Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Paddle Surfing Baja: Scorpion Bay Report

Check out these photos of Scorpion Bay- are you kidding me??? The place was made for stand up boards. Many thanks to Tom English of www.alohawealth.com for the pictures.

Tom and his friends just returned from a trip down to San Juanico- from the looks of it they pretty much scored. I think this is another validation of my belief that a stand up board can save any surf trip.

The stand up board takes the wave anxiety away- even if it's flat, you know you've got something fun to do. And if there's even a ripple in the water- you're on it!

I contacted Tom to ask him about airline travel with stand up boards. I've been a fan of his homegrown travel and SUP videos- the guy's been all over the place and he's always got a big old SUB with him. I figured if anybody knew the true scoop on flying with big boards it'd be him.

I needed to know if I could fly Alaska airlines with a 10' board. The airline's guidelines state that boards are restricted to lengths no longer than 9'6". In August, I'm heading to a spot in mainland Mexico that looks perfect for a stand up board- it's a left point that runs for a few hundred yards- the kind of spot that's just begging to be stand up paddled. It's an absolute necessity that my stand up board gets loaded onto that flight.

I was stoked to hear that Tom flew Alaska airlines with two stand up boards and that both violated the length restriction. That's the kind of real information I can use- believe me, I'm sleeping better at night knowing my board's coming along.

Top Three Photos: Scorpion Bay and riders with the English party doing their respective things down in Baja.

Photo Four: A couple of my buddies were down there at the same time as Tom English- here's Stukey cruising a six-incher on a twelve footer. The stand up board can save any surf trip.

Photo Five: Just how long do you think this waves is. Right. Now double that and you're just about there.

More Zapper Data: I've received some inquiries regarding the Zapper's dimensions. I'll give you the numbers that I know: 10' x 29.5" x 4.25" sorry but I don't know the tail and nose numbers. What I do know is that it looks SICK!!

The latest BeachSurf photos right here!

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I was there a few weeks ago and people were very hostile to me SUP. I didn't even bother trying 2nd and 3rd, but even at 1st I had morons hassling me. We were out in 2 foot waves and two idiot longboarders were yelling at me and trying to cut me off -- having a paddle certainly helps in these situations.

Anonymous said...

Thats right. You guys are too much on these things. All the local people down here feel the same. You shoulder hop and then expect everyone to go along with your silly ass program. Thats the way it is and thats the way it will stay down here. Ask CJ Nelson if you have any doubts.....

John Ashley said...

Hey Anonymous Guy #2- just wondering if you were one of the idiot long board guys yelling at Anonymous Guy #1.

If so- great job making an ASS of yourself hassling for a 2' wave at 1st.

As for San Juanico- great wave but that place was played out twenty years ago when all you morons started buying lots and calling yourselves locals.

Show me your Mexican passport and I'll respect you as a local. If not, shut your effing, ex-pat (translation: grumpy, alcoholic, angry-at-the-world loser) pie hole.

For every good wave at Scorps, there's another five up and down the peninsula.

Stay holed up in your "safe" little corner down there- you can have that place. A poorer version of what Baja is all about does not exist.

And... oooooh you guys are scary, taking some emo long board guy's fins- that's one of the heaviest things I've EVER heard.

Anonymous said...

Dear John......You just made yourself look like a total jerk off...The type of guy that ruins it for everyone. He is not speaking for the rest of the SUP community people. Stay in P.B. jerk off.

John Ashley said...

And you are... oh that's right, you're "anonymous" nice to be able to respond that way isn't it.

Oh and I'm not from P.B. I'm from El Cajon.

Anonymous said...

hey dude scorpion bay is not for SUP (old mans surfing) its for real surfers dotn bother going back ill drop in on ur face

Steve said...

Hey Standuppie Yuppie Jantitors you are not welcome at most surf spots around the world especially at an already crowded Surf spot as Scorpion Bay . SUP's are ocean pigs that pollute the visual beauty of Baja with the ugliness that opitimises Awkwardness on Steroids ! Ocean Sweepers keep your plastic sidewalks north and mop up the mess you have made in your wake ! You are not welcome here at Malibu surfrider either !
Steve Woods

John Ashley said...

Who's Steve Woods?

Okay, same response: You and all of your carbon-copy, idiot-expat/just-bought-a-quarter-hectare, insta-local, white-guy-in-mexico, angry old man friends can have San Juanico... just tell me the three weeks out of the year that you're there and I'll cede 3rd to you.

Whatever you do though don't look up at the four other points or over to Bay Street- you might see something that you don't like.

If you're a tough guy, come on over, puff up your chest and get all male peacock on us- just remember, this ain't Malibu and no matter what you do, your passport is still the wrong color (blue not green, jackass). The sad fact is that when it comes to being a local down south you haven't got a leg to stand on.

bbd said...

Considering it's 1000 miles off the beaten path, Scorpion Bay certainly has quickly become a hot-bed for surfers (?) who have no clue what the sport is all about. It's too bad the vibe is so poor.

Anonymous said...

Just what every surfer in the lineup wants, a guy who 99% of the time has poor edict can't make a turn, standing on a giant board with training wheels and a crutch paddling for every wave.... Fun for everyone.
As for the 1%, yous guys are just wave hogs and deserve early bit of stink eye you get.
Loose the training wheels and than join the lineup!!