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  • Jake Winston August 15, 2011 at 8:55am

    I don't think it's going to get any better down there anytime soon. The worse our economy gets here it's double down there.

    No south of the boarder for me. 114.gif

  • markrocchio August 6, 2011 at 7:35am
    I went to Las Gaviotas in summer 2008. The quick turn-off to the Cuota was closed so we had to drive thru TJ....full sketchy. Got to Las Gaviotas with no probs. Pretty much stayed there and surfed the point out front...it was firing so it was cool. Went to Puerto Nuevo for dinner... but skeedadled before it got dark. I put my quiver inside my Honda Element and didn't advertise I was a surfer. But on the way back, we got stopped at a Federale checkpoint. The soldiers saw the boards on the ceiling of my car and freaked out...pulled guns and everything. My buddy nearly poo'd his pants. Luckily I speak Spanish and quickly explained those were my surfboards. The soldiers mellowed out and we went on our way. But the vibe down there is intense....everyone is just waiting for the next big drug gang mass murder scene. I'd like to go down again...maybe surf Abreojos or Quartros like back in the day but I think it's just too sketchy..
  • Robert Boeninger March 11, 2011 at 6:00pm

    Puerto Escondido NEVER GO!!!!

    Kidnapped twice by police attempted third after I would not pay extortion fees EVERY foreigner has to pay. This last time they wanted 12k dollars and I told them to F.off.I sold my home and moved 400 miles away. They simply telephoned ( an attorney from Puerto Escondido named Cardenas near the airport) the police up their and they said they were coming over to get the extortion money. Again I told them to F..off and reported it to the U.S. Embassy immediately. The embassy called dour family into the Embassy safe house 1.5 hours away. We packed our bags in 10 minutes and went to the bank to take out our money as we would not be returning.

    Withdrew our funds and went past the families house to change cars. At our home were 4 men in a black car 2 were police One ministerio publico that works in the kidnapping division in Cuernavaca and the other a PIBA state police whom I immediately recognized. THey tried to kidnap me again and when we fought they tried to shoot me three times, stabbed my wife and stole every penny we had. A couple of the group (friends of lance) are in prison reported by newspapers for other crimes like child trafficking, fraud, and real estate fraud ( 100 million in damages.. to Puerto Oceanfron residences for 20 years.. another horror story) but some are still free. The day before one of the arrests the head Ministerio Publico was ambushed with another officer and one died. The  next day without protection from the corrupt Zeta Ministerio Publico police federal agents came and made the arrest of a criminal named Bruciaga who sold the most expensive oceanfront homes in Puerto Escondido for 20 years... to bad the property was not his.

    Needless to say we never went to the safe house because we had no more money to live in the U.S. The Embassy does not and cannot help anyone in Mexico!!!!! remember that, they can only tell you to leave or help you leave.

    One to watch out for is an American that goes by the name of Lance or L.T.. According to I.N.M Mexican Immigration he carries no documents to legally live in Mexico.  He is about 6 or 6'2" wears a ball cap and looks like the hillbilly that says "Git her Done" really big gut and drives a red pickup. HE has extorted or tried to extort almost everyone I know. I was told by U.S. Consulate workers he tried to kidnap 5 surfers at the same time about three years ago. I took almost two dozen police and after they returned the hostages the police refused to arrest anyone and the situation was not to be spoken of ever again. One escaped and eventually they let the others go. Had the one not escaped they would have been used for other reasons and not for randsom. This guy works illegally in a Pizzeria on Zicatela next to the womans hostal and another hostal. Very dangerous if you dont want your organs to be used on the black market... literally.

    According to court documents this man carries a single identification card from a company called Zapata Corporation, now called Harbinger Group. THis company was founded by George Bush Sr. and has been the center of arms and drug smuggling claims for decades.

    The same group of police killed Beat Salzmann (Becasurf) a swiss client of mine one late evening when I was going to visit him. Bad Timing.

    I have recorded the so called HEad Ministerio Publico police stating through translation that he gives permission to criminals to perform crimes against foreginers and they(the police) will not prosecute no matter how much evidence is presented since I did not pay their demands that this is no longer a legal matter but a personal contract between he an I. He then said he no longer wanted any money.

    INM (mexican immigration) are paid off still NOT to have him arrested even after just two months ago the heads in Mexico City were fired for crimes in helping organized crime commit thousands of crimes against foreigners also related to hundreds if not estimated thousands of murders and disappearances.

    Attorneys in Puerto Escondido Arturo Vega states this man alone with help of corrupt Zeta police falsely imprisons up to four people a month to force them to pay extortion fees. Once the money is paid the case simply disappears.

    Presently in the lineup in Puerto their are about five murderers that go to the beach daily.

    At night they are at the late night bar Piedra Iguana, double the number but much worse.

    I fell much safer after loosing my board at Puerto Escondido in 25 foot surf and having to swim to the harbor after dark than being on land in that place. This story does not even scratch the surface to what I have seen their. Police commit 9 out of ten crimes.
    • Scott Bishop > Robert Boeninger March 11, 2011 at 7:52pm

      Wow! That's really heavy. I have a friend who is an FBI agent specializing in the Mexican Cartel gang members here in San Diego and he recently told me to avoid going south of the boarder when I told him I was thinking about going for a quick day trip of surfing with some friends.

      I was surfing down there 2 to 3 times per month and haven't been down there in over 2 years now. I miss it!

  • John Scott January 27, 2011 at 2:34am

    I surfed several spots south of Rosarito this past weekend. I didn't have or see any problems.

  • AST Surf Tours September 21, 2010 at 12:52am
    Interesting, better to go south of Ensenada for sure!
    • Robert Boeninger > AST Surf Tours March 11, 2011 at 6:17pm

      I have been a photographer down their for ten years, been within 10 feet of El Barbie once and La Barba several times.

      Google it,..............anyways don't let anyone fool you, the problems of murder and assassination is ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. Probably worse in the southern states as the police will kill anyone who publishes stories against organized crime.

      The last governor of Oaxaca was a convicted mass murderer while in his term. He still has not been arrested.

      GO to Costa

  • Scott Bishop September 21, 2010 at 12:46am
    Thanks Dave,
    I used to go down there about 3x a month with a good friend who has a house in Baja Del Mar. I haven't been down there now in over 2 years because of all the headless news. I know their not really targeting us but I'm more worried about being targeted because of the lack of income down there being a result of it.
    In fact I just spoke to a neighbor of mine that just got back earlier today and he said they had a run in with a couple of local surfers yelling "gringo go home" from the next break over even. He said their car was a shinny new Cadillac. whoa
  • AST Surf Tours September 20, 2010 at 11:50pm
    Where will you be going? We have a camp about 4 hours past the border and have had no issues. I wouldn't be parking along the beaches unless you have someone to watch the car. Rosarita is barley open, almost all businesses are closed so that is not good.

    Let me know if you need anymore info

    Dave@astadventures.com
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