New photography book on Pavones, Costa Rica

Lily Mayfield's new book, "de Pavones"
"The photographs in this series reflect my interest in this rural surfing community. Pavones is renown amongst pro and amateur surfers for having the world's second longest wave. When the conditions are right, surfers can ride a wave for nearly a mile," said Lily Mayfield, of Chicago, Illinois. Lily is a photographer whose collection is now available in a book "de Pavones."

"Even with its attraction for surfers, Pavones remains a rural community, untouched by the typical chain hotels and restaurants you might expect to find in a tourist-driven Costa Rican town with views of the Pacific Ocean.

"Since 1997, my sister Angela has lived in Pavones, Costa Rica located on the Pacific Ocean. Angela and her husband Marshall own and manage what started as modest but comfortable cabinas and what has become a full-fledged resort. I visit my sister as often as possible and spend much of my time photographing while I am in town.

"There are many reasons for its protected state: its location near the southern tip of Costa Rica far from the capitol city of San Jose, the unpaved roads into and through Pavones, and its lack of connection (until recently) with the modern world.

"Until 2008, there were no phone lines or Internet in Pavones. Since this recent introduction of modern technology, the town has begun changing rapidly.

"My intention is to create a portrait of Pavones by photographing the residents, the many scenic spaces, and the local businesses. Through my continued visits to the community, I am creating a travelogue of my experiences and a record of this rural surf town."

Sails, marlin, tuna on Pacific Coast

Down south, only a few sails are appearing, and only one marlin was reported last week. Lots of tuna are being found either at the mouth of Golfo Dulce or just a couple of miles offshore all the way to CaƱo Island. Roosterfish have helped keep anglers busy to make up for the lack of steady action offshore. Jani Schulz of Rainforest Radio caught and released her first roosterfish.



Read more here: Sails, marlin, tuna on Pacific; tarpon and flat seas on Caribbean, The Tico Times

If you are in NorCal


The World Media Awards and Event will take place on October 26th at the PayPal building in San Francisco.

Humpback, Killer & Pilot Whales in Pacific, Osa and Golfo Dulce Waters

In the waters beyond Pavones,
a killer whale surfs the boat's wake,
photo by Mike Grace
of Cummins Motors,
Courtesy Crocodile Bay Resort
This whale story from Todd Staley at Crocodile Bay Resort in nearby Puerto Jimenez, which sits across the Golfo Dulce from Pavones, Costa Rica.

"Off in the distance were silhouettes of something large jumping and making tremendous splashes. We were sure it was a huge school of very big tuna. As we got close enough to see what it was, it turned out to be a mammoth group of pilot whales. There were literally hundreds of them."

"As the boat got closer, they came over to check us out and began to swim alongside the boat the way porpoises do. We watched them for over an hour with not one tuna in sight," he continued.

Fishing Wild Blue Pavones for Tuna & More

Tuna and porpoises sometimes share the waves with surfers at Pavones point, but if you want to catch tuna for dinner, you need to hire a panga in Pavones or a sport fishing captain in Golfito, Puerto Jimenez or Zancudo, Costa Rica.
Pavones Golfito Costa Rica Tuna Fishing
You’ll find tuna and porpoises together, as tuna like to feed underneath groups of porpoises.

Pavones Votes to Create Development Association Led by Business People, Activists

We did it – 170 Pavones residents including Costa Rican citizens and expat landowners voted to successfully create the Pavones Development Association, which means our small Costa Rica town now has a direct voice in programs to develop jobs and infrastructure.

Gerardo Mendoza Barantes
Vela Miles
Gerardo Mendoza Barantes won a very close vote over his friend Vela Miles to win the Presidency of the Association. Gerardo’s 56 votes won over Vela’s 53 votes, and also over Miriam Lobo, the 3rd lead candidate.

Gerardo Mendoza Barantes (above) is now President, and Vela Miles (right) is Vice President.  Other elected officers comprise Arelis Rojas, Treasurer; Susanne Mesen Madrigal is Secretary and the 3 Vocales are Miriam Lobo, Juan Jimenez and Pedro Caballero.

The Association is led by business owners and operators with long experience in community activism.

