International Surf Day Rincon, Puerto Rico

Yesterday was International Surfing Day and it was observed in surf communities around the world. Here in Rincon, Puerto Rico we celebrated it by starting with a beach clean up inside the Tres Palmas Marine Reserve, followed by stand up paddle boarding by some, paddling on surfboards by others and a snorkel by the rest around the reserve, and we ended the day with a potluck lunch on Steps Beach. The sun was shining and the water was crystal clear....it was another gorgeous day in paradise!

International Surfing Day is held annually on the summer solstice. It was established by Surfing Magazine and Surfrider Foundation in 2004. It's not just for people that surf, it's for everyone that loves the beaches, oceans and waves. It's for people that are environmentally conscious and want to give back to the community. It's also a day for people to get outside and enjoy the water. It's an opportunity to invite people to come spend the day on the beach, together as a community, and that's what we did!

The good news is OUR BEACHES ARE PRETTY DARN CLEAN!!! We gathered about 10 bags of trash, some corrugated tin, two tires and broken flower pot. I have to say that the beaches here in Rincon seem remarkably cleaner than they were a few years ago. I think a lot of that has to do with the monthly beach clean ups we do with Surfrider Foundation. Also, due to the clean ups a lot more people are aware of the "keep our beaches clean" effort and whenever they go to the beach they pick up scraps of trash on their way out. Now, I'm not talking about masses of trash everywhere, but it's the cigarette butts or the plastic cup you see while lying on the beach that really bug me.

Anyhow...yesterday was a great success. Thanks to Joel Cordero for all the great photos. Thanks to Steve Tamar for tirelessly setting up the Surfrider tent. Thanks to Roger Wagner from 787 Surf School for carting all the tables and coolers back and forth. Thanks to everyone that made delicious food for lunch and helped clean our beach! Thanks to Surfrider Foundation, Kaenon and Monster Beverage for donating all the cool schwag that we gave away at the event. And thanks to David and Maureen Miller for donating about 30 lbs of delicious squash, free for the taking, from their farm.

1st Annual Beach Boy SUP Race in Rincon

On April 4^th, 2009 the 1^st Annual Beach Boy Race for Stand Up Paddleboarding was held in Rincon, Puerto Rico. Organized by local Rincoeños, there were over 70 participants in the race and many more on hand to watch.

Villa Cofresi was the starting point of the race and they graciously sponsored part of the event. Food and refreshments were provided before and after the race. Angelo Cordero was on site volunteering his time as the official photographer on land and in the water, as he snapped photos from a jet ski. Mar Azul donated boards for contestants that didn’t own their own boards. Shipwreck Café and Taino Divers were there with staff members helping out and participating in the event. The event really brought together everyone in the community.

The open race had about 40 participants, male and female of all ages, racing from Villa Cofresi to the marina and back. That’s about 2.5 miles but it looks a lot less when standing onshore. My confidence got the best of me when Leon encouraged me to enter into the elite category with 30 other competitors. The elite race went from Villa Cofresi, to Domes Beach and then back to Villa Cofresi for a total of 6.5 miles.

I turned in my white open shirt for the red elite shirt and lined up for the horn that signaled the start of the race. Right from the get-go the serious competitors took the lead. I quickly realized that I was in a little over my head. I began to doubt myself especially when I reached the first orange buoy marking the halfway point for the open race. I started thinking of escape plans. I thought I could turn around as soon as I saw Leon lapping me on his return trip. When he passed me and I told him my plan he insisted that I keep going. Then I thought I could discreetly exit the beach in front of my house and no one would notice. But then I thought about how good it would feel to cross the finish line. That’s when I made up my mind to finish. It didn’t matter how long it took me, it mattered that I complete the race. At that very moment I realized that I had been daydreaming and the guy I had been neck and neck with for the first half of the race had gained 20 yards on me. As I snapped to it he fell off his board in the choppy waters just as he rounded the point between the Rincon Lighthouse and Domes. That’s when I made my move. I passed him as he fell off his board for a second time in the hellish waters by the point. As I passed him I made a wake so big I knocked him off his board a third time (ok…that’s a slight exaggeration). As I rounded the buoy I smacked it so hard with excitement I knocked myself off my board. But that didn’t stop me. I let out a whoop and a holler knowing that I was half way home. As there had already been a number of people that had already passed me, I knew heading home would be much easier moving with the current. On the way back the waves were pumping, surfers were catching waves and cheering us on. I even managed to catch 2 waves around Dogmans that propelled me closer to the finish line. By this time I had a solid 200 yard lead ahead of my male competitor. As I turned the bend at Steps Beach I saw Miss Snickerdoodle Bruiser on the beach running alongside me. It was like she was cheering me on. My very own mascot! Next I passed the marina and I reached the finish line at Villa Cofresi. I knew I had placed 4^th in the women’s category since 3 other women had passed me during the race. As the wave took me to shore and everyone was cheering I felt a huge sense of accomplishment and pride. That’s when a teeny tiny vicious wave knocked me off my board and lurched me onto shore face first into the sand. What a photo finish!