September 2008 Update

Greetings from Selva Del Mar. We are making steady progress with our little place in the trees. The water system has been installed all the way to the top. There are valve houses at several places along the road to the top to service the various lots. We have a large water tank at the top. It is a temporary until we install our underground concrete storage tank adjacent to lot 1. Once that is built, we will construct an observatory over it so visitors and owners alike can get both the panoramic view from the top, and a better surf check of Panga Drops and Colorado.


While we were on lot 4 one afternoon, it was clear enough to see the top of Vulcan Concepcion, one of the two volcanoes that make up Ometepe Island in Lake Nicaragua. Sorry, I didn't have my camera with me for that one.









Here is a shot of the tree bridge in front of Selva Del Mar, where the monkeys can travel from Zacatan Reserve to Selva Del Mar and back.













Here I am, checking out the citrus trees at the front of Selva del Mar. We were really fortunate to get good weather as it had been raining hard for a couple of weeks before we arrived. But everything looked good and the plants and trees are loving the water and sun.










Here are some shots of Howler monkeys taken at Selva del Mar.





































The creeks are flowing. Last October, Gray and Ryan jumped into the main creek at Selva Del Mar with their surfboards, and floated all the way to the ocean.












Here are some more of our young trees we have planted.















Here are some nice shots of Gigante. We don't focus on getting a lot of surfing or wave shots, but this trip only confirmed that there are many waves in and around Gigante that can get really good under the right conditions. Some of these spots can go off right under your nose if you don't know when and where to look. I can tell you that we surfed some great waves very close to Selva Del Mar with nobody else out.





The better known spots were also breaking well. The sandbars have really built up during the last few weeks of rains.













No hustle or bustle in Gigante.




























My wife, Angela and my high school buddy, Jack Ridley came down with us this time.

This is Gray, Ryan, Angela and me on the beach at Gigante.

Here are some more shots from the Tola area, taken by Jack. Thanks, Jack for the great pics!

No trip is complete without a stop or two or three at Yolanda's for some great meals. Thanks to Yolanda, Ingrid, Rosa ad Ivania for some delicious food and warm hospitality.

Here are some extra scenes from Nicaragua.

I am wrapping up the final loose ends on our house at Rancho Santana, the luxury development north of Selva Del Mar. By way of comparison, Rancho Santana's least expensive lots are about the price of Selva Del Mar's most expensive lots.

If you buy a lot at Selva Del Mar, we will give you a free week at our place in Rancho Santana. Check it out at www.villaespiral.blogspot.com

Now that Angela and I have finished Villa Espiral, we will be refocusing our efforts on the Selva Del Mar bamboo project and on the house design for lot 4 at Selva Del Mar, that we share with our partners, Jimbo and Lisa.

Joe's house is coming along well. We will try to get you some pictures of that for our next update.

This is Lincoln, signing out, with some more Jack Ridley photos from Park Central, Rivas, Nicaragua, in front of the historical colonial church.

Keep laughing!

August Update

Hi Friends, I am still here in California. I twisted my knee a couple of weeks ago, so we deferred our trip to Nicaragua until early September. The knee is getting better, slowly but surely.

Meanwhile, Selva Del Mar's globe trotting South African owner of lot 29 sent us some pictures of him surfing Colorado.



Beautiful pics, Colin, very crisp and clear. Looks like Tony Robert's work. Verdad?


Colin was in Jeffrey's Bay, South Africa when he sent us these Colorado pics. He had to fly from Nicaragua to San Francisco and then to Singapore before flying to his homeland.

He arrived in Jeffreys Bay shortly after the ASP contest and apparently scored some great surf there before heading off for warmer and more remote African surf. He's back in the Philippines now, where he is a teacher.


Sorry ladies. Colin is married.

We hope to see you again soon in Nicaragua, bro!

July Baseball

It's been a long time since there was a baseball game in Gigante. The pueblo used to have a field and a team, but when the field was sold, the team faded away.

