Friday, October 14, 2011

Southern Baja Paddle Surf Adventure: You don't know hot- like I know hot!

When you step off the plane in late September Southern Baja, it's like jumping into a Mexican sauna. The humidity is so off the charts that I formed an instant batwing. You know what a batwing is right? Allow me to explain. When it's hot and humid your skin gets really gooey and pliable. Imagine your ballzack sticking to each side of your inner thighs and then being stretched out into a thin, membranous batwing-like appendage each time you take a step- nice eh?. It's brutal- but it's also the wave season down there and knowing that makes it bearable- especially when there's a cooler full of cold Pacificos waiting for you in the pick up car.

We had slight car problems in La Paz- but hey, as long as there's a gaggle of cold, freshies in the ice box.... it's all good. Lucky for us there was a backup/upgrade plan that got us into local boy Santi's plush, 4x4, Tacoma with custom Baja expedition trailer... all I had to do was sit back and enjoy the first class ride out to the point.
Santi's sweet Baja surf trailer- I definitely want one of these things! We rallied that little trailer, full speed over all kinds of nasty dirt roads- since it's got it's own suspension it didn't bounce all over the road. I was told that I could have one made for around $200... I see one in my future!
Loaded up and ready to hit the point.
I love Baja dirt roads... there's a pot of gold at the end of most of the westward bound tracks.
Santi's friends had been surfing the point since morning and, as usual, it was much better earlier. How often have you heard the old, "Should've been here an hour ago" line? We still paddled out and surfed some fun, high tide wedges. The consensus was that it was going to build over night and be even better in the morning. Here's a few of the local La Paz surfers and ferocious guard dog hanging out with beers and a little evening snack in the that milk jug you see there. Want a peek?
Looks like octopus for dinner.
Speaking of snacks, Tim brought along a dozen empenadas from his restaurant in La Ventana. I love empenadas and these were a type I'd never had. The empenadas were filled with a sea snail called caracol burro- a big, deeper water snail that's only available part of the year. Every had abalone? These tasted very similar. Yum.

5 comments:

Joe said...

John - it's your blog to do with as you see fit, but how about a PICTURE OF A BREAKING WAVE. We are now 3 posts and 6 days into this storytelling and now wave porn yet - come on man! : )

John Ashley said...

Joe- you didn't like the explanation of the "Bat Wing"???? Okay- breaking wave coming up- sheeesh!

Anonymous said...

A CAN of Pacifico! I am shocked.
spiders brother.

Anonymous said...

Batwing is epic!
Urban Dictionary for sure!
But yeah, show us the waves homie!

Jon

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