For many, thinking about the beach is imagining an umbrella, a lounge chair and sitting facing the sea. At most, with a book in hand. But for many others, summer time is also a moment to activate: surfing, kitesurfing, volleyball, running or perhaps connecting with the more spiritual side by doing yoga. And in Pinamar and Cariló, the offer of proposals is especially fertile.
Vacationers to the water
In Pinamar, surfing stopped being just a thing for teenagers or experts a long time ago. From El Muelle Surf school (@elmuellesurf), Emiliano Manuel Sanz – who is also president of the Pinamar Surf Association – explains that the classes are organized in both group and private formats and range from 4 or 5 years old to older adults, with no age limit. “The important thing is the attitude,” he summarizes.
The school has proposals for all levels, from beginners to surfing for those who are getting on a board for the first time to advanced training with coaching work, filming and technical corrections in and out of the water for those who already have experience. The Pier provides all the necessary equipment (boards, suits and lycra) and has instructors accompanying you at sea. In addition to regular classes, it articulates projects with the CEF 87 (Pinamar Physical Education Center) and the Pinamar Surf and Bodyboard Association, develops adapted surfing initiatives and introductory workshops to board sports, and during January it adds an intense agenda of special activities, clinics and actions linked to the Argentine Olympic Committee and environmental organizations.
For Sanz, this growth responds to a change in perspective: more and more people choose to vacation actively and find in surfing a different, more conscious and respectful way of connecting with the sea, the dunes and the environment.
Those who practice kitesurfing who have their big annual event in Pinamar Norte on January 17 could register along the same lines. This is the DWS Kite, the largest kite event in the country, a “downwind” regatta. (that is, sailing downwind from one point to another) that takes advantage of one of the coastal geographies most valued by “riders”. “Pinamar is ideal because there are no stones or breakwaters and we have excellent winds from both the south and the north,” explains Fermín Besteiro, organizer of the event.
The start takes place near the border with Costa Esmeralda and the route ends in Kota Beach, where the main stage is set up and all the activity is concentrated. With six editions made, The DWS Kite went from bringing together just nine participants in 2018 to today bringing together more than 200 competitors from all over the country and from outside, in addition to thousands of spectators who come to see how the sky is painted with colored candles. “It is not competition that prevails but rather the fraternal atmosphere: there may be a beginner sailing alongside the Argentine champion,” summarizes Besteiro. The event is free, includes kite and foil clinics, brand test drives, professional exhibitions, live music and a post-regatta “after”. It has already become one of the largest kite gatherings in Latin America, both in scale and spirit.
For all ages
In that same climate of movement, On January 17, Pinamar adds another event that combines sport and celebration. That day the Ochentosa Run arrivesa race that proposes experiencing running from a fun and festive place, and that turns the sunset into an excuse to put on your shoes.
With distances of 8K, 3K and a 1K Kids Run, the route combines beach and city, crosses some of the main avenues and is supported by a retro atmosphere that accompanies the entire journey. More than a competition, the proposal is experienced as an immersive experience, with music, shows, the driving of Bebe Sanzo and Sebastián Esquerdo and an “after race beach party”, in addition to a solidarity side: part of the proceeds will be donated to the Pinamar Hospital.
In the same spirit of proposals for all ages, The Rada Beach Parador adds a daily agenda of activities for kids throughout the season. Located in Pinamar Norte, it has a recreation space coordinated by physical education teachers, with games, recreational activities and sports such as beach volleyball and soccer tennis. The activities take place every day and are designed so that the little ones also find their place in an active summer, while the adults enjoy the surroundings, the beach or the relaxation spaces of the inn, which this year brought the novelty of a four-season spa circuit called “Wellness Beach Pop!”.
at dawn
But not all movement must be agitated: this summer there is also a place for the peace and calm of yoga. In Cariló, on Saturdays at dawn, meetings are proposed in front of the sea guided by teacher Silvina Lamorte (@silvinalamorte). Ten minutes before the sun rises, the group meets on the seashore for an initial contemplation guided by Silvina, and then a yoga class is taught by different teachers, so that each meeting is a new experience. No prior knowledge is necessary and the audience is diverse, including friends, families, young people and older adults. “Everything is at a basic level, so that no one is left out,” explains Lamorte, who celebrates seeing how, season after season, the call grows.
The ritual happens at an unusual time, but that is precisely where its magic lies. “I love what happens at a time when we usually sleep: brightening the day ourselves first,” he says. Added to this is looking directly at the sun, a practice known as “sungazing”, which can only be done in those seconds in which the star rises from the horizon. The appointment is in Avutarda y el mar, at the Parador Neruda: Saturday the 17th at 5:50, the 24th at 5:55 and January 31 at 6. The motto is to bring a tarp or mat and, if you feel like it, something delicious to share afterwards. A different way to start the day.
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