Zen, Yoga and Surfing: Staying in the Present Moment at the Pavones Yoga Center in Costa Rica

We asked Indira Kate Kalmbach why she combines yoga and wave riding – surfing and SUP – in recent events at Pavones Yoga Center. Katie said,

Indira Kate Kalmbach
Costa Rica
The act of riding a wave inherently compels us to remain in the present moment.

“The pauses between waves, between sets – the stillness between action – is a perfect metaphor for the natural oscillation between highs and lows, ups and downs, good and bad, yin and yang.

In life, it seems we’re always trying to grasp the highs and avoid the lows. But surfing makes it clear how impossible this is.

Surfing teaches yogic principles, without verbalizing them. Very zen-like.”

Pavones Hotels: Yoga Farm, Punta Banco

A great place to disconnect from the world and reconnect with tranquility, healthy food, community and nature is the Yoga Farm in Punta Banco (south of Pavones), Costa Rica.

The Yoga Farm Pavones Punta Banco Costa Rica GabrielThe Yoga Farm is perched high on a hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean. This blogger, for one, has escaped the hustle and bustle of Pavones to recharge at The Yoga Farm.

Resident Yoga Farm instructors provide daily guided practice, and the open air studio has glorious views of the Pacific Ocean and the jungles of southern Costa Rica. You’ll enjoy lots of play time, and group meals from home-grown organic gardens.

April 2nd Vote Planned to Form a Development Association for Pavones' Infrastructure

How would you have spent 80 million colones...$160,000.. to improve Pavones, Costa Rica?

Bring your identification -- residency card or passport or cedula -- to a meeting this Saturday, April 2, 2011 from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. to form the Asociacion de Desarrollo de Pavones (Association for the Development of Pavones), at Escuela Las Gemelas, by the fishermens' center.

101 votes are necessary for the association to become a legal entity. This gives Pavones the legal ability to request government funds for local infrastructure improvements and have direct oversight and accountability for funds... like the $160,000 which was spent 2 years ago (more below). We're told expats can vote as long as you're in Costa Rica legally, i.e. with a visa stamp in your passport.

Fundraising Drive For Pilon Airport

Fundraising for an airport in Pilon to serve the area of Pavones, Costa Rica, now begins in earnest.

Community activist Vela Miles has established a fund at Banco Nacional de Costa Rica for the benefit of the Aeropuerto Rancho del Mar.

With Ms. Miles at the helm, and promising to publish the banking statements, the community has assurances that funds will be wisely used, for their stated purpose, and with transparent reporting to the public.

Added 3/30/2011 -- You can also contribute labor -- time and sweat. If you are an employer, you can donate man-hours.

Forecast Calls for Chubascos as Rainy Season Comes to Pavones

Rainy Season
Starts in Pavones
Rainy season starts next week for Pavones, Costa Rica and the rest of the southern zone, thanks to the effects of this year's La NiƱa weather pattern.

The forecast calls for sunny mornings and late afternoon Chubascos, with possible aguaceros, according to a forecast from Costa Rica's meteorological institute.  A chubasco is a fast downpour that starts and ends suddenly in a localized area. An aguacero is a more sustained, heavier rain.

Surf and Waves>>    Pavones Microclimates>>

The New National Stadium, A Gift from China: San Jose Businesses Hope for a Boom

Prices for business and residential
real estate are +30% around new
national stadium in San Jose,
but no parking for 30,000 fans.
In San Jose, Costa Rica, prices of properties near the new National Stadium have risen at least 30% in the last 9 months. An undeveloped property behind the ICE tower is available for $1 million. One plot of land 524 square meters is selling for $895,000.  "For sale" and "for lease" signs are common in the streets of La Sabana.  Demand for vacant land has almost doubled.

More of this story + VIDEO

Pavones Surfer Noe McGonagle Wins Quiksilver King of the Groms

Noe Mar McGonagle of Pavones,
Costa Rica won King of the Groms,
photo: Maripaz Chinchilla
Noe Mar McGonagle of Pavones, Costa Rica, won the first national Quiksilver "King of the Groms" competition in Playa Hermosa on March 19, 2011. He will now go to Mexico for the Latin American final in June.

Noe competed against 35 other competitors in the under-16 competition. Conditions in Playa Hermosa were good when the surfers entered the water at 3:00 p.m., with waves 1.5 meters high, mild winds and a crowd of 1,000 spectators. Saturday's contest was the final round of a regional competition.