Open for business

We officially opened for business on Saturday, but our first guests didn't arrive until today. That gave us a little extra time to prep things at the Vela center, build some new shelves in the retail shop, and clean up around the hotel. Unlike the last few years, it was very calm on opening day. The wind is supposed to return tomorrow, though, for at least a week's worth of fun on the ocean. As I sit here by the water writing this I can hear the waves breaking on the shore and the palm trees are already swaying in the breeze. That bodes very well for breaking in the new equipment tomorrow. We are all very excited about the season. Everything is better organized than last year, job descriptions and responsibilities have been clearly established, the gear looks fantastic, and we assembled the center in record time. Bookings are down a little bit from previous years, but that only makes sense with the elections this Fall and the ominous economic situation up North. I do, however, see many familiar names on our guest list already and I am looking forward to spending time with all the guests and old friends.

Preparing the Vela Windsurf Resort

Everyone arrived safely in Los Barriles and we began assembling the center last week. Everything went very smoothly and we erected the sail tents in just two days, then built the "Velapa" on the beach in front of them. The retail center hadn't been used all Summer, so it was easy to clean and organize. Unfortunately Pedro had some lower back issues and was relegated to watching the action from the wall. I could tell how frustrated he was since he is really a "hands-on" kind of guy. He is feeling a little better now after a couple chiropractic sessions with Mark.


On Thurday we watched the full moon rising out of the Sea of Cortez, just as the sun was setting in the West. Definitely one of the most memorable and spectacular sights in Baja, especially when experienced with a couple of Leonardo's margaritas.

I drove North to La Paz on Friday with Todd and Royn to pick up some supplies. It was hot and busy and I felt overwhelmed driving around in the traffic and being in the "big city." We checked out the market and the big stores near the malecon downtown and had some pretty good fish tacos from one of my favorite vendors. On the way back we stopped at the Soriana mall to see if any new movies were showing. We were excited to find out that the new James Bond film, Quantum of Solace, had just opened that day! For only 40 pesos we could enjoy sitting in an air-conditioned theater to watch the movie, which was in English with Spanish subtitles. We drove back in the dark, which is an adventure in itself...

Back in Los Barriles, BCS, Mexico

I am back in Baja for the Winter, ready to start work for the Vela Windsurf Resort in Los Barriles, BCS. My friend Todd and I left Los Angeles one morning and made it to Punta San Carlos by sunset the same day. There we met up with Pedro and Finch and Marlies, who had been there for a while already. San Carlos is one of the most famous wave-sailing spots in the world. It is a gorgeous point a couple hours south of El Rosario on the Pacific Coast. I always explain to people how the roads in Baja are like filters: the longer and tougher the road, the more beautiful and special is the beach at the end. The road to San Carlos is legendary, but the truck made it through in just under 2 hours.

We didn't have any wind the first few days there, but luckily there is an excellent network of technical singletrack to ride so Todd and I explored most of the area on our mountain bikes. One day Pedro and Meredith and Todd and I took a hike up to the canyon rim that looks over the whole bay. It was very hot, but the views were stunning. The waves continued to roll in, as well, so we were able to spend a few hours each day surfing and paddling around the bay.

I finally did have the opportunity to get out on the water as it was windy the last couple days of our visit. The waves were about 5-6 feet and super smooth. It was intimidating at first trying to get through the swell and past the breaking waves out to the smooth water, but I was surprised at how easy it really is to just float over the white water. I managed to catch a few waves and that made the whole trip worth it...

We left Punta San Carlos early on Monday and made it to Mulege by sunset. Todd and I splurged on a hotel room at Hotel Mulege to take advantage of a hot shower for the first time over a week. Another long day of driving the next day and we made it all the way to Los Barriles. I was getting more excited with each passing kilometer as we made it through El Triunfo, San Antonio, and finally San Bartolo. From there it is a sharp descent down to my Winter home in the East Cape. It really felt like coming home. I am looking forward to this season much more than recent years.

The town is really quiet right now. It is that time of year when the fishing is winding down and the Winter thrill-seekers have yet to arrive. It has been windy the last couple days, so I have been out on the Sea of Cortez sailing for as long as my arms can hold onto the boom. It has been too hot to explore the mountain bike trails, but I am hoping they won't take too much work. The tropical storms that went through the Baja this Fall brought lots of moisture, but not much of the wind that topples the trees and cacti. The desert is greener than I have ever seen, everything is blooming and looking vibrant.

Everyone else should be showing up within the next couple days. Then we will start constructing the sail tents and palapas and put together the retail shop and wait for our gear to arrive...