Americans generally think of July as a time for fireworks, but the Month of May was one big, fat, noisy explosion of fishing, food and fiesta at the Hotel Buena Vista Beach Resort.  Even our old time boat captains can’t remember a better fishing month, with 86-year old Togo Hazard setting the standard with the best day of fishing as well as weirdest – a hotel record of 10 sailfish and 1 striped marlin released. Yes you heard right, it is May, this accomplishment still has many of us locals wondering how it happened (sails to striped marlin ratio for the month of May is about 8 marlin for each sail normally).   That was one day, amigos! 

His was truly an amazing accomplishment, and someone should write the story for one of the national fishing magazines (well actually some one did! check it out in our in the news section).

If Sr. Togo’s day wasn’t enough, we had reunions, weddings, family parties and just about everything under the sun to make it an incredibly exciting month.  [Details below.]

Toward the end of the month, roosterfish began showing up right on schedule looking for our little flatiron herring or sardina right off the beach.  Forty and 50-pound gallo crashing bait is not a sight for the faint hearted.  But the big ones didn’t get to be big by being stupid or careless and they proved tough to catch.  Our guests did extremely well with 10- to 20-pounders that made reels howl.  Our fly-rodding friends started tossing feather imitations both from the beach and from our super pangas.  There were lots of fly-fishing stories of fish landed, fish that spooked and turned away at the last instant and fish that made some mighty fine memories.

Looking for a word to describe May?  Try WONDERFUL.

The Things We Did   

Guests along with our boats, skippers and crew participated in the El Debate Tournament across the Sea of Cortez in Los Mochis.  Participating in this tournament were Tom Kolansisky our good Amigo de Spa member fishing aboard Dusty BII with Captain Jesus Cota at the helm accompanied by mate Sadoc Agundez.   Also, the Eclipse 91 under Captain Nestor Escobedo and mate Oscar Verdugo with Pedro Sors from Monterrey representing the “Federacion Nacional de Pesca Deportiva.”

We have traditionally held a fishing tournament for David Cross on his birthday and this year we celebrated his 41^st.  Following the day on the water there was an awards ceremony and dinner in El Navegente where Chef Ramirez did a little fancy footwork preparing eight different fish. 

More then 40 neighbors and hotel guests including Jim Benson, Mike Buller, Steve Cross and Craig Moore were part of the festivities.

Happy Birthday, David, from all of us . . .

Mother’s Day

We pulled out all the stops for our annual salute to Mom with some of the best food this side of paradise.

Hotel guests and many of our community neighbors enjoyed shrimp in a tequila sauce served with risotto and vegetables; fish fillet in a saffron sauce with vegetables and sweet potatoes; and for non-seafood lovers it was beef fillet in a fig sauce with vegetables and mashed potatoes.  Talk about yummy!

This serves as a reminder that if you’re thinking about something special for Mother’s Day 2009, we are now accepting reservations.  Doesn’t she deserve a little more than pancakes at IHOP?  It will be May 10 next year, just five days after Cinco de Mayo, so why not make a week of it? 

Return Guests

The backbone of our business – any business, really, is repeat customers.  We are so fortunate and blessed to have so many friends come back to see us season after season, year after year.  Here are just a few of the we bid welcome to our Quiet Little Corner of the World –

Amelia and Dr. Peter Robinson with their friends Cecilia and Richard Cruz from Los Angeles, California. Dr. Robinson gave us another scare as he became quite ill, but we were amazed at his strength . . . Our good friends Joseph Anglesio from Roseville, California; and Harold and Sandy Tompkins from The Villages, Florida, spent about 10 days relaxing while fishing a couple times aboard 3 Hermanos and Dusty BII . . . Making the long haul from Fresno, Calif. astride his motorcycle was our amigo Roger Cannon, who spent a week at the resort.

We mentioned Sr. Togo Hazard’s remarkable day of 10 sailfish and a marlin.  This was all part of his 86^th birthday, which was celebrated appropriately with family and friends including Ann and Terry, Gayle and Derek Hazard. Joining in the in birthday bash were friends Julius Paske, Dave Copeland and his wife Elizabeth, Mary and Buzz Fedorka, Susana Colyer and son Kenneth with his girlfriend Karen, Vicente Cosio and his fiancée Elizabeth Izquierdo and the Valdez Family.  Everyone enjoyed the Carne Asada along the Mariachi that played for a couple hours.

Other returnees included Susana Colyer from Gardnerville, Nevada accompanied by her son Kenneth and his girlfriend Karen from Los Angeles, who enjoyed a relaxing vacation.  . . . Mary and Buzz Fedorka joined us and fished aboard the Dottie BII and the Dusty BIII.  Besides the fishing, they also enjoyed some of the culinary masterpieces that came out of the dining room . . . While Paul Ottenstein from Denver, Colo. and Robert Ottenstein from Bakersfield, Calif. had a great time fishing inshore with a beautiful catch of a 15-pound red snapper, some roosterfish, cabrilla and they released both striped marlin and sailfish. Wow!  Not a bad way to spend a couple of spring days!

