Wyatt and Tysons La Ventana, Baja Report 2015/16

[wyattmiller]

Well I think I can easily say it has been the windiest November I have ever seen down here. The crew that showed up at Pro-Windsurf La Ventana on Nov 2nd sailed 13 out of 14 days. Then it stayed windy and I think I was on day 18 in a row of 4.8 and 4.4 before we got a couple days off. There were 3 Norte periods in November each stronger than the last with good swell and breaking waves at the Generals.

Then we had the hurricane which dumped at least two inches of rain. Somehow the day after the hurricane I sailed all day lit up on my 4.8 and 90L with good North swell and wind that was really West so you were going right into the swells. Super fun.

Today, 3 days post hurricane, we have another Norte and its already sailable at 9:00 AM.

Baja is firing.

On the days off we have had some epic ATV rides into the desert to pick Pithaya (cactus fruit) and then make margaritas with em. Epic.

We have also had some great hot tub making excursions at the hot springs beach. Ahhh life is good down Baja way.

To top it off the exchange rate is insane. Usually it is 10-12 pesos to the dollar, but we have been holding steady at 16 pesos to the dollar which makes a liter of Pacifico $1.50 ...... Awesome

[PoorBoyUS22]

Best November EVER!!! Come on down and get it before it stops blowing!!! (haha dont think that's gonna be an issue this year)

[wyattmiller]

Still hasn't stopped. Last 4 days were windy. First two were a little too 5.2 and cloudy for my liking but then the last two days were lit up 4.8 with big swell for back loops on the outside. The General's was breaking also but I didn't make it up there.

Today looks to be a bit lighter, but its so sunny and hot already this morning that I wouldn't be surprised if the thermal filled in and I got out on 4.8 again.

Check this sweet little video from our Makani Fins week down here at the beginning of November. ATV trips on the coast road, snorkeling, jump-spraying each other windsurfing and all sorts of other antics.

https://vimeo.com/147512589

[wyattmiller]

Haha, nice crash shot of Mr. Poor!

So it has been windy every day in December so far. Its been mostly 5.2 or 5.6 but everyone has been getting out every day and the water is still 76 degrees.

Been ripping out on the tandem board a few times lately. Its hilarious, you just end up laughing the whole time slightly out of control. Waterstarting is a bit difficult. Ours is a Kona which puts both people a bit too close to each other. Really want to get the Starboard Gemini for next year.

Epic band at Baja Joe's last night. Delaney's resort has been hosting some fun live music parties as well.

Campground is like Xmas full already, town is popping.

Still a couple spots left at our place for the Holidaze.

[wyattmiller]

Last two days have been light wind, but it looks like a solid Norte hits tomorrow. The weekend is going to rip and then we should have wind throughout most of the next week.

Killer Surf Band last night at Playa Central, rocked the place till 11pm or so. Tons of dancing, margaritas and general fun.

3 days ago it ripped though. I was only expecting 5.2, but was pleasantly surprised to be lit on my 4.8 and 90L Flare all afternoon. Just got a bit tired around 4pm and headed in. Just in time too, the wind dropped off to Zero real fast which is super unusual here. There were 26 kites that fell out of the sky and had to swim in. Once again, stoked to be a windsurfer.

[U2U2U2]

What is a link for the trips ?

[wyattmiller]

All the info and prices are up on our website:

www.prowindsurflaventana.com

Come on down!!

[wyattmiller]

Ya we were super stoked to do those Pacifico commercials. Huge fans of the product and to get windsurfing in such a big ad was awesome. It ran for a couple months as the ad on Hulu, and they also played the windsurfing one on the WSL World Surf League contests in Fiji and Jaws. Beyond stoked.

Tyson and I did a couple more for them:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OWJy7NIg_w

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tjwmAx713o

Even got my van and the Pro-Windsurf La Ventana logos in one of the vids!


Last 3 days here have been on fire. Full power 4.8 and 90L with good swell on the outside for back loops. Blew all day really, people were out at 10:00 AM.
Most of our guests were pooped by 2:30 yesterday. Today is a bit cloudy and really light but it sounds like everyone could use a break. Tomorrow is supposed to crank back up.

Still plenty of spots available at our place for Jan, Feb and March. With tons of good times to be had. Just finished constructing a huge tube made of three 55gal plastic drums. Gonna get a backhoe to the hot springs and dig a huge well and put in the drums so we don't have to dig a source pit every time we want a hot tub. Then we are going to have a big hot springs, full moon, Christmas party on the 25th!

