A New Wave for Baja

The Ensenada-Tijuana corridor has fallen off the surfing radar over the past ten years. What used to be a Mecca for California and international surfers has suffered the same fate that tourism in Mexico overall has experienced since all of the negative stories began trickling north across the border. But there are positive things happening with our neighbors to the south.

The first weekend of April marked a historic moment for Mexican surfing. For the past month I have been organizing prominent figures in the Baja California surf scene, coastal access and water quality experts and local decision makers to carry out the first conference in Mexico related to the current situation of surfing in the region. The result was a one-day conference called The New Wave of Baja California at Cetys University in Ensenada. Throughout the day about 200 people visited the conference which was free and open to the public. The conclusion was the recognition that there is a shared perspective that surf sports are significant resources in that the region’s waves are economic engines, they are areas of recreation and they are important ecosystems. All of the conference speakers alluded to the importance of public access and improved water quality as priority agenda items for local and regional governments. With nods from top government officials in the audience, I think a new trend in coastal development in the region is upon us that will embrace a coastal legacy rather than turn its back on it.

The weekend continued with the 2nd Annual Walter Caloca Open at San Miguel. This is the second year that the United Athletes of the Pacific Ocean (UAPO) carried out the event at the iconic surf spot in memory of Walter Caloca, a local surfer who passed away in a car accident in 2010 at the age of 18. This year, WiLDCOAST partnered with UAPO to expand the event and make it an international affair with surfers from both sides of the border. Surfers came from as far away as Venezuela and Hawaii to share pumping San Miguel with three or fewer other surfers in the water.

The vibe on the beach was festive to say the least with the Tecate tent, sunshine and roping right handers fueling the positivity. And although I was the man behind the scenes and couldn’t partake in the competition component of the event once that final hooter rang I had the lineup to myself.

I’d like to thank Alfredo Ramirez and UAPO, the Caloca family, Cetys University, Ocean Minded, Baja Bound, San Miguel Surfboards and all of the weekend’s participants for enabling such an epic event.

– Zach Plopper