Rick and Dan Dowden - Peru June 2004

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" height=120 BGCOLOR="#FFCCFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="0513f781egdyul.gif"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#009900" FACE="Arial" ><B>Ventura Surf Club </B></FONT> <B> </B><B>|    </B><A HREF="id28.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Vacation Scrapbooks"><U><B>return to scrapbook page</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=360 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <I>Rick and Dan Dowden</I></div> <div> <I><B>Peru</B></I></div> <div> <I>June 2004</I></div> <div> <I>Conditions:  Weather was cold and cloudy - just like Ventura.  Waves were great!</I></div> <div> <I>Local Info/Tips: Have a guide.  Don't walk around with a camera.</I></div> <div> <I>Highs: Left Point / Waves / Food</I></div> <div> <I>Lows: Banditos / Third World Aspect</I></div> <div> <I><IMG SRC="5c240da0.jpg" border=0 width="320" height="218" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="5c440f30.jpg" border=0 width="320" height="243" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> </I></div> <div> <I>After weeks of preperation, we finally had all our ducks in a row (or so we thought!).  At the Lan Chile check-in, they asked "how many boards?"  We told them 2 board bags.  They then proceeded to open our bags and count the boards.  We had a total of 7 boards ( 2 x 6', 1 x 6' 4", 1 x 5' 10" fish, 1 x 9', 1 x 8', 1 x 7'8"), which they wanted to charge us $420.00 ($60.00 each!).  After a heated discussion, they knocked off 50%.  It still cost us $240, one way.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I><IMG SRC="5c5800c0.jpg" border=0 width="640" height="268" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></I></div> <div> <I><IMG SRC="5c718c00.jpg" border=0 width="280" height="192" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="5c940dc0.jpg" border=0 width="320" height="220" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> </I></div> <div> <I>We arrived in Lima around 2 a.m. and picked up by our guide, Ernesto.  We could not understand why there were so many people  waiting outside the terminal.  Once we ventured out, we found out why when we were mobbed.  There were at least 10 on each boardbag and 4 or 5 with each suitcase.  The ride from the airport to the surf camp was insane!  You do not have to stop at a red light after midnight.  Talk about putting your foot through the floor!  We made it safely to Punta Hermosa (all dirt roads) and the surf camp.  Everybody was so cool and friendly.  We went to stash our surfboards in the garage structure and I felt like we were deer in the headlights.  All the boards were 10' rhino chasers!  There were about 15 of them.  Danny and I just looked at each other and tried to shrug it off -- Danny's gun was his 6' 4" and my big wave board was a 9' Craig Angell.</I></div> <div> <I> <IMG SRC="5ce40fe0.jpg" border=0 width="320" height="254" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">  <IMG SRC="5cf80bb0.jpg" border=0 width="640" height="443" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></I></div> <div> <I>We checked the surf in the morning and they called for 6 to 7 meters with 8 plus meter sets.  It was breaking half a mile out and there were guys charging from the beach.</I></div> <div> <I><IMG SRC="5d140d50.jpg" border=0 width="320" height="213" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">  <IMG SRC="5d280430.jpg" border=0 width="640" height="323" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></I></div> <bR> <div> <I>Oscar Senior, the owner of the camp paddled out.  It was amazing to learn that he had triple bypass surgery two months earlier!  I have total respect for the Peruvian surfers.  They are true watermen.  We surfed a place called Senioritas.  Ya, you can laugh, but it was a left point that was breaking 4 to 6 meters.  I got my butt kicked because I wasn't prepared for the current.  I rode my shortboard and it was ugly.  I rode my longboard the entire time after that.</I></div> <div> <I><IMG SRC="5d440cf0.jpg" border=0 width="320" height="207" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">  <IMG SRC="5d580c80.jpg" border=0 width="640" height="456" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></I></div> <bR> <div> <I>We flew to a Trujillo Airport in a 727 that was held together with white caulking (you know, if this workson small cracks, why not use it on big ones too!).  We stayed at a nice hotel in Pacesmayo.  Everything about the place was great, food, beer, waves, people.  The wave was a left point that reminded me of C Street, only left.  They ride was from about the rivermouth to the second jetty at SanJon.  Offshore, 365 days a year!  The size was head high on the small end and 4 to 5' overhead on the biggest.  Even when it was big, you were looking for the biggest set because it was so perfect.  We would surf 6 to 7 hours a day by ourselves.  We also went to Chicaima, the longest left in the world!  The town was on the dangerous side, with banditos.  The waves were chest to overhead and long.  You could ride the equivelant of the Rivermouth to the Dredge, no problem.  It doesn't section, it just goes faster, then slower.  The current was still a factor.  It was all I could do to stay in the take off spot and wait for a set.  </I></div> <bR> <div> <I><IMG SRC="5d740d60.jpg" border=0 width="320" height="214" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">  <IMG SRC="5d8809d0.jpg" border=0 width="640" height="413" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></I></div> <div> <I>I caught 3 waves in four hours.  Three hours walking back up to the point (talk about losing weight!).</I></div> <bR> <div> <I><IMG SRC="5da40cc0.jpg" border=0 width="320" height="204" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">  <IMG SRC="5dcf0010.jpg" border=0 width="240" height="257" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><IMG SRC="5dd80b10.jpg" border=0 width="640" height="433" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></I></div> <div> <I><IMG SRC="5de80c50.jpg" border=0 width="640" height="453" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></I></div> <div> <I><IMG SRC="5df80a40.jpg" border=0 width="640" height="420" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></I></div> <div> <I><IMG SRC="5e080c30.jpg" border=0 width="640" height="451" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><IMG SRC="5e180c90.jpg" border=0 width="640" height="457" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></I></div> <div> <I>The trip, with just me and my son was priceless.</I></div> <bR> <div> <I> </I></div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>