Surfing Baja Mexico - Baja Surf Adventures; Part 1 of 2 about my surf trip in Baja

(check out my photo album link to see more pics of my trip with Baja Surf Adventures)

It’s midnight as our van navigates the windy mountain roads of Route 1, the Transpeninsular Highway in Baja Mexico. AAA guidebooks describe the drive along Route 1 as a chance to see some of the “most fascinating desert scenery in North America.” Unfortunately, it’s pitch black outside so I have no way of knowing if AAA is telling the truth. The excited energy I felt 4 hrs ago when I was picked up at San Diego airport to start my Mexican surf adventure has now been replaced by slight concern as Angel (our driver/surf instructor/guide/cook) tries to stay awake and is flashing his high beams every time he sees a light approaching in front of us. Turns out that trucks like to take up the whole road and use it like an express lane. At night they are lit up like UFOs from Close Encounters and come flying around blind curves and hills oblivious to oncoming traffic. So, in spite of the kamikaze truck drivers, the armed military checkpoint (looking for drugs), one really bumpy dirt road that require helmets for the people in the backseat of the van, and one sore bum from the 6 hr car ride we finally pull into Bill’s at 2am. Angel proceeds to give us a quick run down of the house rules:

1. Don’t go into the kitchen.
2. Don’t leave open packets of food in your room or little field mice will come in and eat it.
3. Only 1 hot shower per day as the water is stored in tanks and is solar heated.
4. Do not flush toilet paper or other objects down the toilet or you’ll likely back up the septic tank.
5. Highly recommend that you brush your teeth with bottled water (provided) and not use the tap water in the bathrooms.

Luckily, I’m too tired to think about the hygienic implications of rule 3 & 4 that I plunk down on my bed and fall asleep to the pleasant hypnotic sounds of the surf crashing on the rocky beach below.

With dreams of sunny weather, and perfect, crumbling, gentle 4-6 ft waves fresh in mind, I wake up at 6:30am and take two steps out my door to check the surf. All I see is fog…hmmm…. maybe I should go back to sleep and surf those waves in my dreams. The break in front of Bills is called Shipwrecks (so named because of the shipwreck a stone throws distance from the beach wall). It’s a right point break, which is perfect for beginners when it is small, but is best in a big swell. According to Bill, when it is going off, Shipwrecks can hold up to double overhead plus, is fast and you can ride it for 100yds.

Angel sets up some morning fruits, cereal, and coffee for us before we do a pre-breakfast surf. If the coffee doesn’t wake you up, the water will. Even in my 3mm full wetsuit and booties, the water feels like ice when we get in. I swap my board for one of the long boards that Bill has so that I can catch more waves. Though the 1-2 ft sets are small and lack power, I’m still having a lot of fun just cruising the wave for what feels like a minute. The waves peel in textbook fashion allowing for nice long rides into the bay and it gives me a chance to learn how to turn on a longboard. Back in Sydney, surfing beach breaks usually means just making the drop doing one turn and then the section closes out….5 secs of watery bliss…. The best part of it all is that there is no crowd other than the other guests at the resort (just 10 of us).

Sitting down for breakfast (scrambled eggs with sausage and flour tortillas) I meet the rest of the group. It’s all guys this week (much to the disappointment of the single guys and even some of the married guys); like the waves, if we wanted to hang out with girls we should have been there last week. With the exception of me and one guy from Texas, everyone else is from California. Most are here for 3 days only, though I and two other guys are sticking it out for a whole week. There’s a nice mix of surfers of different ability levels and ages. Some have surfed since they were kids and others were learning for the first time. One of the nice things about being in a small group is that those who have surfed for a while are always willing to give some friendly surfing tips and the vibe in the water is always fun and relaxed.

Because the surf is small at Shipwrecks, we pile into the van and go check out the other surf spots near by. Bill’s knowledge of all the surf spots up and down the Baja peninsula is impressive. It certainly comes in handy if there no surf in front of the resort, as Bill will know where some surf can be found. Traveling by bumpy dirt roads, it’s wise to wear your seat belt and make sure that the guys strap your equipment in well. Heads hitting the ceiling and boards flying off the roof rack can happen, and there’s nothing worse than having your brand new, never used board get a crack after being thrown off the roof rack. The scenery is very dramatic with the ocean on one side and the desert/mountains on the other. This must have been some of that desert scenery AAA mentioned. The dirt roads here are popular for quad bikes and other high powered 4 wheel drive vehicles. If you have your own 4 wheel drive SUV it’s worth checking out the little fishing huts along the road and watch people collect and neatly stack bags of stones next to the dirt roads (apparently they sell them back in the city). Keep to the trails and avoid the mud/salt flats where your SUV could get permanently stuck. The desert has scorpions and the occasional rattlesnake. So if you’re going to do a hike or go mountain biking keep an eye open for them, but they shouldn’t pose a problem as they are more scared of us then we are of them.

