There’s nothing like a group of people who have amazing attitudes, relaxed demeanor and a simple desire to have a great time and a lot of fun. Such was the case this week at Surf House as we kicked off our first camp after our October rainy season break. The Surf House was filled with nothing but positive vibrations and the stoke of ten radical women that quickly became not just friends, but surf buddies.
After joining us exactly one year ago, Sandy and Gayle of Vail, Colorado, returned to camp, this time bringing four Colorado friends! Jackie was the instigator of the group, as she was meant to come the last year but couldn’t due to a motor biking incident. With Jackie as their excuse to go back to surf camp, Sandy and Gayle signed up, and coworkers Lisa and Janet also got onboard. This group of ER doctors and nurses are a force to be reckoned with, whether in or out of the water. Their motto from last year is a phrase that still applies: “If it swells, ride it.”
Maggie (L.A ) and Stephanie (Denver), actually met years ago as travel nurses and have been traveling together since! These ladies did it all, even squeezing in a trip to Laguna de Apoyo midweek. They also taught us how to soak gummy bears in Flor de Cana, the result being ‘Rummy Bears’…a new Chica Brava tradition for sure. The duo ended up adopting Jackie who changed her flight to extend her trip by a couple of days (apparently she’s known for that move). The trio went off to spend a couple of nights in Granada before flying home. In Stephanie’s words: “Here’s to 10 strangers that became friends and to 7 days when surfing became more than just a sport. Hands down one of the best weeks of my life!” Check out her video!
Our two solo travelers, who quickly became part of the family, were Erin, and Claire, both of whom came to camp with a bit of experience and quickly excelled! Claire traveled all the way from London, and did an amazing American accent that kept us entertained on more than one occasion.
The ladies surfed Playa Remanso and Playa Hermosa, visited Playa Maderas, danced their hearts out on the Catamaran tour, enjoyed massages and Yoga at Zen Yoga, and had a blast in the lingering showers of rainy season. It was an excellent week, all around, especially due to our new additions to the Chica Brava team, Annaleigh of Florida, and Denise of Puerto Rico. The positive vibrations these girls have had from their first moments with Chica Brava truly are contagious, and we’re stoked to have them on the team. Welcome, CHICAs! Way to rock your first week!
Aloha,
Noelani
Camp Operations Manager
Surf House, November 1-8, 2014
