La Ventana Stories

Wind – January 20, 2025

Posted on by MasViento

¡Buenos dias! Multiple polar-orbiting satellite passes last evening measured 15 knot winds over the Sea of Cortez east of Cerralvo, but all of the most recent model forecasts show the background flow weakening this morning to below the threshold to activate our wind machine. Our down time will be short, as strong surface high pressure will build into the 4-corners area of the U.S. on Tuesday, with norte conditions developing here. The norte will likely last through Wednesday, as a reinforcing area of high pressure moves from the Pacific Northwest of the U.S. into Idaho and keeps a very tight surface pressure gradient in place over BCS. Although there will likely be times of thin, high clouds both Tuesday and Wednesday, the primary driver of our winds will be the norte so a slightly dampened thermal shouldn’t make any difference. Sunny skies are forecast to return on Thursday, and although the norte should ease, we will likely see another windy afternoon. The surface high centered far to our north will weaken on Friday, but ample north background flow will continue and team up with full sunshine to give us another good day. All of the long-range models are in good agreement that surface low pressure will rapidly form over the southwestern U.S. on Saturday, with our background flow becoming light. The low will likely linger to our north through Sunday, with another down day likely. Looking farther into the following week, both the European and American long-range models show north flow returning on Monday the 27th, with another long stretch of windy days looking likely.

  • Today…Some morning high clouds, then becoming sunny. Northeast wind 10-12 mph.
  • Tuesday…Mostly sunny. North wind 22-26 mph and gusty.
  • Wednesday…Mostly sunny. North wind 22-26 mph.
  • Thursday…Sunny. North wind 20-24 mph.
  • Friday…Sunny. North wind 16-20 mph.
  • Saturday…Sunny. East wind 8-10 mph.
  • Sunday…Sunny. East wind 8-10 mph.

Nerd Note: A massive arctic airmass stretching from the east coast of the U.S. into British Columbia this morning will produce a variety of hazardous weather over much of the U.S. over the next few days. Extreme cold warnings stretched from the upper Midwest into southwestern Texas, with cold weather advisories covering much of the remainder of the country from the Rockies eastward to the Atlantic coast. The very strong pressure gradient over southern California will lead to extreme fire weather conditions over parts of southern California today and Tuesday, where Santa Ana winds will gust to 60-80 mph. Farther east, an extremely rare snowstorm is forecast the I-10 corridor stretching from Houston to New Orleans where 4-6 inches of snow looks likely on Tuesday.

Wind – January 19, 2025

Posted on by MasViento

¡Buenos dias! Several overnight satellite passes measured solid 15 knot NNW winds over the Sea of Cortez just east of Cerralvo, and the newest model runs indicate similar wind speeds will last through this afternoon. Infrared satellite loops early this morning showed a band of high clouds again streaming in from the southwest. While clouds will partially dampen our local thermal, there are some indications we could see some clearing for a time around midday which should give us at least a partial thermal boost. Nearly all of the forecast models show the surface pressure gradient weakening substantially tomorrow, with the background north flow falling to just below the threshold for activating our wind machine so for now it looks like a marginal day. Models forecasts are in good agreement that a strong surface high pressure system will build southward from Idaho into the 4-corners region of the U.S. on Tuesday and create the ideal setup for a strong norte here. Models are also in good agreement that a reinforcing shot of high pressure will move from far southwestern Canada into Idaho on Wednesday and help preserve the tight surface pressure gradient over BCS. The norte will slowly ebb on Thursday, but full sunshine should add a good thermal boost so it looks like another windy afternoon. The surface high to our north will weaken on Friday but ample north background flow should continue. All of the available model guidance shows a very weak wind regime setting up over BCS next Saturday as a broad area of low pressure forms over the southwestern U.S., with only light onshore breezes during the afternoon.

  • Today…Partly sunny. North wind 18-22 mph.
  • Monday…Mostly sunny. North wind 12-14 mph.
  • Tuesday…Mostly sunny. North wind 22-26 mph and gusty.
  • Wednesday…Mostly sunny. North wind 22-26 mph.
  • Thursday…Sunny. North wind 20-24 mph.
  • Friday…Sunny. North wind 16-20 mph.
  • Saturday…Sunny. East wind 8-10 mph.

