Costa Rica-- flying & beaching andidote for winter blahs

[John Anderson]

Flyfolks--
***This is a public service announcement... managed to get a couple of leads before heading down to Costa Rica for a couple of weeks in Sept. Some of you know more about flying in CR than I and this won't try to add much to annals of science. Just to note that, while CR will likely never rate really big for major XC or comp level flying, there are alot of sites and the "Ticos" are as friendly a flying cohort as I've met anywhere.
***I took only my PG wing (and in fact met no hangmeisters, who are reported to exist), contacted local "parapentistas", who were happy to give me directions and invite me out to sites. Given my major beach commitments to placate my wife, cloudforest and other duties, I only flew on three days. And since I missed a rendez-vous for mountain soaring, my flying was all at their favorite coastal site-- at "Caldera" on the right day one can stay up forever (only did 0:55 and 0:35 and bunches of wee hops, but to make for top landing practice) and on a sunny day with a gaggle of multihued bags over the green cliffs and a blue-green sea, the "Mirador Nemaclys" site at Caldera is about as gorgeous as it gets. (Jean-Claude, Swiss owner of the overlook/ launch & restaurant, figured for a few seconds on the Kari Castle, etal extravaganza, "Pura Vida".)
***OK, bigger flying maybe to be had in interior, mountain sites, but C-Ricans admit there is generally low ceiling & not alot of bad-ass XC action. The local club "Asovueli" has an incredibly rich site guide on their web page (http://www.parapente-costa-rica.org gets you there) & directions to maybe twenty launches, sketchier on LZs. All in Spanish, natch, but you will need anyway to follow locals to really find the roads up for all but the most obvious (actually, Caldera/Nemaclys is obvious enough).
***And this is the point: it's great to hook up with Tico PG pilots, fly their style. Friendly bonewingers probably there, too. If you want to do some touristing, too, and easy flying within range of beach, I suggest you give it a try. Maybe during the bitter months here, though you'll want to get advice since some of the interior XC sites shut down during their "verano"/dry season.
***Anyway, I've got several names, tel numbers and e-mail addresses from the PG pilot cohort in CR for anyone who thinks they might be going down. Great gang, another mode of winter survival, seems to me.
-- John

[Matthew]

Hi John,

Sounds like you had a great time. Karen and I and a few others are planning a trip to CR the first week of January. Any contact info, where you stayed, closest cities and other info would be greatly appreciated. Please conatct me at

mcgraham20@yahoo.com

Thanks,

Matthew