Baja Adventure
Whale Watching, Surfing and Fishing
Adventure!? That’s right! Team OEX doesn’t just stop with exploring La Jolla. Wanna see Grey Whales giving birth, surf the “World’s longest Wave” and fish the waters of the Baja Peninsula all in one trip?! Well, a trip with OEX to Scorpion Bay is exactly what the doctor ordered!
What is Scorpion Bay?
Scorpion Bay is a still relatively unknown legendary surf spot. It’s been compared to other point breaks such as Malibu, Rincon and Jeffery’s Bay. When Scorpion Bay catches a swell, few waves in the world can match its form and length of ride. Scorpion Bay is located 600 miles south of San Diego in the state of Baja California Sur in a small fishing village known as San Juanico.
The first time the world saw the wave at Scorpion Bay was in Scott Dittrich’s surf movie Fluid Drive in 1974. The movie subsequently attracted interest from Surfing Magazine, writing a spread in 1975. Since then, Scorpion Bay has been growing in popularity with 800 or so residents and about half of those are expatriates of the US and Canada. Though Scorpion Bay is remote and somewhat difficult to access, surf aficionados flock there every summer for a once in a lifetime experience.
Surf (May – October)
Why learn how to surf in California when we have awesome waves to learn how to surf at Scorpion Bay. It is by far the best and easiest way to be up and riding waves in a matter of minutes, not days! Due to the perfect shape and the incredible length of the waves at Scorpion Bay, surfers of all ages and skill levels can experience the ride of a lifetime. Because the four points are so uniquely different, there is a perfect setting for every surfer to excel.
First point creates the smallest, slowest, gentlest, and often shortest waves, but it is a perfect spot for novices to maximize their surfing potential through quality amounts of face time. This is the spot where everyone learns to surf and catches the bug!
Second point accepts most of the swells that come into the bay and therefore the most consistent of the four points and usually the most crowded. Depending on the swell, Second Point is where most surfers visiting Scorpion Bay for the first time get the ride of their life. The steady offshore winds create long, perfectly peeling waves that will allow you to cruise and play for well over a minute. The paddle back to the lineup can be strenuous, but the memory and prospect of more waves makes it well worth it. Many OEX guides can be spotted walking with there boards all the way back to the point to avoid having to paddle. We’ve caught waves so long that it’s easier to hop in the truck at the end of a ride and get dropped back off near the point!
Third point is for more advanced surfers because it can get fast and hollow. It is somewhat difficult to access due to the steep bluff and the lava rocks on shore, but it is the place of legend. When the swell is big enough, the third point has been said to connect to Second point creating a ride to excel three minutes in length. There are not too many places on Earth where this is possible (but if you know of one please let us know!).
Fourth point is also somewhat difficult to access and the form is not as good as the other three points. The angle of the point bends just enough so that the wind doesn’t hold up the waves as they do at the other three. However, when there is a swell and the winds are calmer, Fourth point can be just as good as Third and usually less crowded.
Whale Watching (January 15th – April 15th)
Grey Whale watching in La Jolla is an amazing experience and one that we share with thousands of visitors every year. The gentle giants always travel to a specific spot on their long journey South and we know just the spot. San Ignacio Lagoon has been home to Grey Whales for thousands of year and is the place where most of them come to give birth. While Whale watching season in San Diego starts from December to February, at OEX we believe that the whales deserve time to give birth in a peaceful environment. For this reason our whale watching journeys do not begin until mid-January once they’ve had time to settle in.
Once comfortable with their new environment Grey Whales can be the friendliest marine mammals on the planet. Not only will you see whales but more than likely you’ll be petting a whale before days end!
Fishing (Year-Round)
Baja as a whole is one of the most diverse and abundant habitats for sea life in the world. It is no wonder that the people of San Juanico have been reliant on its waters for sustenance. The local fishermen make their living by fishing for shrimp, lobster, and abalone, and because of this, all off limits to visitors. However, the water of San Juanico, does offer its visitors plenty of other game to fish. Corvina and sand bass can be fished all year round. Halibut can be fished from May to July, and from November to February yellowfin and yellowtail. If you are going to fish in San Juanico, we’ll be sure to help you get a fishing license at Chapo’s.
How do we get there?
While there is something to be said about driving 600 miles of two lane highways and dirt roads down the Baja Peninsula it’s not for everyone. If that’s your kind of thing then we’ll see you there!
If you want to skip the drive then flying privately on our company plane is the most time efficient method of getting to Scorpion Bay. If you leave from San Diego, you can be in the water in 5 hours. See the information below about our plane owned by Contractor’s Flight Service, LLC.
