It’s time to pack up and head north. Wednesday and Thursday were the only windy days this week, and with only a few campers left on the beach in the RV Park, there were only three sailors on the water. March has been less windy than most years, but there were still some great days with nice swells and plenty of room on the water. The concern last fall was with the predicted La Nina, and how it would affect the Baja winter winds. Other than unusually cool temps the first two weeks of February, the season was pretty normal…sunny, no rain, and windy most of the time. The sail of choice was the normal 4.7 – 5.2, with a few days of 3.7 – 4.2 to spice things up. In January we had some memorable big Nortes that gave us some the biggest swells we have seen in La Ventana.
A memorable 3.7 day in January – Life Has Its Rewards!
The campground in La Ventana was near capacity in the peak season, which is from Christmas through the end of February. It has been several seasons since I’ve seen the number of people here as this winter. Maybe it’s the improving economy and less concern about traveling in Baja, but it’s easy to see that the area is developing and becoming a great place to share a warm and windy winter with friendly people…La Ventana is no longer the “secret” place it was 10 years ago. People who haven’t been here are always asking if it’s is safe in Mexico. Here’s a link to an article I found that gives an interesting perspective of the dangers of traveling in Mexico: http://www.bajainsider.com/baja-california-travel/mexicocivilwar.htm If you would like more information about Baja, here are two great sites that have a wealth of information about traveling and living in Baja. Bajainsider, http://www.bajainsider.com/index.html BajaNomads, http://forums.bajanomad.com/
Even the wild life is friendly in Baja
It’s time to get back to the Gorge as the summer sailing season begins. I’ll be on the beach doing Ezzy demos again beginning at Windfest at the Hood River Event Site on June 25-26. Stop by and find out for yourself why the Panther is so special. Of course we’ll also have the Freeride and Infinity for anyone who feels the need for speed. See ya on the beach, Gary
