As strange as it may sound Casa Verde actually got it’s start in 1987 in front of a wood stove on a cold winters day in Montauk, New York. We had been doing construction; surfing the cold Atlantic waters and as I thawed out in a friends apartment that afternoon from a particularly brutal session I picked up a copy of Surfers Magazine that had a article about the warm water and great waves of Costa Rica.

 

I packed my board and cloths and headed out. After three days of riding chicken buses and a ten mile stretch at night in the back of a old pickup truck, I arrived at a place so empty of life

I was sure I’d made a huge mistake. 

I imagine sensing my reluctance, the pickup driver nicely offered to let me to stay the night in his barn.

I ended up crawling into my board bag when he was gone as the foam pad the man had kindly given me looked like some creature had recently been slaughtered on it. I remember it being a “cold” and restless night and when I woke the next morning to the sounds of Roosters and muffler less motor bikes I imagined it would only be a few hours before I would be heading out the same bus I had just come in on.It’s been twenty five years now and I’m still here.

I went looking for coffee that morning to tide me over and when I was waiting for the water to boil in the only restaurant there the farmer man came looking for me, asking if I wanted to go see where all the surfers were camping.

 

Seven miles of beautiful beach, warm water and jungle that seemed to grow right out of the white sand was what he showed me that morning, almost like he knew that was the needed antidote to my apparent travelers doubt. I came all those years ago for the adventure and the waves and I have certainly found more than one life’s share of the both, but I can tell you today that what I ended up staying for was the people.

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One afternoon after probably ten years of visiting a friend asked if I wanted to see a piece of land. A branch was chopped with a machete and when if fell we were looking thru a small window of green at pealing waves and a blue ocean. It’s been fifteen years since that day.

 

The sign at the entrance that says “Casa Verde” is a pretty one and the colors will call out as you pass bye in the night, but it doesn’t do justice to or pay tribute to all the people who worked so hard to make this Montauk surfers dream a reality.

There is a kindness and graciousness in the locals that I could only call rare for our modern era. Since the beginning I have been welcomed in and watched over by them and from the first days that the tractors started to dig and the truck began climbing up the hill I have been unexpectedly encouraged and helped to build my life here.

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That farmer was there that night to welcome me when I arrived and my world has been better for it. Should the winds of life blow you in our direction we would consider it a pleasure

to welcome you as well!

 

Safe travels from Costa Rica and Casa Verde.

John Dolan

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