The Hummel Family of Nancy, Jason, Stephanie and baby Addison had a great stay at the resort fishing with Captain Juan Garcia.  They are looking forward to coming back at the end of June . . . Roger Kirschner and his friends Bill Brennan and Randy Rohner fished on the Dottie BII and nailed five sailfish and three dorado . . . Manuel Martinez and Ed Bustamante with their sons from San Diego had great time fishing with Captain Marcos Yepiz . . . On a second visit in 2008, Mike Carpenter from Sacramento had a relaxing stay . . . And Californian Mike Richardson was here a couple nights while they were getting ready for their new house in the Spa . . . While Pat and Vitto Galasso from Sylmar, Calif were back at the resort where they caught dorado up to 50-pounds – and that’s a lot of mahi-mahi, amigos!

Nancy Rayner from Long Beach, and Sally and Traci Wolbert from Philadelphia had a “girls’ fishing trip” aboard Yanet. After the great time they had, we still miss “Papa Loco,” but we look forward to seeing him on his November trip . . . Returning guests from 2004 were the Seidels from Ocean Springs, Mass., together with Steve and Roberta Long  from Vista, Calif. 

Our good friend Lon Brooks from Austin, Texas had to miss this year’s trip due to health problems, but some of his friends including Curtis Shaw, Doss Noble, Glenn and David Johnson enjoyed the stay.  We’ll see you back soon, Lon . . . and we welcomed the visit of Ron and Kathy Viodes from Lakewood, Calif., together with Luis and Diana Diaz , who we last saw fishing aboard Yanet with Captain Felipe Ruiz.

No doubt we missed a few – or maybe more than a few – but if we did, we apologize and hope to make it up to you next time you’re down Mexico Way. 

Groups Groups Groups

Lecea Group – This was a group of nine friends from Monterrey in the Mexican State of Nuevo Leon.  Lead by Pedro Lecea, others on the trip included Jorge and Marcos Gallegos, Carlos Fernandez, Hector Gámez, Francisco and Enrique Martinez, Hernán Lopez and Mario Garza. It was a weekend full of fun, relax and fishing.  Their final count of the trip was three striped marlin of about 125 pounds and three 40-pound dorado.  You can also toss in a lifetime of memories! 

King Harbor Group – A returning group of 11 guests from California joined us for a weekend in the resort, fishing aboard Dottie BII, and 3 Hermanos; while Paul Gillet   brought his own boat from Cabo.  Guests included Gillet, Redondo Beach; Paul Gleason, Stevenson Ranch; Rebecca Brandy; Stevenson Ranch; Ed Tschernoscha, San Pedro; Mark Macinnis, Stevenson Ranch; and Linda Freyre, Stevenson Ranch.  For those of you who don’t know where Stevenson Ranch is, it’s not far from Magic Mountain in the Santa Clarita Valley area. 

Villa Corporation Group – An executive training conference for 22 of Villa Corporation employees.  While they were working in our Convention Center, the families were living together in the swimming pool and on the beach.  A combination conference/family get-together is a great way to build corporate team spirit and something you might consider if you’re in business.

Todd Mattley Group – Todd Mattley and Randy Twist organized a group of 18 friends for a “Stag Party” in honor of Eddie Bernacchi.  Most of the folk were first time visitors to the East Cape and they had what was described as “a great time fishing, relaxing in the swim-up bar, drinking and partying 24/7.”  These were primarily from Sacramento.  They fished our 29-foot Phoenix with three days of dorado.  Chef. Ramirez prepared special dinners based on their catch-of-the-day. Our return guests Randy Twist and Chuck Center “Cazadores” stayed an extra night to relax and recover

Hsu Group – From Diamond Bar, Calif., William and Pamela Hsu along with friends Richard and Michael Nielsen and Timothy Boyle did some serious. Their friends Mike and Vall Smalley stayed one more week enjoying these days with Mateo, their son who was in an exchange program learning and practicing his Spanish and also being a part of the magic of the East Cape.

Hanselman Party – At the end of May we hosted a group of 12 lead by Warren and Kurt Hanselman with some happy hours time fishing.  Guests were Paul and David Hinley, Valdin Talbergs, Michael Elconin, Harold Pashler, John Mirata, David James, Robert Conrad, William Kimble and Jose Alkon.

Dave Bryce – Amigo David Bryce from Houston was joined by six friends for two days of non-stop fishing aboard our super pangas.  Did they like it?  I guess so, since they will be coming back in July.

Once again, if we missed anyone our sincere apologies.  We’ll do better on your next visit. 

            Thanks to all of you from the Valdez Family