S.Ca - Anyone sailing C-Street/Leo area?

[coachg]

BajaVaya
Nice article on PSC. It sure looks interesting, even to a northern CA sailor. But a 12-hour drive from SD means that PSC is no weekend getaway. And I believe the average windsurfer has a significant other and probably some kids that will have to tag along. I’m in no way putting down PSC, but Maui, S.F. & the Gorge offer much more to non-windsurfers. From what you are extolling you must be single. So, before you start knocking 2-dimensional thinkers, you might try to stop thinking in one.

Coachg

[BajaVaya]

coachg,

Good points. My sincere apologies. I did not mean to knock flat-water sailing nor say that Punta San Carlos is the only Baja destination. I was merely comparing it to LA wavesailing venues, for someone who has to drive 3+ hours (given the freeway moving parking lots) and then find lodging, etc. And point out that Maui is not the only option, or even the best one. (How many of us can afford a trip there?)

That was why I gave my e-ddress.

I have some of the most fun sailing San Quintin Bay which has the smoothest water and wind I have encountered anywhere. Unfortunately, the kiters have discovered that too. The good news is that it has a "kite filter" -- an impediment to a powered up kite, but not a serious factor to even a beginner windsurfer. I teach friends to waterstart there, and have gotten it down to about 1 day thanks to the shallow water.

SQ Bay (50 sq. mi., about the size of San Diego Bay) is a tidal wetland and only boom deep at the most. When you fall, you are typically in waist deep water so waterstarting is effortless; makes it a great site for practicing jibes and tricks. SQ Bay is a giant solar collector (entrance is only 100 yards wide), so the water is a bathtub 75 deg even in winter (water is usually warmer than the air; full wetsuit is too hot). Crowds? I have windsurfed in my birth suit, on a dare. The wind varies only about 2 mph from its usual 15 - 20 mph, so you can carry a bigger sail (6.5 - 7.5m vs. 6m max on a PSC light day). It is so steady that old style double-luff sails rocket past the modern twist-off designs.

It is the only windsurf spot I feel comfortable on my Jimmy Lewis Kinetic "gun board" (9' x 18" swap meet find) that can keep up with gringo double-outboards. So fast it is scary. (If you hit any chop be prepared for a catapult over the boom.)

SQ Bay is about 4.5 hours south of the border on good tarred road. There are some great wavesailing spots not even that far and others nearby, that are ideal for non wavesailors. Mexicans don't believe in signs so you may need directions.

[coachg]

BajaVaya,
Believe me, there are quite a few places down there that I would love to go to. But if it doesn't have a mall or restaurants, many of our significant others simply are not interested. We can convince them to fly to La Ventana, but rugged isolation, not a chance. So for now, it is just a dream or something to put on the "Bucket List."

Coachg

[elenna]

Yeah Yeah, Baja sucks, banditos, mordida, long drives, no swell, doesn't blow.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3242828113182200057

[BajaVaya]

Thanks elenna. Great video. Says it better than I could.

Sorry I started this discussion, we need fewer surfers/windsurfers and especially fewer kiters. Yes, Baja is dirty, there is a bandido around every corner, surfers get murdered, and you will die in the desert. Please stick to Malibu and Leos.

BTW Don't recommend launching a windsurfer off the point unless you have money for a new rig. There is a genuine sandy beach a few steps north. (Ah, to be young and foolhardy again.)

Windsurfing footage was in the Chili Bowl. For any neophyte sailor, the breaks to the north are more docile as is the launch/exit. A few months ago, I watched in disbelief as Gwen (on a Solosports excursion) from Chichester, England merrily rode waves. What's the big deal? She couldn't waterstart let alone jibe. There she was -- constantly falling off and uphauling a 4.2m in 25+ winds. Told me she was having a ball, and stayed an extra 2 weeks. With her figure, face, and long blonde hair PSC could use a few more Gwens (Gwyneth Paltrow on a windsurfer, but taller and with Marilyn Monroe curves).

The plane belongs to Alex, a kiter (one of the "aliens"). To fly a $3m (m as in 1,000,000) twin turboprop King Air designed to ferry CEOs, to the San Carlos dirt+stones strip needs a lot of green in the pocket (head?). (Maybe its his dad.) Prop clearance is only 6" from the ground and it lands at 100+mph. I hear it costs $1000 in Jet A fuel for each round trip. Why not just buy a Cessna 182 with your pocket change? Would be nice to have the cash, you can keep the King Air.

I am off to PSC tomorrow for a week (need my monthly fix).

[nealpar]

[nealpar]

[jp5]

Nealpar;
Tell us more about your time in a Mexican jail. Is there a video on youtube?
JP

[mik377]

"Indeed, why bother with the surf at all when there are so many lakes and other 2-dimensional venues in easy driving distance"
Where are these venues? Could you please list places that are a hour from San Diego because I've pretty much concluded that it is pointless to bring my gear down here for winter because of lack of wind.
thanks

[nealpar]

JPBassking, sorry to have gotten your hopes up, but I was never actually behind bars. We were pulled over. Cop did a search of our car (reminded me of communist era border searches, Hungary-Austria border - circa 1975). They (naturally) found open containers of cerveza. Bribe discussions went nowhere, so to up the ante, the cops shuffled the 4 of us into the local jail. The cell and the "reception" area were right next to each other. We took one look at the toilet facilities inside the cell, and gave them all the cash we had. (or...what they thought we had) We were let go with smiles and handshakes from the cops. End of story. BTW, this happened sometime around 1987. Things may have gotten more hardcore since, I don't know. I don't want to test the system.