Baja or bust: beyond the beach and the links, the adventures begin in the brilliant waters off Los Cabos

Chief Executive, The, March, 2005 by Scott Henjum

On my visit in December, I hooked a 150-pound striped marlin that turned into a forearm-straining battle. After an hourlong fight, we landed and released the spectacular billfish. The experience topped any I've had in my lifetime of fishing.

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The best time to fish is April through November, although the summer months can be trying due to the heat.

Sea Kayaking

Thanks to its dramatic 2,000-mile coastline, Baja has become one of the world's best sea kayaking destinations. Paddlers from all over are drawn to the long, pounding surf of the Pacific coast and the tamer "inside" routes throughout the Sea of Cortez.

Kayakers can enjoy varied habitats from the cockpit of a single or double boat, including laid-back bays and lagoons, cliff- or cactus-studded islands, and, of course, shimmering turquoise waters.

"The best thing about kayaking in Baja is you never know what is going to happen when you are on the water," says Pinnacle Holdings' Gebhard, who has paddled the Sea of Cortez for two decades. "You can be paddling along and see whales, pods of porpoises, billfish, you name it. Where else can you dive into the water with a docile 40-foot tiger shark, stand on its tail and wave back to your friends?" Gebhard's most recent kayaking trip involved shuttling a group of 20 members of the Young Presidents' Organization.

Most of the kayaking in Baja takes place on the Sea of Cortez. Experienced outfitters run guided trips from La Paz and Loreto to the south. The outings are either supported by powerboats that carry all your camping and personal gear, or they can be more spartan and require you to haul your own stuff. Day trips are an option from either city.

Popular kayaking trips include journeys around the more than 100 islands standing in the Sea of Cortez. From Loreto, you can tour the popular Isla Danzante and the larger, mountainous Isla Carmen. Leaving from LaPaz, you can paddle the 35 miles around Isla Espiritu Santo, an island that has white sand beaches, huge bluffs and secluded caves. On the north end of the island, you can visit Isla Partida and paddle with resident sea lions.

If you want to get up close with California gray whales, schedule a winter trip to Magdalena Bay on the Pacific coast. Migrating whales leave their summer haunts in the Bearing Sea in October and arrive in Baja to mate and calve between December and March.

Hardy sea kayakers hit the water every month of the year, braving high temperatures in the summer and buffeting winds in the winter.

Windsurfing

Baja was "discovered" as a windsurfing destination some 20 years ago, and the sport has grown in popularity ever since. From November through March, consistent northerlies blow down the Sea of Cortez, creating one of the most predictably favorable conditions for windsurfing anywhere.

One of the most accessible spots to windsurf is off the beach in Los Barriles, a friendly little town on Baja's East Cape region, less than an hour's drive northwest of Cabo San Lucas.