"Flamingo Beach, Costa Rica Extreme sailing at its best! Shannon Extreme Sailing is an experience you will remember for a lifetime. Come with us aboard Shannon. Private specialty groups are our specialty!

Hurricanes form at 13 degrees north latitude and go North-North-East or North-East. However, the north west coast of Costa Rica has " Popagayo Winds" from mid-december thru march. There is no storm system associated with these winds. They are caused by high pressure system in the Gulf of Mexico and low pressure in the Pacific. The 2 pressure systems equalize.over Lake Nicaragua extending from the Costa Rican northern border north into Nicaragua. The more the pressure-differential, the harder the winds blow. Normal is 15 to 55 knots.

The Papagayo Winds waves are short period, steep and usually 12 to 16 feet tall. The fact that they are steep makes them dangerous. It is like sailing through the surf. Part of the wave will slam the boat and the remainder of the wave will break over the boat. Sailing within Potrero Bay during the Popagayo winds provides the winds for fast sailing - without the waves!  So even if you are not an adrenalin freak, you can still have fun sailing within the bay.

To safely sail outside the Flamingo bay (Bahia Potrero) with Popagayo Wind conditions, the boat must be rigged and properly outfitted . If so, sailing in these conditions can be one of the most exciting adventures of your life. If your boat is not set up for these conditions, it can be a trip through hell! The best way to check for Popagayo winds is to look at the weather in the southeastern USA.  If they are having storms and cold fronts in the area from Texas to Florida, it will push a high pressure area into the Caribbean.  That causes the Popagayo winds.  You can also check the barrometric pressure in the carib. and the pressure in the pacific near us and the differential can be equated to wind speed.  Greater the pressure differential, the greater the wind.. This is a pretty good weather site.  It has barrometric pressure and wind speed. The link to this site is on the left under "Related Links"

If you are interested in sailing or learning to sail in these conditions during the months of January through March, let us know. We can coordinate the details and help you plan the experience of a lifetime!

Price: $200.00 per person per day. Normally  4-6 people are ideal.   (If you have less than 4 people you can pay $800 per day.  If you have more than 6 - 10 people and wish to do a full day sail, contact us.  

When you have decided  to join us for an Extreme Cruise, send us an email or fill out the "Extreme Information Request Form".  Send it to us and we will help you to plan your cruise of a lifetime.  You can then secure your reservation by clicking on the "Order Now" button below.

Extreme Sailing

	In the photo to the left, we were going to the Bat Islands in about 45 knots of wind. We had a double reef in the main and a storm jib and were sailing about 40 degrees off the wind on a starboard tack. As we went down the back side of one wave, the bow buried into the base of the next wave and we had a 10 foot wall of water coming over the boat. It was down to about a foot high as it got to the center cockpit. All port holes and hatches were closed and we got a good adrenalin rush and the boat got washed down. We had several of these, so I was on the stern with the camara.

 

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