Surf Stories | Andrea “Mona” Picasso
Hi surfers and friends,
Please meet Mona. She’s the co-founder of AWA, alongside Giulia Vallotto. She is an experience creator, a retreat facilitator, and a surf hostess.
She loves spending time in nature, skateboarding, and monkeying around with her family in the jungle of Costa Rica.
Please enjoy Mona’s Surf Story.
Mona Picasso
Home break
Costa Rica
Quiver
MANY toys ! I like to be ready for whatever the ocean has for us :) I usually ride a 9’5 nose rider, a single fin 7’6 or a 6’6 twin
Dream wave
Pavones is my favorite place in the world. When I close my eyes to mind surf, it usually looks a lot like it.
What was your introduction to surfing?
I won a surfboard from a raffle ticket when I was 14 and took it as a clear sign.
Describe a memorable experience you had in the ocean.
Very hard to be selective here amongst so many memorable surf experiences but probably surfing with a 6 month old baby belly, holding hands with my husband under the rain in one of my favorite local point breaks. I cannot describe the joy of being able to glide on a board with a big old belly and a creature moving inside of you as you roll under the waves.
Why do you continue to surf?
Because I realized the ocean was my happy place, where everything is in pause and where I’m able to quite my mind to be able to appreciate reality, as beautiful as it is. Because it gave me community, it keeps me in touch with nature and makes me feel free and alive. My day is a much better day if it starts in the ocean :)
Anyone you love to surf with?
I love to surf with my girlfriends! It’s light and playful and brings the femergy vibes into the entire lineup. It’s a way less serious atmosphere, free of competition and judgement. Being able to surf with my son and husband is something I’m daily so grateful for.
What’s a life lesson you’ve learned from the ocean?
To stay flexible, patient and adaptable and be able to ride the ways of life a lot more gracefully and in flow with the present moment. The ocean gives me strength, teaches me resilience, and keeps me stoked every day I’m close to it. That’s how I like to live life.
Any embarrassing or humbling surfing moments?
Haha, so many! Especially when I past my 6th month of pregnancy and still wanted to go out but my paddling became pretty funny and the only way I could manage to catch waves without smashing my belly was by sticking my butt up in the air. It was pretty hilarious to see myself out there and many times embarrassing when I have to paddle around strangers.
How can we identify you in the water?
I’m probably laughing hard, being silly or doing weird sounds when I’m both taking off or wiping out, like “weeeeeeeeee”
Thank you for reading!