March Roars in Like a Panther (2) in Baja, First Impression – March 1, 2010
Thanks to Tim’s creative shipping and Nancy’s international travel, a new Panther 2 made its way to La Ventana on Sunday. Of course, we wasted no time getting the sail rigged and in the hands of sailors. Rigging the sail drew a “Christmas Morning” crowd on the beach as everyone gathered to check out the new Panther 2.
The Inspectors Gathered
Fortunately for Val, a hardcore sailor from the Central California coast, the 4.7 was her perfect size for the conditions. She didn’t hesitate when I asked if she would like to be first on the water. The new orange color really stands out, and the new Tri-Lite scrim distinctly identifies it as the new Panther 2. Her first impression of the sail was direct and simple as she returned to the beach, “the power, rotation, and balance are perfect, and I love it”. More impressions will follow as sailors have a chance to take it for a test ride.
See ya when you’re tired.
Val is still out on the bay as I’m posting this, no worries, she’ll come in when she gets hungry or the sun goes down. Having fun in Baja, come and join us, Gary & Nancy
“El No-Viento” Arrives in Baja, February 10, 2010
It’s a good day to catch up on indoor chores with rare clouds and rain here in La Ventana. The good winds we had seen for several weeks came to an end the last week of January. The predicted strong El Nino has interrupted the typical winter wind pattern for all of Baja. California is welcoming the rains that have ended their drought, but the low pressure systems passing through southern California are cutting off the northerly flow of winds down the Sea of Cortez. We’re still getting a couple days every week of lighter thermal winds in the late afternoon. Sailors have been cruising on 100+ liter boards with a 6.0 to 7.0.
Ok…at least they make a pretty picture?
The annual Kitefest that was held the last week of January was saved by wind on the final two days of the week long event. Events were held for kiters, windsurfers, and standup paddle boarders. The 12 mile cross channel race, course racing, and freestyle events were all squeezed into a wild and mostly windy Saturday and Sunday. Beach parties, demos, and food booths filled the beach at the lower end of La Ventana Bay. Kiters got their revenge this year in the cross channel race over the windsurfers who have taken line honors in past years. The race was started with 20-25 mph winds on both shores, but what the race committee didn’t know was that there was a 2-3 mile hole in the middle of the channel with nearly no wind. The windsurfers were forced to slog and pump, and were unable to stay with the front runners in the kite division, finishing nearly 4 minutes behind the winner.
The big winners of the event were the local villages of La Ventana and El Sargento. More than $22,000 was raised for the local schools and improvement projects. This event highlights the cooperation and integration of wind enthusiasts from north of the boarder and the local people. Thanks to Tim at Palapas Ventana for helping make it possible. Here is a link to the results: http://www.palapasventana.com/lvclassic.aspx
Mike and Nancy from Hood River score the best wind of the season.
I had the pleasure of sailing with a couple from Hood River in January. While friends Dan and Val were in California getting treatment for Dan’s ankle injury, Mike and Nancy came down to watch after their place on the beach. Of course watching also included sailing…a very sweet arrangement since gear was included, what great friends! This was their first opportunity to sail on Ezzy sails, so I was anxious to get their impression after two weeks on the water. Mike’s impression, “they definitely have more power for their size than the (other brand)…I think the 5.8 Panther is more powerful than their 6.2. I really like the outhaul rigging strings and marks for setting the downhaul. I never had to wonder if the sail was set right…what a great idea.” Nancy thought the Panthers were very easy to sail, “very balanced and smooth…I love them.” I want to thank Mike and Nancy for sharing some great time on the water and on the beach discussing how to solve the world’s problems, hope to see you in the Gorge this summer.
Looks like today’s rain will be replaced by a high pressure system over the SW for a few days and the winds will return, life is good! See you on the water, Gary & Nancy
Update of last post – January 27, 2010
Mark just sent me some pictures from the “kids weekend at the Delta” last summer. Windsurfing is alive and well judging from the enthusiasm on their faces. Thanks Mark, see you in Baja next season, Gary & Nancy
The family at the beach: Tammie, Tilly, Mark, & Maddy.
With this much energy, it had to be a great weekend, I think Mark and Tammie were busy.
The joy of being a windsurfing instructor.
