Wyatt and Tysons La Ventana, Baja Report 2015/16

[rhawkins]

Looks like its been good down there since November. Hope to see you soon. RCH

[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"

[wyattmiller]

hahah can't really read the caption so here it is

[wyattmiller]

We are on a solid roll now. I think it has been windy almost every day in Jan. Our crew of fun Texans who left today sailed powered up 7/7 days and I think I was on the 4.8 for 4 days prior to their arrival. Yesterday there was head high surf in front of Mushrooms break with 20 people out on SUPs and Tyson was short board surfing it. Then in the afternoon the whole Pro-Windsurf La Ventana sailed up to The Generals to play in the surf. Super fun day.

Looks like wind today then finally a light day tomorrow before the next El Norte wind brings swell and good times Tuesday -Friday. Here we go again!

[rigitrite]

Chose to go to Bonaire this year to do an ABK clinic, but I've been talkin' you guys up. One of the clinic participants asked, "If you could go anywhere in the world to windsurf for two weeks, where would you go?"
That's a really hard question, but I said "LaVentana.....and stay with ProWindsurf."

[wyattmiller]

Thanks Eric. Been a hell of a season down here. Was a little worried about the El Nino, but it has been flat out epic.

[wyattmiller]

So completely exhausted. I can't take any more.

This week has been all time!! Started off on Monday with one of the best forecasts I have seen at Punta Marquez over on the Pacific 1.5 hrs from LV. Headed over there in the afternoon and was lit on my 4.8 in overhead waves. Its a little bit side onshore, but you pinch up towards the rock point and get 4-6 bottom turns as you head towards miles of nice sandy beach. It was just me and a couple kiters playing out there for hours. Ive sailed it a bunch when we were planing on the outside, but on Monday you could come screaming in 10 feet from the beach, carve a jibe and get massive back loops on the way out. Too much fun.

Then Tuesday was the slightly cloudy start to the Norte. I have to admit I took the day off waiting for Big Wednesday.

Big Wednesday delivered with head high waves up at the Generals and massive logo to mast high rolling swell on the outside. I was completely overpowered on my 4.4 and my 78L wave board. I totally should have been on 4.0 but figured i should leave it for our guests. Must have sailed 5 hours.

Then Thursday the swell dropped a bit, but I was again out of my mind lit on my 4.4. and 78L. It was crazy windy from around 9AM.

Then Yesterday, Friday the swell was back up and I got a morning session on the 4.4 and 78 and then the clouds came in and I had to grab the freestyle board and 4.8. The pushing tide in the afternoon brought the swell back up to near Big Wednesday height and I spent the whole afternoon at The Generals tossing back loops. Finally I just had to tell myself repeatedly that I could not do this anymore, and eventually I listened to myself and sailed back home.

It was all I could do to make a grilled cheese and crawl into bed at 6:00 PM

Carnival in La Paz, which is awesome, started on Thursday. Its going to be rocking windy until Tuesday at least, which is the last day of Carnival so I am gonna have to take a day off sometime to go join in the revelry.

Life is rough down here.