Wind – January 18, 2025

Posted on by MasViento

¡Buenos dias! An Oceansat satellite pass late last evening measured 10-15 knot NNW winds just east of Cerralvo,, and the latest model forecasts are in good agreement that similar background flow will continue today. Infrared satellite loops early this morning indicated that the high cloud cover of the past several days was thinning, and we should see full sunshine by mid morning, setting the stage for a solid thermal boost this afternoon. Unfortunately high clouds will again creep into BCS on Sunday, and they may significantly dampen our local thermal. That said, model forecasts show we may see a few thin spots in the cloud cover, and with a relatively tight surface pressure gradient, we should see strong enough background flow to give us a windy afternoon. The surface pressure gradient is forecast to weaken significantly on Monday, but a couple of the models show just enough background north flow will continue to couple with filtered sunshine and give us another rideable day. Strong surface high pressure is forecast to build into the 4-corners region of the U.S. on Tuesday and set up a classic situation for a norte here. While the windiest day will likely be Tuesday, low-end norte conditions may last into Thursday as the surface pressure gradient remains tight over BCS. Long-range model forecasts show significant variability going into next weekend, but overall it looks like moderate to strong north flow will continue through at least Friday.

  • Today…Sunny. North wind 20-24 mph.
  • Sunday…Partly sunny. North wind 16-20 mph.
  • Monday…Mostly sunny. North wind 16-18 mph.
  • Tuesday…Mostly sunny. North wind 22-26 mph and gusty.
  • Wednesday…Mostly sunny. North wind 20-24 mph.
  • Thursday…Mostly sunny. North wind 20-24 mph.
  • Friday…Mostly sunny. North wind 18-22 mph.

Note: For the tide forecast, I’m switching back to the tideschart.com site from wisuki. Last week it wasn’t showing the afternoon low tides, but it seems to be working again.

Wind – January 17, 2025

Posted on by MasViento

¡Buenos dias! An ASCAT pass last evening measured 15 knot NNW winds over the Sea of Cortez east of Cerralvo, and model forecasts show a ridge of high pressure centered just to our north will provide ample north background flow again today. We got lucky yesterday and saw some substantial thin spots in the high cloud cover, with 10 minute average sustained winds at the campground peaking at 17 to 19 mph. The strength of the thermal today will again be highly dependent on the thickness of the clouds. Models show some hints that we may see just enough filtered sun to at least partially activate our local thermal, so I’ll be optimistic. Models are in excellent agreement that Saturday will see a return of full sunshine, and with the surface pressure gradient forecast to tighten, all the ingredients are there for a windy afternoon. The subtropical jet will once again bring high clouds back into our region on Sunday, but with solid north background flow continuing, we should see a rideable day. Forecast models are in good agreement that the surface pressure gradient will weaken over BCS on Monday, but on the other hand, models show only a few, thin high clouds so we should continue our windy streak. The surface pressure gradient is again forecast to tighten on Tuesday, and at this point it looks like we will see only some thin cloud cover so we should see a windy day. At this point model forecasts are in fairly good agreement that solid north background flow will continue on Wednesday and Thursday.

  • Today…Partly sunny. North wind 16-20 mph.
  • Saturday…Sunny. North wind 20-24 mph.
  • Sunday…Partly sunny. North wind 16-18 mph.
  • Monday…Mostly sunny. North wind 16-18 mph.
  • Tuesday…Mostly sunny. North wind 20-24 mph.
  • Wednesday…Mostly sunny. North wind 18-22 mph.
  • Thursday…Mostly sunny. North wind 18-22 mph.

Wind – January 16, 2025

Posted on by MasViento

SWAG…SWAG….SWAG! Our good friends Ken and Donna Freed have again created some amazing MasViento swag to help benefit No Mas Basura! Today we will be selling all-black t-shirts ($20) and super-cool baseball caps ($25) at the No Mas Basura recycling day on the west side (uphill) of the Farmers’ Market. ALL profits go to benefit the ongoing work of No Mas Basura.