Great January Winds Continue in Baja – January 15, 2010
The prediction of El Nino disrupting the windy season in Baja have thankfully been wrong since the middle of December. Simply put; its been windy and the sailing’s been great! The last two windy periods have been 12 to 14 days with only a day of no wind between them. Even most of the hardcore South Park sailors took Wednesday off to go see the new movie Avatar in La Paz. It turned out to be a good day to rest since Thursday and today is full on 3.5 to 4.5.
Tammy, Mark, & Maddie represent the heart and soul of windsurfing.
Windsurfing is a great sport that we all love, and for most of us it has become part of our lives. It’s rarely far from our thoughts when we think of vacations, travel, or even retiring some day to a windy place where we can sail so many days in a row we actually go to a movie to rest. But there is one thing that seems to be missing in our sport; and that’s young people. There doesn’t seem to be many sailors under the age of 20. Sure there are the young guns at the Hatchery, Maui, and Bonaire, but this week my faith in the future of Windsurfing was restored by a family I met here in La Ventana.
Maddie & Mark head out.
Mark, Tammy and their daughter Maddie have been coming to Baja for a month every winter for the past 12 years. They live in Central California and they sail the Delta on the Sacremento River. Mark and Tammy are accomplished sailors in their own right, but the stand-out in the family is Maddie, who at 12 demonstrates her own passion for the sport. She’s been sailing for two years and just plain rips.
Of course Mark and Tammy are thrilled that their daughter loves windsurfing, so I asked them what they did as parents to get to this point. As most parents know, it was a delicate balance of encouragement and support, with a good dose of keeping it fun. For years they had windsurfed the Delta in the summer and their Baja trip in the winter. Mady was always part of the outing and had fun playing with other kids. But what really sparked her interest was a “slumber party” they had at the beach for 6 of her friends two summers ago. They had big boards and two Ezzy Kids rigs and just let them have a weekend of fun. Maddy also had a great time at an ABK Windsurfing camp (Tammy is a past instructor for ABK) were she said, “I was the only kid”. She polished her tacking and jibing, plus learned to waterstart. She sails quite well without a harness, and when I asked her if she had thought of trying one, she simply said “not really”. She’s on her own schedule.
It doesn’t get any better than this for a windsurfing dad!
It’s encouraging and brings a smile to your face to see a family like Mark, Tammy and Maddie windsurfing for the pure thrill of the sport we all love. Mark loves his new Panther 5.2 he got from Ev at Delta Windsurf Co. just before coming down in December. “What impresses me the most is the range and smooth power…it really is a nice sail.” Maddie tried the 4.5 Panther and even though she was a little shy, she smiled and said it was a “pretty nice sail”…that’s a great endorsement in my book. Windsurfing is alive and well in La Ventana, however, it looks like the annual Kite Fest next week will kill the wind. See on the beach, Gary
The Drought Ends: Great Winds Return to Baja. Dec. 23, 2009
The early season in La Ventana had only a handful of good sailing days. Typically the North winds begin making their way to southern Baja in October and November, and by the first of December settle into a pattern of at least 5 days of sailable wind per week. With so many windless days, everyone seemed to develop their own theory of why so little wind this year.
The wind has arrived; Dan & Val rig up in their front yard!
Fortunately Mother Nature has intervened and ended the wind drought of Fall 2009, by sending us 12 straight days of great wind. Most days were 4.7 to 5.2, with three epic days of 4.0 with big smooth swells. After a couple of light wind days, a fresh El Norte just hit the beach this afternoon, so here we go again! Happiness has returned to our village on the Sea of Cortez along with sore muscles and blisters. The water is still 72 degrees, so a shorty wetsuit is fine as the air temps are in the high 70’s. The Holiday crowd has been arriving this week and the campground still has room for your tent or RV.
Long time La Ventana sailor Tony from Wisconson enjoys a typical afternoon on the water.
Al from BC, Canada tangles with a Needle Fish.
My friend Al, a fellow Ezzy sailor from eastern BC, was catching the last swells on a great day last week, when a Needle fish struck his lower left leg. After surgery to remove 2 inches of the fish’s beak and a night in the hospital, Al was back on the beach the following afternoon taking pictures of his friends…Canadians are hearty folks.
Returning from a glorious day on the water…doing demos and writing a blog is hard work!
If you will be in La Ventana over the Holidays, I’ll be doing some demos at the campground after Christmas. We’ll post the days on the Ezzy website and on Iwindsurf. I’ll be watching the forecast and do my best to give a couple days notice. Best wishes for a great Holiday season, see you on the beach, Gary & Nancy
