Surfin' in Chile!

Went to Quintay two weekends ago with a good friend of mine that I made here in Chile, Casey. We had the urge to go about 45 minutes south of Valparaiso to a small fishing village where they were offering surf lessons. Both of us have wanted to try our hand at it, so we went on our merrily way.





We had no clue about anything, but it turned out to be one of the most fun times around. I think we both surprised ourselves with our ability to get our wetsuits on, then we made a giant accomplishment of getting our knees on the board! Since neither of us were used to wetsuits, it was quite comical to watch us suck ourselves into them.

However I was very proud of both of us for getting on knees on the board, as they told us that usually takes a few lessons for some people to get the hang of, but we got it in one. What can I say? Then, we were able to get our feet on the board. We were not able to fully stand up, but getting the feet planted was good enough for me. While out there one time though, we did have the fortunate opportunity to be a few feet away from a baby sea lion. I did kind of freak out for a moment, but our surf instructor reassured me it was nothing to worry about.

The other funny thing was that after each night, we slept well because of what a great workout it was, but we kept feeling like someone was rocking our beds the entire night. The constant banging a of waves against our bodies never ceased the whole weekend. Each time we got into the water, we shocked our system against the frigid Pacific waters. After getting in for a bit, you get over the numbness and have some fun.





A few more lessons and we'll be pros, I am sure of this. It was still a fun experience take a crack at surfing, visit the gorgeous city and beaches of Quintay and have some tasty meals cooked for us at our cabana.


Quintay is definitely one of those towns where everyone knows everyone. They will say hi to anybody and everybody that passes on the street as well. A rarety in Vina del Mar or Valparaiso. In our taxi ride there, we chatted with two other gentlemen from Quintay. They explained that everyone calls everyone family, and it's a great community to live in. Definitely evident as us gringas walked the streets and were greeted so cordially. For sure enjoyed my get-away trip to Quintay to catch some waves and marvel at the scenery, and the massive bruises I still have are a constant reminder.