Like many Nicaraguans, Zacharias, aka Chivo, has a passion for the game. Zach had a tryout with a professional team and has some real skills. It was his dream to bring baseball back to Gigante.

So he did it. Here he is at Gigante's inaugural home game on the new field just down the road from Selva Del Mar.

Selva Del Mar lot owner, Joe, was essential in providing support for the team and in making the playing field a reality.

We helped out too. We bought the team outfits and hats. Joe and I got honorary hats and shirts out of the deal.

It was a double header and Gigante won the first game but let the second one get away from them.

Gigante fans cheer on their team.

Chanelle and Cassidy from legendary surf guide, Dale Dagger's crew, were there to offer their support

This was a really fun day and I'm only sorry we don't have more pictures to show you now, but we'll post more as they come in.

Gloria wants to know if you would like some cactus fruit juice.

Gloria mixes in a lot of raw sugar, but there is a delightful, tangy, fruity flavor backing up the sweetness.

The boys are going for a coconut milk and fruit concoction.

Follow your path.

June and July

Hello from Selva Del Mar,
It is truly amazing how quickly everything is transformed when rainy season begins. It is all so lushly verdant now. It seems as if it happens overnight.
Here on lot 5 you can clearly see Pie de Gigante.









Turn around, and this is your view to the east. Classic central american coastal forest.













The Malinche trees are blooming.

















Here's a little glimpse of Panga Drops and Los Perros, taken from lot 4. We scored some really good surf. We drove to the side south of Rio Colorado, scoring a fun session with Timmy Reyes and others. The prior day, we had lunch at Rancho Santana while watching Timmy and Damien Hobgood put on a show at First Peak.
A couple of days later, Gray and I surfed it alone during mid-afternoon. What more can you ask for than a father, son surf session, trading waves with nobody out? Gray's positioning and tube riding skills are at a really high level now. The next day, we shared it with four or five other guys, and I got a barrel with not a drop out of place, looking out the rabbit hole for the whole wave, emerging dry. That hasn't happened often enough lately and it just felt sublime. Gray was really an inspiration with his backdoor approach to the wedgy board breaker.



But back to Selva Del Mar. We completed the planter area at the entrance gate.



















































The gutters are in along the entrance


















Respecting what is already there.
















Here is Juancho, with Gray's new puppy, "Killer." This is the rockwork leading to the creek crossing.

Gray, checking out the construction on Joe's house at lot 33.







Looking down at Joe's house from lot 16.


Lot 29 has been sold to South African surfer/teacher Colin. Congratulations Colin, and welcome to the family
of Selva Del Mar lot owners.










Our Cuidador, Vidal, is doing a great job with the garden.




















































If it's not growing at Selva Del Mar, you can probably get it from the produce truck that stops in front of our casita.













Filete is doing well. It was fun to ride him up to the top of Selva Del Mar in the morning for a quick surf check.












There were butterflys everywhere.




















The water system is being installed.









For my last evening before returning home, we decided to have a little fiesta. We bought a pig. Juan Tomas killed and butchered it.












Here is Gloria, getting the pork ready for Nacatamales.

With kids and grandkids nearby, Gloria carefully wraps some pork, corn meal, tomatoes, onions, and mint into a banana leaf.

Gloria's daughter ties off the package.


And into the pot it goes.














Have you ever grilled pork on the grill of a fan, over an open wood fire? Yummy!

The boys whoop it up with local community leader and Selva Del Mar Sales agent, Zacharias Martinez Lopez.

Later, Gray and his beautiful novia, Yamali are all smiles, happy to have each other.

Beware, the empty bottle of Flor de Cana!

Travis came over to share in the festivities.

Our next door neighbor, Hebe, aka "Toro" will have to wait for a better close up shot.

We love being part of the community, sharing beautiful Gigante with those for whom it has always been home. Thanks to all the locals who make us feel so welcome. In my next update, I'll tell you all about the first home game in 7 years for the local Gigante baseball team that we are supporting .

Saludos!