CINCO DE MAYO
Today is Cinco de Mayo, a day dedicated to honoring Mexico’s interesting culture and heritage. It’s actually celebrated more here in the U.S. than in Mexico; it is not an official holiday there, nor does it commemorate Mexico’s independence from Spain. Rather, it is a tribute to a single, one-day battle that took place on May 5, 1862. Mexican forces soundly defeated French soldiers at the Battle of Puebla, sending them into retreat.
Interesting bit of info about that infamous little battle; it may have played a role in preventing the Confederacy from winning the American Civil War! How? Well, Mexico owed some money to France, so France’s emperor, Napoleon III, decided to invade Mexico. Napoleon also had ideas to support the Confederate States of America by providing guns in exchange for cotton, which was in short supply at the time. But because the French were forced to retreat at the Battle of Puebla, it delayed Napoleon's plan to supply munitions to the Confederate Army, giving the Union forces time to win decisive victories in the Civil War.
Mexican culture is deeply rooted in the western U.S., which is probably why Cinco de Mayo is so celebrated here. And what better day to introduce Last Wave’s newest addition to its Surf Spot Series tees, “Killers!” Killers is one of several surf spots located on the small archipelago of Todos Santos, off the coast of northern Baja California, Mexico. The area was first ridden by members of the newly reformed Windansea Surf Club (which actually has roots dating back to 1947) in around 1964. Still often referred to as “Todos Santos” or just “Todos,” Killers didn’t get its name until the late ‘80s. In fact, it was still an unnamed surf spot when it was featured in the 1983 film Ocean Fever. Killers was put on the map in 1987, when Tom Curren and Dave Parmenter were caught on film there for a Surfing magazine feature article. In 2014, the Bahia de Todos Santos was dedicated as a World Surfing Reserve by our friends at the Save the Waves Coalition. STW is a great organization, committed to protecting surf ecosystems worldwide.
Until next time,
Ted