The lineup in Jaco Costa Rica can get pretty crowded on the weekends, but that doesn’t mea
n you will have a hard time getting waves; a lot of people are just floating out there like buoys. I have heard some other surfers refer to buoys with contempt, and it’s true that sometimes I wish there were a few less people do dodge, but
I think there is no shame in being a buoy.
Consider that a lot of surfers in Jaco are beginners and on the weekend, lots of people from San Jose who are just starting surfing and don’t get to practice every day are out there. They have paddled out to the lineup where they have a chance to catch a wave and where they can see up close what other surfers are doing and what works and what doesn’t. But they have enough sense to know they are not ready to charge in a crowd, so they are just sitting their floating and that’s fine by me. Better to be a buoy than a kook!
If you watch and wait, eventually you will find an opportunity where you are confident you can take off and get a good ride without endangering your fellow surfers. Pura Vida!