Witch’s Rock was the beginning of several firsts for me, and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made! One, I had never traveled completely solo before, much less on a last minute whim. Two, I had never surfed before.
I had just finished my second year of law school and decided I needed to get away and do something spontaneous before my summer clerking program started. Somehow I decided surfing in Costa Rica was the best idea. I got lucky and chose Witch’s Rock Surf Camp! So, I booked the trip for the day after my last final and immediately took off towards Costa Rica. I had no clue what to expect traveling alone, but immediately after getting off the plane and hopping on the Witch’s Rock shuttle I realized I wasn’t the only one. Five other solo travelers were waiting on the shuttle as well. Just so happened that they were all around my age. By then end of the trip our group of solo travelers had grown by several. We all had a great time learning to surf, touring Tamarindo, and even taking a catamaran snorkeling tour together. I still keep in contact with many of the lifelong friends I made while at Witch’s Rock.
Now, the surfing: It was an amazing experience learning to surf. I stood up on the board after my first day and was catching waves on my own just after a few sessions. The instructors were incredible and very knowledgeable. My group had Ariel. He was great at helping me improve at a rapid pace and was able to tell me exactly what I was doing wrong. He was also a great tour guide. He helped us find the good places to eat and things to do around Tamarindo. One night we went with him to Sharky’s to watch a Costa Rican futbol match, which was a great experience. The Witches Rock resort was excellent. It was a great location, right on the beach and near the town. The breakfast provided each morning at Joe’s was the best (I recommend the breakfast burrito). The best part was definitely watching the sunset each night from the brewery picnic tables on the beach! Overall, Witch’s Rock provided me a great first solo traveling experience. It helped me to discover how easy it is to fall in love with surfing. It has inspired me to continue solo traveling and looking for new experiences.
I listen to Pirate Radio live almost every Friday and I will definitely be returning to Witch’s Rock!
-Ledley Jennings
