Captain Alvaro & the Guardavidas: Meet the Characters
Meet Scarlet - Storyteller
“They called me Princess and I hated it. I wasn’t born with that name. It was pinned to me by the humans. I was born November 25, 1985 in the Central Pacific coast of Jacó, Costa Rica - at the height of poaching for exotic scarlet macaws. I was born free and I was determined to stay free.“
Meet Captain Alvaro
“Captain Alvaro is the kind of human who can quickly scrutinize the ocean and notice places where danger lurks long before others …He knows that when the sea shifts, lives are at risk.
Maybe if you visit Playa Hermosa or Playa Dominical, you will have the chance to connect with him. You will know it is him because an Eagle Ray is tattooed on his left upper arm.”
Meet Lt. Abraham jossúe Padilla
“Abraham always positions himself to Alvaro’s left in the water. Their whistles never overlap, and there is never a direct order because he is Captain Alvaro’s trusted sidekick - supportive and explosive in action moving from the lifeguard tower to the ocean with the sudden power of a jaguar - the spirit animal that chose him when he was 16 years old…”
Meet Andrea Vanessa Morales
Andrea’s “approach to the ocean always begins, ‘Show me what you are doing today…’ And the tide always answers in return when one listens. Andrea is unmistakable present…and she is always taking notes either in that waterlogged notebook she carries around or with the voice recorder device that she has strung across her shoulder with a red strap that matches her hair. I think you humans call it a cell phone.”
Meet Yeiner Andreó Araya
“Yeiner leads with charm. It is how he moves through the world - quick smile, easy laugh - especially when his body doesn’t quite cooperate. He stumbles, recovers, tries again. I’ve watched him straighten his shoulders more times than I can count.”
Meet Mariela Olivia Riviera
“Living in the worlds of the BriBri Tribe where Mother Earth and family provides all we need and the modern world that provides what we think we need causes confusion for me, and keeps me awake at night. The modern world of social media, fast-paced technology, and disinformation, make my friends challenge my passions and even tease me. But when my self-esteem is steady, I imagine that I have the ability to save lives somehow like in the hospital TV shows.”
Meet Paloma ozzy Gonzalez
”Ah, yes, Paloma. Oh, I remember her at the edge of seventeen. She strutted around like a peacock or a famous rock star as if the world was built only for her. She confused noise for freedom and applause for comfort. The locals called her ‘wild child‘ and ’easy.’ She bounced from party to party the way frigate birds steal fish mid-air. From my branch, she was simply untethered. She couldn’t realize the pull of the currents on her or the wind steering her…yet.“
Meet vinicio Angelo Gerardo
“Vinicio was a lanky boy, all elbows, but determined. He toed the line between confidence and clumsiness that comes with learning to surf. He had been working the whitewater for a couple hours mid morning, popping up too fast, falling too hard, and climbing back on the board to do it again. His auntie called out adjustments and nodded to try again.“
Meet Ronny Miquel Mesen
”I’ve seen lots of humans come and go through this lifeguard program, but Ronny takes the cake. Hair waves in the wind. Tattoos cover his body. Muscles tone. Light red five o’clock stubble shadows his face. Cross of gold bling hangs around his neck. Charming smile brightens the world. Bold but gentle personality lightens moods. He’s not cocky. He’s confident. Big-hearted. Ready.”
Meet Mateo Austin Tubito
“Mateo might be my favorite recruit because of his kind eyes, big heart, and quiet steady presence. He makes no big splashes when he meets new people. He doesn’t drift from trouble, but measures it, and asks how he can help before others even decide help is needed. He’s clever that way.”
Meet Roy haley sanchez
”Roy runs toward the danger at the beach with the same energy as he runs toward fun. He doesn’t follow trends but remains steady like a rhythm guitar. He is the melody of the group. The ocean welcomes him and when he surfs and wipes out, he usually resurfaces grinning and laughing as if the ocean shared a private joke with him. His good sense of humor and his respect for others give Roy the advantage on this new lifeguard team.
Meet the Creative Team
Amy Falk Weinberger, Author & Brooklyn Edsall, Illustrator
Amy and Brooklyn met at Bodhi Surf Camp in Uvita, Costa Rica in 2024 at Playa Chamán. Their story is intergenerational. Amy learned to surf as a retirement activity while Brooklyn was just learning to swim in the ocean. The magic of Playa Chamán cast its spell on these two women and their friendship grew.
Amy called Brooklyn and asked if she would illustrate Captain Alvaro and the Guardavidas. All of the work was completed internationally as Amy lives in Costa Rica and Brooklyn was completing a Masters in Architecture in Barcelona, Spain. You can read more about them and their journey as author and illustrator in the Captain Alvaro & the Guardavidas.
Why this story?
The Guardavidas of Costa Rica is a not-for-profit organization. This means that it has to raise money to exist as the local municipality does not support it financially. It costs about $10,000/month for two lifeguards at Playa Hermosa and Playa Dominical. The purpose of this novel is to promote lifeguarding as a career, to raise awareness of the importance of having lifeguards, and to raise money to support the organization.