Southern EXPLORING
aja B
By Sandra Olson | Photos By: Gabriel Fernandez
The plane engines whir loudly as I peer out the window at the barren desert landscape below. We were almost there. We were almost to Baja, Mexico. Growing up I’d heard stories from my uncles, Pat and Tom, about their many epic surf trips to Baja in the late 70’s and 80’s, before there were any major roads, or road signs for that matter, and where they virtually surfed alone at many of the breaks. Depending solely on their God- given skills as mechanics to fix whatever might go wrong with their vehicles, they trekked hundreds of miles along the barren coastline, seeking out local knowledge for advice on finding renowned surf spots, as well as new spots that had no name at that time. They faced challenges and dangers I had always admired, but didn’t want to experience personally, because although surfing there was something I knew was on my bucket list, I wanted to do it safely. Los Cabos is made up of two major towns, located on the southernmost tip of the Baja peninsula. While the majority of the landscape in Baja has remained relatively unchanged, the hotspot surfing area of San Jose Del Cabo now brims with restaurants, small shops and grocery stores, and in Cabo San Lucas (where the cruise ships dock), an exciting and varied nightlife. As we landed, the reality of the journey we were about to embark on began to sink in. Stories of lost surfers, at times life-ending criminal activity, and general disappearance from society were all valid concerns that both we and our families had. But we were convinced we had to try it out for ourselves, so we had booked our airline tickets, and arranged for a trusted surf guide for several of the days that we would spend exploring both the Western coastline and the East Cape. Because this was also a scouting trip for a possible future WSSM Surf Retreat, safe accommodations were procured at the Las Olas Condominiums. We were ready for our adventure! Jolted out of my reverie of what might lie ahead for us by an abrupt landing, we deplaned and headed through customs and for the car rental agency. Having booked our car online months in advance, we wondered what to expect from our $1 per day 198 | womenssurfstyle.com | wSSm