A SURF TRIP INTERRUPTED

Featured in Tracks Magazine Navigating Portugal during the COVID-19 Spread. Written by Morgan Bernard When I decided to continue with my plans to embark on my scheduled ‘work’ trip to Portugal in early March, COVID-19 had spread around the globe but was, by some definitions, under control. The virus had spread from China, and new […]

Coiba Island, once Panama’s isolated prison, is now a scuba diving paradise

*Featured in Matador Network AS THE ENGINE of the Panga boat roared over the Pacific Ocean swells, we traced Panama’s coastline, where volcanic rock cliffs gave way to secluded beaches backed by dense jungle. With every coastal bend, I expected to see a towering hotel, a small town, or even just a few houses on the beach. […]

Surf, Climb, Trek Sri Lanka: Your Guide for Adventure in Sri Lanka

*Featured in The Lores This past April, the Sri Lankan people were the victims of a senseless act of violence. The incident occurred on Easter Sunday and has left approximately 250 people dead and many wounded. Like Paris in 2015 or London in 2017, this attack targeted an area with significant tourism with the goal […]

El Paredon, Guatemala, will be Central America’s next coveted surf destination

*Featured on Matador Network WHEN SURFERS THINK of Central America, Guatemala is often not even on the list. The focus of most travelers to Guatemala is on the colorful villages and stunning landscapes of the country’s mountainous interior. That is about to change as surfers recognize the incredible, consistent swell that graces Guatemala’s Pacific coastline, and as travelers of all […]

After the protests, surfers are saving Nicaraguan tourism

*Featured on The Matador Network AS I SHUFFLED toward my seat in the back of the plane on a recent trip to Nicaragua, I was surprised by the faces that looked up at me as I passed. My earlier trip to the country in 2016 had been at the height of its tourism boom. During that time, […]

Playa Venao, Panama, is Central America’s most fascinating surf destination

*Featured on The Matador Network Central America has long been a hot surf destination for Americans. It’s easy to see why. The tropical region is right in our backyard, there are direct flights, and many of the surf spots exist in thriving, yet somewhat touristy, towns that make traveling convenient and comfortable. Few locations maintain the exotic appeal of surf travel’s origins […]

Iceland on a Budget: How to Vist the Land of ice without Breaking the Bank

Featured on Trail to Peak Iceland’sotherworldly landscape will leave you awestruck and inspired. From the moment you step off of the plane, you’ll feel as if you had just landed on the moon. Just looking out the plane window at the celestial landscape below may even make you forget that you’re arriving in the world’s […]

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu & Surfing: The Practice of Humility & the Art of Learning from Failure

Featured on The Beach Break Surf Camp Blog If you’ve ever surfed or if you’ve ever set foot in a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gym, you have failed before. Undoubtedly, you have gotten caught inside during a large swell, you’ve been slammed to the matt with incredible force, you’ve paddled out without catching a single wave, and […]

Panama Diaries Part V: Farewell to New Friends

Featured on the Beach Break Surf Camp Blog As my time in Panama comes to an end, I am doing my best to get in the water as much as possible. This morning, I thought that might require some extra motivation. When I first rolled out of bed and opened my door to check the […]

Panama Diaries Part IV: The Swell is Here

Featured on the Beach Break Surf Camp Blog I woke this morning to the sound of rain trickling down on the roof above me. I slowly rolled out of bed and immediately opened my door to check the surf. As I stood on the lawn adjacent to the pool and looked out to […]