Hola from BAJA

[sanso]

Originally Posted by icarus pacific

Love ain't the word! La Ventana did for me what no other place has done for many, many years. It let me relax. And it was fulfilling and nuturing and exciting and joyous and awkward and bitchin' and beautiful and stark and just plain, freakin' wonderful.

So You're saying you liked it there. - right?
Intriguing...

[monkeywrencher]

I have to chime in here.

I just got back from a 6 day trip to Palapas, me and two buddies arrived just after Sven left.
Coming from Northern California and being used to low vis, smaller fish and different rigs this was to be our first bluewater /reef type experience to see if we wanted to get more involved.
Having worked in Thailand,Little Cayman and Santa Barbara as an Instructor/Captain I have pretty high expectations of an operation if I am going to pay my hard earned cash.

This is what I have to say.

Tim Hatler is arguably the best host/guide I have ever had.

He dove with us/briefed us and made sure we were always good. Our gear was taken care of and Tim went out of his way to hook up my buddies who had left equipment, (After I had searched every dive/sport shop in La Paz for bands to fit my gun to no avail Tim came through).
The food was great, the Palapas are just right and are not done justice on the website.
We had great/generous/accomodating and friendly captains (Jose and Yani) and were always put on fish, the only limiting factor being our diving ability.
It was simply the best trip I have taken in a long time and I will be going back soon.
I originally said I didn't want to post as more people means less chance of getting a room or more importantly my picture on the restaurant wall of fame, but I couldn't hold back.

During my stay I got to meet a lot of great guys/divers as well.
Ken Okutake and his crew were awesome with Ken donating his Yellowtail for Sashimi and then breaking out the special Sake.

With Dennis Haussler and his crew there at the same time as us, our fish hunting prowess could not fully be appreciated, but Tim will pad your ego if you have trouble hanging out at the Pargo hotel where the big boys reside. (10 days later and I am stone deaf in my left ear).

A few pics from our trip.. I would love to claim the Pargo (24lbs) but it was my buddy Brent's.

50 feet Pargo hotel, his deepest dive ever, 2 knot current Haussler and his crew with big fish on board hazing us...Pressure... Brent dives down , sights the beast and "Blam" stone shot.. We were as happy as he was, I think Tim was also ..
So pack your bags, you won't regret it.
Hopefully by the time you arrive I will either:
A. Have my pic with a big fish on the wall.
B.Have a coffee drink named after me.
C.Both..

Cheers Timateo,
Pat

[icarus pacific]

Nice stuff, Pat!

Welcome to a little piece of paradise, eh? Now that you're back up here you can really get excited when the viz hits ten feet. I strapped on my 7 mil suit the other day and damn near passed out from the exertion. And it's a new suit! Hitting the 70-something degree water in a 3 mil will sure change you.

I hope the viz was enough so that even if you didn't make it to the bottom of Pargo-land, that you got a chance to at least see their ghostly shapes cruising the bottom. Congrats to your buddy for stoning one! There are two, and one's over 50# that have a dimple in them and I swear I head shot'em. But being able to just lie there hard on the bottom on the 60' shelf, man o' man, what a sight!

Yeah, having to dive with Dennis and his crew around will put a severe case of self doubt in you, but with Tim salting the frosted rim at Happy Hour, I have a feeling that the ringing in your ears will subside with the tequila sweating out.

Tim and his staff are beauts, and though putting the word out like this can only make the place more of a destination for more divers and bikini models, ya know, it's karma coming back on the good people there.

Congrats again.

[monkeywrencher]

Thanks Sven..

From day one Tim told us, "Ok guys rig your long float lines and double floats because last week when Sven from DB was here he was in the water with a 12 foot sailie had a bead on him but had his small reel gun at the time so he passed on the shot..

It was a wake up call time thinking we might be going mano a mano with sailie....

Ear still hasn't popped or cleared and I'm hearing church bells but it was all worth it!

Cheers,

Pat

[icarus pacific]

On the ear- pop some Musinex and a couple shots of Afrin while sitting in a chair w/ the head tilted back. Wait until the Afrin works it's way to the back of the head and then sit forward and try to clear, gentle-like. And stay dry and clean, much as with me in real life.

I'll bet Tim was telling everyone that. Hell, I was telling myself that the rest of the trip!! Yeah... having a sail just roll up on you will really change your life as far as "Well... what next, God?" And to be really honest, I don't know if I'd have pulled the trigger even if I had the Alexander Blue Water that was in the panga. The thing was really that pretty. Next time...definitely.

You can read all about my troubles in the spearo section- Sven + Baja = Smooth. Bring your own bikini model.