little in Spanish too.

Tried to nap again but my neighbors, two men and a woman, were being ridiculously loud and making these really crazy noises... I heard cow noises, trumpet noises, sheep noises, loud Spanish in funny voices, all kinds of things. I couldn't sleep, but they were seriously cracking me up. Laughter is a fine substitute for sleep, so I wasn't mad. I couldn't figure out what the hell they were doing until after 30 minutes or so, I also heard the sounds of two toddlers. HAHAHA I guess they were trying to entertain the kids.

The rest of the afternoon has involved working and, moving, if you can believe it. I always knew I would be moving from the short-term rental unit to the long-term one, but it was supposed to be May 1. The previous long-term tenants ended up leaving a month early, so my landlord Ray asked me to move up as soon as possible to free up the short-term unit. This works out nicely for me--better to move now than in a month. Also the place is 2nd level with cool patios and a little nicer.

Kind of an uneventful day, but a lot went on. I have been hanging out a lot by myself, which I've enjoyed, but I don't think it will last much longer. I can be a loner at times, but I think my true nature is a people-person. I know it will probably end when Ray is back in town next week and the poker nights start up again!

I also bought some office and drawing supplies today... thought this was funny... is it just me or is tape really expensive here?! haha