Las Gav '09 - Fogged in and surfed out

So this weekend I headed to Las Gaviotas in Baja California for my brother in law's birthday. My sister got him a two night stay in a 2 bedroom house we always occupy when we go down there. Usually the trip is a complete blast but there really isn't much to report this time around (I even debated not posting anything)...the surf wasn't as big as expected, the tidal shifts were huge making the dawn patrols useless, Las Gav was a ghost town and I didn't really fit in with the crew of guys that rolled down. So...I spent a lot of time chilling on the couch or in the jacuzzi when I wasn't paddling my ass off to get into the slow waves I could hardly see since the fog was pretty much hanging over our heads the whole time we were in Las G. Nonetheless, here is a very small wrap up of a relatively sedate trip south:


What looks like the start to a very good trip. No sight better in my eyes than a car filled with boards.


The house after being there 2 hours. You would think we lived there for months...That is what happens when you send 4 guys loose to stay on their own without ladies to keep order.


The view from the balcony during the 40 minutes of non-fogginess we had at Las Gaviotas.


Due to the drug cartels and corrupt ass Federales (police) down in Baja, the Mexican government has finally sent in a US backed military to run shit. It feels much safer than last time despite being stopped by guys with M-16's and face covers so you can only see their eyes (so the Cartellistas don't recognize who they are and cut them up when they are off duty). This pic is hard to see but it is one of the many bunker set ups they have to check cars for drogas y guns. Good thing I left mine at home in Venice where you really need them.

P.S. While we were there someone cut up and maimed a guy and hung his naked body from a freeway bridge as a message...Don't foca with the cartels.


Since the other two guys that were with us were too scared to leave Las Gav because there was military soldiers with automatic weapons, Daws and I would venture out looking for surf. Here is Daws getting a look at a WEAK K-38...not worth the paddle.


So we headed south and wound up at La Fonda. Though the tides were huge, La Fonda seemed to be the only local spot still getting swell and pushing through. We surfed there Saturday and Sunday morning. It is pretty much like a slower Huntington but there was nobody out and we scored a few long rights.


Since you don't think I am just bitching and complaining (which I am known to do), this is the view we had pretty much the whole time. Can't see shit...which was fun when you were in the water trying to get waves that you could only see when they were 8 feet in front of you...

All in all, it is always nice to take a few days off but I think after this trip I need a vacation.