Yelapa Mexico

Hola!

For the past three years, my family and I have been making an annual migration to Mexico for two weeks of each January. Luck has it there happens to be a flying site in little fishing village to the South of PV, called Yelapa. This village can only be described as quaint.

There are no roads in Yelapa. Until recently there was no road access at all. Something that could loosely be described as being... 'a road' now exists but I would not recommend taking any vehicle that you are fond of. Even if you were to decide to drive there, you would need to leave your vehicle in the... 'parking lot' (another very loose description).

Most people catch a water taxi.

As best as I can tell, about 15 years ago - some hippie took their paraglider to Yelapa and found a suitable place to launch from. 15 years later, there are two launches.

Yelapa is beautiful. It is nestled in a small natural harbour where a river has washed enough sand out to form a fresh water lagoon that is separated from the ocean by a white sand beach. This beach is the LZ.

Day 1:
I woke up early and I was a was keen to fly so I went looking for the lower launch. I followed several meandering pathways - along which I discovered the waterfall and the 'parking lot' - before locating the lower launch.

The only description I had for finding this launch was 'a long hike up shit creek'. This is a bit unfair to the creek because it is actually a dry creek bed that would only be active during the rainy season (summer). Long hike it isn't - steep it is.

By the time I found launch and ate breakfast. The boats were indicating that the wind direction had turned from outflow to inflow so I set off on my second hike, avec glider.

After waiting to catch my breath and then waiting for a straight cycle I launched myself off and had a nice sledder to the fore mentioned beach.

On the beach were a couple of people kiting. One was named Miguel... Jayson, he says 'Hi'.

After having a refreshment I set off hiking again. This time it really did feel long AND especially steep. 3/4 the way up I was passed by three Mexicans (with no shoes) and Miguel wearing crocks ;) )

One Mexican launches (yes in bare feet) and then Miguel with a passenger (crocks and bare feet).... and then I set up in time for the wind to begin to cross.

I waited. The wind died. I waited some more... then it was cross... wait... oh good now it's over the back.

I waited a little more for dead non cycle and powered off a forward. The glider came up nice and straight. Just past the end of the runway there are bushes and trees. I aimed for the least substantial of them, pulled up my 'relax strap' as tight as I could before plowing through and I flew away... for a nice sledder.

Day Two:
Two More sledders - no drama.

Day Three:
I was a little smarter. Also, the sky had some CU's. I waited an extra two hours before hiking up. I launched and had a nice boaty flight. I hiked back up and had another. I never got above launch but it was nice to cap my short stay on a positive note. I can see the potential.

Yelapa is a great place to take the family. It is safe, laid back and quiet. It is beautiful and relatively inexpensive. I rented a new, clean two bedroom casa right on the beach for $90 a day.

For flying, better to wait for late February, March or April. May is supposed to be good too but it starts getting stupid hot.

The problem I ran into is that there just isn't a lot going on in January. The truck that could take you to the upper launch was out of commission and even if it was running, one guy paying ten bucks wouldn't be much motivation to take it to the upper launch. The lower launch is fine but it takes too much effort to get to for a sledder.

I will go back but it would be later in the Spring and I would want to tie it into visiting other sites in Mexico.

Better yet would be to visit Yelapa with some buddies. Missed you guys.

Simon