In addition we will be selling tickets and t-shirts for the annual Baja Beach Blues concert on February 12th at Carol and Willie’s beachfront home. It’ll be another year of amazing talent, including Grammy award nominated Teresa James and Grammy award winner Terry Townson…all benefiting No Mas Basura.

¡Buenos dias! The forecast for today is a low-confidence one. An Oceansat satellite pass around midnight measured 15 knot NNW winds over the southern Sea of Cortez, and the new model forecasts show similar wind speeds continuing today. Infrared satellite loops show thick, high clouds moving in from the southwest early this morning, and if this continues it will put a serious damper on our local thermal. That said, there are a couple of forecast models that show some thinning of the cloud cover around midday, and IF we see any significant thin spots in the cloud cover, we could be off to the races so best be ready. While model forecasts generally agree that sufficient north background flow will last through the next week, it will be a cat and mouse game with high clouds, and that will be the major determining factor on our local thermal. Saturday looks to be the sunniest day, but otherwise high clouds could significantly dampen our local thermal and adjustments to the forecast are likely. Long-range forecasts are in agreement that the next big norte may be delayed until next Thursday…stay tuned.

  • Today…Partly sunny. North wind 16-18 mph (?).
  • Friday…Mostly sunny. North wind 16-18 mph.
  • Saturday…Sunny. North wind 18-22 mph.
  • Sunday…Partly sunny. North wind 14-16 mph.
  • Monday…Mostly sunny. North wind 16-18 mph.
  • Tuesday…Partly sunny. North wind 14-16 mph.
  • Wednesday…Mostly sunny. North wind 16-18 mph.

Wind – January 15, 2025

Posted on by MasViento

¡Buenos dias! An Oceansat satellite pass around midnight measured 15 to 20 knot NNW winds over the southern Sea of Cortez. Surface high pressure centered over northern Utah this morning will remain in place through Thursday, resulting in ample north background flow continuing here. While we will see a continuation of solid north background flow, infrared satellite loops early this morning showed a broad band of high clouds streaming into BCS from the southwest. The high, thin cloud cover could partially dampen our local thermal, but at this point all of the most recent model forecasts show there should be enough thin spots in the cloud cover to allow for a substantial thermal boost both today and Thursday. While model forecasts show the surface high far to our north breaking down on Friday, a weak ridge of high pressure is forecast to form just to our north and this should bring us continued ample north flow both Friday and Saturday. High clouds will again be a wild card each day through the next week, but at this point it looks like most days will see at least partial sunshine. Forecast models are in fairly good agreement that a large Canadian surface high will begin building southward into the U.S. on Sunday, but there has been a dramatic shift in how far southward into BCS the high will build, and the most recent model runs show no norte conditions here until possibly much later next week.

  • Today…Mostly sunny. North wind 18-22 mph.
  • Thursday…Mostly sunny. North wind 16-20 mph.
  • Friday…Mostly sunny. North wind 16-18 mph.
  • Saturday…Mostly sunny. North wind 16-18 mph.
  • Sunday…Mostly sunny. North wind 16-20 mph.
  • Monday…Mostly sunny. North wind 14-16 mph.
  • Tuesday…Mostly sunny. North wind 16-20 mph.

Nerd Note: Many of you have commented on how windy this season has been. Here is a graph showing the normal percentage of days with winds of at least 15 mph (from our friends at ikitesurf) compared to the 2024/25 season so far.

I suspect a couple of reasons for the great season are the favorable overall weather pattern, with frequent strong high pressure over the western U.S., and the very dry desert due to summer/fall rain totals of around 2 inches or less.

Mako Sharks

Posted on by María Rodriguez-Salinas

Last December we encountered a mako shark swimming at the surface, I had seen a couple before, but not like this. We stopped the motor and watched it swim around our boat, coming back and forth slowly, very relaxed, and curious. It looked like it had a malformation on its spine, which probably explains its behavior.

There are two species of mako shark: longfin mako (Isurus paucus) and shortfin mako (Isurus oxyrinchus). This one is a shortfin mako, known for being the fastest shark in the ocean, reaching moving speeds of 50 km/h (31 mph) with bursts up to 74 km/h (46 mph). They are a very active species, often seen breaching the water surface when feeding. This is all thanks to a special circulatory system that allows them to heat their blood, giving them an advantage over their cold-blooded prey.

