San Carlos Baja camping trip and photo link

[windfind]

Just returned from two weeks camping on the bluff in San Carlos. The drive south from the Tijuana border was boring as usual.

The last 40 miles of off road driving gets easier each year. Camping was rugged but fun. My visit saw conditions ranging from tiny waves with slogging wind to big South swell with light wind to big wind with modest swell. Below is one photo and a link to a bunch more San Carlos photos.

Mike Godsey
mike@iwindsurf.com

http://windnotes.com/SanCarlos/index.html

[andymc4610]

Send the to windsurfing, Eddy would have published them, maybe Jason will, plus a couple bucks and credits.

[bketcham]

Hey Mike,

Nice pictures as usual, keep them coming.

Good to hear the road is still nice. The last few years it has taken us about an hour which is a far cry from 10 years ago when you had to go slow enough to not bottom out from a wash out.

[surfingsenorita]

nice photos!
what are the conditions like in san carlos in early may? we are headed back to oregon ,and thinking of stopping on the way back? we have large gear, but maybe best just to get to the gorge as it's getting good there.
However I would like to practice some wave sailing.
thanks,
Christi

[windfind]

In March and April San Carlos gets most of it's wind from the North Pacific High's surface NW winds. Most agree that wave sailing is at it's best when you are almost slogging until you drop in and scream down the line. The problem is that these spring NW winds are sometimes too strong for primo down the line wave sailing.

In May there is a transition from spring NW wind to more modest summer thermal winds. Typically as the fog bank develops in May the wind is in the 4.5 to 5.0 range and is perfect for wave sailing. Plus there is still some decent south swell from the S. Hemisphere. Plus you still get some modest NW wind if the thermal wind dies. Both the thermal wind and the NW wind are perfect side offshore at San Carlos. For me May is the best month at San Carlos. But all depends upon either a large NW swell wrapping around the point or the arrival of a long interval big South swell.

I would look at the swell forecast from the S. Hemisphere and time my trip to arrive at San Carlos 1-2 days before it's arrival.

The last 40 miles of off road driving is FAR easier than a few years ago. Almost all gravel now and no 4WD needed. Only bad stretch is pinball alley just before the beach and even trailers can now navigate that. Bring sails from 3.5 to 5.7 and a warm wetsuit. Still no water, food, gas or electricity available. There is solar satellite internet one hour a day at Solo. Have FUN!

Mike Godsey
mike@iwindsurf.com

[surfingsenorita]

thank you, sounds like it could be good timing to go.
Do you have a favoirte link to check conditions there? (sorry I'm not seeing how to check it on iwindsurf)

thanks!

[windfind]

If you go to the home page of iwindsurf.com and look at the map of North America you can click on Baja. The map that appears has San Carlos on it and if you click on that point you will get a computer forecast for San Carlos. This forecast is WAY OFF for the summer thermal winds and is basically useless since those winds are largely locally generated. But it is fairly accurate for the spring winds of March/April from the North Pacific High. May is a tricky month since the winds are a mixture of both Thermal and NW wind. Generally is you see strong winds forecast by this model then it will be pretty accurate. If you see low winds forecast then there may still be good thermal winds despite what the model says.

I am working on a San Carlos guide to add to my Baja Guide and I will have more info for you when that is done. Mail me sometime and I will let you know when it is finished.

Mike Godsey
mike@windsurf.com

[jakethesnake]

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