03 Sep 2019
No surf story should begin with the term "soul surfer" wether it be true or not. I met Matt here at Sirena Surf Lodge and he was the type of guest I found myself gravitating to, even if it was early morning darkness and I was yet to be caffeinated. I enjoyed his company even weary from long days of paddling, working, surfing and jawing...which is my job. Matt humbled me with how well read he is. He rattles off book titles and authors like we're all supposed to know them...I'm pretty sure he thinks I'm better read than I really am, but he makes me want to fix that. This would make sense as he was an English teacher for 30 years. I say "was", because he just retired. This last surf trip was his first as a retiree and I think he was trying to find some new perspective on what lies ahead, I'm guessing it doesn't include golf clubs. His ability to teach has not left him, he does so naturally and lessons spill from him wether he knows it or not...he's the teacher you always remember. Let's suffice to say retirement for Matt will probably include a lot of reading and a lot more surfing too. Matt humbled me and I'm almost shy to submit his adoring words, but I asked him to write this blog, I just never expected him to make me blush. I'll look forward to having him back as a guest, a guest writer and as a friend... Thank you ya' old pirate!
Humbly yours,
The Titan of Miramar, Greg Chrisman...but my friends just call me "Goyo".
Article by Matt Cunningham IN Greek mythology the Sirens were half bird half women creatures who lured sailors to their death with their sweet singing in the Straights of Messina between Italy and Sicily. Both Odysseus and Jason tangled with the sirens. Odysseus stuffed his men’s ears with wax and tied himself to the mast to escape the sirens call and death. Jason drowned out the sirens’ call with music. But The Sirens’ land was purportedly littered with the bones and skulls of those who could not resist the call.
At Sirena Surf Lodge in Miramar Nicaragua there is a siren that calls to watermen. This siren does not lead men to a watery death (hopefully). It is a wave located outside its namesake, Puerto Sandino (also called Freighttrains) and the Tamarindo River. It is a left hand sand bottom point break that, depending on the tide and the swell and the sand, calls to watermen with a song so sweet many have visited , many return and some have stayed to live and visit the siren as often as possible. The point is not littered with bones but a few of the exapts are starting to look a little skeletal. I will not describe the wave with the usual hyperbolic overwrought porn of surf writing. The wave is worth the travel if it is on. See for yourself.
Gregory Chrisman, proprietor of Sirena Surf Lodge, surfer, sailor, builder, father of two adorable children, husband to a remarkable woman, man of letters, world class raconteur, second sweatiest man in Nicaragua (you can cut that), bartender, restaurant manager and host trained by the best in the business, heard Puerto Sandino’s call as he sailed the coast of the Americas.
He stayed in Miramar.
He is the Titan of Sirena.
He knows Puerto Sandino and the surrounding waves as well as anyone. He is determined to keep the lineup civilized, egalitarian and a remarkable surf experience for his guests. If by some odd stretch of the imagination a visitor backpaddles, drops in or paddles back up the point to avoid taking his/her place in the lineup, Greg will intervene. See his Schools in Session: Lessons on Giving a Fuck Blog (August 8th):
https://sirenasurflodge.com/f/schools-in-session-lessons-on…
He intervenes with grace and self-deprecating sense of humor. But people listen to Greg; he’s that kind of man. After running Nicaragua Surf Adventures he ventured out on his own. He has built a home, a surf camp on the beach that is a rare refuge/sanctuary for globe-trotting surfers and travelers. SSL’s main attractions, ostensibly, are the offshore winds that visit Nicaragua daily thanks to the inland lakes, the long groomed south swells that batter the coast and the lack of crowds. The number one priority at SSL is rising before dawn, gulping coffee, and heading to Puerto Sandino by boat as the sun rises, the winds shift offshore and the waves march down the point.
Other than the waves, Sirena Surf Lodge on the beach at Miramar in the Leon Province has more subtle attractions. Mr. Chrisman inspires devotion in his guests and they are an eclectic bunch who return for the surf, the ambience and the conversation. SSL has four rooms that can sleep two and two larger rooms that open to the ocean with a seaside balcony. Capacity is sixteen but more often than not there are less guests (six when we were there.) Breakfast lunch and dinner are served; most meals guests eat with the family. Meals are filled with conversation, smiles and Greg Chrisman’s attention to his guests’ comfort and needs. Greg’s attention to his guests’ needs separates Sirena Surf Lodge from any other surf trip (Or non-surf trip for that matter) I’ve been on.
This is not your Grandmother’s surf camp.
Traveling in Nicaragua presents challenges, but all experience worth taking should challenge. Getting there is simple. Flights to Managua connect from Houston. Nicaragua has had political issues recently, there is poverty and one must drive carefully. In an effort to raise money the police have set up a seemingly infinite number of random traffic checks. However with humor and local knowledge Mr. Chrisman avoided all tickets.
Sirena Surf Camp has a boat to reach Puerto Sandino, beach bikes and an infinite supply of good humor, conversation, and peace. Nobody serves you mango smoothies, roasted sardines, duck confit, lobster thermidor or Perrigrino from the surf tender as you surf. There are no heated towels. No Sauna. No fitness classes. No guided mediation. No waterslides. There are no personal shamans helping you find Nirvana on the beach as you sit cross legged and chant. There is a feral cat. There are self-served snacks and beers. There’s a pool table but I only saw surfboards resting on it. There are sunsets, sunrises and waves right out front of the camp. If you have a couple of days (sic) the lobster lady next door serves local lobster for lunch, but the food at SSL is better in my opinion. If you want great surf, scintillating conversation, peace and a community of like-minded travelers go there. It is an Odyssey worth taking.
Surfs Up!