NEWS
NSR community:

Greetings global friends. Over the years we have had the great pleasure and privilege to share our incredible Nicaragua adventure with you. From the simple days of chasing waves and exploring the country all day every day; to becoming a surf school, opening surf shops, growing families, helping our clients as real estate specialists and property managers , it has been a wild and amazing ride. We’ve been through earthquakes, floods, elections, volcano eruptions, political uprisings, and yet this new challenge of the corona virus is presenting some completely new conditions to grapple with. We’ve embraced the challenge to do our part to limit the spread, and while doing so also fulfill our obligations to our staff, to our managed property owners, to our audience, and to our community.

Thanks to our tireless and creative surf reporters Brian, Baldo and Chris we will continue providing the daily surf report as we have done every day since 2005. 

The office and surf shop are open on a reduced schedule. The team members who can are working from home. For those whose responsibilities require them to be on site we are following diligent hygiene and social distancing policies. The surf shop is now open to Hacienda Iguana property owners and residents on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 8:30 to 5:30.

With the cancelation of airline services, closure of neighboring countries borders, and restriction of movement within our local communities vacation travel to the area has come to a halt. We have facilitated the cancelation for credit or refund of existing April reservations and are not taking new rental reservations for the rest of April. We expect the Hacienda Iguana HOA to continue to restrict tourism access to the community through May. A return of safe-to-travel conditions will dictate how we update this policy. When that happens we hope to be your first choice for Nicaragua vacation travel. While travel at this time is not recommended for anyone, property owners will still have access to their Hacienda Iguana and Rancho Santana homes.
Surf season begins!
April is a transition period as we shift from the strong winds, colder water, small waves and dry weather into the better conditions we associate with the surf season in Nicaragua. And while this off season was pretty generous with waves, the winds were hard and often side-shore, so the sudden easing up of winds on March 31 was a welcome sight...
...and even better the water is already several degrees warmer!

At Playa Colorado the increased swell action is beginning to eat away at the sand that accumulated on the beach over the last 5 months. This is giving us a little backwash at high tide, but should assist with sandbar structure over the next couple months. The season is still early for Playa Santana , and yet the wedges and first, second and third peaks are beginning to have wider and wider tide windows for when the waves get good. True to its reputation for one of the most consistent waves in the country, Popoyo has been serving up excellent surf at all sizes and all conditions. That said lighter winds and more swell on the horizon is going to be lighting up all the surf breaks on this miracle stretch of coast.

For those of us lucky enough to be here and able to surf where our beaches are still open, let’s still remember the importance that keeping a safe distance and aim to surf alone when possible. And if you do, you may take a moment to reflect on that as one hell of a silver lining. For those frothing to join us and share waves please keep an eye on the news and book your stay just as soon as it is possible.
Meet Chris, NSR latest addition to the team!
Have you noticed our surf report and surf content on social media has a refreshing new spin? Well, that’s thanks to Chris Russell (33) the new guy contributing content to our media platforms and also our new guest services pro (AKA the new Parker).

Over a month ago, the countdown of a commitment made last year was over and Chris finally arrived to cover for what it was expected to be a busy season. But now, due to the Coronavirus madness, he has been stuck self-isolating at the studio of the same house he rented about 5 years ago through us, where he first came to Nicaragua and thought “this would be an amazing place to call home”.

Chris has been practicing his own forms of social distancing while surfing all day long, playing around with his camera or exploring the surrounds on his motorcycle. Here is what his has to say about his experience so far...

Tell us about yourself and your background.
I grew up in San Diego, mainly rode single fin longboards and more often could be found tending to my garden or camping out bouldering in Joshua tree, snowboarding, and regularly dancing the night away at one of many music festivals.

What got you interested in this job?
What interested me most about this position was the experience. I’ve always loved the ocean, traveling, and meeting new people. My dad used to take us to Mexico. We would stay in a hotel in the beach go surf and enjoy the culture that was just 30 minutes south of us. He passed away a few years ago but his passion and dream was instilled in me when I was just a kid and to have the opportunity to live and work here was a no brainer.

How does it make you feel that some people call you “the new Parker”? Those are literally biiig shoes to fill…
I remember Parker as he was the concierge when I came in 2015 and he was one cool cat, I refer to myself as the new Parker so I embrace the comparison.

What have you discovered exploring around and what are your favorite places or things to do?
Lots of people wearing masks and empty lineups. Now is a strange time around the world but my favorite place is in the water and favorite things are to surf and golf. Luckily we have both right here at SurfNSR so you don’t have to venture far to find my favorite places.

What is your message for guests that are looking forward to come down here? What can they expect from you?
Well, we really look forward welcoming guests again soon. And when they come, if they’ve never been here before get ready for world-class surf and an amazing community, a great adventure fueled by delicious food and exceptional people. If they need anything they can call on me and I will be the guy to put them where they need to be to do what they would like to do.
Nica Heartbeat First Aid Center, located in Hacienda Iguana, doesn't just provide great medical assistance to visitors and residents of Hacienda Iguana. They are also keeping an eye out for our friends and neighbors in the greater Tola area in this time of crisis. Community members report that they are getting by but are worried about their health and financial future. They will not get unemployment support if they lose their job or be able to visit a food bank. There’s no help coming for those who are out of work. What money they have will go towards feeding their family. And yet they also care about protecting themselves and others from the spread of the Coronavirus.
Donate masks and food!
Nica Heartbeat plans to order and distribute reusable masks for locals unable to afford one. The masks are about $1 each (including cost of transportation). If you would like to contribute from afar (or close by) you can do so here .

Any leftover donations will later go towards rice and beans that they will also safely get to families that are struggling.

You can PayPal info@nicaheartbeat or Venmo 760-271-5977 (just write “masks” in the notes area).

If you’re in Hacienda Iguana, and want to help, just send Nica Heartbeat a direct message.

Let’s show our local community we are thinking about them during this difficult time. Click on the buttons below and donate!