June
26

What to pack for the beach… even if you’re not a surfer.

One of the benefits of Mi Ola’s home base in Costa Rica is that we pretty much get to surf every day…sometimes twice a day. I know, rub it in, rub it in…

BUT, with all of those early dawn patrol mornings spent surfing and all day, sun filled boat trips to Ollie’s Point, Mi Ola rider Kristen has gotten the gear that she carries in her surf bag down to a science. Kristen was so kind to share some of her secret ingredients that help keep her surfing for hours.

Sun Protection:

Living in Costa Rica, the sun down here is H-O-T. Since moving to Costa Rica, because I am exposed to the sun everyday, I have become much more cognizant of sun protection. I prefer to surf in the early morning or during sunset when the sun is not as intense, and then I hide inside the rest of the day! My sun protection starts with high SPF sunscreen, my Kaenon polarized sunglasses, a hat to keep the sun off my face, and a pretty rad Mi Ola rash guard (LOVE the Pescado long sleeve rashie!!!). I still am looking for a sunscreen that stays on my lips!

Rashguard, hat, sunglasses: Check!

One of my secret sun care ingredients is Pañalito, the Costa Rican version of diaper-rash creme (American brand is called Desitin). Due its high content of zinc oxide, it is a great, thick sunscreen that stays on…and since it does not have any other chemical fillers, my face does not break out as soon as it touches my skin. I also apply it to my scars and recently started rubbing it in on my ears and hands to make sure I have extra protection on these more exposed and sensitive body parts. Of course, you can use it to treat rashes caused by surfing.

Bikinis that STAY on:

After some research and personal product testing, I have found that the best type of suits that stay on are the cross-back tops and the bottoms that have, well, skimpier coverage. Why the smaller bottoms? My theory is there is less fabric for the white-water to drag down. Talk about some toasty buns!

One of the benefits of being a team rider for Mi Ola is that I get to product test the suits and rashguards. My favorite Mi Ola pieces are:

  • Reversible wrap top: Two bikini tops in one! AND this top stays on…I have surfed in this top, cannonballed 20 feet into a pool, and done flips off a catamaran and no one has yet to get a free show.

  • Boyshort: OK, I know I said the skimpier the bottom coverage the better the suit stays on (like the Casita Boythong)…BUT this bottom ROCKS. It is super comfortable and can go from playing out in the waves to the beach bar to yoga class no problem.

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Casita Boythong, Tira top and vintage Brasil shirt

  • Pescado Rashguard: Not only does this rashguard protect me from the sun, but it is a head turner. I can’t even begin to tell you the amount of compliments I have gotten on this piece! The best part is that when I wear this I am one step closer to being a mermaid…

Waterproof everything:

From boat trips to the down pours that can happen during rainy season, it is important to waterproof your belongings. This starts with my dry bag backpack to my Lifeproof case for my iPhone. For the stuff that I can’t waterproof, I put them in zip-lock baggies and then into my dry bag. Things like:

  • My Nikon DSLR (I never leave home without a camera…or two.)
  • First aid kit (Bandaids, superglue, anti-itch cream for those jellyfish stings, Ibuprofen, alcohol cleaning pads)
  • Surf wax
  • Money to buy a pipa (coconut) after a surf session
  • Ding repair kit
  • Extra large beach towel to wrap around my tall-self
  • Leave-in conditioner (The saltwater sucks the life out of my hair so as soon I get out of the water the repair treatment starts! I highly recommend Macadamia Natural Oil.)
  • Sunscreen, sunglasses, and extra hat

SURFBOARDS!

I wish I could have a whole quiver of boards, but until I get Robert August to shape me my new board, a 6’4″, my two magic sticks are a 9’4″ Robert August “Wingnut Noserider” and 7’6″ Robert August “Waimea” model. Smooth like butter and the ride so sweet!

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And when I am stuck on dry land…

Yoga mat: As I learned the semi-hard way, yoga is essential when you are surfing a lot. Somehow I went almost a month without practicing and coincidentally strained my back and neck. All the paddling, arching your back, and wipeouts require some good stretching. Plus, being bendy has some other advantages as well….like being able to touch my toes! I recommend Jade and Manduka mats.

Goof Board: When I am dry docked visiting my family in the US, I love to hop on my Goof Board balance board. It is an excellent tool for improving your column strength balance and super fun to cross-step on!

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June
20

Costa Rica Loves Bailey

Most of the year, we follow MI OLA athlete Bailey Rosen via Facebook and Instagram. We cheer her on from afar - and catch up with her on the phone. But last week, we got a WHOLE week of surfing and hanging out with her - here in Costa Rica.

Bailey took seventeen exams to finish her high school career, then she attended graduation and immediately hopped on a plane to visit us in Costa Rica. We had a lot of fun surfing with Bailey! However she also was training hard for the Molokai to Oahu paddleboard race in July. The Molokai to Oahu race spans 32 miles through the Molokai channel - which can produce swells well overhead during the race. Bailey said, “The race is not purely about speed. It is about endurance.” She is shooting to complete the race in six hours. Yes, you read that right - Six hours covering 32 miles in open water! But as Bailey mentioned to us, “SO much depends on wind and current direction it’s really impossible to predict how long the race will take.”

