Newport to Ensenada Yacht Race

There is nothing like the Newport to Ensenada Yacht Race. Every year, for the past 64 years, boats large and small have been docking in Newport, California, for this free-for-all, 125.5 mile competitive gala. It pits professionals against amateurs; and the parties are often as famous as a place on the winner's podium.


The race starts with a fiesta and it ends with several. For many competitors, the festivities continue right through the interim, with the alcohol flowing all the way through their journey to the finishing post. There are also plenty of side-shows. On the eve of this weekend's event, in Newport, there was a 'I Want to Be a Chihuahua Parade', featuring the competitors' dogs in fancy dress.

The annual Newport-to-Ensenada International Yacht Race has long been to competitive sailing what Olympic swimming would be if Michael Phelps shared the pool with a gaggle of guys in inner tubes towing a keg of beer.
Mike Anton, LA Times

Yet there is a serious side too. One winner, Dennis Connor, even mused that it might be more difficult to complete than the America's Cup.


This year, 175 boats entered the race, yet only 167 actually made it off the starting line. Of those, a mere 112 reached Ensenada. While a steady breeze blew them down the coast of the Californias, the crews had to battle against it once they reached Todos Santos.

The difficulty is that no-one knows what to expect. The wind can change direction at any time over the Pacific Ocean and these people are relying upon their sails. Skill plays its part, but so does sheer luck. This is why the race is so popular. Amateurs have an equal chance of winning against the professionals.



This year's winners were:

1. Afterburner (Tennant Bladerunner 52), Bill Gibbs, Pierpont Bay Yacht Club, elapsed time 17 hours 8 minutes 53 seconds, corrected time 22:33:05.
2. Stars and Stripes (Farr 60), Dennis Conner, San Diego YC, ET 18:28:25, CT 20:40:11.
3. Alchemy (Dencho 70), Per Peterson, Oceanside YC, ET 19:20:23, CT 22:16:05.
4. Medicine Man (Andrews 63), Bob Lane, Long Beach YC, ET 19:24:13, CT 22:51:17.
5. Peligroso (Kernan 70), Lorenz Berho, Mexico City, ET 19:45:33, CT 24:02:49.
6. It's OK (Andrews 50), Tres Gordos LLC, ET 19:48:09, CT 21:47:23.
7. Taxi Dancer (Reichel/Pugh 68), Dick Compton/Jim Yabsley/Tom Parker, Santa Barbara YC, ET 20:28:13, CT 23:23:55.
8. Relentless (Santa Cruz 52T), Durant/Shew, Long Beach YC, ET 20:55:19, CT 21:45:31.
9. Stealth Chicken (Perry 56), Tim Beatty, ET 20:58:25, CT 22:07:27.
10. Piranha (Farr 40), David Voss, California YC, ET 21:05:45, CT 21:18:18.

Once all have reached the Pacific town of Ensenada, then the party can really begin. There are the award ceremonies, but there is also a carnival atmosphere throughout the town. The Bahia Hotel is the centerpoint and the place where many of the competitors will have stayed the night. It is here that Ensenada will have laid on its brightest and best entertainment, while the food piles up and the alcohol flows some more.


The Newport of Ensenada Yacht Race (N2E to those in the know) is billed as something that you have to 'do' once in your life. Watching it, and participating in the events around it, is a lot of fun, but experiencing being in that starting line is something else. It will run again this time next year. Plenty of time to get your boat and crew together. Good luck!

La Bufadora

The world's second largest marine geyser is located in Mexico. La Bufadora (the blowhole) can reach heights of 100ft (30.5m) with its frequent plumes of water. It is truly a spectacular sight, even more so when the rarity of the marine geyser phenomena is taken into account.


A particularly large spout happens at 1.10. Note how it sprays the camera, despite its position high above the crowds.
The effect is caused by a partially submerged sea cave. As the tide comes in, with the full force of the Pacific Ocean behind it, water is rammed into this cave. It collides with the air trapped in there and the pressure mounts. What goes in has to come out and so air and water burst through the first available exit. This is a blowhole located at the top. The ocean hits the blowhole like a jet-stream resulting in those amazing geyser explosions.