They have a very hydrodynamic shape, with a pointed snout, a triangular dorsal fin, and a lunate caudal fin. They are dark metallic blue on top and silvery white below, with a distinct color break on the side. Their eyes are very characteristic: big and completely black. Their teeth are long and sharp, and the ones of the lower jaw are visible even when the jaw is closed, giving them a menacing appearance. Shortfin makos are found in tropical and temperate waters throughout the world’s oceans. They are a pelagic species, primarily resident in oceanic waters., but found in coastal waters too.

Like many other sharks, shortfin makos are slow-growing species with males reaching maturity at 7-9 years of age and females not before 18. Their late sexual maturity and long reproductive cycles with long gestation periods, make them highly vulnerable to overfishing.

Shortfin makos are currently considered Endangered by the IUCN Red List. They are targetted by commercial and sport fishing and fished as by-catch too. Like with most shark species, their overharvesting has gone far unquestioned, as we have considered them dangerous, “coldblooded killers”. Since there have been records, shortfin makos have been implicated in 10 unprovoked attacks on humans, one of which resulted in a fatality. I went in the water and snorkeled with this mako, it was cautious and didn’t approach me at all. As opposed to what I believed when I was little, being in the water with a shark doesn’t mean getting eaten by it. Part of the change needed to protect our sharks comes from changing our perception: we need sharks, a healthy ocean needs sharks swimming in it, they are part of balanced ecosystems. We learned to fear sharks, now we must learn to care for them.

Tortillería Las Brisas

Posted on by Natalie Smith

In the heart of La Ventana, where tradition meets daily sustenance, Tortillería Las Brisas stands as a testament to family dedication and craftsmanship. This yellow building, now a cornerstone of the community, began with a fisherman’s pivot to tortilla making, transforming his expertise from the sea to the essential staples of Mexican cuisine. Under the leadership of Esme, alongside her daughter, aunt, and sister, this family enterprise has grown into a vital part of La Ventana’s culinary landscape. Their dedication to quality and tradition spans nearly two decades, supplying residents, visitors and restaurants with freshly made corn and flour tortillas daily.

The process of creating these fundamental flatbreads reveals the careful attention to detail that sets their products apart. Corn tortillas follow a pure, simple recipe: just corn and water, free from preservatives or additives. The flour tortillas require a more intricate approach, with precise measurements of Manteca and careful attention to rising times, resulting in the perfect texture that local customers have come to expect. Before the pandemic, their service extended throughout La Ventana with a mobile delivery system, complete with recorded announcements that became a cherished part of the community’s daily rhythm. While those delivery days have passed, the yellow building continues to serve as a gathering point where customers can witness the artistry of tortilla making firsthand. Esme, drawing from years of experience, suggests enjoying their corn tortillas with fresh fish tacos, while their flour tortillas perfectly complement beef or fish machaca. 

The true beauty of Tortillería Las Brisas lies in its role as more than just a business – it’s a place where three generations work in harmony to maintain the high standards established by Esme’s father. When visiting La Ventana, a stop at the yellow building offers more than just fresh tortillas – it provides an opportunity to witness and support a family’s dedication to their craft, preserving traditional methods while serving their community with pride and care.

📸: Nery, Briseyda, Esme, and Elena

⏰ : Everyday 6am – 2pm

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En el corazón de La Ventana, donde la tradición se une al sustento diario, la Tortillería Las Brisas se erige como testimonio de la dedicación familiar y la artesanía. Este edificio amarillo, ahora piedra angular de la comunidad, comenzó con el giro de un pescador hacia la fabricación de tortillas, transformando su experiencia del mar en los alimentos básicos esenciales de la cocina mexicana. Bajo el liderazgo de Esme, junto con su hija, su tía y su hermana, esta empresa familiar se ha convertido en una parte vital del paisaje culinario de La Ventana. Su dedicación a la calidad y la tradición se extiende a lo largo de casi dos décadas, abasteciendo diariamente a residentes, visitantes y restaurantes con tortillas de maíz y harina recién hechas.

