Maldives - The Villa

Located on the Eastern edge of Kandoomaa Fushi was the villa I stayed in (while at the Holiday Inn Resort). It was situated directly in front of an amazing surf spot, Kandooma Right.... and provided a beautiful ocean view. The villa was 2 stories... the bottom floor was an open air living space and the top of was an (air conditioned) bedroom. This is the view from the water (just outside of the surf break). 

Maldives - Beautiful Sunset IV

I took these photos on the beach front of Holiday Inn Kandooma Resort as I was waiting for the boat for the airport. It was a beautiful place!

Maldives - Kandooma Right

Situated directly in front of my beach front villa (at the Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma) was a surf spot called "Kandooma Right". Kandooma Right is a fast/barreling reef break and offers adrenaline pumping rides. When I first arrived at the resort, I was mentally preparing myself for some beatings (the wave had quite a bit of power). However, after gliding into my first few waves, I was surprised at how easy the takeoff was. It helps having perfect waves to ride... but I think the lack of people and warm water were a bigger boost to my surfing ability. For some reason, waves are just easier to surf in warm water.

The Perfect Wave set me up with this amazing villa. However, as much as I loved the view, it was difficult to relax. Watching perfect/empty waves go unridden made me a bit restless (and caused me to surf 3-4 times per day). Luckily, there was a talented massage therapist at the spa!

Finding the Right Key

One lucky surfer finds some shade on a draining section at the Cove.

The Long Walk to the Top

When good, the wave at Rincon is so long that you catch a wave in Santa Barbara and ride it to Ventura... yes, the county line does bisect the point. However, the point I'm trying to make is that it is a VERY long ride. After catching one of these rides, a surfer makes the long walk back to the top of the point to do it all over again! It's one of the places where your legs can get as much of a work out as your arms. 

Big Saturday - Part III

Two shots from "The Queen of the Coast" (aka Rincon) just as the wind had switched and the rain departed. The tide was quite low this evening... and the surf was big (but not huge). This was the probably the best I've ever seen Rincon break. Also, I think a lot of people were scared of the rain (or didn't know that the conditions became good)... and it was relatively uncrowded for a period of time. In my opinion, it's worth getting a little sick for waves like this.

A Walk on the Beach at Low Tide

Low tide sunsets are always the best. These are a few photos I took after a late afternoon surf session at Rincon. I love all the different shades of color.

Last Bit of Light

Another shot from on top of the cliff at Rincon. This was taken just as the sun had dipped below the horizon. It was low tide... so there was a nice glow along the beach at ocean's edge. 

Warming Cool Tones

Looking north towards the Santa Barbara coastline. I had just exited the surf at Rincon and was perched on the edge of a cliff. I loved the glow and the different shades of color against the horizon.

Central Coast Perspective

Love having this view when surfing on the Central Coast of California. 

The Golden People of the Golden State

I went for an evening surf session at Rincon (aka "The Queen of the Coast") and decided to put my new camera lens (Tamron 18-270mm) to work after I finished surfing. I love the different perspectives that you can get with the increased zoom. These photos definitely support California's nickname as "The Golden State"!

SB Winter Sunset

 Enjoying a "winter sunset" in Santa Barbara...

An Evening at Butterfly Beach - Chapter V (the end)

As I made my way back to the warmth of my car, I took one last glimpse at the ocean. The sun only showed itself for about 45 minutes this day... but it was a memorable 45 minutes. I hope you enjoyed the slide show! 

An Evening at Butterfly Beach - Chapter IV

The sun has retreated behind the clouds... but the sky and ocean continue to glow. I loved the silhouette of the palm trees in the background. At this point, I was getting quite cold and was looking forward to joining my surfboards in the warm car. 

An Evening at Butterfly Beach - Chapter III

This was my last glimpse of the sun that evening... it looked as if the sun was shooting rays of light into the ocean as the clouds forced its retreat. As quickly as the sun peaked out, it disappeared again. 

An Evening at Butterfly Beach - Chapter II

After I saw the sun peak out from behind the fog, I walked back up the beach. Everything started to turn gold as the sun neared the horizon. For this shot, I was trying to show the reflection in the water... and the cold ocean water surged forward as I approached it (my feet felt like ice blocks). However, I think the photograph was worth the temporary pain. 

An Evening at Butterfly Beach - Chapter I

I went for a late afternoon surf at Rincon several weeks ago. The waves were small, the water was cold, it was windy, and I was surrounded by fog... definitely not the best conditions. I only stayed out for about an hour (had just wanted to go for a paddle). As I was leaving the parking lot and getting onto the freeway to head north, I noticed a clearing in the fog... It seemed to be getting pushed out to sea. Since I had my camera with me, I decided to head to another beach and take some photos (hoping to see a sunset). I parked my car and started to walk down the beach. As I neared the end of the path, I noticed that the sun had peaked out from behind the clouds....

Magnific Rock & More

A few of the final photographs I took in Nicaragua (during the smallest surf day of the trip).