Unfortunately, the conditions are similar at the other breaks. We have some luck at a break called Cobbles, where there are some small A-frames though I notice a lot of seaweed in the water (so much of it that when you surf through the stuff it feels like someone is putting the brakes on your board). The best and biggest waves this trip are 30 mins away at Cuatro Casas. A fun right point reef break, though underwater rocks and sea urchins are a hazard to look out for. A little scary for first time beginners, but if you are confident in your paddling and are able to stand on a green wave then it’s a lot of fun. Cuatro Casas is well known and is the location of another surf hotel/hostel. Camping there is also an option and if you can it’s worth checking out the boats that have been converted to basic rooms. Though it’s usually not crowded and open to the public, there is a sign saying they charge for parking if you’re not staying there and I hear it’s not wise not to pull up in van loaded with people just to surf. Luckily, we met some guys from California who are regulars there and they let us park for free and have a go at the surf. Usually the vibe in the water is really friendly and laid back, but of course, as luck would have it a high school surf team has booked in at the hostel for 2 nights, so for 2 days the line up at Cuatro is pretty crowded and some small arguments break out in the water over the usual stuff about dropping in etc…

Besides the surf, there are a few things to do at the resort. There’s ping-pong, a basketball hoop, horseshoes, a couple of mountain bikes, and some kayaks. Bills website recommends bringing some snorkeling gear, but the water is so cold that I pass on that activity. Unfortunately, the closet village is 45 mins away. There’s not much to do in these small towns, which mainly consist of taco stands, and small supply stores. There is the occasional antique store and I did see signs for bull fights. If you get the chance ask Bill to take to you to the local fish taco stand in town, extremely delicious and extremely cheap!

After the main group leaves on Monday, the rest of us fall quickly into a daily routine…wake up at 6am, go for a surf, eat breakfast, pile into the van, check out other surf spots, have lunch, have a siesta till 4pm,then to Cuatro Casas to catch the best sets around, head back to Bills, have dinner, sit by the fire, look at the stars, go to sleep… repeat tomorrow… ahhh … total relaxation.

WHO:
Bill runs Baja Surf Adventures out of San Diego. He started out using tents and taking people on surf/camp adventures in Northern Baja. From the days of tents he has built up a little resort in Punta San Jacinto (2-3 hrs south of Ensenada). The resort is built on a beach wall at the north end of a large bay. The beach is all rocks so forget any ideas of lazing on a white sandy beach next to turquoise water. In fact the closet sand you’ll get is the sand compound at Bill’s, which has beach chairs, hammocks, a sun deck, and three palapas to relax under. The facilities at Bills are simple and clean; 4 rooms with either basic cots or wooden bunk beds. Not the best beds if you have a bad back, but they do the trick. No bedding is provided so bring a sleeping bag and a pillow. There are 3 individual bathrooms and 2 individual showers all cleaned daily (bring your own towels and toiletries). There is one TV in the breakfast room that gets Direct TV and Bill also just installed wireless Internet in case you bring your laptop and really need to check your e-mail. 3 meals a day are provided and it’s pretty good food. You’ll definitely be well fed on a mix of Mexican dishes (cooked up by the local maid) or some nice sirloin steaks done on the bar-b-que. There’s a small outdoor bar that is stocked with cold beers and a small selection of tequila and rum, plus some soft drinks and juices (drinks are extra). Every night, Bill starts a campfire and you just relax by the fire with a beer in one hand gazing at the stars above. If your family or group of friends likes to surf and don’t mind the camping like conditions, then I highly recommend Bill’s; it’s great value for the money you pay. I would call this 4 star camping.

Baja Surf Adventures organizes 3 to 7 day excursions to their resort in Northern Baja on a weekly basis (dependent on group size). For more intermediate to advanced surfers, they also run guided surf/camping trips in Central and Southern Baja...minimum 4 people for these camping trips.

Website: www.bajasurfadventures.com

WHERE:
Punta San Jacinto, Northern Baja (by car 6 hrs from San Diego, about 2-3 hrs south from Ensenada). Bill provides car transportation to & from San Diego airport or you can drive yourself from LA or San Diego. Most major US airlines fly direct to San Diego. For international travelers you may need to connect in LA if coming from the Pacific or New York if coming from Europe.

WHEN:
Best to check with Bill to see when the best time to come given your level of surfing ability. According to Surfline, surf conditions in Northern Baja are similar to the conditions in Southern California. Summer is the most crowded, but not the best for consistent swell. Fall (from late Aug to Oct) is the best period to go and May has the most the most consistent swell.

HOW MUCH:
To stay at the Northern Baja resort prices are:

3day 2 nights - $USD 350 per person ($USD 485 with lessons)
7day 6 nights - $USD 700 per person ($USD 950 with lessons)

*includes pick up and drop off at San Diego airport and 3 meals a day.

An even cheaper option is to drive yourself to Bill’s resort (4WD car highly recommended) which will cost you $USD 85 per night ($USD 140 with lessons) and includes 3 meals a day. Check their website for the pricing for trips to central and southern Baja.

LESSONS:
Bill’s provides lessons & surfboards for beginners. He usually has 2 guys working with him (depending on the number of guests) who are surfers and they provide enough basic instruction to get a beginner started (how to paddle, and stand).

WHAT TO BRING:
It’s surprisingly chilly even though it is summer. For the water you’ll need to bring a full wetsuit (at least a spring suit) as the water temp is usually between 15-18c (59-64f). For fall/winter/ or spring I imagine it would be a little bit colder. Because most entries into the water are rocky and there are urchins it’s advisable to also invest in some booties. Bring a sweatshirt and some comfortable pants to keep you warm at night or when the wind kicks up during the day. As for which surfboard to bring, call Bill a week before you go and have him advise you on the conditions so you know what to bring. The surf here can handle almost anything from longboards, mini-mals, to shortboards. In addition, you’ll need to bring your own towels, sleeping bag, and pillow.

WATER CLEANLINESS:
If you read Surfline’s report on Northern Baja pollution is listed as a major concern. Luckily, Bill’s is located far enough away from the major pollution centers of Tijuana and Ensenada. The water is clean with plenty of sea life around (saw some sea otters pop up near me one day in the surf). At most you just need to make sure you are up to date on your Tetanus and Diphtheria shot (DPT shot).