Some say that the off-shore winds blow 340 days a year here and those winds are what make the surfing so fabulous on Santana Beach. There were surfers at the Ranch, Nicaraguan couples and families, and several of the American casa and casita owners were in residence for the holidays. Jack met many new people at Rancho Santana on this first day of the new year.

The ranch is huge (1,700 acres) and much of it is wild places where wild things reside. Rocky cliffs rise straight up from some of the white beaches and the ocean view competes with the colorful panorama of the surrounding mountains.

We got an all-terrain vehicle and began our exploration of the ranch and our search for the elusive white-faced hollering monkeys. Although it is loud and bumps along the hardscrabble roads, Jack loves riding on the quad. The monkeys eluded us but snakes could be seen warming themselves on the dusty roads.

Jack discovered the value of a good nap in a swinging chair during the hottest part of the day, when a breeze, the shade and inactivity refresh you and prepare you for whatever the evening will bring.

A half-hour before the sun fell below the horizon, we sat on the point above the beach, watched the surfers catch the last waves, the pelicans make their final dives, and the locals cast their hand lines. We took Jack on Santana beach and let him run fast and wild; perrito feliz in the sand. Being the stuff-handler that he is, he couldn’t resist the urge to stop and inspect each little pile of personal belongings left behind by those still in the water.

Many things arrive on Santana beach smoothed and polished by time in the unrelenting surf. Josh filled his pockets with interesting tokens while his little inspector tagged along.

With sandy feet and no particular plans for the evening, we made our way back to the casita. As we climbed the hill, we spied some Christmas lights on another small house and walked toward them. A gathering of casa and casita owners were having a birthday celebration. We were immediately invited to join the party and stay for dinner. While the cats whined in vain at the screen to be let inside, Jack enjoyed everyone's attention and a place of honor at the table of his new best friends.