[wyattmiller]

Epic review from our buddy Gerry:

All,

Many thanks for all the suggestions about how I could spend my December vacation time. In the end I went to Pro Windsurf La Ventana near the southern tip of Baja Sur, Mexico. Wyatt Miller runs a combined accommodation and windsurfing-gear rental operation there from November to May. The attached picture shows the beach looking windward from the launch before the wind built my first day there. Downwind the beach curves around to catch errant kiters and windsurfers. There were a lot of beginning kiters, and it looked like a great place to learn.

Wyatt’s equipment is first class, mostly Naish and Starboard boards (I sailed generally on 94 and 103 L Kodes) and Naish and Severn sails. The wind was very good; I sailed almost every day, getting down to 5.2 m2 sails about half the time. The sea state depends on how long the wind has been blowing from the north. Large rollers (6 ft. was the largest I saw, though they can be bigger) build up if the wind has been blowing all night, but if the synoptic wind is low and the thermal kicks in noon to 4 as it usually does, the water is quieter while the wind is still 20-ish. Shore break was manageable even on the big days, though some timing was required.

Air temperatures reached 65-70F, and the water temp was in the mid-70s. I used a 3-4mm short-sleeved wet suit, no booties or gloves, and was perfectly warm. Wind is fairly well predicted by the iWindsurf computer-generated forecast for La Ventana, and their measurements, at Baja Joe’s upwind a bit, agreed well with the wind at our part of the beach and out to sea.

The desert nearby is spectacular, with lots of different flora and fauna than we usually see here. For example, look up Silky Flycatcher in your North American field guide. An example cactus, which can weigh many tons and live over 100 years is shown in an attached photo.

The scene is pretty laid back. Wyatt keeps the options varied and generally organizes a dinner group after we watched the sunset from the roof. The group was a lot of fun. Also attached is a shot of the whole group on the night before I left after we had launched a couple of “Chinese sky lanterns,” which thankfully and beautifully drifted out over the water. Wyatt is on the far right. His father is next to him, holding his didgeridoo, which I found interesting because I had recently read that it’s the only musical instrument that relies on changing timbre alone, always sounding the same tone.

The food can be excellent. Mexican eggs, beans, and rice were the perfect start if a long day of sailing was predicted. Otherwise I had delicious fare from the Donut Man who came by about 10 AM on Tuesdays and Saturdays. I was surprised to have the best filet mignon maybe ever at a local restaurant, complete with excellent Chilean wine, for a very reasonable price. (Wine is rare in Baja. Beer and tequila are staples.) Fish is very fresh and tasty.

Flights were about $350 round trip with one change in Dallas, which seems remarkably reasonable. I rented a car, which came in handy but was not totally necessary since there are ATVs for the guests to use and distances to restaurants and points of interest are short, walkable in most cases.

Bottom line is, if you’ve stuck with me this long, it’s hard to see how I could have better spent my 11 days off. I’ll be happy to provide more detail if you are thinking of heading down. The season is just beginning.

Cheers,
Gerry

[wyattmiller]

Been a rad few weeks here in La Ventana. Been on my 4.8 every day since I can't remember when. We had a fun La Ventana Classic event with lots of racing and fundraising for the local schools.

We raced the figure 8 corse against the kiters and lapped them every time. Apparently we proved our point, maybe a little too well, that we should be allowed to do the double cross race, to the island from the hot springs and back against the foilers cause the regular kiters were too slow.

Apparently we were too intimidating so the foilers had a last minute protest meeting, that we were not allowed to join. So to make it completely sure we couldn't win they set a upwind mark bouy 2 miles above the event which was completely impossible to make by any craft except a kite foil and then a huge downwind leg and another straight upwind leg. Still we beat a bunch of the foilers. Tyson got 1st for the windsurfere, I got 2nd and MacRae Wylde in 3rd.

Lots of good parties and bands for the event every night, hot springs parties, big air big hair belly flop contest pool parties. Such a good time. We had a full house all week with the SF Delta Crew, Cookie, Hans and Terrie, David Imre, Donna Woods, Vincent from SF, Peter and Kate. It was like a Delta Reunion.

Next week we have the La Ventana Windfest, kite and windsurf competition with downwinders from the hot springs and slalom.

It just doesn't stop down here. We have a bunch of spots open still for Feb and March and the wind just keeps blowing.

Oh ya check out a post at the bottom and the caption from one of our guests Rob Evans and the "What I learned on my week at Pro-Windsurf La Ventana"