Salty Afro Surf x Salted Roots
Salty Afro Surf and Salted Roots Team Group Photo
In January of this year, the Salted Roots Team set out for Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica to go on a staff retreat, facilitated by Salty Afro Surf. This intentional space was made for the team to grow, reflect on the last year, play, rest, and fill our cups before diving into the new season of 2024. We would not have been able to do this without the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and The LeadersTrust through their Flexible Leadership Award and Organizational Effectiveness program. Thank you for making this dream come true for us!
We wanted to share our learnings, the beautiful country and people we felt honored to learn from, and the ocean joy we experienced and are excited to carry into our 2024 season of Salted Roots programs.
Salty Afro Surf Team Photo
You might be wondering…who is Salty Afro Surf?
Salty Afro Surf was started by Natasha Brown, a former volunteer for Salted Roots. Having this special connection made this partnership an extra meaningful experience! She stumbled upon Puerto Viejo in 2013 while on a backpacking trip, where she came looking for waves and adventure — but instead found family, community, and her home.
Salty Afro Surf is the collective we’ve waited for. A place where we have the space to pass down lessons from generations of surfers. Our goal is simple: more diversity in the lineup.
We’re here to share our knowledge, our energy, our love. We welcome you to join our experience here at Salty Afro Surf!
(from saltyafrosurf.com)
Punta Uva
Where is Puerto Viejo?
Puerto Viejo, or Wolaba as we like to call it– is a Jamaican surfer town located along the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. The first descendants of the town emigrated to the country in 1872 to work on a railroad that would bring imports from the Port of Limón to the capital, San José. The previous workers on the land fell victim to illness brought on by the tropical climate, however the region bore a strong similarity to the island of Jamaica, hence the workers thrived.
Those workers decided to stay, establishing fruit plantations along the original line of the railroad. Puerto Viejo bears home to the most culturally rich region of Central America. There is a myth that the Caribbean side of Costa Rica has no waves (let’s keep believing this is true.) However this is far from the truth, bearing home to dozens of waves, as well as one of the most gut wrenching reef breaks on this side of the equator, “Salsa Brava.”
(from saltyafrosurf.com)
Through rain and shine, the team set out for ocean joy, play, and cheers. The lineup consisted of a lot of whoo hoos, yewwwws, and YEA [insert name of wave rider here]! Our time spent with Salty Afro Surf in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica was a special space of learnings, storytelling, surf, food, sloths, and most of all fun.
We asked the team on their reflections and this is what they had to say:
Ocean Joy!
What were some memorable moments on this trip?
Clean warm water point breaks! Learning from the legendary Black surfers of Puerto Viejo! Being at a retreat where I was surrounded by fellow BIPOC surfers and had the opportunity to learn from fellow melanated surf coaches.
-Madoka (She/They)
Catching my first wave on a longboard. I had been wiping out a lot on a shorter board and after switching I immediately caught a wave, stood up, and rode the wave till the very end. It was so magical and made me feel at home in the water again.
-JR Derenoncourt (They/Them)
I really enjoyed watching the footage of the team surfing even if I wasn’t watching myself, I was so proud and hyped up. I also enjoyed dinner time. I got to experience a new and delicious cuisine and decompress. I learned a lot about my coworkers’ surf experiences in other countries as well as tips and tricks. Another really cherished memory is watching our teachers surf alongside us and in their free time my jaw would just drop, watching how talented they were.
-Jessica Knox (She/Her)
There was a moment I was sitting on my board, where waves were rolling, the sun was shining, and butterflies were flying around me. I could hear cheers for friends catching waves and around me I could see a lineup far diverse than most I’ve been in. I just remember sitting in those thoughts and thinking to myself that I needed to write this down after the session so I’ll never forget what that moment felt like: the feeling of magic with mama ocean and butterflies. feeling seen and known in a lineup. feeling warmth under the brimming sun.
-Naomi (She/Her)
Salted Roots Lineup
What was surfing in Puerto Viejo like?
WARM WATER! Surfing without a wetsuit really made me realize all the things wetsuits protect us from (like board rash, scraped knees, the sun lol)
-JR Derenoncourt (They/Them)
It was perfect to build confidence. The team was very encouraging and provided the perfect amount of push for us to blossom. The waves at Punta Uva were great for learning and to be able to clearly see some more complicated ideas such as finding the line on and navigating it. I felt like a much stronger surfer after the trip and have been eager to get out there and figure it out!
-Risa (She/Her)
A dream… warm glassy water *being in the water with our instructors- Topo, Jetsie, Darshan The encouragement, gentle pushing , the confidence they had in us was infectious and so motivating. They bolstered my confidence to a level where I could trust that all the elements were in place and I could let go and truly be present- let go of my fears! So proud of my progress in the time we were there I had so much fun, felt so connected to the ocean through all of it~ the wipeouts, the paddling out, the amazing rides.
-Tricia Ong (She/Her)
Topo Storytelling
What was one (or more) thing(s) you learned about Puerto Viejo on this trip?
That the local surfers originally had to be incredibly resourceful in order to keep surfing – from making their own boards out of found objects, to borrowing board making / repair materials from visiting white surfers, etc. It made me really respect the grit and commitment of folks who found surfing and were determined to continue practicing it and passing it on for generations in their own communities.
-Madoka (She/They)
I feel like I learned a good amount about the culture of Puerto Viejo. I also enjoyed going to the waterfall in the Bri Bri community. It was beautiful seeing the way of life of the people and pura vida truly manifest in front of my eyes. Also hearing the howler monkeys is something I will never forget, along with everything else!
-Risa (She/Her)
Learning about how surfing began in Puerto Viejo was so wild. Hearing all the things these young kids did just so they could ride some waves made me take a moment to step back and remember the joy this sport brings me, not just the logistics and work we do.
-JR Derenoncourt (They/Them)
Ocean Joy!
What made this trip special for you?
The Costa Rica trip was my first international trip, and I would not have chosen any other group of people to go with! I started my surfer journey with Natasha as a volunteer at salted roots, and to come back as a staff member of the organization, it was an honor to continue to learn from her! It really felt full circle!
-Jessica Knox (She/Her)
Being in the Caribbean always makes me feel closer to home (Haiti) and my ancestors. This was also my first time surfing since my top surgery so it meant the world to me that I was able to do it with great friends by my side and my ancestors watching over me in the water.
-JR Derenoncourt (They/Them)
It was so special to bond with the team. To be in a new country. I caught some epic waves!!! And felt my ocean connection deepen. Our hosts were incredibly generous and so much fun. So much love and joy all around!
-Tricia Ong (She/Her)
Two-Finger Sloth
Favorite animal you saw on the trip?
I didn’t get to see them but the howler monkey would scream (or howl!) at random points throughout the day and it gave me chills. The good kind!
-Mo Asebiomo (They/Them)
I loved seeing the little vibrant frogs! I also loved the toucans, the lil mini capybaras (agoutis) and I can’t forget about the sloths!!!
-Risa (She/Her)
Salted Roots Group Photo
Favorite meal you had?
Ceviche! (a team favorite!)
Pineapples and gallo pinto and fresh coco fruit
Thank you once again, to Salty Afro Surf for your heartfelt welcome to your beautiful home. To Natasha, Jetsie, Topo, Darshan, and Moushel for the surf joy and learnings. To Yilber for capturing our party waves and silly wipeouts. Thank you to Annabelle and Nick for hosting us at Casa BOHÖ and cooking up the most delicious food. And a special thanks to Gabriel and Kevin for driving us around Puerto Viejo!