Bailey, her mom JoJo and Mr. Endless Summer Robert August

MI OLA team rider Kristen and Bailey spent the week surfing the local surf breaks. You are probably are wondering why “surfing” and not “paddleboarding”? Due to the nature of the Molokai to Oahu race, with potentially large swells, Bailey spent the week long boarding to work on her footwork cross-stepping up and down her board, or as Kristen likes to say, “twinkle-toeing”.

We were so bummed to say good bye to Bailey! We know there are some great things in the future for Bailey (like attending UCLA in the fall!) AND we can’t wait to cheer her on during her race. Go Bailey!

Check out Bailey’s awesome video of her trip! (click on picture for link)

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Click to link to Bailey’s video!

 

 

 

June
13

Summer Camp

Hello muddah, hello faddah
Here I am at Camp Granada
Camp is very entertaining
And they say we’ll have some fun if it stops raining.

Dearest faddah, darling muddah,
How’s my precious little bruddah
Let me come home, if you miss me
I would even let Aunt Bertha hug and kiss me.

Wait a minute, it’s stopped hailing.
Girls are swimming, gals are sailing
Cannonballing, gee that’s better
Muddah, faddah kindly disregard this letter.

Oh summer camp…the freedom from your parents, siblings AND especially dreaded homework. What if you could put yourself in a time machine and go back to your jumping into lakes and chasing lightning bugs in the middle of the night, ten-year-old self? What if summer camp for your grown up self existed??? Not a retreat, but SUMMER CAMP.

Mi Ola founder Helena first learned to surf at an all women’s surf camp, SwellWomen in Maui, and there are several really good female surf camps here in Central America (like Surf With Amigas in Nicaragua), but when we got word that our friends Sara Rossi and Rosalia Lindo were planing a summer camp for women in our own backyard, Playa Negra, we had to find out more. We chatted with Sara about this summer camp idea and now all we need to figure out is how to get our kids to sign the permission slips to let us attend camp!

A little more about summer camp from Sara Rossi…

It’s new and unique and different. I’ve been doing “retreats” but everyone is doing “retreats” and I feel like women also need some time to HAVE FUN. Retreats are , as the word signifies a time to RE-TREAT, go inwards, meditate, breathe and practice yoga, which are all great things but we felt the need of putting out something more exciting. This is more like what kids experience during summer camp: play, play, play! This is the ultimate vacation designed to re-energize your body, refresh your spirit, and ignite your mind. Created by women for women, our fun-filled summer camp takes fitness and well-being to a new level by blending the perfect mix of outdoor activities with mindful practices to create an adventure that will spark your passion and empower you to enjoy life, PURA VIDA style! You will leave with your biggest smile ever, and the tools and support to keep it there.

The summer camp day will start with a yoga flow in front of the ocean, al fresco while surrounded by sunshine, the Pacific Ocean, and the sweet sounds of nature in the idyllic environs of Playa Negra, Costa Rica. Practicing tree pose while surrounded by actual trees, ditching the Enya playlist for the sounds of tropical birds singing and the ocean waves crashing on the shore and actually getting to salute the sun overhead? A great breakfast follows [no summer camp mess-halls here!] and the next morning activity: surf, stand up paddle, or kama movement. After lunch there will be chill and relax time and the ladies can get some pampering massages from the hotel spa, go horseback riding at sunset on the beach or take a salsa class. Oh, there is also a SUP tour inside the mangroves followed by a SUP yoga class, SHOPPING, and a day to hike up the Rincon de la Vieja volcano. After dinner we will practice some relaxation techniques to ease into some sweet dreams. Every day is different, with new classes, new adventures, relaxation time and fun time to share.

How fast can you ladies pack your bags and jump on a plane to Costa Rica?! This sounds like a pretty awesome summer camp to us! BUT, if your kiddies are not willing to sign that permission slip for you to go to Costa Rica, we found some pretty awesome adult summer camps that are a little bit more local, such as space camp, circus camp, archeology camp…the list goes on and on!

Bottom line, get out there!

For more information on Sara and Rosalia’s “All Women Summer Camp”, contact Sara at Sarayoga3@yahoo.com

June
22

Beach Babe Interview: Chelsea

Meet Chelsea! We met up with this awesome surfer on the beach in Tamarindo, Costa Rica. She let us know a little bit about her beachy lifestyle and surfing in Mi Ola.

Name: Chelsea

Hometown: Warren, Vermont

Best part about living on the beach: Surfing

Favorite Activity to do in Mi Ola: Surfing. I love the ocean and I also try to give back as much as possible.

What else are you involved in? I also run a small homeschooling program in Tamarindo, called TIDE Academy (www.TIDEAcademy.com). It provides a flexible education so kids have the ability to do what they really like (surfing, working, etc.) and still be able to attend school!

chelsea

Photo by Manfred Jimenes.