Are you interested in learning how to bodysurf in the warm, tropical waters of Costa Rica? Then you should join us at Playa Grande, Guanacaste, Costa Rica in February of 2025.
We will be co-hosting a how to bodysurf retreat with Viva Adventures at the beautiful Sol Sanctuary Retreat Center. The Essence of Bodysurfing retreat will run February 15-22, 2025.
Why Learn How to Bodysurf?
Bodysurfing—the art of catching waves with just your body—is an ancient pastime practiced by many coastal communities throughout the world. Bodysurfing is a simple yet profound way to connect with the ocean, nature, and yourself. Plus its great exercise and has many therapeutic benefits to boot.
Here are some good reasons to learn how to bodysurf:
- Prerequisite safety skill for surfing and ocean swimming
- Meditative activity similar to yoga and martial arts
- Minimalistic and affordable recreation
- Physical and mental health benefits
- Practice into old age
What You Will Learn
The ultimate goal of this retreat is for each participant to learn basic ocean awareness and safety. Swimming and bodysurfing with and without swim fins is the best way to gain ocean confidence and savvy.
Each participant will learn how to:
- Bodysurf white water waves in the streamline position (no equipment)
- Swim out through the impact zone with swim fins
- Duck dive under breaking waves and tread water
- Navigate around rip currents and other hazards
- Bodysurf green waves in the streamline position
About the “Essence of Bodysurfing” Retreat
Join avid bodysurfers and expert instructors Hannah Walsh and Spencer Dunlap, as well as the Viva Adventures team Tara Tiedemann and Adrianne Chandra Huff (who are incidentally also “wave sliders”) for an epic week of bodysurfing, relaxation, and fun in beautiful Playa Grande, Costa Rica.
Outside of the bodysurfing, you can expect to:
- Eat amazing food
- Wake up to the sound of birds and the scent of Costa Rican coffee
- Watch the sun set over the Pacific every single evening
- Reconnect to nature and yourself
The group size will be small (12 participants max.) to ensure an intimate experience. We will be staying at the beautiful and environmentally-conscious Sol Sanctuary in Playa Grande. All transportation in-country is included with our awesome driver.
About the Instructors
Hannah Walsh
Hannah Walsh began bodysurfing as a kid growing up on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. She was a competitive swimmer as well as an Ocean Lifeguard, and would spend her free time wave sliding. She began teaching bodysurfing while working at a surf camp in Costa Rica, co-designing a teaching curriculum.
Hannah began in-water photography and videography while she lived in Costa Rica, going on to study documentary filming in Canada. Her filmmaking is grounded in stories about water, often featuring swimming, surfing, or bodysurfing. She aims to utilize her voice to make actions sports more inclusive, and to bring awareness to the natural world and compel people to take care of it.
Spencer Dunlap
Spencer Dunlap has been bodysurfing for fun since he was young, loving the connection he felt with the ocean and the exhilaration of catching waves with his body alone. He started coaching bodysurfing and surfing formally after moving to Costa Rica, co-designing a teaching curriculum. He was also an Ocean Lifeguard in San Diego, California.
As he got more into the sport, Spencer would always try to seek information about bodysurfing online, but learned it was not easy to find. After years of researching and collecting any information he could find about bodysurfing around the world, he began The Bodysurf Blog and now publishes these finds for the world to see.
Join Us
If you wish to join us next February in Costa Rica, or simply have questions about the bodysurf retreat, please follow this link: Essence of Bodysurfing.