El proceso de creación de estos panes planos fundamentales revela la cuidadosa atención al detalle que distingue a sus productos. Las tortillas de maíz siguen una receta pura y sencilla: sólo maíz y agua, sin conservantes ni aditivos. Las tortillas de harina requieren un enfoque más intrincado, con medidas precisas de Manteca y una cuidadosa atención a los tiempos de fermentación, lo que da como resultado la textura perfecta que los clientes locales esperan. Antes de la pandemia, su servicio se extendía por toda La Ventana con un sistema de reparto móvil, con anuncios grabados que se convirtieron en una parte muy apreciada del ritmo diario de la comunidad. Aunque esos días de reparto ya han pasado, el edificio amarillo sigue siendo un punto de encuentro donde los clientes pueden presenciar de primera mano el arte de hacer tortillas. Esme, basándose en años de experiencia, sugiere disfrutar de sus tortillas de maíz con tacos de pescado fresco, mientras que sus tortillas de harina complementan a la perfección la machaca de ternera o pescado. 

La verdadera belleza de la Tortillería Las Brisas reside en que es algo más que un negocio: es un lugar donde tres generaciones trabajan en armonía para mantener los altos estándares establecidos por el padre de Esme. Al visitar La Ventana, una parada en el edificio amarillo ofrece algo más que tortillas frescas – ofrece la oportunidad de presenciar y apoyar la dedicación de una familia a su oficio, preservando los métodos tradicionales mientras sirven a su comunidad con orgullo y cuidado.

⏰ : Todos los días de 6am a 2pm

Wind – January 14, 2025

Posted on by MasViento

¡Buenos dias! A couple of ASCAT satellite passes last evening measured 15-20 knot NNW winds over the southern Sea of Cortez. Surface analysis early this morning shows strong high pressure centered near Salt Lake City, and all of the most recent numerical model forecasts show this feature will remain nearly stationary through Thursday, with solid north background flow continuing. Today will likely be the last completely clear day, as models show some thin, high clouds will creep into BCS on Wednesday and be a recurring theme through next weekend. While at this point it looks like the clouds will remain thin, we’ll have to watch the satelllite imagery day to day to see if thicker clouds threaten to dampen our thermal…stay tuned. The background flow will weaken on Friday into Saturday, but models continue to show a weak ridge of high pressure forming just to our north, and this feature should be enough to keep our wind machine primed. Long-range model forecasts disagree on timing, but they do agree that an expansive surface high will drop out of Canada late this weekend or early next week and likely bring us norte conditions.

  • Today…Sunny. North wind 20-24 mph.
  • Wednesday…Mostly sunny. North wind 18-22 mph.
  • Thursday…Mostly sunny. North wind 16-20 mph.
  • Friday…Mostly sunny. North wind 16-18 mph.
  • Saturday…Mostly sunny. North wind 16-18 mph.
  • Sunday…Mostly sunny. North wind 22-26 mph and gusty.
  • Monday…Mostly sunny. North wind 20-24 mph.

No Coral Snakes in Baja California Sur

Posted on by Chance Stevens

When I first moved to El Sargento, I heard many a story of death-defying encounters with coral snakes. 

First things first: I want to make it clear that there are NO coral snakes in Baja California Sur. 

There are, however, a variety of colorful nonvenomous snakes that are commonly encountered in our area, which is the main reason that coral snakes are believed to be here. If we demystify these harmless lookalike snakes, hopefully coral snake myths will start to dissipate.

The first colorful snakes on our list are the Banded Sand Snakes (Sonora cincta). These little snakes spend almost all of their time underground or under objects, but they will come out on dark nights, especially in the spring and fall. Sand snakes are extremely variable, and can come in many different colors and patterns, one of which looks much like a coral snake. 

The next snake on our list is the California King Snake (Lampropeltis californiae). These snakes are banded, much like coral snakes, but only in black and white bands, and they grow much bigger than coral snakes. King snakes are very rare and difficult to find, but I can see how they could be mistaken for coral snakes.

A third type of snake sometimes confused with coral snakes is the Cape Gopher Snake (Pituophis vertebralis). These are big beautiful snakes that have a distinctive pattern, but they are very colorful so I thought I should put them on the list.

I hope this column puts any fears you may have to rest, and helps you tell the difference between the various types of coral snake mimics. Feliz año nuevo!