Well folks, it finally happened. Just as in the past, it slowly got smaller and one day there just wasn't a new swell filling in. Yep, it went flat. Usually we get out first swells of the season late in February. This season we got the last. Rest up Sothern Ocean, we need you in a few weeks.

And life goes on in our little fishing village, The men mend the nets and Silvio and Julian scrape and varnish the brick wall in the mornings and paint the bedrooms in the afternoons. Getting ready for the first new clients of the new season.

And the old men dream of waves gone past and vow how they are going to ride deeper and more aggressively this new season. They spend serious water-time swimming and staying in shape so the first swells of Spring don't catch them unawares.

TOUR REPORTS

Those first clean days of Spring when the water is still in the 70's and there is life and promise in the air. A time of Pitchers and Catchers and days of reeling perfections with nobody out. The first days of the new season are special.

I love the first days of a new group when nobody knows yet if their a Tona or a Victoria kinda guy and we arrive back to the surf-lodge after a day of barrels,camaraderie,and maybe someone caught a fish. And all the guy bantering and teasing and damn,... we have a powerful thirst on. And Silvio the man has the outside fridge stocked with ice-cold beer and all is good in the Western world.

Here's a shot of a big move by our ace photographer Tony Roberts. Tony's in Costa Rica still but he will be on hand this season to capture your best sessions and send you home with a disk of lifetime memories. If your alive and well please write! Dale d.