Very occasionally, an even more elusive phenomenom occurs. This is the double-bufa. As you might imagine from the name, that is a double spout in quick succession.


La Bufadora is one of Mexico's natural wonders and it has long been a huge draw for tourists. It is located on Punta Banda Peninsula, Baja California (around 30km (20 miles) south of Ensenada), overlooking the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean. Coach tours frequently leave Ensenada to come here, taking in the wonderful sights of Bahia Todos Los Santos along the way. Many people choose to travel to the attraction in their own cars. It is a pleasant, scenic drive along the main Route 23, which ends in the car park here. The way is well signposted from all directions.

Pick any day of the year and La Bufadora is filled with people. They will all be screaming in delight, as ocean water towers into the air, then crashes back down again. It is perfectly safe, insofar as no-one is going to get dragged into the ocean by it. However, raincoats and umbrellas are recommended for those who do not wish to become soaked to the skin. (Personally, I think that getting wet is half of the fun! Just leave a set of dry clothes in the car and all is well.)

Cruise ships sail by, with some of them docking to allow their passengers to visit the marine geyser. Between December and March, there are also grey whales to view from this coast, as they migrate to and from their breeding lagoons.


La Bufadora has been developed into a complex, which caters for thousands of tourists. There is a restaurant and the usual souvenir shops, along with comfort amenities and ample car parking. Much of the color is added by street vendors and the mercado (market), with stalls selling anything from corn snacks to cultural handicrafts.

Buskers and other performers keep the crowd entertained, as they shop or await another eruption from the famous blowhole. Once all spectacle is sated, then there are also serene and quite beautiful gardens to wander through.


A stall at La Bufadora Market


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El Calendario de Todos Santos

Todos Santos is on the Baja Peninsula. It's full of old Baja charm, with some buildings dating back to the 18th century, nestled between the beautifully designed modern homes. I won't wax any more lyrical about The Magical Town, as it's known locally. This blog is to wish a happy 100th edition birthday to the seminal town art magazine, 'El Calendario de Todos Santos'.



Todos Santos has often been described as the creative mecca of Mexico. It's the rustic town where the artists meet. Many of them have stayed on there, populating backstreets and charming nooks with their own personal studios. The main streets aren't short of a gallery or thirty. Even the small cafes often have artwork for sale or display, hanging from their walls.

It's not difficult to see why this town was colonised by artists. The shoreline and the sea seem ever-changing, as the light slips from dawn to dusk to night, and the seasons pass. The coastline here is a favourite spot for migrating birds and other wildlife. Each stroll along it might present a whole new vista, depending upon when you meander on down to see. Indians, pirates, Spanish Conquistadors and missionaries have all touched this town and its outlying environment, over the centuries. Leaving behind them architecture, stories or customs that prevail to this day. It is a landscape, and seascape, alive with possibility for the right mind, behind the right brush and pallet.

Yet it's also not unusual for tourists to pull up, in their coaches, or one by one in their own vehicles, then stand around looking bewildered, searching in vain for the artist community. There are no neon lights here, with great arrows pointing the way, with the legend, 'famous artist in this direction!' Instead, there is the town's newsletter, 'El Calendario de Todos Santos'.

'El Calendario de Todos Santos' ('The Calendar of Todos Santos') was first produced in 1998. It was a humble affair back then, printed as line art on a fax machine, photocopied and stabled by hand. These days, it's a full, glossy magazine, subsidized by advertizements and brimming with vibrant color. It is published eight times a year and distributed all over the town, as well as some of the neighbouring towns too.

It informs tourists and locals alike of all of the current happenings in Todos Santos, including the location of all of the artists' studios and galleries. It serves as a map to the artistic community that everyone came to see. Plus it's free. You can even read it on-line, in English or in Spanish. The current edition is here; while back issues may be found here.

Janice Kinne and Howard Ekman are the couple who started the ball rolling. They are still running the show now. Their vision was simple. They just wanted a source that listed all of the showings, poetry readings, artist talks and gallery opening times; as well as maps, tourist information and the like. They welcomed contributions from the local community, including interviews with many of the artists.

