The Coast to Coast Challenge – 2008
Breaking Waves!
M. Lane / 20.04.2008
In a tropical mix of showers & sunshine the teams were rested and ready, and began by taking a leisurely walk from the hotel TA, striding along the botanical walkway to reach a rich sandy beach, where they heard the roar of crashing breakers. High tide was approaching and awaiting them were ten bright sea kayaks, lined up along the shore.
The walk along the beach gave teams the opportunity to assess the sea conditions and plan a strategy of attack to get through the breakers. Once all the two-man kayaks had broken through the breakers, two remaining two members of each team raced back up to the TA to get their mountain bike. Only three teams mastered the breakers at the first attempt, and they are soon well on their way to the open sea. Most teams take several attempts as the force of the waves flips them up; over and out! With determination, the final two teams successfully find and paddle their way through the wall of crashing waves.
Teams will later reconnect, \"switch places\" and continue on to Mancanillo, a fishing village where wild almond trees line the beach, along with coconut palms and \"beach apples\". Here teams face 8 meters on a ropes climb, with two fixed lines up a forest tree, ascended with prussiks and figure eights. Two members of each team meets the challenge in a lush dense forest as wild parrots squawk and soar and monkeys howl.
The Costa Rican teams are very efficient on this rope section making a good start to the race.
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