29 December 2014

Sea Paddler Training December 2014

Alba, Mario, Monica, and Morgan joined us from various parts of Baja and New York City for a Sea Paddler Training a couple weeks ago. Maddie, Yuri, and Patty all came to observe and help coach, and Marcos and I ran the show. A great fiesta it was!

Like most of our Sea Paddler Trainings, we started in the Sea of Cortez with some safety training, and playing with various different paddlecraft. Then we migrated to the Pacific to play with some surf. As usual, this was the most popular day.  We also had a successful afternoon of one-on-one roll coaching.

Happy holidays to all!!





San Javier Festival

The first weekend in December, San Javier celebrates. It's the village surrounding the second oldest mission in the Californias. Built in the late 1700s, Mission San Jaview is the best preserved original mission. The community consists of about 300 people who mostly make a living directly or indirectly from ranching in this tough landscape. They celebrate with their horses, with their music. They sell things they make of leather, of wood, and of the fruits of their orchards. They catch up with distant family. They visit the mission with offerings and prayers. 

The village's population expands many times with vaqueros who ride in from days away and spend the weekend. A parade of trucks and trailers haul in more people and horses. Every field is packed with tents, trucks, trailers, tethered horses.

My parents came to visit on the last day of the festival and we drove the hurricane-torn road up into the mountains to see San Javier in its party garb. We were the only tourists, but folks were friendly as we wandered around. I've been enjoying the mango jam ever since, and the handmade rolling pin has formed its first Christmas cookies.





01 December 2014

Norte Primer

When the kayaking gets tough, the tough kayakers:
a)    Go hiking
b)   Get a hotel room
c)    Paddle in the pool
d)   All of the above

It was a windy week. A sailboat heading south reported north winds of 30-40 knots. Palm trees at the hotel did a lot of lopsided yoga. Gusts of blowing dirt found us even in the pool.

Day one, we drove up the Sierra La Giganta mountains to California’s second mission, and best preserved. San Javier. The nearby canyon, Las Parras, has flowing water, along which we hiked. Fruit trees line its banks on Francisco’s rancho, and then it flows wild through rocks and groves of palm trees.

I’ve never checked in on the morning Puerto Escondido net from the shores of the Tripui Hotel pool, but I did this week. “Kayak Baja—Party of 8 at the Tripui Pool. Today we’re going for a circumnavigation.” Actually we practiced rescues, rolls, and tight maneuvering techniques.

We were ready for some action on day 4. Swells of 3-4 feet rolled by Punta Coyote where we practiced maneuvering and rescues. Nervous faces opened into smiles as folks got comfortable in the waves and wind.

Jim spotted some strange fish and watched as 2 oarfish beached themselves on the rocks and died. Coming from 600-3000 feet deep, they are usually expiring when they’re seen near the surface. These were small, at about 8 feet long, but they can grow to 50 feet. Iridescent blue spots faded to gray as they died. Red dorsal fins waved, then rested.  Gulls and turkey vultures fed. A starfish climbed aboard. Tiny red-legged hermit crabs feasted on scraps.

Better late than never, the wind relaxed and we crossed an undulating sea to Danzante Island for a delicious 2-day circumnavigation.

Baja trips start again in February with the Islands Builder plus Whales. Meanwhile, best of the holidays to you!