This is still the core of the magazine, though as it grew, so did the subjects on offer. Articles now cover subjects as diverse as astronomy and cooking, while still retaining that emphasis on creativity. As long time columnist, Michael Mercer, commented, in the latest edition, "Looking back, I think Janice and Howard were wise not to overly concern themselves with using the magazine to 'say' something or build a narrative of our time here. Practicing a sort of editorial jujitsu, they simply created a space and let others jump into it, with all our multiplicity of interest and personalities. A cacophony of voices." (Read the full, very entertaining article here).

The latest edition includes commentaries from founders, editors and writers about the magazine; an article discussing the first artists in the area - the prehistoric cave painters; a description of the night sky during the summer months, including all of the wonders of the cosmos visible with the naked eye; a highly amusing tale of mechanics and chillis falling from the sky; a brief tour of all of Todos Santos's hotels, restaurants and cafes; a stunning photographic look at the natural environment; a warning about oceanic rip currents; an explaination of new radicals and antioxidants in salad; a list of all the current wildlife visiting the area; and all of the usual maps, listings, events and happenings. If you're heading out to Todos Santos, be sure to pick one up.

Congratulations all on 100 editions and *I'm raising my glass* here's to 100 more!

We Have FiveTripAdvisor Winners!

Every year, TripAdvisor examines the millions of reviews left on its site and selects the 10 best vacation destinations.

The reviews are the result of approximately 35 million people giving their honest opinion of the places that they personally visited. They aren't professional travel agents, they are ordinary people. They can just as easily write, 'I got food poisoning and the service was rubbish', as 'OMG! That was the best experience of my life!' They are you and I, telling us as it is.

With a jury like that, it renders it all the more amazing when a location wins anything. To get into the Top 10 Beach & Sun Destinations in the World is nothing short of spectacular. This year, Tulúm and Huacatula managed it. Go Mexico!

The full listing is:

1, Provindencials, Tuscany, Italy
2, Tulúm, Mexico
3, Byron Bay, Australia
4, Cook Islands
5, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, USA
6, Huacatula, Mexico
7, Negril, Jamaica
8, Culebra, Puerto Rico
9, Boracay, Philippines
10, San Diego, California, USA

The prestigious site described Tulúm thus:

Tulum is relaxation and romance with an ancient angle. Guests can enjoy modern takes on traditional Mayan massage and spa treatments, or sunbathe on gorgeous Yucatan beaches within site of well-preserved ancient ruins. A rare mix of beach, archaeology and village, Tulum is a romantic getaway like no other.

While Huacatula was summarized as:

With nine bays and 36 beaches, Huatulco is ideal for anyone who loves the sun. It's not an overdeveloped resort town, but the hotels are comfortable—even luxurious. Ecotourism is gaining in popularity, so take a break from sunbathing and try river rafting or a hike through the jungle.

But that isn't all. Todos Santos came 7th in the Top 10 Emerging Destinations in the World. The site had this to say about the town:

Sitting at the point where the Sierra Laguna mountains meet the desert and the Pacific, Todos Santos is a piece of Baja you don’t want to miss. But get here soon—Todos Santos is transitioning from a quiet, dusty Mexican seaside secret into the bustling hermanito of Cabo San Lucas, so you'll want to visit before the crowds are permanent.

Ixtapa came 8th in the Top 10 Family Destinations in the World.

This resort town on Mexico's Pacific coast boasts five great beaches. Families will especially like Playa La Ropa. Want to spoil the kids (and make them want to become marine biologists)? Swim with dolphins at Delfiniti.

There was also a Mexican placing in the Top 10 Relaxation & Spa Destinations in the World category, Playa Mujeres came 6th.

Just north of Cancun, this seaside resort community is a far cry from the spring-break crowd. Bordered on one side by the Mexican Caribbean and the other by a wetlands wildlife preserve, the vibe in Playa Mujeres is one of laid-back luxury in a natural, untouched landscape. Unlike many other such tranquil places, Playa Mujeres is not a pain to get to. It's an easy ride from Cancun airport.

Didn't we do well?

Tulum & Xel-Ha All Inclusive
Combine Maya history with natural beauty! Tour the Tulúm ruins, then swim in the Xel Ha natural aquarium.